29th July.Head Coach Paul Cullen has named a 22-man side to face Salford City Reds this Sunday in Round 21 of Tetley's Super League. 1. Daryl Cardiss 19. Gary Hulse 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 25. Richard Varkulis

MARK HILTON'S TESTIMONIAL FANS FORUMDATE: Tuesday, 3 August START: 7:30pm VENUE: Bank Quay Social Club PANEL: Paul Cullen, Mark Hilton, Karl Kirkpatrick and Lee Briers MC: Ray Fisher INCLUDES: Hot Pot Supper TICKET PRICE: £10.00 FOR TICKET INFORMATION PHONE: Ray Fisher Promotions on 01925 495483

WARRINGTON Wolves' first choice wing partnership for next season could be in force as early as next week following Henry Fa'afili's work permit clearance and John Wilshere's return from injury. Fa'afili has been granted an early release from his contract with New Zealand Warriors and is expected to board the next available flight to Warrington. And Wilshere was set to play his first game for more than two months in last night's, Wednesday's under 21s clash with Hull. If Wilshere came through the game unscathed he may get a piece of first team action against Salford City Reds on Sunday. But 24-year-old New Zealand international Fa'afili, who has signed a three-year deal with Warrington, looks certain to miss the Salford game. Wolves coach Paul Cullen said: "We have now secured Henry's short-term release and we are simply waiting to hear what flight he's on. "But the signs are that the next available flight (after his vesa has cleared) isn't until the beginning of next week. "That will obviously mean that he won't play against Salford on Sunday but all being well he should line up for us at Bradford the week after." Cullen has no qualms about throwing Fa'afili straight into the action. He said: "The man has played regularly in the NRL in Australia. He played very well in a defeat to Canberra last week and was unlucky to have a very good try disallowed. "So he's in good form, good health and his fitness levels are at NRL standard. So we won't have to wrap him up in cotton wool. "If we have sufficient time to introduce him to our training sessions and to the players once he's landed then he'll play in the next available game." Fa'afili's arrival will heighten Cullen's selection headaches. He could have a fully fit squad to choose from on Sunday with Daryl Cardiss and Mark Hilton being added to the 17 that took on Huddersfield at the weekend. They have been passed fit for Sunday having been sidelined with knee and shoulder injuries respectively. Nathan Wood and Paul Noone are also hoping to make a return. They missed the Huddersfield win with ankle injuries and are considered doubtful for Sunday. i But Cullen says that the duo will be given every opportunity to show that they are ready for recalls. He said: "The injury news is very positive. The 17 players on duty in Huddersfield all came through unscathed and we have a number of players returning from injury. "That gives me some selection problems but they are nice problems to have. "We need our best available "We need our best available team available on Sunday because we are expecting a very tough game. "Salford may be below us in the table but there are no guarantees in this game. Just look at Wakefield's result at the weekend!" Cullen added: "Salford do not pose the usual threats but they are battling for survival and they are a side that can cause you problems. "They have a very dynamic go-forward and some of their bigger men are also their most powerful and quickest. "We do not see this as an easy game but we go into the match with a lot of confidence having played so well against Huddersfield." Sunday's game at The Halliwell Jones Stadium kicks off at 3pm.

PAUL CULLEN says that the signings of Martin Gleeson and Henry Fa'afili represent a change of transfer tactic at Warrington Wolves. And he has told the Warrington Guardian that he has more big name signings in his sights. Wolves' head coach said: "Gleeson and Fa'afili were both on contract. They were not on the open market and their signings represent a change in policy at the club. "In the past we have sat back and waited for the end of season hand-out. We have waited for the fight to start before joining t in and very rarely come away with anything. "That isn't seen by the Warrington public because I have a policy of not making comments about players we are chasing until their signature is secured, "But that doesn't mean that we've not been working exceptionally hard behind the scenes to bring players to Warrington. "And we are still looking to s bring players in for this year and certainly for next season, That process is working positively at the moment within the rules of engagement." Cullen may well be planning to swoop for more new players but he has poured cold water over suggestions that Brent Grose, Nathan Wood or Graham Appo's overseas quota spots may be in jeopardy. He said: "They are all contracted for next season and there has been no second thought process concerning those players." A possible signing for next season is Toa Kohe-Love. The Kiwi centre is keen for a second stint at the Wolves having been released from his contract at Bradford Bulls. He has been training with the Wolves for the last two weeks and Cuilen admits that he would be interested in signing Kohe-Love if he proves that he has fully recovered from his injury hell. He has hardly kicked a ball in anger in the last two years after undergoing shoulder and knee reconstruction surgery. He is five months into his cruciate knee ligament rehabilitation and Cullen will keep a close eye on his progress.

