WARRINGTON Wolves’ 2011 league campaign, which started 10 years ago today, was an absolute belter and so we thought readers would enjoy reliving it again week by week.

With Tony Smith’s Wire team pushing arch-rivals Wigan and St Helens hard for the top spot in a 2010 campaign in which they completed a historic back-to-back Challenge Cup double, confidence was extremely high for a wonderful season.

That was further enhanced with it being the debut campaigns of Brett Hodgson and Joel Monaghan in primrose and blue.

What transpired was the greatest regular league campaign in The Wire’s Super League history, with a few lows along the way - what else would you expect with Warrington Wolves?

So we start this new series with coverage of the unique match against Huddersfield Giants as part of the first and only occasion that Magic Weekend opened the season calendar

Warrington Guardian:

WIRE’S 2011 SEASON

Engage Super League round one, Saturday, February 12, 2011

Huddersfield Giants...28 Warrington Wolves...18

(At Millennium Stadium, Cardiff)

NOBODY could have predicted such a disastrous opening day to Engage Super League XVI for Warrington Wolves.

Of course, there is no disgrace in crashing to a very strong Huddersfield Giants side, but losing six players to injury on the day was awful bad luck.

Simon Grix (dead leg), Matt King (knee), Lee Briers (head/neck), Mike Cooper (shoulder) and Chris Bridge (hamstring) took no further part after collecting their injuries, albeit Bridge’s problem occurred in the final moments, while Ben Harrison soldiered on with a dead leg.

Warrington Guardian:

Warrington Guardian:

Warrington Guardian:

Despite the impact of those injuries, with Wolves shorthanded on rotations for 67 minutes and actually ending the game with 11 men, the performance was ‘rusty’ at best.

Lots of errors compounded the injuries as they handed a healthier and sharper Huddersfield side possession and territory.

It was bizarre how Warrington’s display turned flat after taking a well-worked 6-0 lead on only their second attack, Joel Monaghan being sent over for a full-debut try by a looping Lee Briers pass.

Warrington Guardian:

Warrington Guardian:

Perhaps Wolves became a little too confident in themselves as some casual play proved costly and left the team hanging on for survival at times.

Darrell Griffin’s try for Huddersfield six minutes into the second period delivered a psychological blow at 16-6.

Had the rub of the green then gone Wolves’ way instead of Joel Monaghan’s 70-metre interception try being ruled out for a Bridge finger-tip knock on, a different ending may have ensued despite the problems.

Warrington Guardian:

Warrington Guardian:

Further tries from Shaun Lunt and Danny Brough, who grabbed two long-range efforts, put more daylight between the teams but Wolves boss Tony Smith was right to point to the bravery of his men to keep plugging away and pull some points back despite everything.

That is something for Warrington to cling on to as they look to put right their wrongs ahead of Sunday’s clash with Hull KR.

INTERESTING NOTES:

First time Wolves have lost at the Millennium Stadium

Joel Monaghan touched down on his Super League debut

Brett Hodgson made his Wolves Super League debut against his former club on his 33rd birthday

Warrington Guardian:

TEAMS:

Giants: Scott Grix; Jermaine McGillvary; Leroy Cudjoe, Michael Lawrence, David Hodgson; Kevin Brown, Danny Brough (2t, 4g); Eorl Crabtree, Keal Carlile (1t), Keith Mason, Lee Gilmour, David Fa’alogo, Luke O’Donnell. Subs: Shaun Lunt (1t), Graeme Horne, David Faiumu, Darrell Griffin (1t).

Wolves: Brett Hodgson (3g); Joel Monaghan (1t), Chris Bridge, Ryan Atkins (1t), Matt King; Lee Briers, Richie Myler; Adrian Morley, Michael Monaghan, Ben Harrison, Louis Anderson, Ben Westwood (1t), Simon Grix. Subs: David Solomona, Paul Wood, Mickey Higham, Mike Cooper.

Referee: Ben Thaler

WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS HERE:

Scoring: Myler and Briers combine from deep to send Joel Monaghan over, 4mins, Hodgson converts, 0-6; King fumbles Carlile grubber and the young hooker touches down, 9mins, 4-6; Brough outpaces Bridge over 85 metres after Briers’ crossfield kick to Joel Monaghan goes to ground, 32mins, 8-6; Brough lands a penalty for accidental Briers trip, 37mins, 10-6; Griffin barges over from short range, 46mins, Brough converts, 16-6; Lunt stretches out to touch down, 69mins, Brough converts, 22-6; Westwood fires over from Solomona pass, 77mins, Hodgson converts, 22-12; Brough rips up Wolves down the middle after David Faiumu offload, 80mins, Brough converts, 28-12; Hodgson slips Atkins across the line, 88mins, Hodgson converts, 28-18.

Warrington Guardian:

Penalties: Giants 9 Wolves 10

Attendance (aggregate): 30,891

Warrington Guardian:

Warrington Guardian:

Warrington Guardian: