AFTER a week off, Warrington Wolves return to Super League action against Hull FC at The Halliwell Jones Stadium tonight, Friday, kick-off 8pm.
Sports editor Mike Parsons delves into some key talking points ahead of the game…
Time to kick on
The Challenge Cup is finished, players and coaches have had a short break and now it is time to kick on as the halfway stage in the Super League season approaches.
Between February and the end of May, The Wire have laid a solid foundation for themselves.
They have played most teams once – just the two Humberside outfits still to be opposed – and sent the majority packing.
With nine wins from 11 matches, going into Round 13 joint top of the table, unbeaten at home, they have got a lot right.
They will have learned about themselves along the way – where their strengths lie, where they need to improve – and now it is time to double-down on those areas and gather some momentum throughout the second half of the regular season.
Although they have not got everything right, and sometimes they have delivered only in patches rather than for the full 80 minutes of games, they can afford to give themselves a little pat on the back for the job done so far.
But it only gets harder from here as the stakes become clear to all sides and the battles for positions on the ladder intensify.
The Wire have earned the right to attack this next period with some confidence while understanding that the hard work must not stop and eyes cannot be taken off the ball in the hope of reaching and performing well in the play-offs.
Stick or twist?
Should Sam Burgess stick with his young guns in the halves, or bring back Marc Sneyd?
You can make a case for both options, which is a nice headache for Sam Burgess to have and it is a strong position for the club to be in – having that dilemma even when their talisman stand-off George Williams is sidelined.
We all got to see Leon Hayes and Ewan Irwin partnered up in the halves at Super League level for the first time in The Wire’s last outing against Bradford Bulls. In fact, it was Hayes’ maiden appearance of the year in the elite competition.
Nobody should have been disappointed, with Hayes running the show like a master and Irwin showing more of what his game is all about – capped off with a wonderful moment as he dummied and sidestepped his way over the line for his first Super League try.
To leave one of them out would be tough on whoever it is, but gone are the days where decisions are made based on ‘Don’t change a winning team’.
Burgess would have every confidence in them doing the job, but there will be occasions when it would make sense to have a player with more experience working alongside one of them, especially to assist with game management.
This could be one of those weeks.
Just like Warrington, Hull have had chance to have a reset and there is a chance they will throw more at ‘The Wire’ this week than they have done at other sides for a while – especially as they appear to have some of their own experienced players back in the side on Friday night.
In Aidan Sezer and Cade Cusp, Hull FC have wily old foxes who can be highly influential in the halves department and can take a game by the scruff of the neck.
Or, if they utilise their Jake Arthur option, they have a guy with NRL experience who can also be a potent danger on his day.
On Friday night, The Wire may be better off fighting fire with fire on an occasion when they need to get into their rhythm quickly and set their stall out for some big games ahead against St Helens and Leeds, so that may mean asking Sneyd to step in against his former employers.
Next man up
That has been the mantra for a while at The Halliwell Jones Stadium.
If one player is lost due to injury or suspension, call in another who plays the same position and can get the job done.
With this in mind, and both regular back-rowers James Bentley and Sam Stone sidelined along with the long-term absentee Adam Holroyd, Ewan Smith would appear to be a great call in the second-row for Wolves against Hull FC.
He has regularly been named in the 21-man squad but then missed the cut for games, having made one first-team start so far this year.
Smith is a more like-for-like option than asking one of the middles to ‘do a job there’, as Joe Philbin and Jordan Crowther have done for spells recently and the currently injured James Harrison has also done in times past.
While that has often paid off, which is a credit to the decision-making, giving an opportunity to Smith would be in-keeping with Warrington’s policy of youth development.
Burgess has been good in giving youth a chance and Smith seems a good shout to be the next cab off the rank.
A native of Leigh, he was drafted back into Warrington’s system after having spent time in the development academy team that is run in conjunction with Priestley College.
An athletic back-rower who is already a good size, Smith has caught the eye of those within the club for his line-running ability and his professionalism in training.
He used the dual-registration system last year to get himself some experience of senior rugby league in the Championship with Widnes Vikings and in League One with Keighley Cougars.
Give him the ball
It was a highlight of Warrington’s most recent win against Bradford Bulls to see Matty Ashton flying down the wing in front of the South Stand to score a long-range try.
They are the kind of moments fans love to see, the type of action that gets people excited, lifts bums off seats, raises the roof.
When Ashton switches on the jet power, it is a very impressive sight. His stride length is actually quite extraordinary and he must be in Super League’s top five fastest men – which is incredible considering he has only recently returned from ACL surgery and recovery.
But let’s be honest, how often do we see the rocket man at full tilt? Not enough, sadly.
When you have such a special player in the ranks, it is important to make the most of what he brings. The way his centre Toby King got himself through two attempted tacklers to offload the ball and send Ashton clear the other week was first-class.
It is never going to be easy, though, because defences are only too aware of the threat and do all that they can to shut the opportunities down.
But I for one hope that Warrington can find a way with the work they do on the inside to get Ashton in space more often in the second half of the season so that he can lift everyone’s excitement levels and light up The HJ on a more regular basis.
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