ANDY WILSON reflects on a wonderful night of Rugby League at Warrington on Friday night.

“DON’T get carried away” was the usual gist of the round-one coaches’ press conferences late on Friday night at the Halliwell Jones Stadium (after a 54-minute second half).

Unfortunately for Sam Burgess and Paul Rowley, some excitable horses had already bolted.

No-one was yet saying it’s Warrington’s year – at least not without heavy sarcasm. But this was a seriously impressive start, on and off the field, to their 150th anniversary season, for a club that endured some grim times in 2025.

And you’d need to have been pretty miserable not to have been thrilled by the performance of Cai Taylor-Wray, the 19-year-old who scored a breathtaking individual try and played a key role in two more.

Meanwhile Jon Wilkin was unloading emotionally on the current state of the St Helens club, after a wretched night on which the loss of Jack Welsby to injury threatens to do long-term damage to their 2026 prospects – especially when added to the equally significant absence of Matty Lees and the departure of Morgan Knowles.

Saints fielded a starting 13 including six overseas players, with Jacob Host a seventh on the bench. Those imports have an average age over 30, and must consume a considerable chunk of the club’s salary cap.

That’s partly a result of the change in the balance of supply and demand for the 2026 season arising from two new clubs in the competition, which was acknowledged by the relaxation of the quota rules.

But for at least some of the Saints fans packed behind the posts, pre-season optimism must quickly have drifted to thoughts of overseas players past – Albert, Hoppe, Fairleigh, Shiels – and perhaps to Owen Dagnall on the bench, and George Whitby outside the 18.

In contrast, Warrington showed their faith in Taylor-Wray by ushering Matt Dufty through the exit last autumn, and giving the number 1 jersey to a player with a dozen senior appearances.

Burgess’s comments on his young star offered plenty of potential for exaggeration or misinterpretation – he used the word “indifferent” about parts of his fullback’s performance, a Warrington version of Terry Jones in the Life of Brian telling the faithful that their new Messiah was a very naughty boy.

But this was a coach who is a former prodigy himself requesting some understanding for a player at the start of his professional journey, who will be asked to develop his game in the spotlight through 2026.

“He’s going to make errors all year long – we have to be patient with that,” said Burgess. Don’t get carried away.

George Williams didn’t get a mention in the press conference, but his role in Warrington’s all-important first try should not be overlooked – after his Ashes disappointments, and still without a trophy from his five seasons in Cheshire, the England captain will be determined to sign off in style before joining Knowles at the Dolphins. This was a quietly impressive start.

And talking of Queensland, a penny for Paul Wellens’ thoughts this weekend, as he returned to his new life in Townsville after the Cowboys put 60 points on Penrith in steamy Mackay. The ongoing Saints soap opera must seem a very long way away.

While Burgess and the Wolves have a fortnight to prepare for the visit of Wakefield (a Saturday teatime match which promises to be another rousing occasion), Rowley now has a potentially uncomfortable home opener against a Leigh club with whom he has plenty of previous.

Given the strength of the Leopards, Warriors and Wolves in a Yorkshire-heavy Super League XXXI, Rowley’s first goal might be to prevent Saints being the lowest-placed club in the competition from what used to be Lancashire.

But perhaps that’s also getting carried away.