Outstanding Warrington too strong for Leeds in Super League opener

They have always known how to put a show on in this part of the world, and the opening night of the new Super League season was no different. Chart-toppers The Lathums were booked to play pre-match while England’s strongest man, Paul Smith, attempted to set a world record at half-time. But they only really care about one thing in this town, and there can be no escaping that last year Warrington’s players failed to match the fanfare the club often generates off the field.How Daryl Powell and his players took an emphatic first step towards putting that right here, though. It is only the opening night and as such, it’s difficult to read anything too conclusive into what Warrington’s prospects may look like. But one thing is for certain: their supporters will expect, if not demand, more than what they got last year, when they limped to an 11th-place finish in Powell’s first season in charge.

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You can only really do one thing on the opening night, and that is win. Warrington did that, and they did it in some style. Any nerves the home support had regarding a hangover from last year were eliminated by half-time, with the hosts leading 30-0 against a Leeds side who not only had no answer for their opponents, but were woefully under par. However, the credit should lie with Warrington after a near-faultless first half.The tone was set within five minutes as Matt Dufty finished a scintillating move, before a try from Daryl Clark doubled Warrington’s lead and underlined the difference between the two sides as he bounced off some timid Leeds defence. By the break the hosts had powered over