The 2021 post-season content continues, as I now rank all of Wire's performances this year from worst to best.
25: WARRINGTON 0-19 HULL KR
Super League Playoff Eliminator
The Halliwell Jones Stadium
24th September 2021
Attendance: Unknown
MOTM: Tom Lineham
I think we’ve said all there is to be said about this one. An error-strewn, pathetic, limp exit from the playoffs in the first round, not scoring a single point to bring the Steve Price era to an end.
24: CASTLEFORD 35-20 WARRINGTON
Challenge Cup Semi-Final
Leigh Sports Village
5th June 2021
Attendance: 2000
MOTM: Gareth Widdop
The other major disappointment of Wire’s season was the manner of the defeat in the Challenge Cup Semi-Final. A shocking first-half display saw the Wire 19-0 down at half-time, and though tries from Ben Currie, Jake Mamo, Toby King and Josh Charnley gave brief hope, the damage was already done.
23: CASTLEFORD 21-12 WARRINGTON
Super League Round One
Headingley
28th March 2021
Attendance: 0
MOTM: Daryl Clark
Wire started the season in dismal fashion, struggling to create or break down Castleford in the first league game of the season. The Wolves were equally as hapless in defence, the Yorkshire team looking potent every time they went forward.
22: WARRINGTON 16-22 LEEDS
Super League Round 13
The Halliwell Jones Stadium
24th September 2021
Attendance: 4000
MOTM: Danny Walker
This was another ‘too little, too late’ performance. Despite an early try from Danny Walker, Leeds were well in control of the game at 6-22 up. It wasn’t until the Rhinos had two men in the sin-bin that Wire came back into it, a pair of tries for Charnley, but it was a horrendous first-half display that did the damage.
21: WAKEFIELD 28-22 WARRINGTON
Super League Round 19
Mobile Rocket Stadium
15th August 2021
Attendance: Unknown
MOTM: Ben Currie
Wakefield took advantage of a horrific first-half and soon found themselves twenty points to the good. Steve Price’s men rallied with distance tries from Mamo, Charnley as well as efforts from George Williams and Blake Austin, but it begged the question as to why Wire didn’t throw the ball around until the latter stages.
20: WARRINGTON 20-26 HUDDERSFIELD
Super League Round 6
The Halliwell Jones Stadium
17th May 2021
Attendance: 4000
MOTM: Daryl Clark
The game that saw 4000 fans return to the Halliwell Jones, but they didn’t like what they saw. Wire were all over the place in the first half and were deservedly 0-18 down at the break. Scores from Greg Inglis in his final game, Daryl Clark and Josh Thewlis meant there was a contest to be had, but again, we’d left ourselves a mountain to climb.
19: SWINTON 8-32 WARRINGTON
Challenge Cup Last 16
Heywood Road
11th April 2021
Attendance: 0
MOTM: Ben Currie
Surprising to see a win so low down in the rankings, but this run-of-the-mill victory over Championship Swinton in the Cup was extremely poor. Bar Jack Hughes and Gareth Widdop, this was a full-strength Wire and for much of the first half, they struggled to break down the team who finished bottom of the second tier.
18: HULL FC 14-14 WARRINGTON
Super League Round 3
The KCOM Stadium
18th April 2021
Attendance: 0
MOTM: Daryl Clark
One of the early games of the season and one of the more forgettable ones. Wire conceded two shocking tries though struck themselves through Chris Hill and equalised on the last play with Jake Mamo. A fest of drop-goal attempts in golden point was fruitless for both teams and the game ended a draw.
17: WARRINGTON 38-18 WAKEFIELD
Super League Round 9
The Halliwell Jones Stadium
11th June 2021
Attendance: 4000
MOTM: Gareth Widdop
A game that followed the shambolic Cup semi-final and so had a cloud of negativity hanging over it. Gareth Widdop, Chris Hill and Jake Mamo were terrific in this win, and Blake Austin had a strong second half, but it was a largely mediocre showing, particularly in attack.
