ARRIVING at The Halliwell Jones Stadium on Sunday a young lad turned to his dad and said: “Do you think Wire will win the Grand Final?”

“When pigs can fly,” came the response from a bloke who looked too young to remember Warrington’s last title triumph in 1955.

Around two hours later and Tom the self-titled ‘Flying Pig’ Lineham had just crossed for his hat-trick.

This pig didn’t just fly, all 230 pounds plus of him soared from several metres out to plant one-handed over the try line on two occasions in almost identical fashion.

Those Lineham scores resembled similar acrobatic efforts from Gene Ormsby and Kevin Penny last year, and it’s not taken long for Wolves’ six-figure signing to learn the same trick.

Tony Smith, appreciating the skill comes from hours of practice on the training ground, was impressed – though less so with Wire’s overall showing.

“We can improve,” said the club’s head of coaching and rugby, which could make bleak reading for their Super League rivals.

At times the likes of Kurt Gidley, Chris Sandow and Daryl Clark were unstoppable, on others Smith felt they overplayed.

As they had at champions Leeds a week earlier, Wolves – led by the inspirational Chris Hill – had to defend resolutely and used that as a platform to flourish late on.

With Gidley, maintaining his 100 per cent goal-kicking record in Super League, calling the shots and Sandow thriving beside him, the hosts never looked like losing.

Wolves appear far from the finished article, with handling errors and some miscommunication, but the most encouraging factor for The HJ faithful must be the wave of confidence riding over those in primrose and blue.

An early try from Ben Currie settled any nerves and with Joe Westerman adding another it was straightforward for the hosts until a rare sin-bin for the experienced Gidley.

Losing an influential half back could have derailed a lesser side, but the Wire locomotive remained on track with Lineham’s spectacular first and second after the break.

Rovers mustered a deserved response via Iain Thornley and Kieran Dixon tries, but Wolves still had time to turn on the style.

The diminutive Sandow's outrageous dummy had half Rovers' defence heading for the exit, before he switched play with a huge pass for Wolves’ right winger to complete his hat-trick.

Former Man of Steel Clark would not be outdone, however, twisting, turning, sidestepping and juggling with teammate Currie before sliding over.

But it was Lineham’s home-debut hat-trick that ignited fans’ imagination; so will it be Wire’s year?

When pigs fly.