Optimism abounds among Warrington fans after beating Wigan twice within a 13-day period and closing the gap on Super League leaders St Helens to four points.
It has allowed the team to gain a measure of revenge over the team that subjected them to a heartbreaking defeat in last year’s Grand Final. First they dumped Wigan out of the Challenge Cup with a thrilling 26-24 triumph and then they picked up a 26-14 win at Anfield in the Magic Weekend. Supporters might start daring to dream that Warrington could finally end their 64-year premiership drought this season.
Saints have since moved six points clear at the top of Super League after beating Castleford at Anfield, and they are the favourites to win the title this season, according to bookmaker odds. That is understandable, given the depth of quality they boast and the results they have recently secured, but if anyone can stop them it is Warrington. They are now the clear second favourites, well ahead of Wigan and Catalans Dragons in the betting, and they could well be heading for yet another Grand Final this year. The Wire has reached the Grand Final twice in the past three years, losing to Wigan in both instances, but this could finally be the year in which they end the drought.
Warrington has now won four Super League games on the bounce and that should spark plenty of confidence among supporters. Blake Austin is now leading the Steve Prescott Man of Steel race, two points clear of Wakefield’s David Fifita, and his inspirational performances have been the driving force behind the recent upturn in form. He picked up a sixth maximum of the season when he delivered two tries, three clean breaks and seven tackle busts in a thumping win over Huddersfield at the end of April and he has since maintained a high level of performances.
The playmaker continues to boast a 100% record against Wigan and he is confident that Warrington can clinch a maiden Super League title from anywhere in the top four, even if they cannot overhaul Saints in the table. “We’re at the point of the season now where we’re quite comfortable with where we’re sitting on the ladder,” Austin said. “It’s more important that we look at performances rather than win-loss. If we manage to catch Saints, that would be great, but we’re confident that from second, third or fourth, if we get ourselves to the finals playing a nice brand of footy we can do really well.”
There will be an even greater onus on him to thrive for the rest of the season after Stefan Ratchford required surgery on a ruptured pectoral tendon last week. The full-back has been one of Warrington’s most consistent performers this year and he is fourth in the Man of Steel leaderboard, ahead of any Saints player. Yet he will now be out for up to four months and that is a cruel blow. The Grand Final is on October 12 this year and Ratchford may just make it back in time for the business end of the season, but The Wire will have to soldier on without him for the bulk of the year.
Jake Mamo will also need to excel in the months ahead, while hooker Daryl Clark will remain a key player. There is also a collective brilliance about Warrington this season, and they would surely be revelling in even more plaudits were it not for the exceptional form of Saints. It looks like these two teams are heading for a Grand Final collision course and anything can happen in a one-off game. Warrington could take inspiration from their 18-13 triumph in last season’s semi-finals and from the presence of Austin in their ranks, so ending the drought might not be a pipe dream after all.
