1) Team selection
Criticising the team selection after a loss is easy work in any sport but there are legitimate reasons to have question marks today. Some are frustrated that Matty Ashton, arguably Wire's best player in the first two games of the season, didn't even make the squad today as a result of Gareth Widdop's inclusion. I suspect that exposing an inexperienced player at full-back in horrendous winds and difficult conditions was something Steve Price didn't want to risk, and moving Stefan Ratchford back to his regular spot at full-back worked in the sense that Ratchford was very good. People generally weren't impressed that Jake Mamo started at centre and the former Huddersfield man did little to prove them wrong. While I didn't entirely disagree with the starting team, I definitely would've had Ashton on the bench - his pace could've been massive in the second half and could've provided a burst or a break in a game where Wire created precious little in attack.
2) Poor game management?
Like bemoaning team selections after a poor result, the age-old debate of whether you should take the two is something that almost always depends on the outcome of the immediate play. Hindsight is everyone's best friend at rugby league matches and many in the away end today were angry that Wire didn't take the two at 6-8 up. However, 20 metres away from the line and having Wakefield on the ropes, you'd have backed the team to get a try or at least a repeat set. I'm also not sure taking the two would've affected the overall result as Wakefield's points came from ill-discipline and errors. Ultimately, if Wire's attack was better drilled and more fluid, there'd be more confidence in them being able to score tries from penalties and no question over whether to take the two or not. I did think Wire managed the latter part of the game poorly though, with bizarre decisions with the ball and a lack of ability of how to see the game out from a winning position.
3) The new boy on the block
"It's like having fucking Patton back in the halves" shouted one disgruntled Wire follower behind me today as Widdop made the absurd error of not being at the back of the scrum to collect the ball. Now, Widdop didn't set the world alight, but he was nowhere near the levels of Declan Patton, who today was booed off by Widnes fans as he begins his time on dual-registration there. Widdop showed some accurate kicks close to the line in the first half, two of which forced repeat sets, and he is clearly going to be a good exponent of that on the fifth play. He was barely involved in the game in the second half and saw very little of the ball, though should've scored a debut try after a Mamo break, but he lost the ball. On a more positive note, it was he who helped Wire score their only try, with a nice short ball to Currie, who sent Ratchford over. This wasn't the disastrous debut that some are making it out to be, though it wasn't anything special either. It was only his first game though, on a shocking pitch and under a coach that seems to be ridding his flair players of any attacking intent...
Wire had enough possession to win today but seemed devoid of ideas when near Wakefield's tryline, and certainly paid the price for this. But is it Price himself who is responsible for this? I refuse to believe that an attacking spine containing Stefan Ratchford, Blake Austin, Gareth Widdop and Daryl Clark, with Josh Charnley and Tom Lineham out wide, should be scoring less than 20 points on such a consistent basis. In our last 14 games in all competitions, we've amassed a grand total of 180 points, meaning we have averaged 12.9 points per game in that period - diabolical. There is no imagination in attack, players look uncertain and try stupid things, there are no dummy runners, no-one creating overlaps or playing a cut-out pass. I thought we'd turned a corner in the Saints game last week with that lovely try for Charnley but when you think about it, the other two tries were a barge-over and a high kick recycled - we still aren't actually creating anything.
5) A model of inconsistency
This is nothing new for Warrington fans, but going from nilling St Helens one week to only putting eight points on Wakefield and losing the game is a special kind of Wire occurrence. If Warrington have any chance of being up there at the end of the season, then there needs to be a greater level of consistency in results. There can't be losses to average sides like Wakefield and there has to be the same attitude as there was against Wigan and Saints every single week. Inconsistency cost Hull FC a spot in the playoffs last year and what did they do, address that by hugely strengthening the squad and putting a huge onus on improving their consistency this year. Steve Price said before both the Challenge Cup final and the playoff game with Castleford last year that his Wire team always turn up for the big games and in fairness to him, he's had a good record in them, making two finals and picking up a few wins against St Helens and Wigan on the way, but that is not a reliable system to live and die by in the coaching world and leads to inconsistency through low-standard performances in the perceived 'lesser games' like today. No-one can play well every game, of course, but the approach and mentality should be the same no matter who the opponent.
6) Are we over the Hill
Finishing on a slight positive, I thought both prop forwards were very good today, just as they were last week against St Helens. I know it's only been two games, but does anyone think we're missing Chris Hill in the forward pack? I don't want to write the guy off too early, but I've been very impressed by the Philbin/Cooper partnership (I actually thought Cooper was probably Wire's best player today). On a similar note, what is Jack Hughes' role when he comes back? Ben Currie and Ben Murdoch-Masila are doing very well in Hughes' regular position of second row, and while all three could play at loose forward, Jason Clark has been decent there so far this year too. Perhaps one of that trio will move to loose forward with the aforementioned Clark dropping to the bench? Maybe that is also the place for Hill when he returns too.
Stefan Ratchford - 8/10
Faultless today. Moved the ball well when in possession and defended well when out of it. Very safe under the high ball and scored Wire's only try of the game.
Tom Lineham - 5/10
Some good yardage carries but so many errors. Gave the ball away which led to their first penalty goal. Could've had a try if he'd backed himself a bit more in the second half.
Jake Mamo - 5/10
One super break which should've seen Widdop score a try but other than that he wasn't great, struggled to get hold of a man and along with Austin, was beaten for the Ashurst try. Also threw the ball away for the Johnstone try.
Toby King - 5/10
Solid as ever in defence but looks so uncomfortable with the ball in his hand, endlessly skipping sideways.
Josh Charnley - 5/10
Once again, could've had the day off. Wasn't given any service all day.
Blake Austin - 5/10
A few brilliant high kicks, one of which forced a knock-on, but struggled to create anything with the ball in his hands and played a few awful passes. Beaten for Ashurt's try too.
Gareth Widdop - 6/10
Two or three tantalising short kicks on the fifth play close to the line early on, though barely saw the ball in the second half, until he should've scored from a Mamo break. Bizarrely wasn't ready to collect the ball at the back of a scrum in the second period.
Joe Philbin - 7/10
As always, very good at making up the yardage, he's really establishing himself as a starting prop. Conceded a penalty which Wakefield scored a goal from though.
Daryl Clark - 6/10
Was marked out of the game by Wakefield, who prevented him from any trademark runs from dummy-half and came up with one or two sloppy plays. Good in defence.
Mike Cooper - 8/10
Easily Wire's best prop, the game swung in the away side's favour when Cooper came back on. Brilliant at making up ground, a master of the offload too.
Ben Currie - 8/10
Warrington's best player. Made a good break in the first half that came to nothing, set up Ratchford's try with some great handling and was ready to do the same again, but no-one was ready to receive it.
Ben Murdoch-Masila - 8/10
Playing really well this season. Looks fit and is making up the yardage. One or two sloppy plays but on the whole Wakefield found him extremely difficult to deal with.
Jason Clark - 7/10
Clearly brings some organisation to the defence which wasn't there when he was off - I actually think we really suffered in the time he wasn't on the pitch.
Sitaleki Akauola - 5/10
An error close to the tryline in the first half and nothing much more to write home about unfortunately.
Matt Davis - 7/10
Hard-working and solid in defence as ever. Wire tend to do well when he's on the field. Think he gave one of the penalties away though.
Luther Burrell - 5/10
Some poor errors today, including one which led to a Wakefield try. Could've scored a try but didn't quite get to the line.
Danny Walker - N/A
In the time he was on the pitch Wire didn't have much of the ball.
What did you think of the game today? Do you agree with my points? Let me know on Twitter @aloosewire.
Daniel
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