26th August.Salford 6 Warrington 32.A game both teams needed to win for entirely different reasons, Salford to wrest themselves from the dogfight at the bottom of the league and Wire to keep open the hopes of a top six finish , Wire opened brightly with Henry Fa'afili scoring yet another try from a high kick to take Wire 0-6 up , Salford equalised within 6 minutes and it was 6-6 Brent Grose scored for Wire to make it 6-12 at half time, and unless Salford make something of the second half Karl Harrison might rue the fact that he said Salford were safe after they beat Widnes last week, Futher tries in the second half from .Hilton, Hulse, Paul Wood, Sibbet. saw Wire run out winners 6-32.Warrington boss Paul Cullen praised his side's attitude which earned them victory. He said: "It was a very professional and confident display. I expected Salford to go at some point and they did. "I am delighted at the way the players responded after last week's defeat at London. "It was a very professional performance from Ian Sibbit. It's the first time I've been able to give him a run in his best position of second row. "He's had to play in the three quarters when we struggled with injuries but showed he is a talented player." Salford tries:Littler Goals: Charles Warrington Tries: Fa'afili, Grose, Hilton, Hulse, Paul Wood, Sibbet. Goals:Appo 4. Teams Salford: Fitzpatrick, Caine, Littler, Beverley, Stewart, McGuinness, Clinch, Baynes, Alker, Highton, Shipway, Coley, Charles. Replacements: Brocklehurst, Baldwin, Haggerty, Johnson. Warrington :Hulse, Faa'fili, Grose, Burns, Gaskell, Appo, N. Wood, Lima, Clarke, Leikvoll, P. Wood, Wainwright, Sibbit. Replacements: Gleeson, Cardiss, Guisset, Hilton. Referee: Ian Smith (Oldham) :HT 6-12 Attn 4019.

The Wire will be missing Lee Briers and former Great Britain loose forward Mike Forshaw, but full-back Daryl Cardiss is back after injury.

26th August.Information on getting to Salford and parking Australian visitors should first get the daily ferry from Useless Loop. From the M62: follow the signs to Manchester (M602) to 1st junction sign posted Trafford Park/Eccles, left off slip road (A576). Through 4 sets of traffic lights into Weaste Lane (B5228) for Salford City Reds Ground. Just before the lights at the bottom of Weaste Lane turn rught into Willows Road. The Supporters Coaches will park on Willows Road and will be met by police to direct them. BY TRAIN: Inter City service to Manchester Piccadilly and then Metrolink service to Weaste Road. The Willows Ground is a 5 minute walk from the tram stop (£1.80 return). MATCHDAY PARKING: As you come off the motorway at Junction 2, head towards Eccles (3rd exit off the roundabout) and the (A Free Ride) West One retail comples. Adjacent to the Ladywell Metrolink you will find a 400 space secure car park with CCTV, security fencing. Parking here is free and by picking up the Metrolink station, which is about a 400yd walk from the ground, up Weaste Road through the traffic lights on to Weaste Lane, then turn 1st left in to Willows Road. The trams run every 15mins, if you use Metrolink we will refund the cost of your Metrolink ticket produced when buying a match ticket at the Ticket Office on WIllows Road. (£1.20 return) TICKET PRICES: Centre Main Stand Seating Adult £16 Main Stand Wings (Transfer tickets inside the ground only) Adult and Concession £5 Stand Terracing Adult £12 Concession £6 Students (16+) (on production of a full time College or university pass) £6 Disabled FREE Disabled Helper £12 Prams/Pushchairs - For safety reasons people requesting entry for prams and pushchairs must purchase a ticket from the Ticket Office and use the Main Gate entrance 'A' (next to the Ticket Office) Children Under 5 go free - A ticket must be collected from the Ticket Office on Willows Road on the day only. Family Ticket: Ticket Office on day only 1 Adult + 1 child £13 2 Adults +2 children £25 Each additional child £1 extra Family Stand Transfer inside ground only £1.

