GARRY SCHOFIELD thinks the Wolves will overcome last week’s setback and win the Super League title.
SO HULL KR have hit the top of the table and confirmed themselves as serious contenders for the Super League title.
Willie Peters’ side have been knocking on the door for a while, and produced a great performance to win at Warrington.
It’s great that the competition is so open, and I think we could well see a new name appear on the silverware this season.
But rather than Rovers, a club I really admire, I fancy Warrington, particularly if they heed Friday’s wake-up call.
They won five on the spin previously, and with Sam Burgess tied down until 2026 as coach after his contract extension, they remain in a good place.
I’m saying it now, the Wolves will win this year’s Grand Final and finally end that long wait for a title which stretches right back to 1955.
It’s a big call, I know, and it’s a change of tack for me, because before the season began, I was saying that while there was no doubting Sam’s credentials or ability to do one of the biggest jobs in the British game, it would take him some time to sort things out.
In January, I predicted a seventh-place finish, and in early July, when I wrote about how each Super League club had done so far, I gave Warrington six out of ten.
While they had picked up plenty of wins, my worry at that point was that after the Challenge Cup final, when they just didn’t turn up against Wigan, that question mark against their ability to handle big occasions remained.
Hopefully the next chance they get to provide an answer will be at Old Trafford in October, and while there’s still a way to go and some very good sides standing in their way, there’s no reason why the Wolves can’t get there, and this time do the business.
I put that down to two things primarily – the strong mentality and confidence Sam has instilled in his squad and the clear evidence that he and his players have looked at what happened at Wembley in June, taken some key points on board and put them into practice.
That was shown by the way they saw off St Helens and then Wigan – both away from home – to hit the top.
This season, Warrington have also beaten Hull KR twice, Saints twice (if the Challenge Cup is counted), Catalans, Leeds twice and Leigh.
Other than Salford, who they’ve not been able to get past yet, they know they have it in them to defeat any team they might face in the play-offs.
And as I’ve said, they are playing with self-belief, and showing a change in the way they approach games after being smothered by Wigan in the Challenge Cup final.
With George Williams pulling the strings, they have plenty of creativity, and also plenty of pace and punch in the backs.
And now they are showing a willingness to tough it out with strong teams in the early stages of games and do the hard work to lay the platform from which to score points.
The balance is better and as I so often say, in any sport, it’s very important that players enjoy what they do on the training ground and in matches, and that certainly seems to be the case.
Any successful side must be consistent, and Sam will be aiming to add that to the mix.
The powers that be at Warrington clearly like what they see, and know that the Aussies will be taking close note.
In the long term I think Sam will end up back in the NRL, but for now, he’s here – and making his mark.
I think it’s also worth referencing the input of Martin Gleeson, Sam’s right-hand man who has honed the Wolves’ attacking skills.
Of course he played for Warrington and has had an interesting and varied coaching journey which has taken in Salford and a switch to rugby union with Wasps and England.
And with Gary Chambers, who had that stint in caretaker charge last year, and Richard Marshall also working on Sam’s staff, there’s plenty of knowledge and experience there.
I think Warrington will win by 46 when they go to London, with Hull KR keeping firmly on track by beating Castleford by 28 at home.
St Helens should build on their win over Hull FC when they host Salford (victory by ten), while I’m going Catalans by eight at Huddersfield.
It’s a busy spell for Wigan and Leigh, who play their game in hand tomorrow (Tuesday, August 6).
I’m predicting Leigh to upset the reigning champions by ten, and follow that by beating Hull by 16 at home, but I believe Wigan could also go down at Leeds, by ten.
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