16: WARRINGTON 14-24 ST HELENS
Super League Round 22
The Halliwell Jones Stadium
30th August 2021
Attendance: 10,003
MOTM: George Williams
One of the most exciting encounters of the season, in front of the HJ’s biggest crowd of 2021. Saints started on fire with tries for Kevin Naiqama and Lewis Dodd, but Wire responded brilliantly with fabulous team tries from Currie and Williams to lead at the break. Sadly, an error-filled second half led to a Saints win in a quality contest.
15: LEEDS 26-27 WARRINGTON
Super League Round 17
Headingley
1st August 2021
Attendance: 9196
MOTM: Mike Cooper
A first half that was full of mistakes from both teams, but Wire managed to draw level early in the second through a controversial Charnley try. Leeds forged ahead again before a superb individual effort from Walker levelled the scores up. Debutant Williams smashed over a drop-goal in the dying stages to win the game for Wire.
14: WARRINGTON 20-19 SALFORD
Super League Round 24
The Halliwell Jones Stadium
11th September 2021
Attendance: 7351
MOTM: George Williams
And speaking of Williams drop-goals… this game had a very end-of-season feel to it. Neither side could really be arsed at 18-18, it was a fair scoreline. Step forward George Williams to notch Wire 19-18 in front just before the end. Remarkably, Salford levelled up through Tui Lolohea. Williams thought he’d won it with a second one-pointer, but it was ruled out for an obstruction. Then, in golden point, he nailed a third - and a second that counted - to win the game.
13: WARRINGTON 50-26 HULL KR
Super League Round 5
The Halliwell Jones Stadium
1st May 2021
Attendance: 0
MOTM: Ben Currie
A game that saw the debut of Greg Inglis, Wire started this one slowly but eventually got up to speed and ran out comfortable winners, Inglis getting a try as well as braces for Currie and Charnley.
12: WARRINGTON 21-8 WIGAN
Super League Round 16
The Halliwell Jones Stadium
28th July 2021
Attendance: 8014
MOTM: Daryl Clark
A fraught game that perhaps lacked quality but certainly didn’t lack effort and desire. Warrington dug deep to get this win, coming from behind twice to beat their great rivals, Daryl Clark and Blake Austin having excellent games as the old enemy were conquered once more.
11: CASTLEFORD 24-40 WARRINGTON
Super League Round 25
The Mend-A-Hose Jungle
16th September 2021
Attendance: Unknown
MOTM: Matty Ashton
The final match of Wire’s league season was one of the most difficult to analyse. For 40 minutes, Price’s team were sensational and raced into a 0-32 lead, with a hat-trick for Matty Ashton as well as a Mamo brace, with forwards Chris Hill and Mike Cooper causing all manner of problems. However, a red card for Cooper an a sin-binning for Charnley got Cas back in it and though Wire held out and managed the final part of the game well, Wrench wrapping up the win, it was certainly a game of two halves.
10: CATALANS 6-16 WARRINGTON
Challenge Cup Quarter-Final
Headingley
7th May 2021
Attendance: 0
MOTM: Daryl Clark
A low-scoring game but Wire were excellent in the first half, Widdop, King, Hill and Clark having fantastic games as we dominated Catalans, opening up a two-score lead thanks to a brace from the number nine. A lack of clinical edge meant that the game was never really sewn up, but Wire eventually booked their place in the Cup semi-finals.
9: WIGAN 6-10 WARRINGTON
Super League Round 23
St James' Park
5th September 2021
Attendance: 25,762
MOTM: Mike Cooper
This wasn’t a game for the purist but it was hard, powerful and tough rugby league. Low-scoring yes, but Wire’s defensive effort at Magic Weekend was admirable. Early tries from Thewlis and Williams - against his former club did the business in Newcastle as 3rd place was confirmed.
