Opposition Guide: Warrington Wolves a team to beat

May 21 2010 by Chris Roberts, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

AS they have already discovered to their cost, the Giants know a fair bit about how good Warrington Wolves can be.

On March 28, coach Tony Smith’s men made their Super League intentions clear with a hard-fought 14-10 triumph over the Giants at the Galpharm.

But if that was disappointing, what obviously happened in the Challenge Cup meeting back in Huddersfield on May 8 was demoralising in the extreme.

A closely-contested fifth-round tie, with the Giants looking to gain revenge for losing to Warrington in last year’s Wembley final, was being widely predicted.

But that couldn’t have been further from the truth as the Wolves hit their most destructive form to secure a stunning 60-4 victory to leave their hosts completely and utterly shell-shocked.

That was the clearest sign to date of how much the Wolves have improved under former Giants chief Tony Smith.

As well as reaching the quarter-final of the Challenge Cup, Warrington remain second in the Super League table.

But they are now four points adrift of leaders Wigan after their 26-16 defeat at Leeds last Friday.

Adrian Morley remains one of the most respected forwards in the game.

After making a name for himself with Leeds Rhinos, he went on to conquer Australia during a highly-successful five-year stint with Sydney Roosters.

In 2005 he returned to the UK for a short-term contract with Bradford Bulls, winning the Super League Grand Final before signing for Warrington.