Warrington Wolves talking points after Wakefield Trinity loss

Their six-match winning run that already had a home eliminator tie locked up was halted by another play-off bound side in Wakefield Trinity in what was a superb game befitting of its billing.

Not for the first time this season, The Wire were travel-sick against a fellow contender and given they will now need to win one more away game of that ilk to reach Old Trafford, what lessons must they take from this game?

Our reporter Matt Turner brings us his post-match takeaways from the game here…

Belle Vue hoodoo still hangs over Wire

There just seems to be something about this place…

Even though they arrived at the DIY Kitchens Stadium on their longest winning run of the season, Warrington Wolves again fell victim to their “Belle Vue hoodoo.”

It’s now six straight visits that have ended in defeat and by the time they next come here, it will be eight years between victories at Wakefield’s old ground that is slowly creeping into the modern era.

They will be glad, then, that there is no chance of being handed this trip again in the play-offs.

A timely reminder of what is required

There are plenty of lessons to learn from this game – and it is better that they arrive now than in a couple of weeks when the serious business starts.

This result will not shake Sam Burgess’ belief in his side’s readiness for play-off football – and nor should it because for large parts of this game, they demonstrated the traits required to win the games that matter.

However, teams that go on deep play-off runs stay in that cycle for 80 minutes and no matter what the opposition throws back, they proceed with clarity and calmness.

That didn’t happen on this occasion as Warrington could not control the chaos brought upon them after the break following a first half that the visitors controlled expertly.

And there are big moments they would like back even within that good period – the try that Danny Walker was denied courtesy of a superb defensive effort from Tom Johnstone should have been iced with Albert Hopoate on the hooker’s inside for a walk-in while George Williams will not reflect well on the first-tackle kick to squander a full set on the Wakefield line.

Williams was otherwise excellent on the day, but that play proved particularly costly as his side ended up being penalised to hand the hosts the field position for Johnstone to score.

And then with the game level at 18-18 inside the final 10 minutes, was a short goal-line drop-out really the right play? It is one of those that looks like a masterstroke if the 50-50 scenario it can create goes your way, but it didn’t on this occasion and it yielded the Cam Scott try that put the game beyond them.

In a couple of weeks, those little moments within games will turn into ones that define seasons.

Second-phase game proves pivotal

There was one stat from Saturday’s game that was particularly telling.

In the second half especially, among the root causes of Wakefield being able to gain the ascendancy was their ability to impose their second-phase game on Warrington, and it caused absolute chaos.

In all, Wakefield racked up 23 offloads. Indeed, only four of their 17 – Max Jowitt, Jay Pitts, Ky Rodwell and Jack Sinfield – went through the game without making one.

For a team coming out of the back end of a manic August schedule that is showing signs of tiredness, being forced into all of that extra work is a killer.

It is something Wakefield are known for – they are second in the competition for offloads – but knowing about it and stopping it are two very different things.

McKler gives a glimpse of the future

It was a highly-anticipated debut, and Charlie McKler did not disappoint.

The prop became the latest academy graduate to make his senior debut under Sam Burgess and having starred for the Reserves in their run to the Grand Final this year, it was a richly deserved one.

And he had a highlight-reel moment to take out of it as well, stopping Wakefield’s monster prop Caius Faatili in his tracks with a superb piece of defence shortly after coming on.

McKler’s introduction along with that of Kelepi Tanginoa actually helped Wire wrestle some momentum back in the first half after a mini-spell from the hosts, thereby setting them up to finish strongly with two late tries from Josh Smith and Matty Ashton.

Rest assured, this will not be the last we see of the young Rochdalian in the first team.

Work still to do, but time for a rest?

A win on Saturday would have meant third place was Warrington’s for certain while still maintaining a slim chance of snatching second.

I think we can now say for certain that even if Wire do win and Leeds Rhinos slip up in Round 27, there is not going to be a 235-point swing in points difference, so it’s going to be third or fourth for Burgess’ boys.

And while third remains very much in their hands, there is still work to do in that they must avoid defeat to an impressive Toulouse side at The Halliwell Jones Stadium on Friday.

A defeat opens the door for Wakefield, who then must win at Leigh and achieve a points difference swing of 37.

So while there is a job to be done for Warrington, is it now time for Burgess to look at the bigger picture and give some of his stars a breather?

That is for him to weigh up, but it would be a crying shame if having had a superb season to get themselves into this position, Warrington run out of steam at an inopportune moment.