EVERY time you think can’t get much worse amid this current miserable run, new depths are plumbed.

And as a campaign that is getting more in danger of becoming the biggest collapse in Super League history by the week hits yet another “new low,” anger and resentment gets closer to fever pitch.

No team has won its first eight games but failed to make the play-offs in the summer era but if this malaise continues, that possibility becomes more and more probable.

At this point, the question must be asked – how many “new lows” must be reached before something simply has to change? And is Daryl Powell’s reign now at the point of no return?

In some of the five consecutive defeats that preceded this, there could be mitigation found in terms of some key men being missing, not least George Williams.

For this one, however, there can be no such excuse – with the possible exception of James Harrison and Connor Wrench, this was Warrington Wolves’ first-choice team.

That was largely the team that swept all before them in late winter and early spring that was coming off a two-week break to try and reverse what has become a summer of discontent.

What followed was a performance that was worse than most – if not all – that had gone before, even during the darkest days of 2022.

If this was the players’ way of sending out a message that they are as fed up with their head coach as supporters clearly are, they certainly went the right way about it.

While there were some exceptions, this was an insipid individual and collective display against a Wakefield side whose desperation for victory was not matched. Far from it.

Durability and resilience on their own line was virtually zero, ball control was non-existent and save for a brief spell after half time, they barely laid a glove on their bottom-placed opponents.

It is only fair to give credit to Trinity, who looked every inch a side who are united behind a common goal.

By contrast, Warrington looked anything but and as a beleaguered bunch headed for the dressing rooms with boos from those that travelled to watch them ringing loudly in their ears, one cannot help but wonder where they go from here.

They came under a scathing attack from their head coach in the media post-match and only time will tell whether it proves to be the firmest of kicks up the backside or a wild parting shot.

While Powell is right in that they must take accountability for their own individual performances, he too must take a hard look in the mirror.

This is his team. He was given carte blanche to rebuild the side but here we are again, back discussing things going wrong at a very basic level. He must accept responsibility for his share in that.

Will he end up paying the ultimate price for that share? Time will tell but what is for certain is that things simply cannot carry on as they are.