Wigan put on champion display to rout demoralised Warrington
WIGAN PUT on a champion display to utterly destroy winless Warrington in a one-sided Grand Final rematch at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
The Warriors shrugged off the absence of nine senior players through injury to go top of the Betfred Super League and leave Warrington rooted to the bottom with a clinical 38-16 rout.
Four of Wigan’s seven tries came from 20-year-old winger Liam Marshall on only his second appearance for the club but star of the show was stand-off George Williams, who continued his sensational early-season form.
The fairytale contribution from Marshall, a trainee accountant who was playing parttime rugby for Swinton just a few months ago, was further evidence of Wigan’s conveyor belt of talent.
Teenage forward Jack Wells scored his first Super League try on only his fourth appearance while another academy product, winger Liam Forsyth, made his debut alongside French international forward Romain Navarrete.
Like their opponents, Warrington had just nine survivors from October’s Old Trafford title decider and they gave a first start to Harry Livett at scrum-half in place of Dec Patton but they were a pale shadow of the side that demolished Brisbane Broncos in the World Club Series in January and will take on promoted Leigh next Thursday still looking for their first league win of the season.
Wigan caught their hosts cold, with Marshall pouncing on Williams’ grubber kick to open the scoring on five minutes and Morgan Escare kicking the first of his five conversions.
The Wolves were all fingers and thumbs in the first quarter and their errors were punished in ruthless fashion by a Wigan side brimming with confidence from their unbeaten start to the year. And the Warriors were well in control, going on to lead 16-0 after just 17 minutes.
The home side grabbed a lifeline two minutes before the break when a break by winger Tom Lineham was carried on by Kevin Brown for centre Ryan Atkins to finish off an impressive move with a try that Kurt Gidley goaled.
But the comeback was snuffed out early in the second half and, although Warrington added late scores, they resembled a thoroughly demoralised side by the end.