WAS this result and performance for Warrington Wolves even better than the one that came before?

In many instances, you have to conclude that it was.

In recent years, the coach journeys out of the John Smith’s Stadium have not generally been happy ones for Wire sides but this one will have felt so very good.

And as the players took the acclaim of the hordes of travelling Warrington supporters following a victory built on spirit, determination and togetherness, you sensed the connectivity between the two is starting to come back.

Those kind of scenes were few and far between last year but even though 2023 is still in its very infancy, The Wire have taken big strides in ticking off objective number one of this season – giving their supporters something to get behind.

All supporters want to see from their side in any given game is maximum effort and commitment – the absolute least that should happen is that tanks should be drained.

Nobody could argue that Wire did anything other than leave everything out on the Huddersfield turf in this one. At times, their efforts in defending their line bordered on the obscene.

Repeat sets, six-agains, scrum plays, crash balls – the Giants tried it all and it only really worked in the final five minutes when the two points were already strapped in on the bus ready to head back over the hills.

On their last trip to this stadium, Warrington came under a similar amount of relentless first-half pressure from Huddersfield and walked off at half time 32-10 down.

This time, they retreated to the sheds with an 8-0, which was extended seconds after the break by the increasingly-impressive James Harrison.

If that is not a demonstration that attitudes within this squad have completely changed, then what is?

Having been appointed to shake up the team’s defence, assistant coach Richard Marshall will probably wear the brightest smile of all after that one as a dangerous home side were turned away time and time again.

With so much stock put into keeping the opposition out, the attack is taking care of itself for now and when George Williams and Josh Drinkwater have control, things are in safe hands.

Between them, they ensured Wire ended their sets well and when you have someone with Matty Ashton’s speed and poacher’s instinct in your side, you are always in the game.

It was not just the two eye-catching tries that stood out either from the winger – some of his work in yardage and in defence was superb, particularly a make-or-break interception on his own line when Huddersfield seemed certain to score.

There remains a long and difficult season in front of them, but confidence is building both on the pitch and in the terraces.

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