WARRINGTON Wolves started the new season with a 16-10 defeat away at Catalans Dragons in Sam Burgess’ first Super League game in charge.
Even a red card for Dragons hooker Michael McIlorum early in the second half couldn’t deny the Catalans victory, as the visitors’ lack of discipline in the final quarter meant they couldn’t take advantage of the sending off.
A gritty first half saw debutant winger Arron Lindop open the scoring with a try on 18 minutes, the 17-year-old hometown boy getting the nod in place of the injured Josh Thewlis.
That was the only score of the first half until right of the end of the first 40, when new Dragons signing Jordan Abdull crossed for a try converted by Arthur Mourgue to give the home side a 6-4 lead at the break.
The second half had barely got going when Catalans were reduced to 12 men, McIlorum sent off for a high shot on Joe Philbin.
But the Dragons didn’t let it derail them and they soon forged would want turn out to be a decisive lead. Mourgue tagged on a penalty to double the advantage, and he then scored and converted a try of his own on 51 minutes to make it 14-4.
A brilliant Wolves try on the hour mark got them back in contention, Matt Dufty involved in taking an inside ball from George Williams and then exchanging passes with Paul Vaughan and some neat footwork took him racing over the line.
Josh Drinkwater’s conversion brought Warrington within four and it seemed that the momentum was with them.
They got in to penalty trouble though, and although both Abdull and Mourgue missed penalty attempts Warrington couldn’t get out of their own half with the ball.
Crucially, they were also reduced to 12 men when Jordan Crowther was adjudged to have caught Mike McMeeken in the head with 11 minutes to play.
Mourgue eventually got another penalty on 73 minutes to make it a six-point ball game, and although Theo Fages had a drop goal attempt charged down a few minutes later, Warrington couldn’t get far enough up the pitch to challenge the Dragons and force extra time.
They are back in action at the Halliwell Jones Stadium against Hull on Friday.
Catalans: Mourgue, Davies, Romano, Ikuvalu, Johnstone, Abdull, Fages, Navarette, McIlorum, Bousquet, Sims, Seguier, McMeeken. Subs: Nikorima, Sironen, Satae, Dezaria.
Warrington: Dufty, Lindop, King, Wrench, Ashton, Williams, Drinkwater, Harrison, Walker, Musgrove, Currie, Fitzgibbon, Crowther. Subs: Vaughan, Philbin, Dudson, Powell.
Lindop with our opener on debut 🔥😮💨 pic.twitter.com/BJY50CO2c5
— Warrington Wolves (@WarringtonRLFC) February 17, 2024
"We'll take some great lessons out of it and it'll make us better for next week's game."
Watch Sam Burgess' post-match press conference following R1
— Warrington Wolves (@WarringtonRLFC) February 18, 2024