Ben Westwood out against Salford after suffering whiplash injuries in a car crash ( nice little earner if not at fault)and has not trained in the early part of the week. The prange happened as he drove home to Wakefield from Warrington after the team's defeat in London four days ago. Australian back row forward Barren Burns will switch to the centre at The Willows on Sunday, kick-off 3pm, and only Daryl Cardiss is likely to return from the injury list to help Warrington find the winning formula. This means key figures like skipper Lee Briers, loose forward Mike Forshaw, back rower Paul Noone and winger John Wilshere will remain on the sidelines on a day when Salford will be desperate to pick up winning points in a bid to get Salford away from Super League's relegation dogfight. Head coach Paul Cullen planned to make some team changes on the back of the performance at Griffin Park that left him 'stunned and shocked' and Westwood's situation has forced moves. Westwood may well have been a casualty of the London flop anyway as Cullen said: "Whether Ben would have retained his place or not is of debate and that decision process will not be entered into now because he's not fit to play." However, Cullen made it clear this week that wholesale changes on the back of the London loss are neither needed or possible, the latter because of injuries in the squad. He pointed to individuals losing their concentration, and the effect it had on the team as a whole, as being the main cause for Wolves losing their way so badly in the capital. But he will not stand for players under performing after good preparation and he highlighted that the week's build-up to the London game was obviously good as, in the first half, Wolves stuck to their game plan and training ground moves to run up a commanding 22-6 lead. So as the search for team strengthening continues, under performing players should take note of Cullen's words: "We are aware of possible movements within the market and at the moment we're simply operating a watching brief within the rules of engagement. "But the books aren't closed. We are working within the restriction of 20/20/30 (only 20 squad players allowed who are either above £20,000 salary or 30 Super League appearances) but because a player has a contract at this club, it doesn't mean that he'll be here next year if he continues to play as poorly as he has done in a number of games this year." Reflecting on the London defeat, and the manner in which Wolves collapsed to an in-form team playing on an emotional high due to the club's 10th anniversary, Cullen said: "The lack of concentration and lethargy offered by a small number of individual players in the second half, and for one or two periods of the first half, was inexplicable and utterly unacceptable. "That's where we've spent this week not castigating the individuals who have simply not earned their wages in the full game - but working on why and how it happened. "When we play in structure and shape and when individuals take responsibility that is given to them, we operate very efficiently and very well -as proven for the 39 minutes of the first half. "But my concerns are that when we break from it, and on the back of it make mistakes, the lack of trust and respect that certain players have for each other comes to the fore and that's where it went wrong and how we've got to put it right. "We've attempted to do it this week by simply acknowledging that that is the area of concern." He added: "I was stunned and shocked after the final whistle. The first half had gone almost according to plan but when we came out in the second half the game turned on a scrum in our favour that can be described in no other way than a complete and utter shambles. "On the back of that, London picked up the ball and scored between the sticks. All of a sudden it was 22-18 and all momentum had swung back to London. "Psychologically, London jumped up a couple of gears and a couple of our weaker players dropped down a few gears. "And the team dynamics - where you trust and respect each other -breaks down under pressure. A lot of players look round at the ones making mistakes and don't trust or respect them because they've put us back into a position. "While that's going on, London are coming over the top. They're inflated and refuelled. It's the King Canutism you're stopping a tide coming in and it's very difficult. "It's easy to talk about the trust and respect but a little bit more difficult to put right. However, it won't be for the lack of acknowledgement or effort."

TWO bad performances on the trot have been disappointing but one of the players of the season says it is important the team improves its displays quickly. Mike Wainwright, who will come up against his former Salford City Reds teammates when Wolves travel to The Willows on Sunday, said: "It is very important to finish the season on a positive note. "September to February without a competitive match is a long time to go if you don't finish the season on a positive. "We've got to stay around the top six position and be fighting for it until the end of the season. That's not only for our own sakes but for the fans too. We need a win." Wainwright has been a considerable force as a left-sided second rower this year, giving Wolves attacking and defending strength out wide, but he has had a different role for the past two games. He has taken on Mike Forshaw's loose forward spot and found it hard to adjust to the all-action berth that he describes as being 'more like another prop'. Wainwright said: "Paul Cullen's put me there and I've got to try and justify being there. "I feel as though I'm a few per cent off in my game at the moment. I don't know whether that is due to playing each game this year and getting tired towards the end of the season or to do with trying to adapt to a position when the team aren't doing as well. "In the left second row position, I know my role. It is giving the team width, shape and I'm in a set defensive position. But as a loose forward in Paul's structure, you're in the middle of the field. But that can be left side middle, right side middle or marker in the middle and it's a lot harder. "You do a lot more defending and when it comes to attack you've got to double up your efforts and help the props go forward. "We play a very set structure and sometimes you can feel a bit lost in it when you get fatigued. If you are used to a position you can easily switch back into a mode and at the moment I'm finding that difficult. "Against London a lot of the sets seemed to pass me by. I was supporting the props going forward and then the ball was shifting away from me and the sets were gone without me touching the ball. "People might think that makes it easier but it doesn't - the game passes away from you. The more involvement you do, the less you think about being tired. And I just felt that against London I didn't have a touch of the ball."

