Wolves keeping emotions in check as they turn sights on first Grand Final
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UPDATED:
13:31 GMT, 30 September 2012
Warrington are through to their first Grand Final but the champagne is staying on ice for now.
The Challenge Cup winners came from behind to secure an impressive 36-18 semi-final victory over St Helens to set up a Wembley rematch with defending champions Leeds at Old Trafford on Saturday.
The celebrations at Langtree Park were muted, however, as the Wolves quickly turned their thoughts towards becoming the first team to achieve the double since St Helens won the Cup final and Grand Final in 2006 and pulling off their first league championship for 57 years.
Whoosh: Trent Waterhouse scores a try
'We're made up that we've got there but we've still a lot of hard work to do,' warned hooker Mickey Higham.
'Fair play to Saints, they had a real strong start and got us in an arm wrestle but we stuck in there and turned it around.
'We got back to something like (acceptable) with the ball and defensively and hopefully we can take that into next week.
'We won't be satisfied with just getting there. We've earned the right to get there now and we want to kick on and finish it off.
'It would be just reward for a long, consistent season.'
Tries from wings Tommy Makinson and Francis Meli and skipper Paul Wellens put Saints into a 14-4 lead and on course for a seventh successive Grand Final appearance, but Warrington crucially pulled a try back just before half-time through Simon Grix.
The Wolves then dominated the second half, with Australian second-rower Trent Waterhouse clinching victory with two tries in a decisive three-minute spell.
Gunning for silverware: Ryan Atkins celebrates at full time
Waterhouse was an NRL Grand Final winner with Penrith Panthers in 2003 while Higham has to go back even further for his last showpiece victory, a nailbiting 19-18 success with St Helens over Bradford in 2002.
'It's my 10th anniversary,' he said. 'Personally it's been long overdue. I've been striving to get back there and I've finally done it.
'Hopefully I can have a repeat of the last one, but not as close as the last result. I'd take a one-point win but hopefully we can get the job done a bit before that.'
Warrington beat Leeds 35-18 in last month's Challenge Cup final – they were also 30-6 winners over the Rhinos at Wembley in 2010 – but the Yorkshiremen have a proud record at Old Trafford, where they are aiming for a fifth success in the last six years.
Leeds have once more defied all logic by reaching the final from fifth place and Higham admits he did not expect them to get past league leaders Wigan in Friday's first semi-final at the DW Stadium.
On the ball: Chris Riley dives into score a try
'Truthfully, probably not,' he said. 'I did fancy Wigan. It could have gone either way at the end but it went for Leeds.
'That's why they are a champion team, they've been there the last six or seven years.
'They had a defeat in the Challenge Cup so they have quite a few things to motivate them this week.
'It's going to be a tough one but, if we can stick to our strategies and our guns, hopefully we can get them again.'
Leeds will have half-back Danny McGuire back for the final after he sat out the Wigan tie through suspension while Warrington will also be at full strength.
England second-rower Ben Westwood, who is on the Man of Steel award shortlist, made his comeback from a knee injury sustained at Wembley and coach Tony Smith also has the option of recalling prop Garreth Carvell.
The former Leeds front-rower has recovered from a back injury but was surprisingly left out by Smith for the semi-final.
