It’s been a difficult couple of years for Warrington Wolves as they languished near the bottom of Super League in 2022 and they’re slipping down the table now in 2023, despite a brilliant start to the season when they defeated Leeds Rhinos on opening night and went on a run of eight wins from eight.
At that point the Wolves looked nigh on unbeatable and a polar opposite of the side that had turned up in 2022, but then Wigan Warriors came along and they slipped to their first defeat.
In fact after that Warrington slipped to plenty of defeats with their form after round eight being in total contrast to their early season start as they’ve since gone on to lose nine of their next twelve league games.
That’s led to a drop off to sixth, just two points inside the playoff places, and last night it saw head coach Daryl Powell sacked after less than two years in the job.
Ultimately the straw that broke the camel’s back was the 42-6 hammering yesterday afternoon at Belle Vue to relegation threatened and bottom of the table Wakefield Trinity.
Warrington were booed off at both half time and full time and what followed was a passionate press conference in which Powell questioned, “what crisis?”
He got that answer at 9pm last night when it was announced he’d been relieved of his duties and is the case with the coaching carousel the speculation has already begun.
Some have made the shout of club legend Lee Briers but there was plenty of focus around former St Helens boss Justin Holbrook.
Holbrook led Saints to the first of their current run of four consecutive Grand Finals and headed to the NRL off the back of that success, however he was sacked at Gold Coast Titans earlier this year with the side sitting on six wins and seven losses.
Since then there have been rumours he was Super League bound with Jenna Brooks reporting on Sky Sports that Huddersfield, Leeds and Warrington were all interested.
The Giants quickly shut that down and have since had an upturn in form, whilst Leeds look like having a chance at another late playoff push.
Hence when 9pm came along last night and the news was confirmed that Powell had left, Holbrook was the first name on many people’s lips.
That’s now been supported by renowned journalist down under ‘The Mole’ who has tweeted that Holbrook is the man to replace Daryl Powell.
Is Justin Holbrook the man to take over @WarringtonRLFC ?#YES
— The Mole (@9_Moley) July 30, 2023