ANYONE simply looking at the final score in this game could be forgiven for thinking this was a close-run thing.

However, those witnessing it in person will tell you it was anything but.

This was supposed to be the first test of how this Warrington Wolves side stood up to one of the competition’s champion sides, and even then some would consider it half a test against a Catalans side that were missing so many key players.

Even so, it was one they failed pretty convincingly, with Josh Charnley’s late double giving the scoreline a flattering look from a Wire perspective.

Warrington Guardian:

George Williams and Oliver Holmes look dejected. Picture by SWPix.com

It would be wrong to go any further without praising a Dragons outfit whose mastering of the fundamentals and rock-solid mentality earned them their first away win over Warrington in more than a decade.

Shorn of so much experience, particularly in the pack, they did the basics well and took advantage of a Wire side seemingly determined to give them every possible chance to score.

There can be no doubt whatsoever that they deserve to return to France with two points and that the home side got what their display merited – nothing.

With what is arguably their strongest 17, they failed to fire and having got away with scratchy displays against Leeds and Toulouse, they were not so fortunate this time.

Warrington Guardian:

Matty Ashton is collared by Tom Davies and Tyrone May. Picture by Mike Boden

Every time they had Catalans under any sort of pressure, they would relieve it with an error or the concession of a needless penalty.

One instance in the second half saw Joe Philbin and Daryl Clark cart Samisoni Langi back to the cusp of his own tryline to get them on the front foot defensively, only to be caught offside – albeit controversially – immediately afterwards.

From the resulting penalty, Mitchell Pearce scored.

When Mike Cooper flung an ambitious offload to thin air shortly afterwards, Les Dracs went straight down the other end and Mickael Goudemand scored the game-clinching try.

Go-forward through the middle was once again a glaring issue, adding fuel to the fire of theories that the Wire pack is simply too small to compete with the big guns.

Warrington Guardian:

Robbie Mulhern is brought down by Sam Kasiano and Alrix Da Costa. Picture by Mike Boden

However, as Daryl Powell pointed out post-match, the size of a pack is inconsequential if so much free ball is given to the opposition.

It was always going to take time to come together and there is still plenty of it left, but Powell would have hoped to see a lot more than he has done by now.

And he will no doubt be drumming into his charges that should they repeat this level of performance when they visit St Helens in Round Five, they will find themselves on the end of an even more humbling result.

On this evidence, the champions will be licking their lips.

Warrington Guardian:

Picture by SWPix.com