Warrington Wolves ‘unrecognisable’ as coach confirms George Williams injury blow
PHOTO: Richard Sellers/PA Wire/PA Images
Warrington Wolves head coach Daryl Powell says his team are unrecognisable compared to their fine start to the season following their 23-14 defeat to Castleford at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle.
Friday’s loss marked back-to-back defeats for the Wire, having been knocked out dramatically by 12-man Wigan last week in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals.
Tries from Will Tate and Jason Qareqare plus three goals from ex-Warrington playmaker Gareth Widdop made it 14-0 to the hosts at the break.
Warrington levelled the scores at 14-14 in the second half with two tries from Matty Ashton and another from centre Connor Wrench.
But the visitors failed to gain an advantage from there, with Widdop’s long-range drop-goal edging the Tigers back in front before outside-back Jack Broadbent sealed Castleford’s fourth win of the season.
Warrington were without star half-back George Williams due to a fresh hamstring blow, which is expected to rule him out for a few weeks.
Josh Drinkwater also failed to overcome an ankle issue which saw Stefan Ratchford and Peter Mata’utia named in the halves.
Warrington Wolves boss says team are ‘unrecognisable’
“What we’re doing to ourselves at the moment is just crazy – I can’t put it any other way,” Powell said.
“In the first half, we made eight or nine errors, give five penalties away and our discipline is poor.
“It was probably a little bit worse than what we did to ourselves last week.
“Some of the decision-making is beyond the pale in terms of what we’re thinking.
“Some of the things we’re doing at the moment are just crazy.
“We did a great job in getting back in the game in the second half, but we should have made more of the attacking positions we had before they kicked the drop-goal.
“We’ve gone from being the best team in the comp to something that is unrecognisable. It’s hugely disappointing.”
Warrington remain second on the Super League table, while table toppers Catalans host third-place Leigh on Saturday evening.
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