Warrington Wolves were eyeing a return to the top of Super League, for an hour at least, as they took on a struggling Huddersfield Giants side who themselves needed a win to go ahead of Hull FC in the 2023 league table.
The bookies had the Wolves as strong favourites for the win and had handicapped them by ten points the coupon despite them having lost on their last two outings. The sides met way back in round two when the Wolves won by ten points in a close game, todays encounter promised to be a little more one-sided.
It was a warm afternoon as the two sides took to the field.
It was route one for the opening try for the Wolves as Sam Kasiano crashed down the middle on four minutes, pushing Will Pryce out of the way with ease, to ground the ball. Stefan Ratchford added the conversion for a 6-0 start.
The Giants opened their account on ten with the ball moved out to the right wing, Jake Bibby on the overlap to score in the corner. Oliver Russell was wide with the conversion attempt, the visitors still two points adrift but in the game and showing the Wolves that it wasn’t going to be one way traffic.
Danny Walker kicked a forty-twenty on fourteen, but Huddersfield defended their line.
On seventeen a fantastic run by Josh Thewlis, taking the pass ten from his own line, outpacing the Giants defence and wrongfooting the full back to go in from ninety metres. Ratchford added the conversion for 12-4.
Warrington had visibly stepped up a gear while the Giants looked to be starting to wilt in the heat. On twenty-three George Williams completed a move he had started when he took an offload from James Harrison to go over from ten metres out. Ratchford was again on target though this one was a little more difficult than his earlier opportunities.
But rather than capitulate the Giants had a walk-in try themselves on twenty-seven, Leroy Cudjoe taking a Theo Fages pass and running through the Wolves defence on the angle to score from ten metres out. Russell found the target with his conversion for 18-10.
Matty Ashton had a try ruled out by the video referee with thirty seconds remaining when it was clear that Stefan Ratchford had knocked on in the build-up.
There were just a couple of minutes on the second half clock when Danny Walker finished off a Ben Currie break as he took the inside pass and outsmarted Pryce to get the fourth Warrington try. Ratchford made it four from four for 24-10.
A high kick to the corner on forty-nine was knocked-on by Ben Currie before he re-took the ball and grounded, the video referee checked the try and disallowed the four pointer. The Giants went straight down the other end and after Warrington conceded a penalty for backchat, Kevin Naiqama took full advantage as he powered through a broken Wolves line to dot down. Russell added the conversion to reduce the arrears to eight points.
Within seconds the Giants were in again as Fages chased his own kick downfield and took the pass from Chris McQueen after a pass back from Bibby, the diminutive half back running home from twenty metres. Russell hit the mark again, the margin now down to just two points.
On sixty-one the Wolves bought themselves some more breathing space when a high kick towards the posts was touched back by the Giants before being grounded by Matt Dufty as the Giants defenders scrambled to clear the ball. Ratchford added a simple conversion for 30-22.
On seventy-three the Giants set up a grandstand finish when Fages and Pryce combined to put Tui Lolohea free to sprint in from forty metres and score by the left upright. Russell failed to add the extras but there were just four points between the sides with just over five minutes remaining.
The Giants looked like they were about to snatch it in the closing stages but referee Liam Moore stopped the play for a forward pass and the Wolves managed to hold the visitors out until the final hooter.
Warrington rode their luck to win their first game in three and take the two points to return to the top of the table, at least until the Dragons game against Hull KR resolved. Warrington were great, and awful, in equal measure and when they slipped into neutral they allowed the Giants space and time to punish their laxity. The Giants remain in the doldrums and are rapidly waving goodbye to any chance that they have of making the play-offs, while Warrington are still searching to regain the consistency that they had at the start of the campaign.
Warrington Wolves: Dufty (T), Thewlis (T), Wrench, Ratchford (5G), Ashton, Mata’utia, Williams (T), Dudson, Walker (T), Vaughan, Currie, Harrison, Kasiano (T). Subs: Clark, Bullock, Russell, Green. 18th Man: Minikin.
Huddersfield Giants: Pryce, Senior, Marsters, Naiqama (T), Bibby (T), Russell (3G), Fages (T), Hill, Peats, Wilson, Cudjoe (T), McQueen, Yates. Subs: Milner, Ikahihifo, Rushton, Lolohea (T). 18th Man: Connor.
Half-Time: 18-10.
Full-Time: 30-26.
Score Progression: 4-0, 6-0, 6-4, 10-4, 12-4, 16-4, 18-4, 18-8, 18-10 : HT: 22-10, 24-10, 24-14, 24-16, 24-20, 24-22, 28-22, 30-22, 30-26 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: Warrington.
Referee: Liam Moore.
