Warrington Wolves 24 Leeds Rhinos 6 - Magic Weekend verdict

While there have been gripes from the Leeds side about the officiating on the night, this was a game between two capable sides who were bang at it.

That is how it will be in the play-offs – the “pressure games” Warrington have so often been unable to handle – and they came out on top.

Of course, doing that against Leeds – with all due respect to them – and doing so against a Wigan or a Hull KR, for example, is quite different, but this was a good way to prepare Sam Burgess’ side for what is coming.

In truth, it is the kind of game they have been preparing for since losing the Challenge Cup Final – since that day at Wembley, it has been all about developing and building themselves so that when a similar time comes again, they will be ready to seize the moment.

Matty Ashton celebrates with the Wire fans at full time (Image: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com)

That was a theme running through this Magic Weekend win – it was a game built around moments, and Warrington were on the right side of pretty much all of them.

The first of those came when Rodrick Tai flung his hulking mass of humanity into Lachlan Miller with vicious but legal force, forcing the ball free for George Williams to gallop clear and score with the half-time hooter imminent.

The fact most of the team went immediately to Tai as opposed to the try-scorer shows how much those kinds of efforts are valued just as much as – if not more than – the put-downs and assists in this Warrington dressing room.

It was the personification of the theory that the moments of magic stem from defensive efforts and along with Josh Thewlis’ miraculous holding-up of Ash Handley earlier in the piece, Wire produced two huge pieces of individual excellence off the ball.

They were the highlights of a defensive display that showed great improvement from the two games that went before it.

Having only conceded 20 points or more twice all season before the loss to Hull KR, Wire went into Magic Weekend having done so in two matches running, so this more connected showing will no doubt be the biggest thing Sam Burgess takes out of this game.

With the ball, Wire struck when a chink in the Rhinos’ armour appeared – the sin-binning of David Fusitu’a felt like a big moment and within five minutes of him leaving the fray, Matt Dufty had scored twice to effectively take the game away from his side.

The best teams are ruthless when presented with such an advantage, and Warrington certainly were on this occasion.

Matt Dufty scores the first of his three second-half tries (Image: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com)

For Dufty himself, there will be more headlines as his hat-trick of tries ultimately proved to be the difference between the teams – just what you want from one of your star men.

The fact he did not come off the field when he looked to be badly struggling with a knee issue in the first half showed his turnaround in attitude in a nutshell – by his own admission, that kind of knock would have forced him off in years gone by but now, the urge to go through the pain barrier for his teammates is much stronger within him.

It is now 44 try contributions in all competitions for the Australian in this most remarkable of seasons, as the prospect of him joining Ken Kelly and Jonathan Davies in a very exclusive club of Warrington players to have been named Man of Steel becomes more and more realistic.

While it isn’t quite official yet – one more win will do it – Wire can now start planning properly for the play-offs.

What route they will have to take to Old Trafford isn’t entirely within their control, but more performances and results like this will help make it as short as possible.

Try celebrations at Magic Weekend (Image: Neil Ashurst/P&B Pictures)