Warrington Wolves’ understated recruits impress in Widnes Vikings win

There was little furore over Warrington’s signings of Liam Byrne and Josh Smith, but on the appearance of their first run outs for the Wolves, both could be pivotal figures this season.

Wire beat local rivals Widnes Vikings 50-12 on home soil at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Friday night in what was their first pre-season outing.

The damage was done in a first half which saw Warrington’s senior figures dominate their Championship neighbours.

Most of the faces we’ll see regularly in Super League disappeared after half-time, with the Wolves’ youngsters thrust into the spotlight.

And among a handful of standout performances, it was Byrne and Smith that we’ve picked out for praise having delivered notably positive individual showings.

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Warrington Wolves’ understated recruits impress in Widnes Vikings win

Prop Byrne, brought in from fellow Super League outfit Wigan Warriors as a replacement for Paul Vaughan, got his hands on the ball and did damage, making metres consistently to get Warrington on the front foot throughout a first half which ended 28-0 to the hosts.

The Ireland international also stood up in defence on the odd occasion it was required, helping to stop any Vikings attack at source.

Centre Smith’s signing was even more under the radar, with his official first-grade bow still awaited.

The Australian had been plying his trade in the Queensland Cup for Brisbane Tigers last season, a competition he has 42 tries in 80 appearances on his CV in.

As he joined Warrington, the 24-year-old claimed he took pride in his yardage carries, and if Friday night is anything to go by, he’s a man of his word.

There was plenty to like about what Wire fans saw from their new man, who played around 50 minutes and grabbed two assists.

He also acted as a hype man for the younger members of the squad during the second half minutes he played, and it’s an attitude like that Sam Burgess needs in his squad, with plenty of rogue characters having come and gone at the HJ in recent years.

Of course, Byrne and Smith have only shown what they can do against Widnes thus far, second-tier opposition. The proof will be in the pudding of what they and their team-mates deliver on a weekly basis when the season actually gets underway next month.

But for now, Burgess will be pretty pleased with what he saw from the pair: and from the rest of his squad, for that matter.