Warrington 16-38 Wigan: Warriors compound Wolves' woe
Last Updated: 10/03/17 6:11am
Wigan put on a champion display to destroy winless Warrington 38-16 in a one-sided Grand Final rematch at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Thursday.
The Warriors shrugged off the absence of nine senior players through injury to go top of the Betfred Super League and leave Warrington rooted to the bottom with a clinical performance.
Four of Wigan's seven tries came from 20-year-old winger Liam Marshall on only his second appearance for the club, but star of the show was stand-off George Williams who continued his sensational early-season form to propel his side to a fourth win from four league games.
The fairy tale contribution from Marshall, a trainee accountant who was playing part-time rugby for Swinton just a few months ago, was further evidence of Wigan's conveyor belt of talent.
Teenage forward Jack Wells scored his first Super League try on only his fourth appearance while another academy product, winger Liam Forsyth, made his debut alongside French international forward Romain Navarrete.
Like their opponents, Warrington had just nine survivors from October's Old Trafford title decider and they gave a first start to Harry Livett at scrum-half in place of Dec Patton, but they were a shadow of the side that demolished Brisbane Broncos in the World Club Series in January and will take on promoted Leigh next Thursday still looking for their first league win of the season.
Wigan caught their hosts cold from the start, with Marshall pouncing on Williams' grubber kick to open the scoring on five minutes and Morgan Escare kicking the first of his five conversions.
The Wolves were all fingers and thumbs in the first quarter and their errors were punished in ruthless fashion by a Wigan side brimming with confidence from their unbeaten start to the year.
A break through the heart of the defence from full-back Escare created the position from which centre Anthony Gelling touched down and when Marshall gathered a bouncing ball from Sean O'Loughlin to grab his second try, the Warriors were well in control, leading 16-0 after just 17 minutes.
Warrington looked to be on the end of a harsh call when Livett was denied a try for a forward pass and their fragile defence was exposed again on 31 minutes when second rower Liam Farrell gratefully accepted a short pass from Williams to cross for his side's fourth try.
The home side grabbed a lifeline two minutes before the break when a break by winger Tom Lineham was carried on by Kevin Brown for centre Ryan Atkins to finish off an impressive move with a try that Kurt Gidley goaled.
But the comeback was snuffed out early in the second half when Marshall pounced on a wayward pass from Gidley to sprint 80 metres to complete his hat-trick.
Escare's conversion made it 26-6 and Wigan almost scored again moments later when O'Loughlin broke clear, but his kick was just too strong for the chasing Forsyth.
Wigan's superior kicking game kept their opponents pinned inside their own half and when prop Ashton Sims lost the ball in the tackle the error was seized on by Williams, who laid a try on a plate for substitute Wells.
Marshall then went over for his fourth try and, although Warrington registered late scores through Lineham and replacement centre Rhys Evans, they were soundly beaten by the final whistle.
