RUGBY League can be such a cruel game, and Warrington Wolves have felt the suffering when it comes to the long wait for a title success.

The club’s supporters have had to stomach ridicule from fans of arch-rivals like St Helens, Wigan and Widnes for having gone 61 years without winning the title, yet a fairly substantial element of misfortune has contributed to that horrible statistic along with the times when they have simply not been quite good enough.

Warrington were looking every bit champions-elect in the 1980-81 campaign under Billy Benyon but were afforded no season extension by the Rugby Football League when a backlog of fixtures resulted in them being forced into playing their last nine games in 23 days – when five losses and a draw cost them.

And then in 1993-94 Brian Johnson’s side finished level with Wigan and Bradford but missed out on the title on points difference.

Those were the days when the side finishing top of the table took the top prize.

Wolves fell foul of a system change, two years running.

When The Wire finished top of the pile in 1972-73, it was the last year of the Championship play-offs determining the supremos and Warrington bowed out in the semi finals to eventual winners Dewsbury.

A year later Alex Murphy’s men came out on top in the Club Championship, but the table toppers were crowned champions.

Bringing the journey back to the modern age, Tony Smith’s charges were on fire in the 2013 Grand Final against Wigan and leading 16-2 until match-ending injuries to Joel Monaghan and Stefan Ratchford changed the whole complexion of the showpiece finale at Old Trafford.

And was Richie Myler really offside in the last minute of the 2011 play-offs tie with Leeds Rhinos, allowing Kevin Sinfield to kick a winning penalty and break the hearts of a team that had broken all kinds of club records and clearly been the year’s best team?

The Wire will be hoping fortune finally favours them this time.

To correct reporting mistakes made recently in other media regarding Wolves’ honours board, primrose and blue supporters have celebrated championship-winning seasons three times - not just the once!

The years in the wake of the Second World War delivered a golden era for Warrington’s faithful followers.

A first title was secured in 1947-48 and two more followed in 1953-54 and 1954-55.