VIDEO REACTION ABOVE

STEVE Price was effervescent in his praise of his much-changed Warrington Wolves side after they swept Hull FC aside for the second time this season.

After a tumultuous week in which was shorn of six of his players in one fell swoop to go with two already missing and one more dropping out on game day, Price watched his side stride to a 37-12 win at Headingley.

Amid the enforced self-isolations and positive Covid-19 tests, Leilani Latu, Ellis Robson and Ellis Longstaff were handed debuts while several played out of position – Stefan Ratchford played at loose forward and Toby King in the second row.

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Jake Mamo scores a crucial try just before half-time. Picture by SWPix.com

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However, it did not show on the field as Warrington stormed into control after an end-to-end first half.

Despite the hardships of the week, Price insists it never crossed his mind to ask for a postponement.

“I’m just super proud of all 17 players tonight,” Price said.

“We didn’t even speak about what happened in the week – its been challenging but I had every confidence in whoever we put out there to do the job.

“I thought they were superb. Defensively when they were coming off their line – their back five are up there among anyone in the competition in metres made but our boys did a really good job on them.

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Anthony Gelling and Josh Charnley halt Hull's Bureta Faraimo. Picture by SWPix.com

“I thought the senior players in Mike Cooper and Stefan Ratchford really stood up tonight – I think we had 11 of our top squad missing.

“I’m also super proud of the kids who got to make their debut for our club.

“We never thought about calling the game off. We have a responsibility to keep the game afloat, I feel.

“We’ve got to finish the season and do what’s best to keep people in jobs.”

Despite being named in the 21-man squad, Gareth Widdop was absent from the 17 for “personal reasons,” which Price would not expand upon in his post-match press conference.

It meant a first appearance of the season in the halves for Declan Patton, who did not take part in The Wire’s captain’s run yesterday and was only told late in the day that he would be playing.

Price said the display of the players who came into the side was testament to the work they have done behind the scenes.

“That 17 only trained yesterday in our captain’s run, and Declan didn’t play much part in that,” he said.

“I let him know last night and I thought he did a really good job.

“It was challenging to get the news on our day off, but the players outside our 21 have been working really hard with (assistant coaches) Briersy (Lee Briers) and Hendo (Andrew Henderson).

“They’ve been doing a lot of individual training with a lot of eyes on them and nowhere to hide. It showed tonight in terms of their effort.

“There was a lot of intent over the full 80 minutes and we showed a lot of energy.”

The biggest praise was reserved for Mike Cooper, who produced a mammoth 72-minute stint in the front row and scored Warrington’s opening try after Josh Griffin’s score had put them behind in just the second minute.

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Mike Cooper played 72 minutes in the front row. Picture by SWPix.com

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Matty Ashton and Carlos Tuimavave then swapped scored but one Jake Mamo crossed for the first of a double, Wolves never looked back.

Blake Austin kicked a drop goal late in the first half before crossing late in the second after Mamo had struck again and Latu had marked his debut with a four-pointer.

“He’s been really consistent for a while here now,” Price said of Cooper.

“He had to stand up tonight – we had so many middles tonight but he said ‘coach, I’ll put my hand up here.’ “He’s a man who leads by his actions.

“He’s an old-school player and he hates coming off – he gets really filthy and gives me the eyes when I bring him off.

“I’m really happy for him. He works extremely hard on his game and does a lot of work by himself to keep himself in that shape.”

There was a flashpoint just before Cooper’s try when FC prop Ligi Sao alleged he had been bitten by Patton in a tackle, with Ben Thaler putting the incident on report.

However, Price thinks his half-back has no case to answer – and believes Sao could be the one in trouble with the Match Review Panel.

“I felt it was a bit of a crusher tackle on Dec,” he said.

“His head was in a bad position where it was getting pushed into the arm of Ligi Sao, and he doesn’t wear a mouthguard.

“I don’t see anything coming of that.”