Tony Smith seeks answers after Warrington collapse
Saturday 17 September 2016 00:16, UK
Warrington coach Tony Smith promised his players a tough video analysis session after watching them fritter away a 28-14 lead to go down 35-28 at home to Wigan.
The defeat cost the Wolves the chance to secure the League Leaders' Shield with a game to spare, meaning they must now avoid defeat against second-placed Hull at the KCOM Stadium in next Friday's final game.
Wigan played the last 24 minutes with 12 men following the dismissal of Ben Flower for a late tackle, but hit back with four tries to snatch a win that earns them a home semi-final.
Smith said: "We were in a position where you'd like to think you could close the game out, particularly against a team with a man down.
"We've seen it before when teams lift and we probably came up with a few decision-making plays that really cost us.
"We were guilty of a bit of impatience and we just didn't handle some of our attacking plays the way we needed to, particularly when they went a man down.
"I've got to commend Wigan, some of their defensive efforts on their own line when they were a man down were fantastic and some of their late offloads hurt us."
Warrington's head coach knows that this week's video review session won't be easy on the eye but that it will be vital to ensure that their season continues in the right manner.
"We're going to rue some decisions we made when we review that game, there's going to be some hard watching and some hard lessons and hopefully they will help us for some of the games ahead."
Wigan's resilience
Wigan head coach Shaun Wane once more paid tribute to his side's resilience for their late heroics, a week after coming from behind to snatch victory at Hull.
"It was a big ask," Wane admitted. "We were under pressure against a team playing really well. I thought it was a great effort and, for guts and determination, it's a fantastic win.
"I thought Warrington played well but we just had that never-say-die attitude."
"We did some good things but giving five penalties on the bounce after half-time made it tough.
"To overcome that adversity makes it really satisfying. We have that unbreakable spirit and trust in each other."
Wane will check on the fitness of hooker Sam Powell after he was forced off six minutes into the game with concussion while Warrington will monitor second rower Ben Currie, who went off with a knee injury after scoring his side's 50th-minute try.
Wane also played down the seriousness of the Flower challenge and does not expect him to face a ban.
"If you slow anything down, it can make it look bad," he said. "I didn't see much in that, sure it will be seen the correct way."
