DESPITE romping to a 54-6 victory over Huddersfield Giants at the Halliwell Jones Stadium Warrington Wolves saw their League Leaders Shield go to Wigan who came from behind to win 36-42 at Hull KR.
The Wolves showed no sign of a Wembley hangover as they served up a 10-try show although they didn’t have things all their own way as they led 16-6 at the break following a tight first half.
But they turned the screw in the second period with five tries coming in the last 12 minutes as Joel Monaghan completed a fine hat-trick.
Brett Hodgson (pictured top) followed up his Lance Todd trophy performance at Wembley with another impressive display against his former club scoring a try, setting up three and kicking seven conversions from ten attempts.
Huddersfield made a lively start with Leroy Cudjoe held up over the line but it was the Wolves who went ahead after 17 minutes.
Monaghan latched onto Stefan Ratchford’s well-flighted kick to score in the corner after a surging run from Chris Hill, Hodgson booting the touchline conversion.
But on the half hour Huddersfield hit back as stand-off Scott Grix sold Paul Wood an outrageous dummy to score, converting it himself to level the scores.
Warrington then put a great handling move together three minutes later, with Richie Myler, Ratchford and Hodgson combining to put Chris Bridge over to make it 10-6.
Then Myler’s kick rebounded off the post to allow Ratchford to cross with Hodgson adding the conversion to stretch the lead to 16-6 at the break.
The Wolves bagged their fourth try 11 minutes after the restart with another fine move that saw Hodgson burst onto a pass from Wood for Ratchford to send Myler on an angled run to the line.
Hodgson then went over himself to make it 28-6 before supplying the final pass for winger Rhys Williams to cross.
Centre Ryan Atkins added to Huddersfield’s misery with a seventh try with Bridge putting Joel Monaghan over in the corner as Huddersfield fell apart in the closing stages.
The Australian winger completed his hat-trick before Hill capped a fine personal display with the final try in the final minute.
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