22nd August. London 34 Warrington 26. Jon Clarke gave the Wolves a first minute lead and Henry Fa'afili scored the first of two first-half tries as London began poorly. Fa'afili added his second before half time but Nigel Roy's try just before half time gave the Broncos hope. Rob Purdham and Steele Retchless put London back in the game before Lee Greenwood's late try sealed their fifth successive victory. That win should ensure London's top flight survival, but when Roy was sin-binned after nine minutes with his side already trailing, it looked like Warrington were going to spoil the Bronco's birthday party. Paul Sykes' touchdown saw them bounce back from a poor start, but when Ben Westwood intercepted a loose pass to run the length of the field and score, it looked like a false dawn for the home side. But three tries either side of half time put London back in the game. The first came when Roy followed up a kick over Gary Hulse's head, Purdham sprinted 30 yards for the second and then turned provider to set up Retchless for the third. Greenwood's knock-on when through to score denied the Broncos the chance to finally take the lead, but with 10 minutes left he made amends when he finished off a passing move in the corner. Ian Sibbit's touchdown gave the home side a late scare before Greenwood finally wrapped up the points with a 75-yard sprint to score. Afterwards, Broncos coach Tony Rae said there was no great secret to their second half transformation. "I thought that we were going okay in the first half, to be honest we were just a step behind them," said Rea. "I said a few things to the players at half-time but left the room pretty quickly, leaving them to sort themselves out. "It was a case of us keeping control of ourselves, because all we can control is what is in front of us." Wolves coach Paul Cullen was angry with his side for the way they gifted victory to the home side. "We didn't match their desire and determination and I'm bitterly disappointed we didn't exploit an outstanding start," he said. "We backed out of the fight and some of the execution with the line begging was suicidal. "We failed to exploit the edges that were there to be taken and we simply carried too many passengers." London;Tries: Greenwood 2,, Roy Purdham, Sykes, Retchless Goals,Sykes 5. Warrington ;Tries: Clarke, Fa'afili 2, Westwood Sibbit. Goals Appo 3. Attn 3,526.

19th August.Head Coach Paul Cullen has named a 17-man side to face London Broncos this weekend at Brentford. 5. Graham Appo 19. Gary Hulse 27. Henry Fa'afili 12. Ian Sibbit 3. Brent Grose 4. Ben Westwood 20. Dean Gaskell 7. Nat Wood 8. Chris Leikvoll 10. Mark Hilton 9. Jon Clarke 14. Mark Gleeson 22. Danny Lima 16. Paul Wood 15. Jerome Guisset 23. Mike Wainwright 11. Darren Burns INJURIES: 1. Daryl Cardiss - thigh strain sustained in training week leading up to Rnd24 v London Broncos (21/08/04) 2. John Wilshere - reoccurrence of knee injury from Rnd 11 v St Helens (22/05/04) sustained in U21s v Bradford Bulls fixture (18/08/04) 6. Lee Briers - knee injury sustained in Rnd23 v Leeds Rhinos (15/08/04) 13. Mike Forshaw - knee injury sustained in Round 22 v Bradford Bulls (07/08/04) 17. Warren Stevens - medial ligament damage sustained in Rnd 23 v Leeds Rhinos (15/08/04) 18. Paul Noone - ankle injury sustained Round 18 v Hull FC (11/07/04) U21s DUTY 26. Jamie Durbin 24. Nick Owen ON LOAN 25. Richard Varkulis - 1 month loan to Rochdale Hornets from 5/08/04

Lee Briers will be missing for the crucial game at London this weekend. The knee strain blow he collected in the defeat to Leeds means he will almost certainly be on the sidelines along with loose forward Mike Forshaw and prop Warren Stevens, who has been on crutches this week with knee ligament damage. Wolves should have cover in place as Graham Appo, Jerome Guisset, Mark Gleeson and John Wilshere are expected to be available for the clash at Griffin Park, kick-off 3pm. Appo should shake off a back injury to replace Briers at stand off while Daryl Cardiss (thigh), Nathan Wood (ankle), Barren ., Burns (ribs), Henry Fa'afili (knee) and Dean Gaskell (knee) are confident of recovering from the bangs they picked up against Leeds. This week has also produced heightened media speculation of Wolves being interested in Bradford Bulls' 29-year-old New Zealand Test loose forward Logan Swann for next season but it is a top six finish this year that remains the focus and Paul Cullen's men have a tough task ahead in the capital. Wolves may have defeated Tony Rea's side twice already this season but Broncos are currently on a good run of form and this week they have strengthened their squad to face War-rington with the capture of utility New Zealander Zebastian Luisi, from Auckland club Eastern Tornados, and Tongan forward Mal Kaufusi, from Australian giants Parramatta Eels. Head coach Cullen fully believes Wolves can turn their disappointing Leeds performance round this weekend and said: "I'm not looking to make wholesale changes. The guys who have made mistakes or played poorly will be given the opportunity to put it right. "The players have trained very hard and positively this week and are looking to make amends."Leeds were very good in the game and we now have to make sure we improve our performance technically plus operate to the game plan set down and worked exceptionally hard on during the week. "London gained an exceptional win at St Helens at the weekend and must be respected. They are an experienced and resilient side. Defensively, they can be opened up and we did that very well at The Halliwell Jones Stadium and we'll look to repeat that exercise." Play-off rivals Wakefield's and Huddersfield's defeats at the weekend mean Wolves are still only a point adrift of the play-offs pace but Cullen says: "That was through luck and good fortune and scant reward for our efforts. We are still a point off the top six but we're a million miles off the top five. "We've spoken about this intensely throughout the week. It is our technique that has to improve dramatically and it will only come through honesty, acknowledging the weaknesses we've got in our technique and working hard to put that right." Wolves' 19-man squad preparing to face London Broncos: Cardiss, Fa'afili, Grose, West-wood, Gaskell, Appo, N Wood, Leikvoll, Clarke, Hilton, P Wood, Burns, Wainwright, Gleeson, Sib-bit, Guisset, Lima, Hulse,-: Wilshere. * Cullen described the result of Forshaw's knee scan result as 'favourable'. He damaged ligaments in Wolves' defeat at Bradford on August 8 and Cullen said: "Mike is working very hard to make himself available again in the next couple of weeks. "He will probably have another week off weight-bearing work and put in a lot of swimming pool work. The man's in fantastic condition as he lives well and repairs well. If anyone can get games in between now and the end of the season on the back of this injury then it is Mike Forshaw." Paul Noone has been hit with a recurrence of a shin , injury which makes him" unavailable again this week.

