Warrington Wolves: Daryl Powell remains confident he has full backing of board as coach questions booing

Warrington head coach Daryl Powell remains confident he has the full backing of the board with pressure mounting externally at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.

The side fell to their third straight defeat on Thursday evening with a 22-6 score against Rohan Smith’s rising Leeds Rhinos, with tries from Sam Walters, Ash Handley (2) and Richie Myler.

It marked Warrington’s fifth defeat in six games in all competitions, having been knocked out of the Challenge Cup in the quarter-finals against 12 man Wigan at the DW Stadium.

Disgruntled fans have voiced their concerns externally, with the side having gone eight games unbeaten to start their 2023 campaign.

However, Powell remains confident that he has the backing of the Warrington board, with the side still keen to recruit for the remainder of the season after losing Thomas Mikaele and Josh McGuire.

Asked if he’s discussed pressures internally at the Wolves, Powell said: “I spoke to Karl Fitzpatrick this week, we talk constantly about recruitment. He probably won’t be talking to me about that if that was the case.

“We’ve got to keep level heads and keep ourselves focused on what we’re trying to do.

“Our team at the moment and our squad is not massive and we’re trying to tidy that up. There’s nothing of that regard at all.”

Daryl Powell urges fans to show support

With more than 8,000 inside the Halliwell Jones Stadium, the full-time hooter was met with boos inside the ground – much to the disappointment of 57-year-old coach Powell.

Warrington’s last win came over Huddersfield Giants earlier in Round 15, having fallen to defeats to Wigan, Castleford and now Leeds since.

“I disagree with booing at any point to be honest,” Powell said.

“I thought there was a lot of effort out there tonight. Anybody who has played rugby league knows how tough it is. I know it was a disappointing performance, I get disappointment. I’m disappointed.

“I don’t think it’s helpful, if I’m honest. How does that help a team get any better? It just makes them feel even more nervous. I’d have thought you’d want the opposite really. But I can’t control what fans think, all I can do is do my job to the best of my ability and get us playing as well as we can.

“Get behind the team”

“But, this is a long season. If you look at Leeds last year, where did they end up? They were struggling, and they’ll be going ‘we can do that again’. For us, it’s about getting our team back together and stabilising and hopefully getting some recruits in that are going to help us to improve.

“This is about being in the top six. We’re not as consistent as we want to be, we’re nowhere near at the moment. But what’s it all about? It’s about being in that top six at the end of the year.

“I don’t think you should come and boo the players, you’re not supporting the team there. Get behind them.

“There’s been some tough times. Through the first eight games and everything’s buzzing, it’s not going to stay like that all the time. Sport isn’t like that.

“We just need people to stick with us and we need to be in the top six at the end of the year and get to a Grand Final.”

READ NEXT: Daryl Powell addresses Lachlan Fitzgibbon speculation with NRL star out-of-contract

FOLLOW: Keep up with all the latest on the Love Rugby League mobile app