STEVE Price will have arrived from Australia with the aim of delivering a first league title to Warrington since 1955.

However, nobody expected the chance to do that would come quite so soon.

Victory at Old Trafford on Saturday would provide a fitting crescendo to what has been a rollercoaster first season in English rugby league for Price.

Here, Guardian sports reporter Matt Turner takes a look at the season as it has unfolded, and the key moments that have put The Wire on the brink of history.

>A TRICKY BEGINNING:

On a cold first day of February, a new era was about to dawn at Warrington Wolves.

For the first time since the 2010 campaign, they would start the Super League season with a new coach. With him came new players and fresh ideas.

However, as if it was in any doubt, Price quickly found life in England would be far from plain sailing.

An inconsistent start to the season saw Wolves lose four of their first six games.

Leeds and St Helens both came away from The Halliwell Jones Stadium with maximum points, while dour away defeats at a rainy Huddersfield and a freezing cold Hull FC tempered victories over neighbours Widnes and Wigan.

Despite the pre-season optimism taking a blow, a turning point was around the corner…

A dour defeat at Huddersfield was one of four losses in the first six games of 2018. Picture by Mike Boden

>ONE NIGHT IN PERPIGNAN:

As soon as Warrington stepped onto French soil, it was clear Catalans would be no match for them.

So it proved, as Steve Price’s side put on a wet-weather rugby clinic and became the first side to ‘nil’ the Dragons on their own turf.

A 26-0 victory in torrid conditions showed the first clear signs of the toughness and resilience Price promised to instil within his side.

It proved a catalyst for the run that would shape their season…

Harvey Livett and Joe Philbin celebrate in a soggy Perpigan. Picture by Mike Boden

>UNSTOPPABLE:

On the Monday after the Catalans victory, Josh Charnley’s signing from Sale Sharks was announced and everything seemed to change.

The mood was lifted around the club and after a superb comeback win over Wakefield, the wing king made a try-scoring debut in the Good Friday win over Widnes.

Their winning run was now at three and it would stretch to 10 in all competitions, with an Easter Monday victory in what was essentially a swimming pool at Castleford and a breath-taking success at Headingley against Leeds being particular highlights.

A game Bradford side and a thuggish Toronto outfit were also dispatched in the Challenge Cup. Warrington were back where they belonged and it looked like they were there to stay…

An Easter Monday victory in farcical conditions at Castleford was a highlight of The Wire's 10-match winning run. Picture by Mike Boden

>PEAKS AND TROUGHS:

Wigan unceremoniously ended The Wire’s winning run with a crushing win at Magic Weekend, extending Wolves’ miserable record in Newcastle to four defeats in as many visits.

They rebounded in the best possible way – seeing off Hull FC before a memorable Challenge Cup quarter-final win to exact sweet revenge on the Warriors.

Still, there were inconsistencies, namely a shock home loss to a depleted Castleford side and last-second defeats at both Wigan and St Helens – the former coming despite outscoring the Warriors by three tries to two.

Morale-boosting away wins at Wakefield and Hull KR were much-needed to keep Wire on track.

The Wire were no match for Grand Final opponents Wigan at Magic Weekend. Picture by Mike Boden

>CUP TAKES CENTRE STAGE:

Following their grand day out in Bolton which saw them run roughshod over Leeds to book their place in the Challenge Cup Final, Super League was almost put on the backburner in the lead-up to Wembley as the Super 8s got underway in earnest.

An understrength Catalans side were routed, but defeat at Castleford all but ended their chances of a home semi-final.

Then, of course, came the crushing blow of a Wembley loss – their fifth major final defeat in a row as Catalans took full advantage of a lacklustre Wolves performance to lift the Challenge Cup.

Now, Warrington’s eggs were all in the Super League basket and the recovery needed to happen fast…

The devastation of the Wembley defeat to Catalans sinks in for Wolves. Picture by Mike Boden

>BOUNCING BACK:

Just five days after their Wembley heartbreak, Wolves took all their frustrations out on a hapless Hull FC, with Bryson Goodwin’s five-try haul inspiring an 80-10 demolition to effectively secure their semi-final spot.

They made mathematically certain of their top-four place by edging out Huddersfield a week later, and that left three games still to negotiate.

Price rang the changes for the trip to Wigan and while they made a good fist of it for most of the game, Tom Lineham’s sin-bin led to them falling apart and losing 26-6.

Then, a day after it was confirmed they would be facing each other in the Super League semi-finals, Wolves and Saints met at The Halliwell Jones Stadium, with the League Leaders’ Shield winners delivering a cold dose of reality with a 34-14 win.

Their last ever Super 8s game saw them win 36-23 at Wakefield before attention turned to the semi-final.

Josh Charnley celebrates scoring in the 80-10 demolition of Hull FC. Picture by Mike Boden

>AGAINST ALL ODDS:

Nobody gave The Wire much of a chance as they travelled to the Totally Wicked Stadium to face off against St Helens for a place at Old Trafford.

They were written off by the bookmakers, the pundits and, in some cases, their own supporters.

However, what followed was something very special.

Warrington dug to the deepest depths to stun their well-fancied hosts and win 18-13 and send them to the Theatre of Dreams for the fourth time in seven years.

All of a sudden, from a season that was in danger of petering out, this Warrington team stand on the verge of immortality.

Toby King shows his delight after the final hooter at Saints. Picture by Mike Boden