WITH a full body of evidence to look at, it’s time we had a look at the best of what has been a promising year for Warrington Wolves.
Their wait for a league title will stretch into a 70th year but after a few years in the doldrums, Sam Burgess’ first year as head coach saw them return to competing for silverware having reached the Challenge Cup Final and fallen agonisingly short of a Super League Grand Final spot.
The club have handed out their own awards last month but now, it’s time for us to hand out a few of our own.
As such, here’s our Wire reporter Matt Turner’s picks of the year…
Performance of the season
With The Wire’s 33 matches yielding 24 wins – some of them very special – there’s plenty to choose from.
The backs-to-the-wall effort to win in Perpignan in Round 12, the couple of early-season wins over Hull KR, the hammering of Wigan at the Brick Community Stadium, any of the four – yes, FOUR – wins over St Helens this year including, all worthy of note.
However, my nod goes to the first of that awesome foursome – the 31-8 victory at The Totally Wicked Stadium in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals.
At that point, Wire were flying under the radar – largely doing as expected while showing glimpses that they had improved in certain areas.
In this game, though, it all came together as a seven-match losing run against their neighbours was thrown emphatically out of the window.
It was the first sign that something special may have been building.
Try of the season
Again, there’s a few to pick from.
There’s George Williams’ superb individual effort in the Challenge Cup semi-final win over Huddersfield Giants, then the team move finished off by Josh Drinkwater in the same game to name just two.
In terms of both quality and importance in the context of the game, however, we’re going back again to the Challenge Cup win over Saints for this award.
With Wire trailing 8-7 in a cagey contest, the ball was shuttled out to the left wing for Matty Ashton to take flight and plant the ball down.
Closer examination by the video referee revealed the true extent of Ashton’s gravity-defying exploits as he did just enough to keep the ball in his control and touch it down in mid-flight in spite of Jack Welsby’s tackle.
As we all know, Warrington never looked back from there so for that reason, it gets my nod for try of the year.
Best new signing
Strong late competition arrived mid-season in the form of Luke Yates, who made an exceptional impact after his move from Huddersfield Giants was brought forward.
Lachlan Fitzgibbon looked like being in with a shout before injuries plagued the second half of his season, Rodrick Tai showed plenty of promise in what was essentially his first season of top-grade rugby league and left-field signing Max Wood did enough to indicate he is one to watch for the future.
But for me, this award has to go to the model of consistency that is Sam Powell.
Eyebrows were certainly raised when a man nonsensically written off as “a Wigan reject” in some quarters was signed, especially given Wire had two senior hookers on the books at that point in Danny Walker and Brad Dwyer.
However, he ends the year as Warrington’s only ever-present and his impact on those around him is clear to see – Walker himself says the role Powell played in his own excellent individual season that saw him named in the Super League Dream Team cannot be undersold.
Most Improved Player
Only one winner here for me – Ben Currie.
At the start of the year, there was a real question mark over Currie’s spot in the side, with Fitzgibbon having arrived to add to the second-row stocks that already included a gun youngster in Matty Nicholson.
However, with a change of position came a big change of fortunes – since moving from the edge to the middle, the long-server has been a man reborn.
The impact of the switch to loose forward has been truly transformational to the point where it’s difficult to imagine him playing anywhere else.
Young Player of the Year
A few real contenders for this prize, with the impact of younger members of the squad being among the most satisfying parts of this year.
It looked as though Leon Hayes would be a shoo-in until being cruelly struck down by a season-ending ankle injury in April when he appeared to have nailed down his spot in the team.
Adam Holroyd has had a breakout year in the back row, Cai Taylor-Wray showed glimpses of his prodigious talent and as we’ve previously mentioned, Wood made an excellent and unexpected impact having been cast off by Wigan.
However, I’m giving my shout to a Warrington lad who is showing signs of being something very special in Arron Lindop.
Him being awarded a four-year professional deal before even making his senior debut was the most public indication of the excitement the club had about the centre’s potential.
Having scored six tries in his nine senior appearances this year, he has now put that on the bigger stage.
A freakish combination of speed and power – and he’s still got some filling out to do – combined with a natural ability with the ball, Wire could well have a generational talent on their hands.
Player of the Year
And so to the big one – my stand-out Wire player of the year.
There’s plenty that can make a case – Matt Dufty, George Williams, Danny Walker and Ben Currie to name but a few.
However, my vote goes to a man whose importance to the team seems to grow by the week – Matty Ashton.
That importance goes way beyond his jet-heeled speed and extraordinary try-scoring abilities – his 32 touch-downs this year made him the first Wire player to score 30 in a season since Joel Monaghan in 2014.
Defensively, he is excellent and he relishes the tough carries off his own line – something that is becoming an increasingly important skill for the modern-day winger.
Ashton has turned himself into a phenomenal all-round player and one of, if not the best in his position that Super League can offer.
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