Rohan has revitalised Leeds Rhinos but Warrington boss Daryl Powell is under immense pressure. Impressive Leeds ran riot with an eight-try rout as they delivered back-to-back wins under new coach Smith.
Captain Kruise Leeming was instrumental while wingers David Fusitu’a and Ash Handley both weighed in with braces. But former Wolves players Richie Myler, Blake Austin and Bodene Thompson all shone against their old club who were utterly shambolic.
Fed-up Warrington fans started leaving the Halliwell Jones Stadium after Thompson scored with embarrassing ease to make it 30-4 in the 66th minute. Powell’s first season since joining from Castleford is turning into a nightmare.
Read more: Warrington Wolves in a good place despite horrendous Leeds Rhinos defeat, insists Daryl Powell
They have lost four straight games and won just once in six outings. Yet Warrington should have been 12-0 up inside the opening five minutes. But they wasted brilliant build-up play by bombing two clear-cut chances.
Second-row Oli Holmes was hauled down after breakaway winger Connor Wrench bizarrely ignored two speedier options. And then Daz Clark zipped away only to see stumbling George Williams run out of gas - and then aim a hopeless kick dead. Leeds couldn’t believe their luck and rubbed it in by scoring with their first attack two minutes later.
Fusitu’a collected Leeming’s pinpoint chip. Another woeful Williams kick rolled dead - the England half-back was off-cue all night - and Leeds almost made him pay instantly. Quick-thinking Zak Hardaker set Myler free from the 20m tap but his pass was forward. Just.
But it demonstrated Leeds’ new-found adventure under Aussie Smith. Pete Matautia was held up over the Rhinos line as was Williams as he tried stepping through. After the visitors lost Morgan Gannon to a HIA, though, Warrington did finally cross when Matty Ashton expertly touched down Gareth Widdop’s pass.
But any hopes of Wolves kicking on disappeared as red-hot Rhinos ripped in with a purple patch of three tries in just five minutes. Stunned Warrington only touched the ball to restart. Myler’s brilliant inside pass under pressure saw Hardaker zip clear from halfway for Leeming to score. In the next set, full-back Hardaker went through himself, stepping out of some pitiful Wolves defence.
It was the England star’s first try since rejoining following his controversial Wigan exit. Hardaker’s jubilant celebrations showed how much it meant to him. But Rhinos weren’t done as they struck again after Leeming put Fusitu’a into space.
A lovely flighted kick from Austin - dumped by Wolves last year to make way for Williams’ arrival - was cleverly palmed down by Ash Handley. And Liam Sutcliffe then did brilliantly to smuggle James Donaldson over. Rhyse Martin improved two of them for a 20-4 interval lead, adding a penalty soon after the restart.
Wolves had a chance to respond but Matty Davis wasted another opportunity spilling Ashton’s pass. And Handley made him immediately pay with his first try as the boos came again.