DARYL Cardiss says it is vital Wolves gatecrash London Broncos' party on Sunday. The game marks Broncos10th anniversary as a club and with their relegation fears seemingly eased through their good form it gives the Londoners double cause for celebration at Griffin Park. But with Wolves still being a point away from a top six position full back Cardiss says: "We won't be thinking about their aniversary. All that matters to us is the two points on offer and we need them as much as they do." London won at St Helens on Saturday to add to a run that has seen them beat Wigan and draw with Leeds, who thrashed Warrington on Sunday. Cardiss says: "London have some great individuals who have helped them to turn their form round. With Dennis Moran, who scored a hat-trick against Saints, you never know what to expect. "So we must be on our toes as we need to pick up the points. This is going to be a vital game for us. "Wakefield and Huddersfield lost as well as us at the weekend and we have to start taking advantage. They're probably not going to lose too many more so we need to pick it up from now." Cardiss, who has now been with the club for 12 months and made his debut away to London last year, is hoping to keep his place in the side after starting his first game for six weeks against Leeds. He said: "My knee had been really weak from when I banged it against Leeds in the previous game at The Halliwell Jones Stadium in July. "Last week it was good to get back on the field but I was a little ring-rusty and in the hot conditions I was gasping for breath in the second half. "I missed out on the Bradford game the previous week through not being selected. With a few faces coming in there's more pressure for places and it was hard to get back in the side. Hulsey (Gary Hulse) had been playing very well at full back and Graham Appo's been there too. "Although I was glad to be back the result against my home team Leeds was disappointing. But they are a good team and I think they are setting the target levels that we need to reach. "They're playing with a lot of confidence and they have some great individuals. That's ingredients for them to win their first Grand Final." Source Mike Parsons Warrington Guardian.

STEVEN Broomhead has added a new feather to his cap with his appointment as vice chairman at Warrington Wolves. And now he's got his hands on the town's premier sporting team, the chief executive of the Northwest Development Agency has plans to make the club, and with it Warrington, bigger and better. "I've always seen the rugby club as an integral part of Warrington's development," said Mr Broomhead on his appointment. First on his list of priorities is to build on what the club already does well. He said: "First of all, I want to build on the strength of the club, it has the best community relationship scheme in the country. I would like to see more of the community facilities enhanced in the stadium. "And I think we would like to see more supporter involvement , and become a listening club." A new business plan has been drawn up by the club, which Mr Broomhead plans to personally monitor. He said: "It is very important that the club remains financially stable in the future so we can continue to grow and bring in further new signings as we have with Martin Gleeson and to see further enhancement and development of the stadium." The recent link-up with Bolton Wanderers, which will see the Premiership football club's reserve team play some of its fixtures at the Halliwell Jones Stadium this season could be the first of many. Mr Broomhead said: "One of the things I've been doing is to look at these sorts of relationships with other sporting clubs and use my influence in the region. "We have now got a licence from UEFA to play European football at the stadium and next year we will see European women's football matches played at Halliwell Jones. "One of the things that we have got to do while looking at alternative uses for the stadium, is to ensure that we maintain the pitch and remember its core purpose is for Warrington Wolves." Warrington Guardian.

