LEILANI Latu made his debut in primrose and blue as Warrington Wolves opened their 2020 Reserves Championship campaign with a 48-0 home win against Newcastle Thunder at Victoria Park Stadium.

The Wire prop, who flew in from Australia last Sunday after securing a release from the final year of his NRL contract at Gold Coast Giants, featured for 60 minutes in two spells alongside a selection of Super League squadmen and Academy players.

Another new signing Keanan Brand, who caught the eye at left centre, got among the tries.

RECAP: Look back at how the game unfolded, more pictures of Latu

Winger Reece Hamlett and sub forward Connor Wrench each crossed twice, with further scores added by centre Cole Oakley, winger Sam Thackeray, second-rower Ellis Robson and sub half-back David Gibbons.

Scrum-half Dec Patton landed four conversions in tricky wind conditions, and after he was replaced full-back Josh Thewlis took after to also hit the mark twice.

Lee Mitchell’s Wire side wore down a game and young Thunder outfit in the first period, turning round 16-0 to the good.

They got a roll on early in the second half to take the game away from Newcastle, who had one try disallowed and were held short of a grounding on half-a-dozen other occasions as The Wire scrambled to keep their line intact.

Next match is away to Huddersfield Giants on Monday, February 10.

Wolves: Josh Thewlis; Reece Hamlett, Cole Oakley, Keanan Brand, Sam Thackeray; Callum Green, Dec Patton; Eribe Doro, Kyle Shelford; Leilani Latu, Ellis Robson, Ellis Longstaff, Luis Johnson. Subs: David Gibbons, Samy Kibula, Alex Pendlebury, Connor Wrench.