WARRINGTON Wolves boss Tony Smith insists his side showed an improved level of physicality against Wigan Warriors, despite slipping to defeat at the Halliwell Jones Stadium and accepting they were dreadful with the ball.

The head of coaching and rugby said his Warrington side were the most physical they have been all season.

“I thought we took steps forwards without the ball,” he said. “I thought it was as physical as I’ve seen my team for a long time.

“Certainly this year, but even periods of last year I didn’t think we had that sort of physicality so we will look to build on that again.

“We were very good last week but we certainly didn’t build on that. We were probably as physical as I’ve seen my team for a long time, which is a positive, but we were way off in our kicking game.”

However, the kicking game is something Smith felt Shaun Wane’s side got tactically spot on.

“What Wigan did well was kick tactically,” he added. “They found the wind and found the ground and got the ball on the ground very well.

“In their kicking game in the first half they found the ground very quickly as well.

“They certainly went at a speed and pace that gassed us for a while and we were doing a lot back pedalling without the ball.

“Then you get hold of the ball and things aren’t as good and you don’t put on the combination you would like to and the things you have been practising.”

Smith also believes his side lacked patience in attack, their only score coming from a Gene Ormsby interception.

“For the first 30 minutes the way Wigan went about their game and built their game took its toll on us at stages,” he explained.

“But I was pleased with our last 10 minutes of the first half, I thought we got back into the game and showed a bit about ourselves.

“Unfortunately in the second half, we did get the first and second tackle after a penalty and dropped the ball. It showed a little lack of patience in an area we were so good in only a week ago.”