HIGHLY ambitious Simon Moran says it is a 'team effort' in continuing to help bring the best players to Warrington Wolves. The financial promises that the music industry entrepreneur made to fellow fans when taking over as Wolves' majority shareholder are coming true in the shape of internationals Martin Gleeson and Henry Fa'afili being signed up for next season. Great Britain centre Gleeson was sensationally signed on a four-year contract from St Helens last week following the previous week's capture of Kiwi winger Fa'afili from New Zealand Warriors. Moran, who forked out the official Gleeson transfer fee of £200,000, has turned his words into action and he wants the town to back the club like never before in the bid to bring Rugby League glory days back to Warrington. needed to make statements in moving forward and I rate Martin Gleeson as the best British three-quarter bar none. "As lan Millward said in the Press conference after his St Helens team won comfortably at The Halliwell Jones Stadium earlier this year, Martin is the one player in this country that the Australians fear. "On this season's form they rate him highly and so do we. "One thing that I would reiterate is that signings like this require a lot of investment, which I have helped with. But we need supporters to come out and back us. "We play Salford on Sunday and we'll be introducing Martin to the crowd at half-time. Let's make it a really big crowd because the revenue goes to making things like this happen. "When the season tickets go on sale at the end of the year, let's all buy one because it will help to generate more signings. "If we get 11,000 to 12,000 at every home game next year, we'll be able to pay as much as any, club for players. "Come and sponsor the club, tell your friends to join the lottery. I know I sound like a salesman but it is so important for us to get the best players we can for this club. "For Fa'afili we beat off a lot of clubs that were chasing him and for Martin we had severe competition, believe me. But we've won through and it shows the ambitions of the club. We're going to drive the club forward but it is a team effort. We need supporters to stay on board and more to come on board." Wolves coach Paul Cullen hails the capture of Gleeson from arch-rival neighbours as sensational. He says: "We are a very ambitious club and the capture of a player of Martin's ability is a clear signal of our intentions. We see his signing as a very exciting prospect and we worked exceptionally hard to bring the deal about."Wolves targeted Gleeson through official Saints boardroom channels and turned the deal around in a matter of a few days, fending off hot competition from Wigan for his services. The first Gleeson knew of the deal was when the St Helens chairman phoned him and asked for a meeting. Gleeson says: "It was a surprise. The St Helens chairman said someone had made an offer they were going to listen to and were willing to accept. I didn't know anything about it and as far as I was concerned I had another two years left at St Helens. "But they said they had accepted an offer but it was my choice at the end of the day. I could have stopped at Saints but I talked to Warrington and was happy with what they had to say so I have made the move. "It is a club that's going places. Paul Cullen and Simon Moran sold the club to me on their plans for the next few years. And obviously my brother's playing for Warrington and we've never played in the same team before, so there were a few things that led me to Warrington." And moving to Warrington is beneficial for his Great Britain Tri-Nations ambitions. As a consequence of his four-month suspension, brought about by the Rugby Football League for Gleeson betting against his own St Helens team to lose earlier this year, he was not training with the players at Knowsley Road and was not being paid wages. Cullen says: "Martin has programmes to help him fulfil his ambitions of playing for Great Britain in the series at the end of the season and we will go about our business to assist that in every way possible." Gleeson, whose suspension ends in October, two weeks before Great Britain's first Tri-Nations game against Australia, adds: "I've spoken to people about it. I've just got to try to keep myself fit. It has given me a light at the end of the tunnel to work towards. If I keep myself fit at least I've put myself up for availability if selected."

