The Chris Sandow factor is increasingly becoming a pleasant and regular occurrence for Warrington. The 27-year-old’s start to life as a Super League player following his arrival midway through last season was unspectacular to say the least but the Sandow everyone expected to take the competition by storm is fast becoming the standout star of the opening few weeks of the new season.
After all, this is the Sandow who arrived from Australia with a rip-roaring reputation as one of the NRL’s most enigmatic and unpredictable talents. Yet after another stellar performance, his early season odds will undoubtedly be tumbling for Super League’s individual accolades – and with it, you suspect, Warrington’s own chances of achieving something special can only improve with the player performing as he is.
His dramatic drop goal after the final hooter, which completed a sensational second-half comeback for Warrington, will grab the headlines but it was his all-round performance at half-back that laid the platform for the Wolves’ victory. Trailing 30-12 heading into the final quarter, Sandow was at the heart of a revival in which Warrington scored three late tries before his coup de grâce, a drop goal that almost defied belief.
The legendary Warrington half-back and the master of the drop goal in Super League’s early years, Lee Briers – watching on in the stands in his new role of assistant coach – may well have been in awe of Sandow’s technique as he stroked the ball over the posts in horrendous weather. “It was a phenomenal kick in those conditions,” Tony Smith, the Warrington coach, acknowledged. “It’s hard enough to kick them on good days.”
Before Sandow’s final piece of wizardry, though, the game seemed destined for what would have been a deserved draw. He had missed a penalty to nudge Warrington in front with two minutes remaining and Salford had their chances, too; both Michael Dobson and Robert Lui skewing late drop goal attempts of their own. “I feel for Salford, I thought a draw would have been a fair result,” Smith admitted, while confirming a probable ruptured achilles for Gary Wheeler, who is once again facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines because of injury.
The home side had put themselves into a fantastic position to record a third straight home victory, with five tries putting them 28-12 to the good at half-time. Tries from Jack Hughes and Ben Currie had put Warrington 12-6 up after Junior Sa’u’s opener for the hosts but the remainder of the first half was all Salford.
They levelled matters when an inch-perfect kick from Dobson was touched down by Josh Jones before Greg Johnson barged his way over following another great break from Jones, with Gareth O’Brien’s conversion making it 18-12. Dobson was growing in confidence as the half wore on and after Sa’u’s second following a sublime kick from the half-back, Josh Griffin was next to touch down for try number five.
O’Brien then kicked a penalty to make it 30-12 as the game approached the final quarter but Warrington and Sandow came to life. It was his deft pass that put Ryan Atkins over for the first of two tries in three minutes before the centre touched down Sandow’s kick shortly after. A dramatic ending was on the cards when Ashton Sims crossed to make it 30-30 before the latest of late drama.
Both teams passed up opportunities to secure victory before Sandow produced the play that continues to cement his burgeoning reputation as a Super League star.
Salford O’Brien; Carney, Sa’u, J Griffin, Johnson; Lui, Dobson; Kopczak, Lee, Griffin, Murdoch-Masila, Jones, Flanagan. Interchange Evalds, A Walne, Tomkins, J Walne.
Tries Sa’u 2, Jones, Johnson, Griffin. Goals Dobson, O’Brien 4.
Warrington Russell; Penny, Evans, Atkins, Lineham; Ratchford, Sandow; Hill, Dwyer, Sims, Currie, Hughes, Westerman. Interchange Dodds, King, Jullien, Wheeler.
Tries Hughes, Currie, Atkins 2, Sims. Goals Sandow 5. Drop goal Sandow.
Referee R Hicks.
