There have been enough false dawns over the last 63 years, so Warrington fans will not be getting carried away just yet. But these are perhaps the nights which should give the greatest hope to their supporters that a first championship since 1955 may not be beyond the Wolves this season.
With this, their ninth successive victory in all competitions, comes not only a five-point cushion between themselves and Leeds - down in fifth as the stuttering defence of their title continued with their third defeat in four games – but a firm belief that the Wolves can last the pace this season.
Three months ago, these two sides met on the opening night and the size of the task Steve Price faced in transforming a Warrington side who chronically underperformed last year was laid bare. Now they are the form side in the competition and appear to have all the hallmarks of a side who, under Price’s stewardship, are going places.
Here, they led 11-4 at half-time before a remarkable turnaround from the reigning champions made it 22-11. Perhaps last year’s Warrington would have folded; Price’s did not.
Four tries – including three in eight minutes – secured the most significant win of Price’s reign so far. “We’ve had a number of good wins where we’ve been front-runners, but this one was especially pleasing,” he said afterwards.
The star here for Warrington was the young utility, Harvey Livett, who scored three superb tries and created another; it may yet earn him a new deal, too. “Hopefully we sort that out shortly,” Price said of the future of the 21-year-old, who is out of contract in November.
Livett’s clever kick enabled Kevin Brown to break the deadlock, before he touched down alongside Tyrone Roberts’ drop goal to open up a seven-point half-time lead for the hosts. Leeds’ only points of the first half came via Ashton Golding’s try, but they were architects of a remarkable turnaround after the break.
After Joel Moon and Ryan Hall scored exceptional team tries, Carl Ablett then put the hosts two scores ahead; but that merely riled the visitors. First, Ryan Atkins touched down Brown’s kick before Livett completed his hat-trick with two tries in four minutes. They were both created by magnificent breaks from Stefan Ratchford, the outstanding Warrington fullback: and he was pivotal in the try which sealed the game with two minutes left, as Ben Murdoch-Masila scored.