SATURDAY’S hefty loss in France showed just how tough Wolves found it to back-up a physical encounter with an NRL side.

Tony Smith’s troops looked weary in a first half they lost 18-0 and again after a gutsy comeback derailed – against a Catalans side fresh from a week’s rest and featuring marquee signing Todd Carney on his debut.

It certainly showed in the heavy-footed performance that the first main training session of the week had only taken place 24 hours before kick off due to the restricted number of bodies fit enough.

Wolves, whose five team changes included an eye-catching display off the bench by 20-year-old Joe Philbin, conceded more points in 80 minutes than in their previous three games combined. Some of the defence would have been considered unacceptable in normal circumstances.

The writing looked on the wall early on when Willie Tonga waltzed past Chris Bridge and Gary Wheeler without a tackle attempt made.

Another tell-tale sign was some decision making being well off the mark, including Ben Westwood driving in on a last tackle and Gareth O’Brien - to his credit though not recommended - popping up to do a prop forward charge near his own try line.

In the circumstances of the war wounds, the travelling, along with a new half-back combination of Wheeler and O’Brien, the kicking game needed to be good.

But Wolves were not smart enough.

Handling errors, poor options and tame kicks meant little pressure was applied and Catalans took advantage with help from the game management and kicking from the impressive Scott Dureau and Carney.

Wolves fought hard to change the momentum at the start of the second period.

Tries from Joel Monaghan and Wheeler, who blew hot and cold on his first start in the halves, showed some success was achieved.

Things could have been different had Matty Russell not lost possession while stretching to touch down but the consequent breakaway try finished off by Zeb Taia took the remaining bite out of Wolves’ play.

INTERESTING NOTES

Joe Philbin and Gary Wheeler score their first tries for Wolves

Widest margin of defeat since 40-6 fall at Castleford Tigers on Easter Monday, 2014

Wolves had won six previous meetings with Catalans Dragons

Kevin Penny’s 50th Wolves appearance

Stefan Ratchford is 16pts short of 500 in club rugby 

MATCH FACTS

Catalans Dragons...38 Warrington Wolves...18

Dragons: Morgan Escaré; Michael Oldfield, Ben Pomeroy, Willie Tonga, Vincent Duport; Todd Carney, Scott Dureau; Louis Anderson, Ian Henderson, Jeff Lima, Zeb Taia, Elliott Whitehead, Greg Mounis. Subs: Benjamin Garcia, Julian Bousquet, Antoni Maria, Jason Baitieri.

Wolves: Kevin Penny; Joel Monaghan, Chris Bridge, Ryan Atkins, Matty Russell; Gareth O’Brien, Gary Wheeler; Chris Hill, Daryl Clark, Ashton Sims, Ben Currie, James Laithwaite, Ben Westwood. Subs: Ben Harrison, Micky Higham, Roy Asotasi, Joe Philbin.

Scoring: Tonga try, 8mins, Dureau conversion, 6-0; Oldfield try, 25mins, Dureau conversion, 12-0; Duport try, 28mins, Dureau conversion, 18-0; Monaghan try, 45mins, O’Brien goal, 18-6; Wheeler try, 49mins, O’Brien goal, 18-12; Dureau penalty, 57mins, 20-12; Taia try, 58mins, Dureau conversion, 26-12; Taia try, 61mins, Dureau conversion, 32-12; Philbin try, 65mins, O’Brien goal, 32-18; Oldfield try, 73mins, Dureau conversion, 38-18.

Referee: Ben Thaler

Penalties: Dragons 7 Wolves 5

Attendance: 8,946

Top Man: Ashton Sims

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