Super League X - 2005 (From Warrington Guardian)

Super League X - 2005

4:41pm Friday 23rd June 2006

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WARRINGTON Wolves' principal aim for their 2005 campaign was to break the stranglehold of St Helens, Wigan, Leeds and Bradford on Super League and to make the top six.

And with new signings Martin Gleeson, for a reputed £270,000, Logan Swann, Andrew Bracek and Chris Bridge augmenting last year's powerful squad, hopes were certainly high.

Wolves opened Super League X with the long trip down to west London but disappointed, losing 28-24 to a Broncos side containing a host of unknowns that would themselves shake "the establishment" during the summer.

Nor did the Wolves find it easy in their opener at the Halliwell Jones against newly-promoted Leigh, scraping home 26-22. On the credit side, Gleeson put his name on the score sheet for the first time and 11,412 were in attendance - which would be just slightly ahead of the match average for the whole season.

Another long journey, to Hull, also proved fruitless with a 10-32 reverse and so it was with trepidation that fans looked ahead to a home game against St Helens, who hadn't been beaten since SL6.

The match proved to be a thriller with Saints taking the points 18-16 by scoring three tries in the last 10 minutes. The final touchdown by Keiron Cunningham came right on the hooter after the otherwise always dependable Brent Grose had spilled a bomb from Jamie Lyon.

That performance at least showed how far the Wolves had come under Paul Cullen's coaching but two more defeats were sustained in March - at Leeds by 38-6 and on Good Friday at Salford 10-42.

The Easter game was simply the worst display by the team since the Anderson years with Stuart Littler registering a hat-trick.

Vital league points were collected against Huddersfield and Widnes in the same month but Wolves travelled to Leeds in the fourth round of the Challenge Cup with little optimism. In fact they put up a brave performance against Kevin Sinfield's all stars, losing by just four points.

The team were at last beginning to knit effectively and a superb 35-32 win against the Bradford Bulls was followed by victories at Wakefield and against Hull when Henry Fa'afili cruised in for three tries.

It was with truly high hopes that fans travelled to Knowsley Road for the return against the Saints.

Astonishingly, the Wolves capitulated yet again in the dying seconds 31-30 and would have to wait another year for their first win at the venue since 1993/94.

But the team were certainly looking competitive against the best and that defeat would be the last for two months. Wolves came from behind to beat traditional rivals Wigan 28-22 at the Halliwell Jones and then came a stunning and totally unexpected victory at Odsal.

Bradford looked to have wrapped up the game just after half time, leading 24-8, and Mark Hilton and Nat Wood had left the field injured.

Thirty six unanswered points in 30 minutes sent the faithful supporters into raptures.

Wakefield, Huddersfield at the Galpharm and the by-now relegation candidates Leigh were defeated and then came revenge against Salford 48-14 with Ben Westwood scoring three tries and Martin Gleeson, Toa Kohe-Love and Logan Swann two each.

During June, the Halliwell Jones staged soccer for the first time - three group games and a semi final in the UEFA Women's Championship were all well supported by oval ball enthusiasts.

The Wolves marched on with a thrilling last-gasp win at Widnes, Lee Briers returning to the field after an injury and dropping the goal that gave his side a 25-24 win.

The double against Wigan looked a possibility but Wolves disappointed in a 36-17 defeat.

On a scorching hot July afternoon London were overturned 26-14; the scores were shared among the backs but it was the defensive display that took the eye. Mike Forshaw, who retired in 2004, had returned to the club as a coach and his efforts looked to be bearing fruit.

Sadly, the lads then went off message - Leeds and Saints came to town and a defeat at Huddersfield saw them shipping in 114 points in total.

It was the second 'derby' game at the Halton Stadium that put Wolves back on track for a play-off place; the Vikings, by then looking certain to be relegated, were crushed 60-16 in an 11-try romp that included one for debut winger Chris Riley.

Salford were put under the lash again and Wolves had confirmed 2005 as their best SL season - but by then something else was exciting the fans.

A chance meeting at Lord's cricket ground between director Simon Moran and the agent for Andrew Johns, acclaimed as the finest player in world Rugby League, led to the Australian superstar signing for Wolves for the championship run-in.

The whole town was suddenly in ferment and staff in the club shop were pulled out of place as fans jostled for "Joey" souvenirs.

The great man made his debut against Leeds on September 10 and in the first move of the game Johns made a try in the corner for Henry Fa'afili.

With more than 13,000 jammed into the Halliwell Jones, Wolves cruised to victory 33-16.

The regular league programme came to an end with a visit to the new Challenge Cup holders, Hull, and Cullen's men proved too strong, winning 30-16. The prize was fourth place and a home game against the same team the following week.

Another massive crowd of 12,243 turned out to take the club's average gate during the season beyond 11,000 for the first time in 49 years. As so often has happened in recent years the Wolves faltered on the big day.

The Johns factor just wasn't enough to contain the slick Humbersiders who provided a lesson in off-loading in the tackle. Forty points were conceded but at least Wolves fans saw Johns score his one try for the club, making sure it wasn't a complete black and whitewash.

Perhaps it was fate - put the clock back 50 seasons and you would have seen the then all-conquering Wire shattered 17-0 by Hull, also in the play-offs.

And if it was sad for Johns it was doubly so for the wonderful Nat Wood, playing his last game in primrose and blue.

He was one of the players of the season, with fellow signing from Wakefield, Ben Westwood, converting from the backs to the pack, chasing hard for honours. Martin Gleeson always looked classy, being selected for the Great Britain train-on squad, while Chris Leikvoll, Danny Lima and Logan Swann were the pick of the pack.

Lee Briers returned to top form towards the end but it was Brent Grose, moving to full back for the first time in his career, who was consistently outstanding throughout the campaign.

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