WARRINGTON Wolves will be expecting better from their half backs in the future.

Homegrown Gareth O’Brien, aged 23, and Gary Wheeler, a 25-year-old close-season signing from St Helens, paired up for the first time in the 38-18 defeat at Catalans Dragons on Saturday.

While O’Brien has taken to the field at stand off in all games so far this season, it was Wheeler’s first start in the playmaking role after having one game at centre and two off the bench in primrose and blue.

They came together in the wake of Richie Myler – named in the 19-man squad on Thursday – having a “sportsman’s hernia” problem that required surgery on Friday, although it was not disclosed until the scrum half Tweeted the information shortly before kick off on Saturday.

Another half-back option, Chris Bridge, was preferred in the centres on his first start of the season.

O’Brien and Wheeler faced experienced Australian duo Scott Dureau and Todd Carney, a former NRL player of the year who was making his debut for Catalans Dragons.

While Dureau and Carney stamped their authority on their team and the game – particularly in the kicking and organisational departments – Warrington’s double act blew hot and cold in a team that was flat after the previous week’s rigours in the World Club Series.

Wolves did not build sufficient pressure in a first half in which Catalans assembled an 18-0 lead, handling errors not helping or often the kick at the end of a set not causing the home side too many problems.

Wheeler’s performance was under the microscope as Wolves’ newcomer as a general.

He was guilty of two fumbles and a last-tackle offload that was never on when his team were trying to get a foothold in the game.

Twice he worked hard to get himself into position to make try-saving tackles but was brushed off by bigger men Vincent Duport and Zeb Taia.

In between, Wheeler’s perfect pass would have brought a crash-over try from prop Chris Hill had it not been for heroic defence from Catalans full back Morgan Escare.

Also, Wheeler supported O’Brien’s midfield break and looked set to score until a stunning cover tackle from Australian winger Michael Oldfield, and he did help to get Wolves back in the game in the second half when he played to the whistle from a Dragons knock-on to cross for a converted try that cut the arrears to 18-12.

Wolves’ head of coaching and rugby Tony Smith said: “Sometimes you have to cope with different combinations, that’s part and parcel of rugby league.

“You’re not going to go through a whole season with the same combinations, not very often in rugby league anyway.

“They (O’Brien and Wheeler) had some bright moments, but I wouldn’t think either one would like to be judged on that sort of performance each and every week.

“I think they can both perform better than that. Some of our kicking game wasn’t great.

“When we got on the front foot they looked good but they need to help us to get on the front foot with some better kicking and better finishes to sets.”