24th July. Huddersfield 18 Warrington 34. The signing of Henry Fa'afili and Martin Gleeson certainly put a rip rap behind a few Warrington players on Friday at Huddersfield after taking some heavy Huddersfield pressure and going a try down Wire fought back to take a 4 points to 6 points lead ,they went behind again by 6 points but fought back and Lee Briers took a nevet say die try in the corner and added the 2 to go in at the break 12-12. Wire came out in the second half and took the game away from Huddersfield with some hard fast play. It was a good win after 4 defeats and coach Paul Cullen was well pleased,"The signings have lifted everybody within the club, from the sponsors to the supporters and certainly the players and coaching staff," said Cullen. "Bringing in international threequarters issued a big challenge to the team and I am delighted with their response.""We had a very light week and it proved beneficial at the back end of the game," added Cullen. "We had to defend for 12 minutes during one spell in the first half and when we went in at 12-12 at half-time I thought that was the pivotal part of the game." Briers took a well deserved M.O.M award.Huddersfield Tries ; Donlan, Bailey.Smith. Goals Costin 2, March. Warrington Tries;Gaskell, Briers2, P.Wood, Gleeson, Lima. Goals Briers 5. Ht 12-12 Att 4038

23rd July. Gleeson: Double the Impact Warrington Wolves have signed Great Britain and former St Helens star centre Martin Gleeson on a 4 year deal. Wigan born Martin, who was brought up in Brisbane will join his younger brother Mark, a hooker for the club in strengthening the sqyad for next season. Gleeson shot to prominence at StHelens in 2002 following his move from Huddersfield at the end of 2001 when they were relegated. He went on to score 15 tries in 33 appearances in his first season and was named in the Tetley's Super League Dream Team of the season. In 2003 a leg operation restricted Gleeson to 21 Super League appearnces, but he recovered in time for the Ashes Series in November. This season he has scored 3 tries in 8 Super League gamess and has scored in the Challenge Cup Final at the Millenium Stadium. His International sucess includes the England Under 21's tour of South Africa in 2001, scoring in the 2nd test. In 2002 after his move to Saints he made his Great Britain debut in July in Australia and went on to play in all 3 tests against New Zealand. Head Coach Paul Cullen commented on his latest signing, "The capture of Martin Gleeson is absolutely sensational we have acquired the services of another world class three-quarter in addition to the Kiwi international Henry Fa'afili. The most striking characteristic in our dealings so far with Martin are his ambitions to play for Great Britain and to continue to win trophies."

22nd July.Wire mean business next season.and this week's £275,000 offer to St Helens for their Great Britain centre Martin Gleeson,makes that abundently clear, a week after capturing New Zealand Test winger Henry Fa'afili on a three-year contract. If the deal comes off, it will be a record fee paid out by Wolves, whose season-long downfall has been a lack of clinical finishing power but head coach Paul Cullen, thanks to investirient from the club's majority shareholder Simon Moran, is going all out to put that right for Super League X. Gleeson is the number one centre in the country and, even though he is currently serving a four-month suspension, the huge transfer fee is needed as the player is contracted with Saints until the end of the 2006 season. But on Wednesday, a tug o' war had developed between Wolves and archrivals Wigan as they did their usual interference in case anyone might get a player that might be the nucleus of a team capable of taking them onWigan for the signature of the ex-Huddersfield star. Behind the scenes, Wolves were confident they will get their man and possibly by the end of this week although officially they have not confirmed or denied any interest.Saints issued a statement yesterday, Wednesday, confirming they had received a number of offers for Gleeson but adding, among other points, that if the player was not happy to move or if the money offered for him was not to their liking, then the 23-year-old would remain a Knowsley Road man. It could be that Wolves see Gleeson as a perfect right-sided 2005 partner to Fa'afili. Brent Grose would have something to say about that but competition for places is good for the club. Gleeson, who is the older brother of Wolves' hooker, Mark, would add explosions to the back line with his side-stepping ability, hare-like pace off the mark and Goliath strength. The Wiganer displayed his full array of skills when Saints swept to a 50-20 Halliwell Jones Stadium victory in May. Since then, Gleeson has boon banned from playing until October, following the high-profile case of him and Sean Long betting against their own weakened team to lose to Bradford Bulls on Easter Monday. All of the public attention on Wolves has switched to next season because of the Gleeson move but Warrington have a crucial match on Saturday night as far as this year's top six aim is concerned.