15th August .Warrington 12 Leeds 44. It is not often that I can get to a game, however with help of Leeds fan Ken Cross I got to this one and met some of the players including Barrie McDermott , Richie Mathers ,Danny Mcquire and coach Tony Smith ,Lord Hoyle said hello plus Wire players and Paul Cullen who had a word with us I must say that the timeand effort Rugby League players put in with fans is really great ,the game however did not quite got to plan and was an even bigger disappointment when it transpired Wakefield and Huddersfield had both lost, and Wire missed an opportunity to skip up to 6th spot.Henry Fa'afili marked his home debut with the first try as the game was close early on but two tries in three minutes before half-time proved vital. Barrie McDermott and Marcus Bai both went over and when Bai set up Danny McGuire to score, Leeds were clear. Kevin Sinfield bagged a late try to go with his eight goals. Fa'afili's try, coming after a Lee Briers penalty, got the home side off to a strong start but it was a short-lived lead as Matt Diskin followed up his own blocked kick to go over for Leeds' first try. Walker then claimed his comeback try, taking advantage of Paul Wood's fumble to put Leeds in charge, but Gary Hulse and Chris Leikvoll combined to send Warren Stevens over and put Warrington back on level terms. The game was won and lost in the closing minutes of the first half, as Leeds bagged two tries in quick succession. Diskin turned provider to set up McDermott for the first, then Bai added another to have the home side reeling. Richie Mathers' 31st Super League try of the season came shortly after the break, and by the time he claimed his second just after the hour mark, Leeds were over 20 points ahead. Leeds had Diskin and Matt Adamson sin-binned but Warrington failed to find a way through, although Danny Lima was twice held up on the line, inches from scoring. Sinfield's late touchdown rounded off a convincing victory for the Rhinos, and afterwards, coach Tony Smith was thoroughly satisfied with his team's display. "Kevin Sinfield produced an unbelievable kicking display but it's not fair picking out individuals," he said. "To only concede two tries was an unbelievable achievement especially considering we only had 12 men on the pitch for 20 minutes. That showed the commitment to the cause." Wolves coach Paul Cullen said that by the time luck turned their way, his team had just run out of energy. "To lose by that score at home regardless of playing the best team in the competition is not good enough," he said. "I'm disappointed we did not push Leeds harder. "When the referee's patience finally ran out and Leeds had two players sin-binned we did not take the opportunity to score and had run out of juice. Warrington Tries: Stevens, Faa'fili Goals: Briers (2).Leeds. Tries: Bai, Walker, Sinfield, McGuire, Mathers, McDermott, Diskin Goals: Sinfield (8) .HT 12-24. attendance 9,360.

12th August. WARRINGTON Wolves are full of fight going into their sparring rounds with Super League's 2004 contenders. They are not allowing the injury loss of Mr Consistency Mike Forshaw to dampen their spirits ahead of facing table toppers Leeds Rhinos at The Halliwell Jones Stadium on Sunday, kick-off 3pm, in what is the start of a tough schedule of six 'extra' games. Paul Cullen's men go into action knowing they have everything to play for as they sit only one point behind their play-offs rivals Huddersfield Giants and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats And there is added excitement in that the match marks the home debut of Wolves' New Zealand Test winger Henry Fa'afili. He has another baptism of fire against another former NRL star Marcus Bai, one week after going head-to-head with Bradford's Lesley Vainikolo. Leeds have only lost three times so far this year but Wolves are feeling buoyed by last week's best performance at Bradford of the Super League era. And they are taking encouragement from the manner in which they kept Rhinos' pack of ball-players quiet when the sides last met at The Halliwell Jones Stadium in July. Hopes are high that Brent Grose, Nathan Wood, Jerome Guisset and Mark Gleeson will shake off 'dead leg' bumps from the Odsal trip to complete the preparations for Sunday's mouthwatering encounter. But if any of those join Forshaw, who is waiting to see a specialist because of knee ligament damage, on the sidelines then Ben Westwood, Gary Hulse, Daryl Cardiss, John Wilshere, Paul Noone and Warren Stevens are fit and hungrily waiting for recalls. Many have looked at Wolves' remaining fixtures against last year's top six, in contrast to Huddersfield's and Wakefield's dates against bottom six clubs, and feel they may have left themselves with too much to do to reach the play-offs. Wolves do not see it that way and Cullen said: "We're not concerned we're playing the big games in the run-in. "If we make the top six, and that's what we're working hard to achieve, then we will simply have had some great rehearsals going into the play-offs. "To coin a phrase, we're sparring with contenders, we're in with the big boys and quite happy about that. Yes, we're going to take a couple of shots while we're in good company but we're quite prepared to take them and learn from it. "And as we've seen, who would have thought on current form that Widnes would beat Wakefield, London would beat Wigan and Salford would beat St Helens. "It can happen, so the bottom six may not be the easy ride that some teams think it may be." One thing for certain is that Wolves will have to be at their best to end Leeds' run of seven undefeated games and they must cut down on the amount of penalties and possession they have given away in recent matches. Cullen said: "This is play-offs football. We're into the major part of the season and any indiscretion gets punished. "So we require a more committed effort in all aspects. It was 'nearly but not quite' at Bradford and that has been the story for far too many games this year. We have to work to not allowing 'nearly but not quite' being our catchphrase for the 2004 season. "For the Leeds game, we have to utilise the Bradford game to our benefit. "In that first half Bradford were as good as any team we've played this year. And in previous games I've experienced at War-rington we'd have been 20 to 40 points behind at that point as Bradford looked very good and very sharp and that stands us in good stead for this weekend. "Leeds are a different proposition but they are of a similar standard. "They have talent right across the park and the key is in controlling their go-forward and for us to open up our play the moment we pick up the ball." Wolves, like they did in July, must clamp the passing arms of Leeds' explosive forwards like Ali Lauitiiti and must not give an inch of space to stand off Danny McGuire, who has broken the Super League era record with his 30 tries in the season so far. Wolves' remaining six fixtures: Leeds (H), London (A), Salford (A), St Helens (H), Bradford (H), Wigan (A). Huddersfield's: Castleford (H), Widnes (A), St Helens (A), Hull (H), Wakefield (A), Salford (H). Wakefield's: Hull (A), Salford (H), London (A), Widnes (H), Huddersfield (H), Castleford (A). Source Warrington Guardian.

