Smith: Out Singing Our Opponents
As the team prepare for Round 2 of the new Super League season Wolves' head of coaching and rugby Tony Smith reflects on the home opener and looks ahead to tomorrow's crunch match with local rivals Wigan.
"It probably wasn't a great win on Sunday but it was a pretty solid one for week one of another tough competition. We started well and did some very, very good things within the game. There are a few areas we need to work on and be more effective in but that is quite usual for this time of year and hopefully we'll get better each week.
"Ben Harrison has got a groin strain but nothing too serious and hopefully it'll just be a week or two for him, aside from that we are in pretty good shape and won't be far off full strength soon."
He is expecting a tough encounter come 8pm tomorrow at the DW.
"It'll be another tough Wigan game on Friday. They are a very good team with a lot of quality players. Many people are making predictions as to how that (player changes) will affect them but I know that they are still going to be a very good Rugby League team and we will give them a healthy respect. We are not into making predictions about our opponents. They will be judged over the period of a season just as we will be and only time will tell.
"In terms of preparing for this week, we've prepared well in the short time that we've had. It's a quick turnaround, but it's a game that we'll look forward to. We've had some terrific matches against Wigan over the last few years and I've got no doubt that this will be another intense game. Both teams probably won't be at their best at this time of the year with the conditions we'll be playing in making it challenging to play good rugby but at the same time it should still be intense."
This isn't the first time the two sides have met in 2013 with the teams having a pre-season run-out in January but Tony doesn't believe this will have any bearing tomorrow night.
"It was a good hit out which was what we needed, and was important for us physically to get us ready for the season but in terms of team performances there won't be a lot to take from it. Our opponents were down a number of talented key players so their team make-up will look a whole lot different this time around. Any team that you put O'Loughlin, Richards and Tomkins into is going to change the way it looks. Hopefully we'll be lot more further down the track this time too."
The fans will play a huge part in creating a winning atmosphere away from home tomorrow night.
"They (the fans) have been terrific there behind the goal posts and have really spurred us on for the last few years. Our record isn't bad there and our fans travel on mass and make it into a really good atmosphere. The Wigan fans are terrific too supporting their team through thick and thin, so there will be two very good teams playing and two outstanding sets of fans. I'm sure our fans will be out singing our opponents by the end of the match!"
Match tickets are still on sale in WolfWare, at WolfWare Online and on the ticket hotline 08448 11 11 76. Make sure you don't miss out what is set to be another Wolves versus Warriors classic encounter.
07, Feb, 2013
