BRUISING Ashton Sims played the heated moments just right on his Warrington Wolves debut, says his boss.

The former North Queensland Cowboys enforcer gave Tony Smith what he wanted from him against a fierce Salford Red Devils pack set on shaking up the home side with physicality in the season opener at The Halliwell Jones Stadium on Saturday.

Some of the early confrontations with Salford’s new Australian big gun Cory Paterson and colourful England forward Gareth Hock were brutal before Wolves’ class shone through in a 22-8 victory.

“I thought he stood up when he needed to stand up, held his cool and attracted some penalties when other people were losing their cool and trying to show how tough they were,” said Wolves’ head of coaching and rugby.

“I think it’s tougher to hold your cool, that’s what our game’s about. It’s about having discipline while you are being baited and targeted and all that.

“It’s easy to think you can lash out and come across as the tough man but it’s tougher to hold that discipline and take the ball up the next time, and the next time after that.

“I thought he showed his wares. He showed his smart plays and his maturity. I was delighted with his contributions.”