Nightmare half reopens debate about the way forward

5:55am Thursday 22nd May 2008

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Wigan Warriors 38 Warrington Wolves 14.

FEW halves of rugby league during the Paul Cullen era have been as alarming as the one that saw Wolves slide to a catastrophic defeat on Friday.

Such a collapse had just not seemed on the cards when Wolves went in 14-8 ahead at half time.

But the five unanswered Wigan tries that followed only served to reopen the growing debate among supporters about the future of Super League's longest-serving coach.

Cullen has delivered plenty of good times during almost six years in charge but has also had to survive some sticky periods when results and public opinion have not been with him.

Six wins in eight matches at the start of 2008 appeared to banish the issue but six defeats in the next eight have returned the proud Warringtonian to a period of brinksmanship he could do without.

Such periods in a season are neither healthy for the club nor enjoyable for everyone who so wants it to succeed.

No-one wants that success more than Cullen but many fans remain unconvinced that Wolves are on course to make the step up to the next level - the step that has for so long been the club's target.

Winning at Wigan would have helped to convince many but the way Wolves disintegrated after the interval led to some booing the side off at the end.

Error-free rather than scintillating rugby allowed them to move into a 14-6 lead before the intervention of the match officials did them no favours.

Vinnie Anderson's sin-binning for a late tackle on kicker Joel Tomkins appeared harsh and Pat Richards then landed a penalty just before the interval as Chris Hicks was puzzling penalised for a ball steal by the video referee.

Those decisions turned the tide and, together with the concession of second-half penalties, gave Cullen's side some defending to do.

But that should not have led to such a complete breakdown in the Wolves resistance, evident as Wigan scored at will for a period during the second half.

With five players on the long-term injury list, Wolves' chances of reaching the Grand Final are beginning to look more a case of hope rather than expectation.

On Friday it looked a forlorn task, arguably made more difficult by the selection of what looked distinctly like a makeshift team.

Wolves have just five recognised three-quarters with the requisite first-team experience remaining in their squad, so the absence of winger Chris Riley was all the more problematic.

Only Cullen knows just how fit Riley was, with the 20-year-old named as 18th man after damaging ankle ligaments six days earlier at St Helens.

Without him, loose forward Vinnie Anderson had to move to left centre with Matt King and Kevin Penny also switched from the roles they undertook in an impressive team display at Knowsley Road.

If previous evidence is anything to go by, Wolves may well win their must win' match against Castleford on Monday.

But, for many supporters, only a sustained run of form will prove that the club is continuing to move forward.

Match facts.

Wigan Warriors 38 Warrington Wolves 14.

Warriors: Pat Richards (7g); Mark Calderwood, Phil Bailey, George Carmont (1t), Liam Colbon (1t); Trent Barrett (2t), Thomas Leuluai; Andy Coley, Mickey Higham, Paul Prescott, Gareth Hock (1t), Harrison Hansen, Sean O'Loughlin. Subs used: Iafeta Paleaaesina, Stuart Fielden, Richie Mathers, Joel Tomkins (1t).

Wolves: Chris Hicks (1g); Kevin Penny, Martin Gleeson, Vinnie Anderson (1t), Matt King (1t); Lee Briers, Michael Monaghan; Adrian Morley, Jon Clarke, Paul Rauhihi, Ben Westwood, Louis Anderson, Simon Grix. Subs used: Rob Parker, Andy Bracek (1t), Mark Gleeson, Ben Harrison.

Referee: Ashley Klein.

Scoring: Carmont scores from Leuluai's inside pass, 4mins, Richards converts, 6-0; King charges through Richards' tackle from Louis Anderson's pass after a superb offload from Vinnie Anderson, 16mins, Hicks converts, 6-6; Briers' kick forces Richards to knock on and Vinnie Anderson dives on Monaghan's clever grubber from the next set, 26mins, 6-10; Bracek touches down after Martin Gleeson had created the opening with a brilliant reverse pass, 38mins, 6-14; Richards lands penalty after Hicks had controversially been ruled to have stolen the ball from Tomkins near the line, 40+mins, 8-14; Barrett's curving run takes him round the Wolves defence and inside Penny, 53mins, Richards converts, 14-14; Hock makes a break and Carmont and Leuluai are in support to put Colbon over with some slick passing, 56mins, Richards converts, 20-14; Barrett receives Higham's pass and ploughs past Clarke and Mark Gleeson from close range, 60mins, Richards converts, 26-14; Paleaaesina's drive causes chaos and Hock has space to score from Leuluai's pass, 68mins, Richards converts, 32-14; Tomkins fends off Grix to race down the middle of the field and evade Hicks, 72mins, Richards converts, 38-14.

Sin bin: Wolves: Vinnie Anderson 40+mins (late tackle).

Pens: Warriors 6 Wolves 8.

Scrums: Warriors 7 Wolves 7.

Attendance: 15,537.

Warrington Guardian top men: Monaghan 3pts, Martin Gleeson 2pts, Bracek 1pt.

Interesting note: Wolves have conceded at least 30 points in four consecutive games for the first time during Paul Cullen's reign.