Warrington Wolves team of the decade 2010-19, loose forward

In next week’s edition, we will reveal the full dream team of players to have pulled on the primrose and blue jersey between 2010 and the present day as voted for by you, the fans.

However, there is still one more position to fill.

Our final poll is for the loose forward position and we have five players for you to choose from.

VINNIE ANDERSON:

A player who is probably best known for his work in the previous decade after signing from St Helens, 2010 proved to be Anderson’s last season with The Wire.

Still, it was hardly a bad one as he helped them to back-to-back Challenge Cup crowns as he came off the bench to help Wolves beat Leeds at Wembley.

Warrington had parted with £50,000 to bring Anderson in from St Helens and he was eventually joined at The Halliwell Jones Stadium by brother Louis.

While his tough tackling was revered, his excellent skills with ball in hand made him incredibly versatile – remember when he played stand-off at Wembley in 2009?

Anderson joined Salford after leaving The Wire before finishing his career in France with AS Carcassonne.

His record in a Warrington shirt stands at 33 tries in 88 appearances.

Vinnie Anderson in action in 2010. Picture by Mike Boden

BEN HARRISON:

He may be a proud Cumbrian, but Ben Harrison is Warrington Wolves through and through.

Having emerged from the club’s academy, he went on to become a mainstay of the Wire pack throughout his time at the club.

Loan spells at Widnes and Wakefield aside, his entire Super League career was spent at The Halliwell Jones Stadium.

This decade saw him play loose forward in the 2010 and 2012 Wembley victories and feature heavily in the 2011 League Leaders’ Shield winning side.

He also featured in the club’s first ever Super League Grand Final in 2012 and another Old Trafford appearance followed in 2013 before injuries once again began to take hold.

Once he retired in 2017, Harrison had not played for The Wire since the final game of the 2015 campaign, but he will always be remembered fondly by Wire fans.

He made 211 appearances for Warrington and crossed for 19 tries.

Ben Harrison. Picture by Mike Boden

DAVID SOLOMONA:

The mere sight of this man prowling the sidelines with an interchange number in his hand sparked fear into Super League defences.

They knew they were about to go into battle with a player with all the physicality needed to play in the middle but with the hands of a half-back.

Certainly in this decade, it is difficult to think of a more destructive and impactful interchange than Solomona.

He often topped the offloading charts as he always had a tendency to win contact and get his arms free.

His brute strength and silky skill was a key part of the 2010 Challenge Cup win and the 2011 League Leaders’ Shield success.

Injury forced him to retire at the end of 2012 after he had missed that year’s Super League Grand Final.

Solomona played 65 times for The Wire and scored 19 tries.

David Solomona. Picture by Mike Boden

SIMON GRIX:

One of the most versatile players The Wire has seen in recent times.

Grix was the kind of player who would put his hand up to play anywhere. Loose forward, back row, centre, stand-off – you name it, he would have given it a go.

For that, he was dearly loved by Wolves supporters.

However, one problem he never seemed quite able to fully escape from was injuries.

He was unlucky enough to miss out on all three victorious Wembley finals during his time at The Halliwell Jones Stadium due to his various injuries.

Grix will, however, always have the fact he was one of the lucky 17 to walk out for Warrington in their first ever Super League Grand Final in 2012.

A year later, he was on the scoresheet at Old Trafford in another losing effort against Wigan Warriors.

By the time he left for hometown club Halifax – where he is now head coach – in 2015, he had made 179 appearances for Wolves, scoring 48 tries.

Simon Grix crosses the try line. Picture by Mike Boden

JOE WESTERMAN:

Seen by many as England’s natural successor to Sean O’Loughlin, The Wire were getting a bona fide loose forward when they paid Hull FC £150,000 for Westerman’s signature.

Another with the size and power of a front-rower but the ball skills of a half-back, Westerman added an extra dimension to the Wire pack.

Wembley and Old Trafford appearances followed in 2016 in losing efforts and he was often one of the better performers in a dour 2017 season for the club.

However, that was where it was to end as The Wire accepted a bid from Toronto Wolfpack for his services for 2018 to bring his spell at The Halliwell Jones Stadium to an end.

Westerman scored 12 tries in 53 Warrington appearances.

Joe Westerman. Picture by Mike Boden

THIS POLL IS NOW CLOSED - THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTES