Excellent performance, I think everyone to a man has been name checked above and rightly so. Vaughan is superb, and has been since he got here, but that was another gear. 

On the contact with the head stuff, I’m genuinely confused. I don’t think any of them should have seen cards, nobody wants to see cards in big games. But, Lewis Murphy and Saints have every right to put the tele in the bath after watching that. We’ve just completely changed the policing of that rule without actually telling anyone. Earlier in the year Trout and Tai would have both seen a card. I’m not saying that they deserved cards, but how can you reasonably explain accidentally making contact with the head when catching a ball 5 feet in the air, and getting binned, and someone smashing an almost static player and making forceful contact and nothing given. 


The ref broadly did well, but missed a clanger with the tackle from Dufty holding up Armstrong (After the superb Thewlis tackle). Dufty comes from an offside position and makes the tackle. Leigh will be furious with that. But, on balance, the second Sneyd chargedown Liu was offside and it was given a turnover. At 12-4 up and completely steamrolling them at that’s state, we could have shut the game down if that gets blown as a penalty. But, that’s why we have challenges and it’s both teams fault for their misuse of them. 


Thewlis and Tai have proved me wrong from the start of this season, I thought both were underperforming but their effort yesterday was exceptional. 

Abe Froman: karetaker: On Vaughan] "He's been brilliant all year but today he really took the game by the scruff of the neck early and dragged the team forward. We're doing everything to keep him." It's always been down to his wage demands & wanting a 2 more years, like most NRL players at the end of there careers. They're a long time retired and want to earn the most they can, while they can. Can't blame the man for that. The club have always felt they can get better VFM than what Vaughan & Musgrove earn, hence why he hasn't extended. But it's proving hard to recruit the players Warrington are targeting. I think the feeling at the club is they'll find middle ground pretty soon, but yesterdays performance was a very clear indication from Vaughan that he feels he's still got plenty to offer.  In this article Burgess says he wants to keep him, so maybe he has changed his mind and wants to retain Vaughan? https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/sport/25154315.sam-burgess-warrington-wolves-challenge-cup-semi-final-win/

Abe Froman: karetaker: On Vaughan] "He's been brilliant all year but today he really took the game by the scruff of the neck early and dragged the team forward. We're doing everything to keep him." It's always been down to his wage demands & wanting a 2 more years, like most NRL players at the end of there careers. They're a long time retired and want to earn the most they can, while they can. Can't blame the man for that. The club have always felt they can get better VFM than what Vaughan & Musgrove earn, hence why he hasn't extended. But it's proving hard to recruit the players Warrington are targeting. I think the feeling at the club is they'll find middle ground pretty soon, but yesterdays performance was a very clear indication from Vaughan that he feels he's still got plenty to offer.  In this article Burgess says he wants to keep him, so maybe he has changed his mind and wants to retain Vaughan? https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/sport/25154315.sam-burgess-warrington-wolves-challenge-cup-semi-final-win/

BOSS HOG: Abe Froman: karetaker: On Vaughan] "He's been brilliant all year but today he really took the game by the scruff of the neck early and dragged the team forward. We're doing everything to keep him." It's always been down to his wage demands & wanting a 2 more years, like most NRL players at the end of there careers. They're a long time retired and want to earn the most they can, while they can. Can't blame the man for that. The club have always felt they can get better VFM than what Vaughan & Musgrove earn, hence why he hasn't extended. But it's proving hard to recruit the players Warrington are targeting. I think the feeling at the club is they'll find middle ground pretty soon, but yesterdays performance was a very clear indication from Vaughan that he feels he's still got plenty to offer.  In this article Burgess says he wants to keep him, so maybe he has changed his mind and wants to retain Vaughan? https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/sport/25154315.sam-burgess-warrington-wolves-challenge-cup-semi-final-win/ He's definitely changed him mind towards Vaughan. The head bumping was well documented. But what SB thinks is only part of extending any players contract. The financial approach since the losses of Covid has changed the mindset of the board. What we pay our players is now a lot more important. Getting to Wembley for a 2nd year running shouldn't be under estimated when looking at the financial position of the club.

BOSS HOG: Abe Froman: karetaker: On Vaughan] "He's been brilliant all year but today he really took the game by the scruff of the neck early and dragged the team forward. We're doing everything to keep him." It's always been down to his wage demands & wanting a 2 more years, like most NRL players at the end of there careers. They're a long time retired and want to earn the most they can, while they can. Can't blame the man for that. The club have always felt they can get better VFM than what Vaughan & Musgrove earn, hence why he hasn't extended. But it's proving hard to recruit the players Warrington are targeting. I think the feeling at the club is they'll find middle ground pretty soon, but yesterdays performance was a very clear indication from Vaughan that he feels he's still got plenty to offer.  In this article Burgess says he wants to keep him, so maybe he has changed his mind and wants to retain Vaughan? https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/sport/25154315.sam-burgess-warrington-wolves-challenge-cup-semi-final-win/ He's definitely changed him mind towards Vaughan. The head bumping was well documented. But what SB thinks is only part of extending any players contract. The financial approach since the losses of Covid has changed the mindset of the board. What we pay our players is now a lot more important. Getting to Wembley for a 2nd year running shouldn't be under estimated when looking at the financial position of the club.

I'd love to get some indication as to just how much financially it could be worth getting to Wembley. 

Currie is playing some of the best rugby of his career & Josh Thewlis seems to be finally getting confidence to be more than a bit part player & i like the look of Jake's efforts too.

Well done Wire, from 1 to 17, what a performance!


Mr Vaughan for 2 more years please, we'll struggle to find better.



Alongside everyone else that got mentioned, I thought Ratchford's tackling was superb....even though he's obviously on the fringes of a fully fit team, he just gets stuck in and does what is asked of him. He may not be the Ratchford of old but he seems like a model professional to me, well done Stef.