Highs and lows from Warrington Wolves' 2023 season

There were record highs and lows, coaching changes and everything else in between but ultimately, their wait for a first Super League title goes on.

> Warrington Wolves' 2023 season in numbers

We have pulled together seven questions about Warrington Wolves’ 2023 and beyond that we will be asking to fans later this week.

First, though, we asked those at the centre of our Wire coverage for their views on a rollercoaster seven months.

Here is what our Warrington Wolves reporter Matt Turner, sports editor Mike Parsons and deputy editor (and South Stand season ticket holder) Gareth Dunning thought…

At the start of the year I expected Wire to…

MT: Get back into the top six and enjoy a much more stable year. While this club should be up in and around the top four, doing that from finishing second-bottom is quite a gap to bridge in a single season.

We got the former (just) but the latter? Definitely not. Does a serene and drama-free season even exist?

MP: Vastly improve on their 2022 campaign, be competitive and challenge for the honours - not too much to expect for this top-end Super League club after all the comings and goings

GD: I went for a spot in the play-offs. After finishing second bottom last year, winning a trophy was not likely but given the recruitment, top six seemed a fair goal.

There was optimism aplenty within the club in pre-season that a nightmare 2022 had been left firmly behind (Image: Warrington Wolves)

My Wire highlight of 2023 was…

MT: The Round One victory over Leeds Rhinos

A few honourable mentions in here – either of the wins in Perpignan could have easily taken it while home wins over Hull KR and Castleford were personal favourites, but the way Wire flew out of the traps under a massive amount of pressure was superb.

That first-half performance was among the best 40 minutes of rugby I’ve seen from a Wire team as an admittedly poor Leeds side were completely blown away. It was probably the most enjoyable Warrington game I’ve covered in many years.

MP: The opening eight rounds of the season, when they went unbeaten and set themselves a solid foundation for the rest of the campaign. And with it they got the fans onside and brought some pride and belief back

GD: The cup win at Catalan was extremely impressive but given I wasn’t there, Leeds at home on the opening day felt like a statement that Warrington were back.

The home games with St Helens too – Warrington may have lost, but big crowds and close games has to be what Super League strives for every week.

Wire thrashed 2022 Grand Finalists Leeds Rhinos 42-10 in their opening game of the next campaign (Image: Mike Boden)

My Wire lowlight of 2023 was…

MT: No contest here – the drubbing at Wakefield that saw the end of Daryl Powell.

A grim day from start to finish and a performance that had an “end of days” feel to it. Then, from the second Powell started talking in his post-match press conference, you knew it was over.

MP: The mid-season run of woeful form and poor results after having laid such a great platform in the opening eight matches. The contrast was barmy, and not all seemed well in the camp after the departure of Tom Mikaele on compassionate grounds and then the rather disappointing exit of Josh McGuire

GD: Defeat at Wakefield and the fallout. You can’t expect a performance like that to result in anything other than the coach losing their job, but it just felt like another failed era for the club.

The 42-6 drubbing at eventually-relegated Wakefield proved to be the final game of Daryl Powell's tenure as head coach (Image: SWPix.com)

The team I would like to see go on and win Super League is…

MT: Anyone but Saints! Let’s have a change!

My late grandfather would turn in his grave if I said anyone other than Wigan and having grown up a cherry and white (sorry everyone!) I’m naturally leaning that way.

Professionally, however, it would be a seminal moment for the game if Catalans were to take that final step but I also have a soft spot for Hull KR – I think what they’re doing up there to try and break the mould of “stuck-in-the-mud Yorkshire club” is pretty admirable.

MP: St Helens, because when their monopoly of the Super League title comes to an end I want it to be at the hands of Warrington rather one of the other clubs.

GD: Not too bothered but I think a sold-out Old Trafford for a Wigan/Saints Grand Final would be good for the sport.

St Helens are still in contention for a fifth consecutive Grand Final win (Image: SWPix.com)

My Wire player of the year 2023 was…

MT: Paul Vaughan. Consistently excellent right from the word go – I’ve been covering Warrington since 2016 and for me, he has been by far the club’s best overseas signing in that time.

Matty Ashton a very close second after another excellent year, but Vaughan just nicks it for me.

MP: Having played prop forward throughout my junior and youth career, I'll probably get slaughtered for this. But I'm going with Matty Ashton due to the fact he was consistently good throughout 2023, whereas Paul Vaughan had a fine campaign but for me his form had a few dips mid-season although I understand this was probably due to carrying injuries.

GD: Has to be Paul Vaughan. NRL props don’t always succeed over in Super League but he has been awesome right from that astonishing debut against Leeds.

A stellar first year in Super League saw Paul Vaughan named in the 2023 Dream Team (Image: Mike Boden)

The player I expected more from in 2023 was…

MT: There could be a few to put in this category, a lot of them being new additions for the year - Josh Drinkwater, Sam Kasiano and Gil Dudson haven’t had much of an impact, but I have to go for Josh McGuire.

Underwhelming on the field and two hefty bans for words rather than deeds – very much a signing to forget having come over with the hope of adding the kind of aggression Wire needed in their pack.

MP: Sam Kasiano, who seemed to let some frustration get the better of him at times and, when there were some pack shortages and The Wire needed him, he was sat in the stands through suspension. We certainly haven't seen the best of him in primrose and blue yet.

GD: McGuire clearly – it could have worked but instead was a disaster. Closely run by Gil Dudson who has been a huge disappointment.

Josh McGuire played just seven times for Wire either side of two lengthy bans for unacceptable language, with the second prompting his release from the club (Image: Mike Boden)

My great Wire hope for 2024 is…

MT: I really do hope the promising things we’re hearing about Sam Burgess as a coach from both sides of the world actually translate onto the field, and that whatever he tries to do, there is complete buy-in from the players.

I won’t make any wild predictions about top four or winning trophies, just another play-off finish and maybe winning a game in them would be a start!

MP: The fans are given something to shout about, that Sam Burgess is able to get much more out of the remaining group of players than Daryl Powell was able to and that he is proven to have made some strong signings that can make a real difference.

GD: That Sam Burgess can sprinkle some of his stardust and winning mentality on the team. Top four would be great but my guess is fifth or sixth again is more likely

Sam Burgess will take over as Wire's new head coach from next year (Image: Mike Boden)