WARRINGTON WOLVES 24 HULL FC 10
KASEY SMITH, Halliwell Jones Stadium, Saturday
ONE thing Sam Burgess has brought to Warrington is a fierce determination and today they had it in bucket loads as they finally dismantled Hull FC to keep their play-off hopes alive.
A tense atmosphere filled the Halliwell Jones before the game, as a win for Hull would have extended the gap to sixth place to seven points, putting Warrington’s season at serious risk of slipping away.
The initial nerves in the stands gave way to an impassioned backing as the home side took control, suffocating Hull FC to build a two-score lead within the opening 15 minutes.
But it is never plain sailing when Warrington are involved, and Hull FC were allowed back in. Two Black and White knock-ons, inside their own ten metre line, went unpunished, and their belief slowly grew.
Aiden Sezer stunned Warrington, breaking through and offloading to Harvey Barron and later going over on his own, minutes before the break to leave the game – and Warrington’s play-off ambitions – on a knife edge.
The Wolves needn’t have worried as they dug deep in the second half to get the job done.
Nothing better illustrates Warrington’s stagnation than this week’s revelation that star halfback George Williams is poised to return to the NRL in 2026.
The England international arrived in 2021 with a clear ambition – to win silverware. Turning down multiple offers, he chose Warrington, believing they were best positioned to fulfil his goals. Yet, four years later, the wait for that elusive silverware goes on.
Despite this lingering frustration and the adversity faced this season, including some significant injury blows, one thing is certain: this Warrington side will keep battling and in knockout rugby that could prove vital – should they get there.
Josh Thewlis got the ball rolling for Warrington when he weaved his way through the slow-to-react tacklers, and ran the length of the field to open the scoring early on.
Some super-quick hands between Marc Sneyd, Williams and the returning Matt Dufty then unleashed his brother Jake Thewlis, who raced to double the Wolves’ lead with Hull FC reeling.
John Cartwright’s men bit back. Sezer expertly slipped through a gap to set Harvey Barron up for his seventh try of the season.
With half-time approaching, Sezer exposed more holes in the Wolves’ line, shrugging off Lachlan Fitzgibbon to surge over, with Warrington’s lead reduced to just two points.
But the Wolves shrugged off any complacency and began the second 40 just as they had the first.
Williams ignited the attack with a marauding run which set the stage for Sam Powell to crash over from dummy-half, giving the Wolves much-needed breathing room.
Then, Dufty broke through and had Fitzgibbon supporting who dived over before Sneyd slotted his fourth successful conversion, making it 24-10.
Late on Rodrick Tai put in a humongous effort to force the diving Lewis Martin, who would have scored, into touch and deny a nervy finish.
Warrington will face tougher tests ahead and must improve to defy expectations, but for now, the Wolves will keep believing.
GAMESTAR: Marc Sneyd did not put a foot wrong in attack and his accurate conversions kept Warrington sufficiently in front to minimise any Hull FC comeback hopes.
GAMEBREAKER: Matt Dufty’s break and Lachlan Fitzgibbon’s subsequent try restored Warrington’s two-score lead which made another comeback from the error-prone Black and Whites unlikely.
HIGHLIGHT REEL: The slick interplay between Marc Sneyd, George Williams and Matt Dufty that led to Jake Thewlis’ try was a real spectacle.
ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Marc Sneyd (Warrington)
2 pts Paul Vaughan (Warrington)
1 pt Rodrick Tai (Warrington)
MATCHFACTS
WOLVES
1 Matt Dufty
2 Josh Thewlis
20 Connor Wrench
4 Rodrick Tai
28 Jake Thewlis
6 George Williams
35 Marc Sneyd
13 Luke Yates
17 Jordy Crowther
10 Paul Vaughan
38 Sam Stone
12 Lachlan Fitzgibbon
11 Ben Currie
Subs (all used)
14 Sam Powell
19 Stefan Ratchford
8 James Harrison
27 Luke Thomas
18th man (not used)
39 Tom McKinney
Also in 21-man squad
3 Toby King
15 Joe Philbin
24 Max Wood
Tries: Josh Thewlis (5), Jake Thewlis (15), Powell (46), Fitzgibbon (49)
Goals: Sneyd 4/4
HULL FC
1 Jordan Rapana
2 Harvey Barron
5 Tom Briscoe
20 Davy Litten
22 Lewis Martin
14 Cade Cust
7 Aiden Sezer
8 Herman Ese’ese
9 Amir Bourouh
40 Liam Knight
3 Zak Hardaker
4 Ed Chamberlain
16 Yusuf Aydin
Subs (all used)
17 Jack Ashworth
39 Sam Eseh
24 Jack Charles
19 Brad Fash
18th man (not used)
27 Matty Laidlaw
Also in 21-man squad
21 Will Gardiner
23 Logan Moy
33 Will Hutchinson
Tries: Barron (29), Sezer (37)
Goals: Sezer 1/2
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 12-4, 12-10; 18-10, 24-10
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Wolves: Marc Sneyd; Hull FC: Aiden Sezer
Penalty count: 5-2
Half-time: 12-10
Referee: Chris Kendall
Attendance: 10,203