It was never likely to be dull, was it? Following an off-season that has produced high-profile arrivals, Royal involvement with the Rugby League World Cup and the Israel Folau controversy in the hours leading into the big kick-off, Wigan and Warrington probably had some unwanted pressure to deliver a blockbuster opener to the season here. They did not fail to deliver.
Wigan were made to work for the win against a Warrington side that showed the kind of resilience that could take them a long way over the next eight months. For almost an hour, they were without their captain, Chris Hill, following a tackle that could lead to him have an extended pre-season in the coming weeks.
Squaring up to Wigan with a man disadvantage is an envious task and while the Warriors had just about enough to edge home, Warrington’s new-look side came together during a fairly chaotic match.
There were flash-points aplenty, some magnificent skill from both sides but, in the end, the try Wigan scored in the hour Warrington were without Hill was decisive. Liam Marshall’s 65th-minute finish ultimately ensured that, try as the Wolves would in the frenetic final moments, they could not see Wigan off.
The opening 40 minutes included three tries and, crucially, the red card for Hill. The England and Great Britain prop was rightly dismissed for an appalling tackle on Sam Powell as the Wigan hooker reached for the line to score. The challenge left Powell unconscious and he was taken from the field on a stretcher following a lengthy delay and Chris Kendall had no choice but to send Hill off.
Warrington started the stronger of the two sides. They forged an early eight-point lead when Ben Murdoch-Masila barged his way over George Burgess and several other Wigan defenders to score the first try of the season. That, coupled with a goal and penalty from the boot of Stefan Ratchford, made it 8-0 in Warrington’s favour.
Wigan responded well and from their first penalty they struck when Bevan French scythed through the defence to reduce the gap to two.
The penalty try put the Warriors ahead for the first time after 22 minutes and with Hill dismissed Warrington seemed to be in trouble.
They dug in and showed some resilience for the remainder of the first half. There was still time for one more flashpoint, as the young Wigan forward Morgan Smithies was placed on report following an alleged gouge on Blake Austin.
By the time Ratchford added a second penalty to make it 12-10 in Wigan’s favour at half-time, you sensed everyone involved needed half-time to draw breath and take stock.
It seemed inevitable that, re-energised and with a man advantage, Wigan would simply streak away from their opponents. But Warrington continued to fight valiantly and showed the greater moments of promise in attack until another decisive moment shortly after the hour mark.
When French was pulled back as he seemed to race clear and touch down, Hill’s front-row colleague Mike Cooper was sent to the sin-bin and Warrington were down to 11 men.
This time, the Wolves were unable to hold Wigan at bay and just after Cooper was shown a yellow card, French’s pass found Liam Marshall unmarked in the corner.
Even then, the expected onslaught from Wigan never arrived. Again the Wolves dug in and they could have even forced the game into the golden point in the dying embers after piling the pressure on Wigan’s line.
It was not to be, though, and while the Warriors would claim the first points of 2020, Warrington left here with the plaudits.
Wigan French; Marshall, Hardaker, Bibby, J Burgess; Hastings, Leuluai; Partington, Powell, G Burgess, Isa, Farrell, O’Loughlin Interchange Byrne, Clubb, Havard, Smithies
Tries French, penalty, Marshall Goals Hardaker 2 Warrington Ashton; Lineham, Gelling, King, Charnley; Austin, Ratchford; Hill, D Clark, Cooper, Currie, Murdoch-Masila, J Clark Interchange Philbin, Akauola, Walker, Burrell
Tries Murdoch-Masila, Goals Ratchford 3
Referee C Kendall.