A PRE-SEASON friendly at Halliwell Jones Stadium was briefly stopped due to crowd unrest as Warrington lapped Widnes 50-12.
Social media footage showed ushers intervening in one corner of the stadium while players waited for order to be restored in the first game of the calendar year involving a Super League club, winger Josh Thewlis scored a hat-trick inside 18 minutes.
Referee Jack Smith called time out just before fulltime because there were fans on the field – an unfortunate start to the season.
It was 28-0 to the Wire at halftime. England captain George Williams was rested.