HAVE Warrington Wolves clicked into gear at just the right time?
As it is for everyone in this current Super League format, the emphasis all year has been on hitting your peak for this specific period, when trophies are on offer and history can be made.
Having won their final two regular season games 120-0, it’s fair to say The Wire are in red-hot form just in time for the play-offs.
Of course, we must caveat that figure by considering the opposition they faced – a game but limited London side and a hapless Huddersfield outfit – but it is more the manner in which these victories have been achieved that provides more evidence to suggest Sam Burgess’ boys are ready for the do-or-die action.
Despite crossing the 50-point mark in their last two games, there’s still little bits of proof that Warrington are a shade shy of being at their precise best with the ball.
For example, two of their tries were scored as a result of passes hitting the ground – it may seem like nit-picking, and it probably is, but it is something the sides they will face from now on will be more alert to.
However, that will surely only develop – Matt Dufty will be better for getting 70 minutes into his legs post-surgery and will have shaken off any ring rust.
But still, another of their key attacking weapons is in the form of his life as Matty Ashton ran in another hat-trick to make it 16 tries in his last 11 Super League games.
The winger looks like he could either score or make a line break whenever he touches the ball and alongside Wigan’s Liam Marshall, he is the form player in the competition when it comes to pure try-scoring.
Perhaps the most impressive part of this performance, however, was the fact they continued to be relentless defensively to the point that London barely escaped their own half without the aid of a penalty or an error.
It is now an incredible three full games without conceding a try. In total, their line has remained unbroken for 267 minutes of playing time since Josh Charnley slid over during the loss at Leigh that has ultimately cost them second spot.
Not forgetting of course, Wire were down to 12 men at that point and had been since Paul Vaughan was sent off in the 11th minute. With a full compliment of players on the field, the minutes without conceding figure extends to 312 minutes.
Again, they have to expect more to come their way in the weeks to come but in terms of defensive structure and intensity, they look as sound as they have done all year.
Given it is the best defensive sides that often thrive in the knockout arena, that cannot do their chances any harm.
The team are in as good a place as they could have hoped to be going into the play-offs, but they will know all of that will count for nothing if they do not perform within them.
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