‘Step up and take accountability’ – Chairman calls out Warrington Wolves’ senior players

Warrington Wolves is the club on everyone’s lips in rugby league circles this week following the sacking of head coach Daryl Powell on Sunday night – leaving the club clinging on to the final playoff place with Salford Red Devils, Leeds Rhinos and Hull FC all in pursuit of them.

Following a thrashing at the hands of bottom side Wakefield Trinity, the Wire’s sixth straight defeat, Powell was relieved of his duties with Gary Chambers put in interim charge alongside former Salford Red Devils boss Richard Marshall.

Attentions off the field at the Wolves have now turned towards appointing a new coach, but speaking to BBC Radio Merseyside chairman Stuart Middleton wants to see an immediate improvement on the field.

Middleton has called on the club’s senior players to step up and take accountability for the team’s recent showings under the stewardship of Chambers and Marshall.

“Yes we are still confident we will finish in the top six,” said Middleton. “Like I said before, this squad on paper if you look at them, we’ve got some great players there, some very talented players.

“Have we got the best out of these players? No. Can we get more out of them? Yes. And that’s the job [for interim boss Gary Chambers] now to get them playing with a lot more confidence, motivation and some toughness as well.

“We have challenged the leadership team, the senior players, to step up and be more vocal and take ownership because everyone is accountable.

“They (the players) have to take accountability as well here because that performance last week (against Wakefield) and the past month’s performances have not been good enough and they’ve got to step up now.”

Whether Middleton will see an improvement will be answered on Friday night when Warrington take on league leaders’ Catalans Dragons at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, a game live on Sky Sports.