2007, SUPER LEAGUE XII: Adrian Morley arrives, Kevin Penny shines

Great Britain international Adrian Morley in training in pre-season in preparation for his first campaign with Wolves

AFTER consecutive seasons contesting the play-offs, missing out in 2007 was a huge disappointment.

Wolves finished seventh, a point behind both Huddersfield Giants and Wigan Warriors, as they paid the price for an awful mid-season run.

Adrian Morley, who initially played on with a fractured eye socket in his Wolves debut against Wigan

Moz's eye socket a week later

Morley feeling the pain of a fractured cheekbone on his return from the eye socket injury on his home debut against Hull KR

Morley on the bench with a fractured cheek bone after being replaced

They seemed to cope with the sickening setback of losing superstar new signing Adrian Morley to two serious injuries in the opening six rounds, but a slump set in after some of their go-forward and spark went missing as another recruit Paul Johnson, along with Chris Bridge, Chris Leikvoll and Michael Sullivan, joined Moz in the treatment room.

New signing Paul Johnson

And with a permanent partner in the halves for team jewel Lee Briers still not found, inconsistency resulted from the role being shared by back rower Vinnie Anderson, who was signed from St Helens, hooker Jon Clarke, utility Chris Bridge and Sullivan, who had been brought from the NRL to do the job but was far more dangerous as a number nine.

New arrival Vinnie Anderson hares away for a long-range effort against Bradford at Odsal

During a sequence from April to June, Paul Cullen’s side lost eight of their 10 games. And though they recovered with six wins from nine to conclude their league programme, the damage was done.

Bright spots were Wolves’ huge win in the inaugural Millennium Magic Weekend encounter with Salford in Cardiff, giving Warrington’s men a taste of the big stage; plus the end-of-season form of called-up Academy winger Kevin Penny.

Warrington Wolves tries against Salford at Millennium Magic in Cardiff

Two dazzling tries on the youngster’s full debut at Leeds led to 13 scores in 13 appearances as Penny became only the third Wolves player since 1996 to feature in the end-of-season Super League Dream Team.

Kevin Penny's two superb tries at Leeds on his full debut

Emergence of more young talent came in the shape of Matty Blythe, Lee Mitchell and 17-year-old Mike Cooper, who ended up in intensive care in hospital after suffering a blood clot and then pneumonia while having an operation to fix a broken leg.

Mike Cooper, back in the stands watching Wolves after his health scare

Mood lifted to some degree in July when Wolves chiefs announced the signing of Australian centre Matt King for 2008 and beyond, sending out a message that Wolves were no less ambitious of bringing back the glory days.

News of further signings for 2008 – Louis Anderson, Michael Monaghan and Chris Hicks – meant this was the last season in primrose and blue for Leikvoll, Brent Grose and Henry Fa'afili.

Henry Fa'afili, Brent Grose and Chris Leikvoll saying goodbye to the fans after their last home game

Wolves Supporters Trust awards night

SEASON’S RESULTS:

Challenge Cup:

Mar 31: Wolves 38 Hull KR 10

May 13: Wolves 48 Barrow 16

Richie Barnett haring down the flank in front of the South Stand against Barrow

Jun 9: St Helens 25 Wolves 14

Lee Briers on the move for Wolves against his former club St Helens

Super League:

Feb 9: Wigan Warriors 10 Wolves 16

Feb 18: Wolves 20 Bradford Bulls 36

Feb 25: Wolves 25 Hull FC 24

Mar 3: Harlequins RL 12 Wolves 19

Tiring trip to Harlequins took its toll on this supporter

Mar 9: Wolves 12 St Helens 48

Mar 18: Wolves 30 Hull KR 12

Mar 25: Wakefield Trinity 30 Wolves 24

Apr 6: Salford City Reds 32 Wolves 34

Apr 9: Wolves 18 Huddersfield Giants 26

Apr 15: Wolves 10 Leeds Rhinos 52

Apr 21: Catalans Dragons 27 Wolves 16

In the south of France supporting Warrington Wolves

Apr 29: Bradford Bulls 36 Wolves 24

May 6: Salford City Reds 18 Wolves 50 *

May 19: Wolves 4 Harlequins RL 17

May 28: Wolves 12 St Helens 40

Jun 1: Leeds Rhinos 42 Wolves 26

Jun 17: Wolves 31 Wakefield Trinity 12

Jun 30: Catalans Dragons 24 Wolves 22

Jul 8: Huddersfield Giants 28 Wolves 47

Jul 15: Salford City Reds 42 Wolves 6

Jul 22: Hull KR 20 Wolves 60

Aug 5: Wolves 43 Wigan Warriors 24

Aug 12: Hull FC 46 Wolves 14

Aug 19: Wolves 22 Catalans Dragons 18

Aug 31: Wolves 22 Huddersfield Giants 34

Sep 7: St Helens 36 Wolves 16

Sep 14: Salford City Reds 26 Wolves 34

* Millennium Magic, Cardiff

SUPER LEAGUE TABLE:

                P             W            D             L              F              A             Pt

St Helens              27           19           0             8             783        422        38

Leeds Rhinos      27           18           1             8             747        487        37

Bradford Bulls    27           17           1             9             778        560        33

Hull FC  27           14           2             11           573        553        30

Huddersfield Giants         27           13           1             13           638        543        27

Wigan Warriors 27           15           1             11           621        527        27

Warrington Wolves         27           13           0             14           693        736        26

Wakefield Trinity              27           11           1             15           596        714        23

Harlequins RL     27           10           3             14           495        636        23

Catalan Dragons               27           10           1             16           570        685        21

Hull KR  27           10           0             17           491        723        20

Salford City Reds              27           6             1             20           475        874        13

SQUAD STATS 2007:

                App        T              G             Dg           Pt

Vinnie Anderson               18           11           0             0             44

Richie Barnett    9+4        4             0             0             16

Matty Blythe      0+1        0             0             0             0

Andy Bracek       5+12     1             0             0             4

Chris Bridge        15+1     8             10           0             52

Lee Briers             26           12           93           5             239

Jon Clarke            30           11           1             0             46

Michael Cooper 0+4        0             0             0             0

Henry Fa’afili      28+1     22           0             0             88

Mark Gleeson    16+9     2             0             0             8

Martin Gleeson 24           10           0             0             40

Simon Grix           0+3        0             0             0             0

Brent Grose        29           10           0             0             44

Ben Harrison      4+13     0             0             0             0

Anthony Jerram                0+2        0             0             0             0

Paul Johnson     17           3             0             0             12

Chris Leikvoll      11+11   2             0             0             8

Lee Mitchell        1+3        1             0             0             4

Adrian Morley    19           1             0             0             4

Rob Parker          4+19     1             0             0             4

Kevin Penny       13           13           0             0             52

Steve Pickersgill 1+13     0             0             0             0

Paul Rauhihi       24+4     4             0             0             16

Stuart Reardon  21           7             0             0             24

Chris Riley            7+4        3             0             0             12

Michael Sullivan                5+9        2             1             0             10

Mike Wainwright              20+1     1             0             0             4

Ben Westwood 28           12           5             0             58

Paul Wood          15+6     1             0             0             4