8: HUDDERSFIELD 6-26 WARRINGTON
Super League Round 21
The John Smith's Stadium
26th August 2021
Attendance: 4017
MOTM: Stefan Ratchford
A game that Wire could’ve won by a fair bit more, but were still comfortable for the most part. After having to do a lot of resolute defending, good play from Thewlis and Widdop respectively helped Mamo to an early brace, and tries followed for Cooper and King in a sound away performance.
7: WARRINGTON 44-12 LEIGH
Super League Round Two
The Totally Wicked Stadium
2nd April 2021
Attendance: 0
MOTM: Gareth Widdop
Warrington responded well to their opening-day defeat, battering Leigh on Good Friday to register a first win of the year. There were braces for King, Widdop and Tom Lineham, while Currie and Mamo also got over in a game that the left edge looked formidable in.
6: WIGAN 14-40 WARRINGTON
Super League Round 12
DW Stadium
30th June 2021
Attendance: 5527
MOTM: Jake Mamo
Warrington’s heaviest win over their big rivals in many a year. This was a bizarre performance, as despite the comprehensive scoreline, three of the tries - all scored by Mamo - were interceptions, with Wire actually struggling to break down the Wigan line for periods, but still registering a large number of points.
5: CATALANS 8-24 WARRINGTON
Super League Round 4
Stade Gilbert Brutus
24th April 2021
Attendance: 0
MOTM: Gareth Widdop
I thought this was an excellent away performance, and one I didn’t see coming after a slow start to the season. When Catalans took the lead early on I was even more concerned, but splendid work from Clark and Widdop allowed Currie and King to get tries on the board before half-time. These were followed with a Mamo interception and a classy Widdop try to secure an away victory based on foundations of hard work, defensive steel, and quality plays from quality players.
4: WARRINGTON 44-18 LEIGH
Super League Round 11
The Halliwell Jones Stadium
24th June 2021
Attendance: 4000
MOTM: Gareth Widdop
To truly appreciate the value of this win, you have to look at the teamsheet. Wire were missing Clark, Ratchford, Cooper, Currie and Joe Philbin, who were on England duty the night after, while King had picked up an injury the previous week. Despite six starters being unavailable, the likes of Widdop, Walker, Lineham and Hill took control of the game and guided youngsters like Ellis Longstaff and Eribe Doro through the game, which was ultimately very comfortable.
3: WARRINGTON 38-14 CASTLEFORD
Super League Round 7
The Halliwell Jones Stadium
22nd May 2021
Attendance: 4000
MOTM: Stefan Ratchford
Having lost to Castleford six weeks earlier, there was plenty of trepidation about this game, especially when Jake Trueman opened the scoring early. However, masterful performances from Ratchford and Gareth Widdop, who scored a hat-trick, helped the Wire to comprehensive victory, scoring some lovely tries along the way.
2: SALFORD 18-62 WARRINGTON
Super League Round 8
AJ Bell Stadium
27th May 2021
Attendance: 2306
MOTM: Gareth Widdop
This was a fabulous attacking display, albeit against a very leaky Salford defence. Wire carved open the Devils all night, with Widdop, Mamo and King bagging a brace apiece as well as a long-distance try for Currie, and scores for Walker, Hill and Ratchford - his first and last of the season.
1: ST HELENS 2-6 WARRINGTON
Super League Round 10
The Totally Wicked Stadium
17th June 2021
Attendance: 4000
MOTM: Stefan Ratchford
From an irresistible attacking performance to a display of imperious defence. Saints/Wire games are always tight, and despite going two points down to a penalty goal, the away team’s left edge worked the ball brilliantly through hands - Widdop, Ratchford, Lineham and then Currie who finished off the move and scored the only try of the night. The second half saw some quite incredible defence from Wire, as time and time again they repelled the Champions’ attacking structure, the likes of Widdop, Jack Hughes and Mamo particularly impressing, while Ratchford had an unbelievable game at full-back.
Stick with the blog for more season review content coming up.
@ALooseWire
Great post 👍 well written.
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