THIS is what rugby league is all about.

Two sides evenly matched on the day going hammer and tongs at each other in a contest that goes down to the wire played out in front of a packed, engaged and electrified crowd.

The game could not have wished for a better advertisement for the primetime terrestrial TV audience that tuned in. No cards, no great controversy, just the game we all love in its purest form.

Of course, that would have been scant consolation in these parts had Warrington Wolves not emerged on the right side of the result, as had looked likely for so long.

It looked as if, once again, it would be play-off pain at the hands of St Helens, who were far removed from the laboured-looking side that have limped through the season.

They are a club geared up for winning these kinds of games whereas Warrington had little recent proof to show they were the same.

Until now.

All of the pain the Red Vee have caused them over the years – those Sean Long drop goals, that Keiron Cunningham try and a plethora of others – was gleefully cast aside with one glorious swipe of George Williams’ right boot.

At that moment, the Halliwell Jones Stadium was as deafeningly euphoric as it has been for many a year. The East Stand realised immediately what was happening, the South Stand followed and in the West? Stunned silence.

That particular part of the ground has been the scene of some harrowing St Helens celebrations over the years but this time, it was Warrington’s turn to dish out some long overdue pain.

Fittingly, it was Williams – the man whose pawprints were all over everything good the hosts did on the night – who made the difference, just as he was signed to do.

It may not have been their most polished performance and if they play in a similar manner at Hull KR in the semi-finals, they are unlikely to be the ones celebrating, but this was still a glorious demonstration of the progress made in turning around the collective psyche of this club.

So often, including on a few occasions this season, they have gone off the boil when faced with things not going their way but this time, they stuck to their process in the faith that when their chances came, they could hurt Saints.

So many questions have been answered and now, only the ultimate one of whether they can finally go all the way and end the eternal wait for a league title remains.

The first of their three steps to immortality is behind them. The journey continues.