Warrington Wolves 48-6 Catalans Dragons: Hat-trick hero Joel Monaghan signs off in style
Last Updated: 19/09/15 6:03pm
Warrington skipper Joel Monaghan signed off in style with a dazzling hat-trick of tries on his last appearance at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
Monaghan was man of the match as the Wolves ended a run of four defeats in their last five First Utility Super League games with a 48-6 success over the Catalans Dragons.
It was an emotional farewell for Monaghan, who was playing his last home match for the Wolves alongside Catalan-bound Richie Myler and Roy Asotasi.
The 33-year-old former Australia Test winger took his Warrington try tally to 144 in 144 appearances since signing from Canberra Raiders with his first hat-trick of the season, also converting Jack Johnson's second touchdown 11 minutes from time.
Myler also crossed as Warrington ran in nine tries, with Ryan Atkins bagging a brace and the other from Ben Currie - in a game where there was little but pride and the consolation of sixth place at stake.
The visitors, whose only away win this season was at Wakefield in April, suffered a pre-match blow when Todd Carney pulled out with a back injury - Stan Robin stepped in.
Warrington took only five minutes to go ahead when a smart offload by Ben Westwood allowed Ashton Sims and Stefan Ratchford to put Monaghan over in the corner.
Kevin Penny then leaped higher than Jordan Sigismeau to collect a crossfield kick from Chris Sandow for Atkins to cross in the other corner. Sandow was successful with the difficult conversion to make it 10-0 after 10 minutes.
Krisnan Inu thought he had opened the Dragons' account when he wriggled over from dummy half but the effort was disallowed by referee Joe Cobb.
Monaghan delighted the crowd midway through the first half when he intercepted Scott Dureau's pass to race 90 metres down the wing for a superb second try which stretched the lead to 14-0.
Catalans immediately conceded a fourth touchdown with Penny sending Johnson over for his first senior try in only his third senior appearance, with Sandow tagging on the goal.
Another long range try added to the Dragons' woes with Chris Hill gathering Dureau's kick to send Currie sprinting 80 metres to score under the posts and extend the lead to 26-0 at the break.
The Dragons held out for the first 13 minutes of the second half until another weaving run by Penny handed Atkins his second try.
Catalan were reduced to 12 men after 58 minutes when Ben Garcia was yellow carded for a spear tackle on Sims.
Monaghan completed his treble by taking Stefan Ratchford's high kick to cross in the corner and extend the lead to 36-0.
Johnson got his second try and Monaghan converted, then Myler touched down and Asotasi added the extras.
Four minutes from time the Dragons got a try when Stanislas Robin scored from Elliott Whitehead's pass, which Dureau converted.
