WHILE Wolves are looking forward to and maintaining high hopes that their skipper Lee Briers will be fit for the play-offs, the team is getting better at coping without him as each match arrives.

Since his initial absence for the defeat at Hull, Wolves have achieved a record Super League defeat of Halifax and a gruelling success at Castleford on Sunday. The wins sandwiched a narrow last-gasp defeat at home to Wigan.

The organisation on the field against Cas was such that head coach Paul Cullen had to pay tribute.

He said: "Much has been said, not by us, about the loss of key players in key positions.

"One thing that was pleasing against Castleford was the shape and the structure that Warrington employed without the man who controls our shape and structure.

"That's a great sign for us as we go into the play-off contention games. To be playing that type of football with such control, without Lee Briers, is a mark of respect to Darren Burns, Graham Appo and Nathan Wood."

The Wolves' chief wants his side to build on its hard work now.

He said: "We are desperate to finish in sixth position or above. We've spent too long at Wlderspool in the shadows. We need to get out of the shadows and aim high.

"The early part of this season was about relegation avoidance.

"Now we've been to The Jungle and taken two points off a top six side that have genuine ambitions of success as a club themselves."

Cullen was full of praise for all of his men for their efforts at The Jungle but was particularly pleased with the pack's performance.

He said: "I thought the defensive effort from Warrington was absolutely breathtaking.

"We were up against a very decent Castleford side, who score sufficient points to put most sides under pressure, but I counted one clean break against the Warrington line in 80 minutes.

"Two of Castleford's tries came from kicks and kick fumbles, that we have to do a little bit of work on, but apart from that the effort from the Warrington players was absolutely first class.

"Our preparation had been about returning serve. We were aced by Castleford at Wilderspool a number of months ago and we were completely dominated by the Castleford pack on that occasion.

"The guys returned serve on Sunday. That was a monumental effort from the Warrington pack. In the conditions of 80-90 degress heat, to prevent the Cas off-load game and the enterprise that Cas can play with, was outstanding and I honestly can't pay them enough credit."