Rugby League
Sam Burgess keen for Warrington to keep momentum high
Warrington boss Sam Burgess wants his side to keep pushing after booking their place in the Super League play-offs.
Wolves beat Hull 18-16 on Saturday night to secure a home eliminator match, but Burgess wants more from the remaining games of the regular season, with a top-two finish still possible.
“We’re always looking for more,” he told the Warrington Guardian.
“The boys are very ambitious, I am and the club are.
“We’re in a position where we need another result so really, I don’t have much hope for it, but for us, we just want to keep winning, keep our momentum going into the finals.”
Hull boss Andy Last was proud of his side’s effort.
“I’ve only questioned the team’s character once this year and that was against Leigh,” he told Hull Live.
“The question surrounding character, there isn’t one; they answer that question on a regular basis.
“We’ve faced some real adversity this year with lots of injuries and lots of stuff that’s gone on off the field and the players have kept it together and put in some strong performances.
“Today, to take Warrington, who are in real good form, from the first minute to the 80th minute, 20 minutes with a man down, I’m proud of them. It’s just disappointing that we’ve lost another game by two points.”
Wakefield also secured their play-off spot after beating York 28-12.
Their hopes of securing a top four finish and with it a home play-off tie are likely to hinge on their last home game of the season against Warrington next week.
Prop Mike McMeeken told BBC Sport: “The main (requirement) was patience. It took us 60 or 70 minutes to break York down. We knew it was going to need an 80-minute performance.
“(Inclement) conditions like this are perfect for us to learn because if we want to get to the Grand Final come October at Old Trafford it will be a wet Saturday night like this.
“We’d like to get a home (eliminator) – that would be ideal. We were pushing for the top two, but now it’s just about getting that confidence back. This helps.”
York are still in the mire at the foot of the table, but boss Mark Applegarth told reporters: “We have to credit Wakefield as we were beaten by the better team on the day.
“They needed that win as much as we did and they hung it a little bit longer than we did and turned their grind into points which is something that we have to do.
“There is still everything to play for and no-one wants that wooden spoon.”
