FIRST and foremost, Warrington Wolves got what they wanted out of their trip to Hull.
By hook or by crook, they simply had to come away with two points – they really couldn’t afford to be going into this international break off the back of four defeats in a row.
When they do come back, however, they will know they are going to have to be better than they were in this game. Much, much better.
Some of the language Sam Burgess used in his post-match press conference told you all you needed to know – he talked about how “surprised” he was that his side were about to leave with the victory and about how a piece of well-timed Matt Dufty magic had “saved” them.
If that doesn’t demonstrate the size of the bullet Wire dodged in East Yorkshire, the following stats will.
Wire’s error count finished at 19, with their completion rate down at a shockingly low 47 per cent – nine times out of 10, that is a recipe for disaster and defeat.
The fact it wasn’t on this occasion can be put down to a couple of factors, the first of which is a rather pleasing character trait this Warrington side have developed this year.
While there have been quirks in this in recent weeks, their willingness and ability to soak up periods of intense pressure has been impressive on a few occasions in 2024 and it was again here.
For the most part, they defended their line superbly to the point they were only really opened up to the cost of a try for Tom Briscoe’s late effort, when Matty Ashton’s withdrawal had led to reshuffling and unfamiliarity on the left edge.
Wire deserve credit for that, but any side putting themselves under that much pressure needs its fair share of luck – and they had that too.
Briscoe and Lewis Martin were both guilty of glaring spills with the try line at their mercy and in general, they were faced with a Hull side who were certainly game but ultimately lacked the composure and quality to take advantage of the opportunities presented to them.
They were also too loose off the ball to prevent Wire from either scoring or creating opportunities on the rare occasions they were able to keep hold of possession.
And therein lies another frustration with this Warrington display – when they did manage to put things together, they looked dangerous and on two occasions at 12-0 and 18-6 up, they had the game under their control.
What should have happened there was a switch to a focus on completing their sets and turning the ball over on their terms, but what followed was continued chaos that allowed Hull back into the game.
And if anything, the nature of the try that allowed them to escape with victory – Dufty taking advantage of a broken defensive line after George Williams’ attempted drop goal had been charged down – personified a game that was frantic and frenetic from first hooter to last.
We have described Warrington as razor-sharp and laser-focused at their best and while they get the result they wanted here, this was another departure from that.
What is causing it? Do they feel like teams have worked them out and they have to try different things? Is there too much tinkering going on?
Only those within the dressing room will be able to answer that properly but whatever the reasoning behind it, they will know they have to improve quickly.
This break from fixtures appears to have come at a good time as they bid to stop what has been a promising campaign from slipping away into mediocrity, for now there is time to correct any issues that have cropped up.
When they return, home games against Huddersfield and Leeds present an opportunity – with the greatest of respect to those two sides – to put the hammer down and really cement themselves inside the top four.
Trips to St Helens and Wigan and a visit from Hull KR follow those games, so it is vital Warrington go into that tantalising trio of tests with as much momentum as they can gather.
They needed to arrest to slide in terms of results and they did that. Now, they have to work on making it more convincing.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel