2005, SUPER LEAGUE X: When Joey joined up with Warrington Wolves

Andrew Johns' first training session with Wolves

ANDREW Johns fever took a grip of Warrington in 2005 but what was Wolves’ best Super League season so far finished in an anti-climax.

Wolves exposed and took advantage of a loophole in player registration regulations that allowed them to sign Australian superstar scrum half ‘Joey’ on a short loan after his NRL campaign with Newcastle Knights had ended without any play-offs involvement.

A chance meeting at Lord’s cricket ground between owner Simon Moran and the agent for Johns led to the whole town being suddenly in ferment, and staff in the club shop were pulled out of place as fans jostled for “Joey” souvenirs.

The great man made his debut against Tony Smith’s reigning champions Leeds on September 10 and with more than 13,000 jammed into The Halliwell Jones Stadium inspired a 33-16 victory.

Andrew Johns' debut against Leeds Rhinos

And it was Nathan Wood's last league game for Warrington too. Brent Grose and Toa Kohe-Love give him a chair lift in his honour

Paul Cullen’s men ended the regular league programme with a 30-16 success at Challenge Cup winners Hull to secure a fourth-place finish, the prize being a home game against the Humbersiders the following week in the play-offs.

Andrew Johns in Wolves' last league game of the season at Hull FC

Belief was in the air that with Johns in the ranks, alongside Lee Briers' world-class combinations with a new lethal right edge of Ben Westwood, Martin Gleeson and Henry Fa'afili, it could be Wolves’ year.

But as so often had happened Warrington faltered on the big day.

The Johns factor was not enough to contain the slick Black and Whites, who provided a lesson in off-loading in the tackle.

The Andrew Johns try against Hull in the play-offs tie, the only bright point on a disappointing night

Despite the disappointing finale, it was boom time for a club getting closer and closer to breaking the monopoly of the big four – Bradford, Leeds, Wigan and St Helens, the latter twice pinching last-ditch wins.

After a slow start to the year, with a squad now including Logan Swann, Chris Bridge and the returning Toa Kohe-Love, some sensational rugby league was played as Cullen’s men went two months without defeat in mid-season, highlights including a stunning win at Odsal when Wolves scored 36 unanswered points in the final 30 minutes to triumph 44-24.

One of a Chris Bridge brace of tries in the stunning victory at Bradford

Logan Swann in his first season with Wolves

Supporters became accustomed to high fives with players during celebratory post-hooter laps to the tune of Amarillo by Tony Christie.

Henry Fa'afili try against Wigan

Danny Lima try and celebrations in the win against Wigan

At last Warrington fans were able to lap up the summer era, with the average attendance during the season going beyond 11,000 for the first time in 49 years.

SEASON'S RESULTS:

Challenge Cup:
Apr 2: Leeds Rhinos 22 Wolves 26

Nathan Wood floored after giving his all in the Challenge Cup loss at Leeds

Super League:
Feb 13: London Broncos 28 Wolves 24

Skippers Lee Briers and Francis Stephenson (London) promoting the start of Super League X

Feb 20: Wolves 26 Leigh Centurions 22
Feb 27: Hull FC 32 Wolves 10
Mar 4: Wolves 16 St Helens 18

Lee Briers dumbfounded after Saints snatched victory again, after the last 10-seconds countdown had started

Mar 11: Leeds Rhinos 38 Wolves 6
Mar 20: Wolves 14 Huddersfield Giants 8
Mar 25: Salford City Reds 42 Wolves 10

Heavy defeat at Salford was christened Black Friday by Wolves boss Paul Cullen

Mar 29: Wolves 44 Widnes Vikings 12

But there's nothing like a huge home win against Widnes to put a spring back in the step

Apr 10: Wolves 35 Bradford Bulls 32

And the turnaround in form continued against the mighty Bradford Bulls

Apr 17: Wakefield Trinity 28 Wolves 40

There was a bit of biff at Wakefield, as well as the skills on show

Apr 24: Wolves 36 Hull FC 34

Warrington celebrated league success against Hull too, with some spectacular tries...and celebrations

Apr 29: St Helens 31 Wolves 30
May 15: Wolves 28 Wigan Warriors 22

A home win against Wigan means everything

May 22: Bradford Bulls 24 Wolves 44

A walk-in for Henry Fa'afili in a classic second-half display in the unexpected win at Bradford

May 29: Wolves 38 Wakefield Trinity 30
Jun 5: Huddersfield Giants 22 Wolves 24
Jun 12: Leigh Centurions 7 Wolves 42

A first visit to Hilton Park in Super League, where the Warrington fans turned out in force. There was some 'force' from Toa Kohe-Love too

Jun 19: Wolves 48 Salford City Reds 14
Jul 3: Widnes Vikings 24 Wolves 25
Jul 9: Wigan Warriors 36 Wolves 17

Warrington Wolves fans packed the away end at Wigan's ground. It was quite a sight and they produced fantastic noise

Jul 17: Wolves 26 London Broncos 14
Jul 23: Wolves 22 Leeds Rhinos 46
Aug 7: Wolves 10 St Helens 30
Aug 12: Huddersfield Giants 38 Wolves 22
Aug 21: Widnes Vikings 16 Wolves 60
Sep 4: Wolves 32 Salford City Reds 22
Sep 10: Wolves 33 Leeds Rhinos 16

Sep 16: Hull FC 16 Wolves 30
Play-off:
Sep 24: Wolves 6 Hull FC 40

INTERESTING NOTES:

For only the third time in a Super League season, Wolves scored more points than they conceded
Wolves' average home attendance went above 11,000 for the first time in 49 years.
First appearances in a senior Wolves shirt for new signings Andy Bracek (St Helens), Chris Bridge (Bradford), Martin Gleeson (St Helens), Andrew Johns (Newcastle) and Logan Swann (Bradford), along with academy products Steve Pickersgill and Chris Riley

Andy Bracek against his former Saints club

SUPER LEAGUE TABLE:

P    W    D    L    F    A    Pt

St Helens    28    23    1    4    1,028    537    47
Leeds Rhinos    28    22    0    6    1,152    505    44
Bradford Bulls    28    18    1    9    1,038    684    37
Warrington Wolves    28    18    0    10    792    702    36
Hull FC    28    15    2    11    756    670    32
Harlequins RL    28    13    2    13    800    718    28
Wigan Warriors    28    14    0    14    698    718    28
Huddersfield Giants    28    12    0    16    742    791    24
Salford City Reds    28    11    0    17    549    732    22
Wakefield Trinity    28    10    0    18    716    999    20
Widnes Vikings    28    6    1    21    598    1,048    13
Leigh Centurions    28    2    1    25    445    1,210    5

SQUAD STATS:

App    T    G    Dg    Pt

Graham Appo    9+9    5    8    0    36
Andy Bracek    0+8    0    0    0    0
Chris Bridge    19+3    8    60    1    153
Lee Briers    23    6    28    2    82
Jon Clarke    30    10    0    0    40
Henry Fa’afili    30    23    0    0    92
Dean Gaskell    15+1    1    0    0    4
Mark Gleeson    11+17    1    0    0    4
Martin Gleeson    29    17    0    0    68
Brent Grose    30    12    0    0    48
Mark Hilton    23+4    1    0    0    4
Andrew Johns    3    1    12    1    29
Toa Kohe-Love    27    10    0    0    40
Chris Leikvoll    25+1    1    0    0    4
Danny Lima    2+28    5    0    0    20
Paul Noone    9+11    2    2    0    12
Steve Pickersgill    0+6    0    0    0    0
Chris Riley    1+2    1    0    0    4
Warren Stevens    0+7    0    0    0    0
Logan Swann    25    10    0    0    40
Mike Wainwright    22    3    0    0    12
Ben Westwood    25+3    14    0    0    56
Nathan Wood    24    16    0    0    64
Paul Wood    8+17    2    0    0    8