HEAD coach Paul Cullen says that centres Martin Gleeson and Toa Kohe-Love are making a big impact behind the scenes at Warrington Wolves. Gleeson joined Warrington last month on a four-year deal but he is suspended for the rest of the season after betting against his own St Helens team to lose at Bradford earlier in the year. Kohe-Love was a Bradford player then but he has recently been released from his contract with the Bulls and has been training at Warrington in a bid to recover from knee reconstruction surgery. Cullen said: "They have both been training flat out with us and they have been a huge boost our training sessions. "Their arrivals have been in the right manner. There is genuine competition for places at the club but there is great team spirit here and Martin and have been given a lot of support. They have been made welcome by all of the players and training sessions have been great to watch lately."

HENRY Fa'afili rolled into town and stamped home the message: "I've come here to win trophies." The humble and softly spoken Kiwi is no aging foreign mercenary looking for a fast buck. Sporting glory is the international winger's sole motivation and he is convinced that he can achieve that at Warrington. The 23-year-old signing from New Zealand Warriors said: "There were a few other clubs that came in for me but Warrington were the best one. "This club has a lot of potential. There are plenty of quality players at Warrington and it's a pleasure to be here. "I know how good Danny Lima is from his days at Manly Sea Eagles. "I know all about Nathan Wood as well as he used to E play at the Warriors but the person I am most looking forward to playing with is Martin Gleeson. "I was made up when I heard that Warrington had signed him. I've played against him at international level and I know what a quality player he is."Fa'afili added: "I have signed a three-year deal and my goal is to realise every Rugby League player's dream of reaching a Grand Final. "I've come here to win trophies and to further my career. "As a Rugby League player you can never stop learning and I'm really looking forward to working with Paul Cullen and improving my game. "I have been really impressed with him. He is one of the main reasons why I decided to join." Warrington is only Fa'afili's second professional club and he finds the prospect of palying his trade on the other side of the world slightly daunting. But settling into his new surroundings has been easier than he first thought. His new teammates and the coaching staff at Warrington have rallied round to make him feel welcome and Fa'afili is full of optimism for the second stage of his professional career. Fa'afili, who is nicknamed Henz, said: "It was quite scary leaving New Zealand and coming over to Warrington. It's a huge step for me but it's a step that I wanted to take and I don't envisage any problems settling in. "It's always been an ambition of mine to play in England. The competition here is just as tough as the NRL and I consider it a blessing that Warrington want me to play here. "I'm going to grab this opportunity with both hands." Fa'afili is living with his new teammate Lima on a short-term basis. His girlfriend Amy will join him in England in two weeks time but she is set to stay in London.Interviewer Dave Lawrenson Warrington Guardian

SOME of the biggest names in British football could be playing at the Halliwell Jones Stadium this season. Bolton Wanderers reserve side will be playing some of its matches at the home of the Warrington Wolves. The Warrington Guardian can exclusively reveal that the state-of-the-art stadium has been given the go-ahead to stage football games by the FA, UEFA (the European body) and the FA Premiership. Community Wolves chief executive Andy Gatcliffe said the announcement was further proof of the community benefits of the stadium and the appeal of the facility. Work will start soon on offering medical services in the East Stand, while a skill centre will be built in the West Stand. He added: "Soon no-one is going to compete with us in the country in terms of the amount of community facilities we have. "This is a chance for us to test the interest in football in Warrington." Bolton's reserves will be playing just some of their games at the Halliwell Jones this season - but with the reserve league offering the chance for top stars to get match-fit, a number of top names could appear. "It would be great if someone like Michael Owen was playing, the girls would go mad," said Mr Gatcliffe. He explained that this year's trial period will test how successful football will be at the stadium. "We want to see what the effect on the pitch will be, because rugby will remain the priority and we want to give them (Bolton) the chance to see how happy they are playing here," he added. A full list of fixtures will be agreed soon and some of Bolton's stars include midfielder Jay-Jay Okocha and Spaniard Ivan Campo.

