WHETHER it is a point won or a point lost, Wolves are a point better off than they were after round one last season.

And we all know that did not stop Wolves finishing top of the table at the end of the campaign.

Wolves certainly did not deserve to leave a bitterly cold KC Stadium with nothing.

They were worthy of their 10-4 and 16-10 leads but were facing the barrel of defeat on the back of handing highly enthusiastic Hull too much possession and missing one or two key tackles.

To have produced the energy and speed of play that they did just six days after returning from Australia was impressive and it was a decent show of the strength they have in depth, with Lee Briers, Joel Monaghan, Brett Hodgson and David Solomona all missing.

One of the benefactors, 19-year-old Rhys Evans, dived over for the match-levelling try in injury time and it should do his confidence a world of good for the season ahead.

Up against England wingman Tom Briscoe on his intimidating home patch, Evans collected a lovely delayed pass from centre Chris Bridge and used every inch of the narrow space in front of him to slide away from his rival as he was roared home from 20 metres by the travelling 1,500 fans.

The spade work had been done by Simon Grix and Mike Cooper, with Grix ripping the ball off Hull’s new Aussie full back Wade McKinnon to regain his team possession and Cooper ripping up the Hull defence before offloading and watching the ball fly from wing to wing for Evans’ strike.

The star man was definitely loose forward Grix, backing up his man-of-the-match display against South Sydney Rabbitohs.

He was superb all round, ran a great angle for his first-half try and played a part in each of the other three.

INTERESTING NOTES

First drawn Wolves match since 22-22 with Bradford Bulls at The Halliwell Jones Stadium on April 27, 2004.

Last time Wolves drew on the opening day of a season was also away to Hull. The August 21 clash, 1994, finished 16-16 at the Boulevard. Kelly Shelford and Mark Forster scored the tries, with Jonathan Davies kicking four goals.

Strangely, the previous draw at the start of a Wolves league campaign was also at the Boulevard against Hull in 1983, with Paul Fellows, Paul Cullen and Bob Eccles touching down in the 22-22 outcome.

Fellows’ try is famous as Wolves’ first four pointer, with tries having only been worth three points until then.

Simon Grix clocked up his 100th Super League appearance, including six for previous club Halifax.

Ben Westwood needs two more points for 500 for the club.

Round 1: February 5, 2012 Hull FC...20 Warrington Wolves...20

Hull:

Wade McKinnon; Will Sharp, Tony Martin, Kirk Yeaman, Tom Briscoe; Richard Horne, Danny Nicklas; Mark O’Meley, Danny Houghton, Andy Lynch, Willie Manu, Danny Tickle, Joe Westerman. Subs: Sam Moa, Jordan Turner, Richard Whiting, Martin Aspinwall.

Wolves:

Chris Riley; Rhys Evans (1t), Chris Bridge, Ryan Atkins, Rhys Williams (1t); Stefan Ratchford, Richie Myler; Adrian Morley, Michael Monaghan, Garreth Carvell, Trent Waterhouse (1t), Ben Westwood, Simon Grix. Subs: Ben Harrison, Micky Higham, Paul Wood, Mike Cooper.

Scoring:

Yeaman try, 3mins, 4-0; Waterhouse try, 11mins, Westwood goal, 4-6; Williams try, 14mins, 4-10; Tickle try, 36mins, Tickle goal, 10-10; Grix try, 38mins, Westwood goal, 10-16; Briscoe try, 42mins, 14-16; Tickle try, 56mins, Tickle goal, 20-16; Evans try, 80+ mins, 20-20.

Pens:

Hull 3 Wolves 4 Referee: Steve Ganson

Attendance:

12,710

Top man:

Simon Grix