WARRINGTON Wolves shrugged off their coronavirus worries with a comfortable 37-12 win over Hull FC.
Already without six players placed in to self-isolation following last weekend’s game with Wakefield, a seventh was ruled out after testing positive for coronavirus on Thursday night; while Gareth Widdop was withdrawn due to personal reasons.
That meant debuts for Leilani Latu, Elliott Robson and Elliott Longstaff, while regular full-back Stefan Ratchford started at loose forward and Dec Patton was drafted in at half-back.
The Wolves have regularly had the number of the Airlie Birds in recent years, and it was the 38-4 thumping they dished out in their last meeting back in March that saw the dismissal of Hull coach Lee Radford.
Fresh from their first win under Andy Last against Huddersfield last week, Hull got the first score inside two minutes when Josh Griffin apparently found his way to the line under pressure from a few defenders – the video referee not being able to find sufficient evidence to overturn the on-field try call by referee Ben Thaler.
Warrington settled and hit back on 10 minutes, Mike Cooper crashing over under the posts thanks to some weak middle defence by Hull, who seemed to be distracted by a biting allegation by forward Ligi Sao to Patton, an incident that was placed on report.
Blake Austin had starred with a hat-trick in a meeting between the two sides last season and his kick midway through the first half wasn’t dealt with and Matty Ashton pounced to score for 12-6.
Hull hit back though, a lovely line by centre Carlos Tuimavave was found by Albert Kelly to tie the scores on the half hour.
But opposite number Jake Mamo broke free of his clutches six minutes later to get the third Wolves try and Austin tagged on a simple drop goal on the stroke of half time for 19-12.
Mamo started the second half as he ended the first, scoring a try six minutes in when he did well to pick up Ben Currie’s short kick through, with Ratchford adding the conversion that marked his 1,000th point for the club.
Hull had no response, and it turned in to a comfortable evening’s work for the Wolves.
Latu marked his debut with a try on the hour and in the closing stages Austin dummied through with an ease that was reflective of how the Wolves found much of the second half as they jumped above Wigan in to second place.
Warrington: Ashton, Charnley, Gelling, Mamo, Lineham, Austin, Patton, Latu, Clark, Cooper, Currie, King, Ratchford. Subs: Walker, Johnson, Robson, Longstaff.
Hull: Shaul, Swift, Tuimavave, Griffin, Faraimo, Kelly, Connor, Sao, Johnstone, Brown, Lane, Ma’u, Fash. Subs: Bowden, Buchanan, Fonua, Houghton.