10th August. Latest Wolves Board Appointment The Board of Warrington Wolves are very pleased to announce that Steven Broomhead, current Chief Executive of the North West Development Agency has agreed to accept the position of Vice Chairman of the Club. Lord Hoyle, Chairman commented, "This is extremely good news for the Club to have someone of Steven's vision, standing and expertise in such a Senior position and which can only be beneficial to the Club, both in the short and the long term." Steven Broomhead is delighted with his appointment, "I am very pleased and honoured to take on this important role with the wider Warrington Wolves team. The club is going from strength to strength and I hope my continued involvement can add to our continued success".

Injury Update Mike Forshaw has suffered from knee ligament damage after yesterday's fixture against Bradford Bulls, his former club in Round 22 of Tetley's Super League IX and is set to be sidelined for a month. Meanwhile Warrington have dismissed reports that they are poised to sign Great Britain and Sydney Roosters forward Adrian Morley. "The claims made are utter rubbish and absolute fabrication at all conceivable levels," said head coach Paul Cullen. "We will not allow our supporters and sponsors to be misled in this manner."

9th August.Bradford 36.Warington 22 .The sides were tied at 16-16 at the break with Warrington duo Nathan Wood and Brent Grose going over just before the interval. But on the restart, Vainikolo went over twice in the space of six minutes. He added his third with 10 minutes to go while Chris Bridge also helped make the result safe. Warrington coach Paul Cullen was left regretting the loss which denied the Wolves a place in the top six. "I thought we matched Bradford blow for blow but ultimately paid the price for needlessly giving away six penalties early in the game. "The difference between victory and defeat was the penalties we conceded," Cullen admitted. "If we want to cement a place in the top six, improving our discipline must be a priority." Tries Bradford 36 (16) Tries: Reardon, Hape, Bridge, Vainikolo 3 Goals: Deacon 6 .Warrington 22 (16) Tries: Gleeson, Grose, Wood 2 Goals: Briers 3 .

5th August.Head Coach Paul Cullen has named a 23-man side to face Bradford Bulls. 1. Daryl Cardiss 19. Gary Hulse 27. Henry Fa'afili - Debut 12. Ian Sibbit 3. Brent Grose 4. Ben Westwood 2. John Wilshere 20. Dean Gaskell 6. Lee Briers 7. Nat Wood 5. Graham Appo 8. Chris Leikvoll 10. Mark Hilton 9. Jon Clarke 14. Mark Gleeson 17. Warren Stevens 22. Danny Lima 16. Paul Wood 18. Paul Noone 15. Jerome Guisset 13. Mike Forshaw 23. Mike Wainwright 11. Darren Burns U21s DUTY 26. Jamie Durbin 24. Nick Owen ON LOAN 25. Richard Varkulis - 1 month loan to ROCHDALE HORNETS from 5/08/04

Cullen's Comments THERE ARE RUMOURS CONNECTING JEROME GUISSET WITH A FRENCH CLUB NEXT YEAR, ARE WE LETTING HIM GO? We have a number of players who are out of contract at the end of the season and all are playing exceptionally well. We also have two players who intend to retire at the end of the season in Mike Forshaw and Darren Burns whose form is also exceptional. I have complete respect for Jerome Guisset, Ian Sibbit and Gary Hulse, especially how they are handling the current circumstance. Personally I do not want any of the players to leave the squad and decisions will be based on balancing the squad for 2005 and beyond, working within the 20/20/30 limitations.

WARRINGTON Wolves' Henry Fa'afili faces a baptism of fire on Sunday when he goes head-to-head with fellow New Zealand international Lesley 'The Volcano' Vainikolo. Fa'afili looks certain to make his Wolves debut at Bradford after boarding a plane to England last night, Wednesday, and head coach Paul Cullen has pencilled him in to play on man-mountain Vainikolo's wing. Dean Gaskell is scheduled to play on the other side of the pitch after establishing himself as Wolves' first choice winger prior to Fa'afili's capture from the New Zealand Warriors. But Cullen still had plenty of difficult selection decisions to make as the Warrington Guardian went to press. The team has practically picked itself for the majority of the season. Injuries have restricted Cullen's options more times than he cares to remember but he finds himself with an embarrassment of riches all of a sudden. The 17 players that put Salford to the sword at the weekend should all be fit to face Bradford although skipper Lee Briers (knee), hooker Mark Gleeson (hamstring) and Great Britain international forward Paul Wood (shoulder) did pick up slight knocks. Half back Nathan Wood, prop forward Mark Hilton and full back Daryl Cardiss are also available for selection after recovering from shoulder, ankle and knee injuries respectively. The trio were rested for the Salford game and the signs are that Cullen will utilise their respective talents on Sunday. Utility back Paul Noone (ankle) and winger John Wilshere (knee) are also said to be in the running for the Super League clash at Odsal Stadium, kick-off 6pm. They are well on the road to recovery but they both endured slight setbacks last week and are unlikely to be risked. Cullen said: "The plan is that Fa'afili will play against Bradford. I'm not bringing an international winger halfway around the world to sit in the stand. If he's fit and able then he's playing. "As for the rest of the team we have a virtually fully strength squad to choose from for once. "We have played very well in our last two games but Bradford pose a different threat from either Huddersfield or Salford. "The target is to reach the play-offs again and if we do that it will be a massive achievement. "We have a tough run in but we are well and truly capable of taking points from all of our remaining games." Wolves have yet to win at Bradford in the Super League era but they took a lot of confidence from this season's previous meeting between the two sides. Cullen's troops battered the Bulls from pillar to post for a large portion of the game but Bradford clung on to their coat-tails and secured a share of the spoils with a last-gasp Vainikolo try. Cullen said: "Bradford are a big, powerful and experienced side but we played very well against them in the 22-22 draw at The Halliwell Jones Stadium. "Defensively we set about them with a purpose and that gave Lee Briers the platform to kick them to pieces. "He did that exceptionally well but we were caught out by a little bit of inexperience out wide. "We shouldn't have that problem at the weekend providing that Fa'afili plays. "He has been earmarked to play on the right wing for us .and that'll mean that he'll come up against The Volcano. "That'll be very interesting. Vainikolo is a tough player to play against but so is Faa'afili." Cullen added: "Bradford will be full on at the weekend and if we don't show better discipline than we did against Wakefield and in the first 10 minutes against Salford then they will turn us over. "But these are the types of games that the players have trained all year for and the spirit in the camp this week has reflected that challenge. "The most important thing as far as I'm concerned is that we go to Bradford and compete. We don't, want to undo the good work we put in when we drew with them earlier in the year."

