Guardian sports reporter Matt Turner on a rollercoaster year for Warrington Wolves...

I REMEMBER the day very well.

It was last November and I had just stepped off a plane having spent the previous two weeks on a long-saved-for holiday in Mexico.

Furthermore, I had been pushing my girlfriend’s broken-down car along Capesthorne Road before I arrived at The Wire’s Padgate training base sweaty and jet-lagged.

I was not in the best state to meet the man who would be the next Warrington Wolves coach for at least the next three years for the very first time.

Still, there I was and then I felt a big palm slap onto my right shoulder.

“How ya goin’ big man? Glad you could make it.”

I turned round to see the surprisingly tall figure of Steve Price greeting me with a big, beaming smile. We had spoken on the phone before, but this was the first time I had met him in the flesh.

It would be far-fetched of me to suggest I knew The Wire would reach both major finals in the coming season under Price’s tutelage straight away.

However, it did not take me long to realise how driven this man was to take this club back to where many feel it belongs.

You don’t have to be a member of the media to see that either.

Remember when he smashed his walkie-talkie when a try was bombed against Wigan earlier this year? Or how about his touchline histrionics in the semi-final win over St Helens.

Steve Price REALLY cares and the fans have taken him to their hearts because of it. He’s been known to pop into the King’s Head for a post-match pint, and has even offered fans lifts to games.

His passion and drive have shown on the pitch as well, and that has been the biggest change from what came before.

If you ask a Wire fan to recount the games in 2018 in which their side was truly sparkling in terms of attacking panache, they will struggle to reel off more than five or six matches.

However, what they will say about the vast majority of their games is that Wolves have stuck in the fight and have toughed it out – something they didn’t do much of in 2017.

“A tough and resilient footy team” was what Price promised when he first arrived in England. Mission accomplished.

But now the dust is settling on a memorable campaign, the question has to be asked; what now?

I am sure the Wire boss – after a good break, of course – will be asking himself just that. The 2019 Warrington Wolves squad will be more of a Steve Price squad.

With that in mind, will we see a more expansive style of play? Perhaps, but at the same time nobody would argue if this squad stuck to what has served them relatively well.

That is a question for a few months’ time. For now, let’s look back on what has been a highly promising year.

Personally, I want to thank Steve and his players for making this job fun again.

As privileged as I know I am to do what I do, reporting on a losing team is not nice. It gets you down as it would a fan.

While this year has not been plain sailing, it has been a pleasure to write about.

I cannot wait to see what next year brings and to share the journey with you all.