If eighth-placed Wolves can pull out a top drawer performance and defeat Huddersfield Giants at The McAlpine Stadium, kick-off 6pm, then they will have reduced the deficit between them and sixth spot to three points. Huddersfield showed some vulnerability as they conceded a 16-6 first half lead to lose 26-20 at desperate bottom club Castleford Tigers on Sunday. Wolves can expect them to be smarting as a consequence and will need to be firing on all cylinders to make up for the 26-20 home loss to Huddersfield in May. Head coach Paul Cullen will be hoping to have some of his Wakefield absentees back on board for this tussle although some players who picked up Knocks against Wakefield may be facing a race against time. Darren Bums (thigh), Mark (shoulder) and Nat (ankle) Ian Sibbit (leg), Paul Noone (ankle) and Graham Appo (illness) are expected to be available while winger John Wilshere (knee) must not be far away from selection after returning to full training.

The England Academy under 18s team that leaves for their tour of Australia and New Zealand on Monday has been named and includes Warrington's top prospect Steve Pickersgill, the son of ex-Wire professional Roy. England will play two fixtures against the Junior Kiwis,Pickersgill, a product of Crosfields Amateur Rugby League Club, said: "I am very excited. It is a big opportunity and a chance to make a name for myself. I believed I could do it and I am looking forward to the experience. It brings me one step closer to the first team."

The Rugby Football League has announced this week that they are re-evaluating the method of compiling the Super League regular season fixture list, which almost certainly puts an end to the current system of top six finishers in one year playing each other three times the following year and vice-versa for the bottom six.

Darren Burns is looking to make a big impact with Warrington Wolves in his remaining nine games in top level Rugby League. The 30-year-old, who scored two tries as an emergency centre in Wolves' defeat at Wakefield, will be returning home to Australia at the end of the current season but is not looking to further his career in the NRL. Back rower Burns is almost certainly going to turn down an offer to join a French side in order to settle down in familiar territory. Burns said: "I want to finish the season with a bang, like I did last year. It's my last nine weeks with Warrington and I want to leave on some happy memories. "Nicole (his fiancee) and I are 90 per cent sure we're going back to Australia. I'm looking to get back into the real world by getting a job and starting a family. "We got engaged at Christmas time last year. We've been together for nine years and so it probably is time we got married and have some kids. "France was on the cards and still is but I do not think we're going to go. Nicole's followed me around the world for nine years and she's keen to settle down now. She's put her foot down - she wants to go home." Burns added: "So it's coming close to the end for me as far as this level of rugby is concerned. I still enjoy the game and feel it is a great game to be a part of. I couldn't go cold turkey on it and so I will have to stay involved somehow. Training once a week and playing at a weekend appeals to me. "But all I am thinking about at the moment is going out on a high. 1 want to be playing well for Warrington and hopefully winning with the team." Burns' start against Wakefield was his first for nine weeks but he looked sharp despite having only made three substitute appearances since returning from a rib injury sustained at Leeds on May 7. He said: "I felt good. I was like a kid making his debut again. I was going to start this game on the bench but Paul Noone went over on his ankle at training on Friday and that's the reason why I started in the centre." Burns will be hoping to keep his place in the starting line-up for the difficult clash with Huddersfield Giants and expects to shake off a dead leg injury he collected in the team's disappointing defeat at Belle Vue. He said: "We lacked discipline against Wakefield. We gave away far too many penalties and we couldn't get the ball for extended periods like they could and in the end it told on us. "We had a good week in training leading up to the Wakefield game but it feels like two steps forward, three steps back. We must have an even better week in training this week because there's still a lot we can get out of the season." Source Warrington Guardian Mike Parsons.

WARRINGTON Wolves fans who want to ask direct questions to club officials now have the chance thanks to a Mark Hilton Testimonial event. Hilton is wrapping up his Testimonial year with a Rugby League question and answer night at Bank Quay Sports Club on August 3. Wolves' head coach Paul Cullen, skipper Lee Briers and Super League referee of the year 2003 Karl Kirkpatrick will be on the panel and offering II their honest views on Wolves and the game in general. A hot pot supper will also be included within the £10 price for a ticket. All money raised from the event, which starts at 7.30pm, will go into Hilton's Testimonal fund. Tickets are available from Warrington Wolves'-club shop at The Halliwell Jones Stadium. If you are unable to attend but would like to get behind Hilton's Testimonial, which marks his 10 seasons with the club, he is also having a race night at The Railway Club, adjacent to Central Station, on July 30. All fans are welcome to attend and the first race will be starting at around 8pm.