Sunday's game will be a special occasion for loose forward Mike Forshaw. He won every piece of silverware going at Bradford before opting to end his playing career with us.•He was a great servant to the Bulls and he has been exceptional for us this year. He pushes the players hard and has been controlling the middle channel along with the front rowers who hold that position. "The form of Danny Lima and Chris Leikvoll is exceptionally pleasing. "Mark Hilton has been a constant threat all season while Jerome Guis-set, Paul Wood and Warren Stevens have stepped up to the mark when placed in there in the last few weeks." Meanwhile, Wolves are willing to accept an approach from Rochdale Hornets to take centre Richard Varkulis out on loan. Cullen said: "Richard needs to play senior football and with Fa'afili having signed there is more of a chance of him doing that at his former club Rochdale." Source Warrington Guardian

2nd August. Smoking Questionnaire The smoking questionnaire is now online at: www.warringtonwolves.com/smoking/smoking.html

Power to the Wolves Over 100 children entered the Wolves Den for the Powergen Skills Day. The Sky cameras turned up to capture the event which was jammed with activities from testing their children's rugby skills to making their own fruit kebabs. The local Brickfield Park saw the children play Wolfies Tail Tag and test their skills on the Rugby League Skill Zone inflatable. Lunchtime the children were given the opportunity to put into practice some healthy eating by make their own fruit kebabs. The Co-op and Tesco kindly donated the fruit. The Primrose and Blues Brothers gave an exciting insight into the running of the Halliwell Jones Stadium. The Stadium Tour took the children through the stands, into the hospitality lounges and then a treat when Wolfie arrived to open up the players' changing room. Match-day entertainment is a Wolves speciality and no more than our dance group Independence. Wolfie joined in learning the moves but was out-done by Danny Lima proving that when his rugby career is over he could always become a cheerleader! Highlight of the day autograph time when Ian Sibbit, Ben Westwood, Warren Stevens, Mark Gleeson, Paul Wood and Danny Lima came from training to visit the children and answer their questions. The Wolves and Powergen succeeded in lighting up many young faces that will hopefully stay fans for life.

1st August. Warrington 46 Salford 20.Wire move up to seventh in the Super League table after they beat Salford City Reds at the Halliwell Jones .Gary Hulse and Darren Burns scored a brace each and were joined on the scoresheet by Mike Forshaw, Ben Westwood , Graham Appo and Jerome Guisset. Lee Briers kicked seven goals. Salford's points came through four tries as Kevin McGuinness, Andrew Johnson, Stuart Littler and Nathan McAvoy all touched down. Chris Charles kicked two conversions.Both coaches singled out Lee Briers' impressive kicking performance. "Lee Briers showed how important he is to us and Graham Appo also did well, said Wolves coach Paul Cullen. His opposite number at Salford, Karl Harrison, was also complimentary towards Briers but was not generous with his praise for any of his own players. "Warrington were outstanding and Lee Briers showed his short kicking game is second to none. "Several of my players under-performed and now we must set out our stall to finish the season on a high with seven games still to go." Warrington Tries;Mike Forshaw Graham Appo Darren Burns 2 Jerome Guisset Ben Westwood Gary Hulse 2.Goals; Briers 7. Salford Tries;Kevin McGuinness Andrew Johnson Stuart Littler Nathan McAvoy .Goals; Charles 2 .

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