IF results are good, do performances really matter?
It is a debate had by fans in every sport and at this moment in time, it is a lively one.
With England’s men’s footballers into the quarter-finals of EURO 2024 despite some patchy displays, the actual result of games have tended to get somewhat lost in the wash when it comes to the analysis.
That has been true in the Warrington Wolves sphere of late, with their performance at Hull FC last time out coming in for criticism - including from Burgess himself - despite them coming away victorious.
With most of the squad having had a two-week break since that game, The Wire return to action on Friday as Huddersfield Giants visit The Halliwell Jones Stadium – but will Sam Burgess accept a less-than-ideal showing from his side so long as they get the win?
“There’s always a gift in each performance whether you win, lose or draw,” he said.
“You take out the parts that are going to make us better and move forward with them.
“The aim of the game is to get the job done, but our performance is the most important thing. The result is the outcome of the performance.
“We probably got away with one in our last game but 90 per cent of the time, if your performance is good then you get the result unless the other team’s performance is just that bit better.
“We’re chasing better performances – the Hull game wasn’t acceptable but we got the two points.
“I’m proud of my team for their ability to get the result, but we’ve got to fix up our performance.
“We’ve got to get our game right and there’s bits we need to tweak, but we’ve been refreshed this week.
“Training has been that bit more intense, so it’s been good.”
One of the many quirks of this year’s fixture list means this will be Warrington’s first Super League meeting with Huddersfield of the year despite them having faced both Catalans Dragons and Hull FC three times.
However, they have already met this year in a game that sealed The Wire’s return to the game’s biggest stages – the Challenge Cup semi-final victory back in May.
On a red-hot day in St Helens, Burgess’ boys put on a scorching display that day to run out convincing 46-10 victors and with the Giants on a run of six defeats in seven Super League games either side of that, the home crowd will no doubt be hoping for – and indeed expecting – more of the same.
The Wire boss insists, though, that his charges will be facing a Huddersfield side playing in somewhat of a different way.
“They’re playing with a different look to them than when we played them in the cup,” he said.
“Jake Connor’s not been playing and he was a big part of them back then, for example.
“We’ve treated it as a new game, we’ve prepared as thoroughly as usual and we’re looking to get our own performance right.
“They seem to be playing a bit better over the past couple of weeks when I’ve seen them.
“They certainly look more creative so I’m sure they will ask us some questions.
“We’ve got to get the job done this week and put a good performance on the field. They are in a similar position.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here