Champion Qualities : Sun Jul 03, 2011 12:59 pm
Just having a think whilst finally getting on with the Leeds match report. We have a chance to go top on Wednesday and I think most sensible Wigan and Rugby League fans would find it hard to believe how Warrington can have played so well this season yet amazingly could find themselves in second place later this week.
On paper I still think Wire should be about 4 points clear, like we were this time last year, but what we are proving is perhaps a little bit of extra mental strength.
It's rare that Warrington have been in tight defensive games this year but when it's happened (Catalan, Hull, Salford, maybe even Hudds away) they haven't nicked the win. They did nick one against Hull KR in fairness but those other games have cost them a buffer at the top of the table.
Then when you look at us - Ok we definetly lost a point in Cardiff v Saints and at Cas last month but look at the points we've rescused.
Hull (H) - They were doing a cracking job on us. 12-8 down with 13 to play and down to 12 men. We nicked a 14-12 win.
Hudds (A) - Not really a rescue effort but to go there without Sam Tomkins, Pat Richards, Paul Deacon, Stuart Fielden, Joel Tomkins and Brett Finch and claim 2 points was a huge effort.
Leeds (A) - The opposite of Cas (A). 22-4 down with 20 to go. Even 22-14 down with 2 minutes and 10 seconds left we earned a point from nothing.
Saints (H) - 56 seconds away from defeat we scored to claim the win.
Even on Friday we perhaps earned two points we shouldn't have done with some luck.
So I reckon theirs 9 points there we easily could have lost. That would have left us in 6th and Warrington would have had their 4 point lead at the top of the table (before today's game at least), and had they nicked their tight games they'd have been miles ahead.
This is not a go at Warrington thread, I'm just highlighting that those small efforts show that our title was not a fluke last year and I think they may serve us well towards the back end of the season and perhaps highlights why we have the chance to get ahead on Wednesday!
