Warrington Wolves talking points after victory in Perpignan

The sun shone, the primrose and blue army took over and Warrington Wolves delivered a victory for the ages.

Saturday's 16-8 win against Catalans Dragons has been hailed in some quarters as their best in Super League for a while, and it is hard to argue.

Our Wire reporter Matt Turner was there and brings us his five key takeaways from the game...

The best Super League win for years?

That is how this Warrington Wolves victory has been described in some quarters.

Given the past two years at least have been pretty much exclusively disappointment, there may not be much competition but even before that, it is a statement that is hard to argue with.

All things considered, you have to go back some time to come up with a league win that could top this in terms of sheer grit, determination and togetherness.

Of course, there have been more flamboyant, extravagant victories where points have been piled on but wins like this, where the team was forced to dig to the very deepest depths, feel so much sweeter.

Sam Burgess and Zane Musgrove celebrate at full time (Image: Joe Richardson)

Another sign that this group is special

There is a growing body of evidence that this group of players is made of something more.

They have already shown us they can blow teams away and how electric they can be with the ball, but this game demonstrated how steely and obdurate they are without it.

In the face of such intense pressure in a first half played pretty much exclusively within 30 metres of their try line in the Perpignan heat, any team would be forgiven for eventually cracking.

Not this team.

And any team with a trip to Wembley looming large on the horizon would be forgiven for slipping into self-preservation mode.

Again, not this team.

George Williams is congratulated after scoring (Image: Neil Ashurst/P&B Pictures)

Revenge is sweet

There has not been too much pain during the Sam Burgess era, but Catalans have been the authors of most of it.

Two of the three defeats Warrington have suffered this season have been home and away against Les Dracs by tight margins – six and eight points respectively.

Was there extra motivation to right those wrongs in the dressing room? Only those inside it will be able to say for sure, but they will be glad to exact some measure of revenge.

Like the besting of Hull KR in the Super League game that preceded this one, it is also another victory over a team likely to rival them in the upper echelons – another tick in the box.

Wire beat Catalans for the first time this year at the third time of asking (Image: SWPix.com)

Masterclasses now expected from Williams

It is getting to the point now where brilliance seems to be a given for George Williams.

As all good captains do, he puts the team on his back and helps them along when they really need him and this game was no different.

The two tries that proved critical had his fingerprints all over them – calling for the ball down the short side to crash over for the opener before spinning a superb bullet pass to catch a jamming Dragons defence out and give Matty Ashton a walk-in.

Off the ball, he formed part of a right edge that turned away attack after attack and appears completely in sync with one another, with Matty Nicholson and Rodrick Tai either side of him nailing pretty much every read.

Leave him behind in the sun for a week then wrap him in bubble wrap because if Wire are to win at Wembley, they need their talisman.

George Williams scored one try and set up the other in Perpignan (Image: Neil Ashurst/P&B Pictures)

“Disgraceful” fan treatment

It seems a shame to end on a sour note, but the seating of Warrington’s fans at the Stade Gilbert Brutus needs to be highlighted.

Since the violence in the stands that marred their visit back in August 2019, Wire fans have been kept away from the usual spot for travelling supporters in the Tribune Puig-Albert.

Catalans cannot be blamed for taking precautions, but the dotting around of Warrington supporters who were mainly split across two temporary stands seemed a step too far.

Social media pictures flooded in of vantage points where less than half of the pitch was visible – considering all those there had parted with considerable expense to visit, many for the second time in three months, that cannot be right.

Our hope is that those affected get the answers they need and that this situation does not happen again in future.

pic.twitter.com/8EMsGXUWJ8

— Chris Byrne (@b1rno) May 25, 2024