18th July. Wakefield 32 Warrington 26. Wakefield went ahead after 23 minites when the normally reliable Mike Forshaw gifted Wakefiels a try minutes later they got aanother and Wire were ten nil down before they drew second breath Wire pulled the score back on a number of occasions but were always behind or level, they drew level with minutes to go but Leikvol was penalised for laying on this gave Wakefield two points then a very late try sealed the win. Wakefield Tries: Jeffries Domic Wainwright Solomona Ryder Warrington Tries: Forshaw Lima P.Wood Burns 2 Goals Briers 3. HT 20-12. Attn 4,309.

16th July.Team News - Round 19 Head Coach Paul Cullen has named an 18-man side to face Wakefield Trinity Wildcats this weekend in Round 19 of Super League. 19. Gary Hulse 12. Ian Sibbit 3. Brent Grose 4. Ben Westwood 20. Dean Gaskell 6. Lee Briers 5. Graham Appo 8. Chris Leikvoll 9. Jon Clarke 17. Warren Stevens 22. Danny Lima 16. Paul Wood 10. Mark Hilton 15. Jerome Guisset 18. Paul Noone 13. Mike Forshaw 23. Mike Wainwright 11. Darren Burns INJURIES: 1. Daryl Cardiss - knee injury sustained in Round 17 v Leeds (4/07/04) 2. John Wilshere - strained postural cruicate ligament sustained in Round 11 v St Helens (22/05/04) 7. Nathan Wood - ankle injury sustained in Round 17 v Leeds (4/07/04) 14. Mark Gleeson - shoulder injury sustained in Round 16 v St Helens (26/06/04) U21s DUTY 26. Jamie Durbin 24. Nick Owen 25. Richard Varkulis

Wolves' Fan Gives Back A lifelong Warrington Rugby League fan Robert Foden of Robert Foden Estates is using his business to give financial support to his team. Robert Foden Estates have recently built a block of twelve retirement apartments in Whitefield Road, Stockton Heath and has decided to donate 10% of the total sales figures (estimated at £2.1m) to the Wolves.

15th July.WOLVES are keen to have Henry Fa'afili kitted out in primrose and blue by the start of next month after snapping up the New Zealand international winger on a three-year deal. The Salford clash on August 1 has been pencilled in as a debut date for the 24-year-old lethal finisher. Head coach Paul Cullen says: "We were desperate for an international three-quarter and our hunt doesn't die here. Henry is simply one that we've got. We are actively in the hunt to bring more players of that quality to the club." Cullen adds: "Henry's pace, power, agility and try scoring prowess are assets that would grace any club in Super League. "I am delighted to have signed him from New Zealand Warriors and I'm very confident he will play for us before the end of the season but I can't absolutely guarantee that until all the paperwork is in place. "We are currently working on a short-term contract to run alongside Henry's three-year deal for 2005, 2006 and 2007 and we have targeted the Salford game as a possible debut date." Fa'afili has scored 37 tries in 92 games for the Warriors. He was the NRL outfit's top try scorer in 2001 and he will not count on Wolves' overseas quota as he was born in Western Samoa. Cullen says: "To sign a current international sends a clear signal to everyone involved with our club that our long term plans to take us to the next level are in place.

