PICTURES EDDIE WHITHAM
WARRINGTON Wolves thrashed Catalans Dragons 56-6 in a dress rehearsal for the Challenge Cup final at Wembley later this month.
It was perhaps ironic that the Super 8s competition would start with this match-up, after both sides won at the semi-final double header in Bolton last weekend.
Neither side will read too much in to the result, with Catalans in particular making 12 changes to their team, with their hopes of reaching the top four all but over already.
Steve Price made several changes too, giving starts to squad players like Mitch Brown, Dec Patton and new signing Bodene Thompson, and leaving out Stefan Ratchford and Ben Murdoch-Masila amongst others.
Tom Lineham followed up his try-scoring exploits in last week’s win over Leeds by grabbing a hat-trick of tries, two in the first half as the Wolves led 22-0 at the break.
Fellow winger Josh Charnley also crossed for a try, while Mitch Brown playing at full back crossed in the opening 40 too.
The Wolves scored consistently in the second half, with the tries coming from Kevin Brown, Tyrone Roberts, Toby King, Patton and Joe Philbin, before David Mead ensured Catalans wouldn’t go home with nil on the board.
Warrington and Lineham had the final say though, the former Hull winger completing his hat-trick in the final minute.
The result leaves Warrington third in the Super League table, three points behind Wigan in the race for a home play-off semi-final.
Warrington: M Brown, Lineham, T King, Goodwin, Charnley, K Brown, Roberts, Hill, Patton, Westwood, Livett, Hughes, Thompson. Subs: Clark, Philbin, Akauola, G King.
Catalans: Brochon, Thornley, Mead, Duport, Martin, Mourgue, Albert, Simon, Da Costa, Maria, Perez, Goudemand, Baitieri. Subs: Casty, Garcia, Margalet, Belmas.
🗣️ “I was proud of the attitude of the playing group to go out there and rack up 56 points.”
Hear from Steve Price following tonight’s formidable win over Catalans 👉 https://t.co/d0oFdktN90 pic.twitter.com/LJEQ4jCnRv
— Warrington Wolves (@wolvesrl) August 10, 2018
🎬 | Hear from tonight’s debutant Bodene Thompson following his man-of-the-match performance in the Wire’s dominant win over Catalans pic.twitter.com/Fr4hZjKKIP
— Warrington Wolves (@wolvesrl) August 10, 2018
