WARRINGTON WOLVES 72 CASTLEFORD TIGERS 6
TOM ALDERSON, Halliwell Jones Stadium, Saturday

WARRINGTON maintained their perfect start to the season, notching up their fourth Super League win on the trot in impressive fashion at the expense of feeble Castleford.

Sam Burgess’ side look reinvigorated in 2026 and the classy Wire blew the Tigers away with twelve tries.

The Wolves did a lot of damage on the left edge, with the outstanding Kelepi Tanginoa grabbing four tries outside captain George Williams, who pulled the strings beautifully throughout the contest.

By contrast Cas, who handed debuts to Semi Valemei and Aiden Doolan plus a first Super League appearance to Brock Greacen with a host of senior players missing, were soundly beaten in every department and showed a lack of resilience in defence, being cut to pieces almost at will to suffer an embarrassing defeat.

The Wire made a dominant start and, after opening the scores with a Ewan Irwin penalty – his first of twelve goals, one shy of his tally in the previous week’s win over Goole – scored the first try through Matty Ashton.

Returning to the side for the first time in over a year after suffering a serious knee injury, the Warrington flyer had to wait just seven minutes to open his 2026 account, touching down in the left corner.

Irwin added another penalty before Ashton grabbing a superb second try, haring after Williams’ well-weighted kick and toeing it past the cover defenders to score. Irwin converted to put the hosts up by three scores after just 15 minutes.

The Tigers had no answer to the Wire’s dominance as they struck again, with lovely hands from Luke Yates putting Ben Currie under the posts untouched for his side’s third try in the opening quarter.

After being starved of possession and field position, Castleford hit back with their first attacking opportunity, with Valemei climbing high to take a Tom Weaver kick to score on his Tigers debut and get the visitors on the board with Weaver converting. 

It didn’t take Warrington long to respond as Tanginoa was quickest to an evasive Williams kick to get his first try for the Wolves, and the big backrower grabbed a double not long after, swatting defenders aside to take the home side past 30 before the break.

The Wire flew out of the blocks in the second half, adding three more tries in just eight minutes. Tanginoa completed his hat-trick and that was followed by Albert Hopoate’s try and a second score by Currie to take the hosts to 50 with half an hour remaining. 

Tanginoa was having a day out and added a fourth try supporting Williams as the Wire ran riot.

Toby King was sin-binned for a professional foul on a Tigers kick chaser, but it did little to dampen the spirits of the home side, who scored again through Sam Stone to pass 60.

The Wolves rounded off a fine afternoon’s work with another two scores. James Harrison raced over from another pinpoint Williams kick, before Ashton completed his treble, finishing a flowing move in the left corner to rubber-stamp a hugely impressive performance.

GAMESTAR: Kelepi Tanginoa had an afternoon to remember, scoring four tries and wreaking havoc on the Tigers defence in a great individual display.

GAMEBREAKER: Warrington were exceptional in the opening quarter, racking up 20 points in just 15 minute to leave Cas shell shocked. 

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Matty Ashton’s determination to be first to a kick downfield, dribbling it past defenders to touch down from long range, brought the home crowd to their feet. 

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Kelepi Tanginoa (Warrington)
2 pts George Williams (Warrington)
1 pt Ben Currie (Warrington)

MATCHFACTS

WOLVES
2 Josh Thewlis
26 Josh Smith
3 Toby King
4 Albert Hopoate
5 Matty Ashton
6 George Williams
18 Ewan Irwin
8 Luke Yates
9 Danny Walker
16 Liam Byrne
12 Sam Stone
34 Kelepi Tanginoa
13 Ben Currie
Subs (all used)
10 James Harrison
17 Jordy Crowther
22 Joe Philbin
35 Lachlan Webster
18th man (not used)
21 Luke Thomas
Also in 21-man squad
7 Marc Sneyd
14 Sam Powell
25 Max Wood

Tries: Ashton (7, 14, 76), Currie (19, 48), Tanginoa (28, 35, 43, 53), Hopoate (46), Stone (63), Harrison (73)
Goals: Irwin 12/14
Sin bin: King (59) – professional foul

TIGERS

3 Zac Cini
2 Mikaele Ravalawa
4 Darnell McIntosh
2 Semi Valemei (D)
22 Jason Qareqare
6 Daejarn Asi
7 Tom Weaver
14 Brock Greacen
10 George Lawler
15 Jack Ashworth
11 Jordan Lane
32 George Hirst
13 Joe Stimson
Subs (all used)
8 Renouf Atoni
20 Aiden Doolan (D)
25 Sam Hall
30 Jimmy Beckett
18th man (not used)
24 Jenson Windley
Also in 21-man squad
9 Liam Hood
16 Joe Westerman
31 Ashton Golding

Tries: Valemei (24)
Goals: Weaver 1/1

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Wolves: Kelepi Tanginoa; Tigers: Semi Valemei

SCORING SEQUENCE: 2-0, 6-0, 8-0, 14-0, 20-0, 20-6, 26-6, 32-6; 38-6, 44-6, 50-6, 56-6, 62-6, 68-6, 72-6

Penalty count: 8-4
Half-time: 32-6
Referee: Liam Rush
Attendance: 9,342