Warrington Wolves' Paul Vaughan on recovery and losing Josh McGuire to ban
Paul Vaughan can't conceive the prospect of Warrington not making the play-offs even after their “difficulties” this season.
The big Aussie prop hopes to help them take a significant step forward to securing a spot when they head to top-six rivals Salford on Sunday. Warrington, of course, were top after winning their opening eight games only to have a catastrophic slide which cost boss Daryl Powell his job last month. They are now clinging onto sixth, just two points ahead of seventh-placed Salford, with three games to go.
Ex-Kangaroos forward Vaughan, Super League’s top metre maker on 3,123 after joining from Canterbury this season, said: “If you look at the start of the year, it was pretty impressive. All seasons aren’t a rainbow, though: you always have a dip. We’ve had ours and there’s been a fair bit going on with people coming and going and with the coach, too.
“But I feel like we’re peaking again. The atmosphere around training is really good, we’re enjoying each other’s company and I can definitely see a difference in the squad. It’d be pretty disappointing if we didn’t get to the finals.”
An emphatic 66-12 win over Castleford after a hard-fought 18-4 success at Hull has got Warrington back on track. Vaughan, 32, admits losing fellow Aussie forward Josh McGuire, released in June after copping a second huge ban for using unacceptable language, was tough personally. He said: “It was pretty difficult for us as a group of lads who came over together and are pretty tight. To come to a different country, you hold people you know close to you and our families are close.
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“All our families were pretty tight here and you never like to see what Moose (McGuire) went through. On the football side, we were a few middle forwards down and our workload was definitely increased. But we’ve Thomas Mikaele back now and that’s really helped.”
Warrington Wolves' Josh McGuire is tackled by St Helens Saints' Matty Lees (PA)And Vaughan feels he is getting back to his best under interim head coach Gary Chambers after Warrington arrested the slide. He said: "The way we’re playing suits my style and our forward pack. We want to play powerful, straight through the middle and that’s what we’re doing now. Personally, I’d gone away from that and when you go away from that strength it’s going to hurt you. But this suits me to a tee now. Salford like to throw the ball around and we know what they can do. It's a big game. We know that. We're looking forward to it."
Meanwhile, Salford are using Sunday's game to join up with the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity in the united fight against homelessness. Red Devils boss Paul Rowley has become their latest ambassador and he said: “Homelessness has no place in our great city region, and that’s why I’m proud to become an Ambassador for the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity.
"I’ve been inspired by what the charity has achieved since they launched, delivering incredible fundraising events and championing great initiatives to support people rough sleeping, experiencing homelessness, or worried about losing their home. No one should be without a safe, secure place to call home. Everyone should have that dignity and that comfort. I know everyone at the club and our supporters will be ready to get behind this important cause."
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