In Henry Fa'afili War rington Wolves have captured a potent whitewash finder with vast experience and the best years still in front of him. Not only has he been a New Zealand international regular for the past three years, Fa'afili has the wisdom of three NRL play-offs campaigns under his belt and his record shows he was New Zealand Warriors' top try scorer in 2001. And he is coming to Warrington with all this under his belt despite only being 24-years-old. He is exactly the type of player Wolves' head coach Paul Cullen has been looking for. So many times this season Wolves have opened up the best of Super League defences but not had the men with the clinical touch to put the ball over the line. The records show that they have one now and Fa'afili is set to become the darling of The Halliwell Jones Stadium terraces. Fa'afili, who has bags of pace and can out-jump almost any opponent in the scramble for a kicked-high ball, is a crowd-pleaser. When he finds his route to the try line he likes to share his excitement with the crowds in the style of Bradford's Lesley Vainikolo. Some of his scoring exploits have come on the biggest stage, the most memorable being a hat-trick against Great Britain in 2002. Fa'afili has scored three tries in seven Tests for New Zealand but he first came to prominence over here when he played for his country of b§th, Samoa, in the 2000 World Cup. Two years later Fa'afili stamped his name on the international scene on New Zealand's tour of Great Britain. He became the first player in 95 years of Test matches between the two countries to score a hat-trick of tries for the Kiwis. They came in the first Test at Blackburn Rovers' Ewood Park ground on November 9 as he and his teammates capitalised on some horrendous mistakes by his marker, Leeds Rhinos' Karl Pratt. Fa'afili's three touch downs steered the Kiwis to a 30-16 win and he went on to play in the second drawn Test at the McAlpine Stadium and the third Test, won by Great Britain, at the JJB Stadium. In the build-up to the GB series he played on the wing again in the one-off Test against Wales at the Millennium Stadium, where he came up against Wolves' Lee Briers. He was also in the side for the tour games against Hull, in the final game to be played at The Boulevard, and at Griffin Park against England A, whose assistant coach was none other than Wolves' Cullen. Fa'aifili last represented New Zealand in a non-Test status international against Australia in Auckland last year in what was a curtain-raiser to the Kangaroos' tour of Britain. He scored a try but he was not selected in April this year when New Zealand met Australia in the Anzac Test. The big man has had high and low moments with New Zealand Warriors. Fa'afili burst on to the scene with them as a 19-year-old product of the Manurewa Marlins junior club and in 2001 he was the club's top scorer with 14 tries in 27 appearances. The 2002 season was mixed for him because after helping the Warriors to reach the Grand Final that year, prior to his history-making hat-trick on tour, he was overlooked for the Grand Final. Fa'afili opened the 2003 season with nine tries in 10 matches but a change in attack policy, prominently to the left side instead of the right, meant Francis Meli then took over the role of chief try scorer. He then spent much of the 2004 pre-season recovering from surgery to his wrist, followed by a minor hamstring train, but returned to a struggling Warriors team to again become a wing regular. Warriors' fans are disappointed to see a popular character leave their shores and with Fa'afili's potential for turning Warrington defeats into Warrington wins, the Warriors' loss would definitely seem to be the Wolves' gain. Source Mike Parsons Warrington Guardian

IT is put up or shut up time for Warrington Wolves and second rower Mike Wainwright says that it is time to stop mouthing off about must-win games. Wainwright, who has been one of the Wolves' most consistent performers this season, said: "We've got Wakefield next and then we play Huddersfield. "They are the two teams that stand in the way of us making the play-offs but we've got to stop talking about must-win games and start winning. "Every week we are saying we face a must-win game but talk is cheap. "We have to back it up with good performances and we haven't done that in the last few weeks. "Our form has been very disappointing of late and of the three teams fighting for sixth spot we've got the hardest run in. "But it's not over by a long shot and Paul Cullen will drill that in to us. "If we beat Wakefield at the weekend then our prospects will look a lot brighter but that is not going to be an easy task. "Wakefield proved against St Helens recently just how good they can be. "So we will have to play a lot better than we did against Hull to pick up the two points." Wainwright added: "We let ourselves down against Hull. We didn't aim up as a team and we weren't strong enough in the tackle. "But although I'm feeling down after the defeat I still think the club's future is very bright. "It's a transitional time at the moment with the club moving to a new stadium but it's an exciting time as well and I'm just glad to be a part of it"

WARRINGTON Wolves coach Paul Cullen is hoping to have three important players back on board for Sunday's crucial clash at play-offs rivals Wakefield. Scrum half Nathan Wood, full back Daryl Cardiss and hooker Mark Gleeson are key creative forces in Wolves' ranks and they are all in the running to bolster the squad that lost to Hull at the weekend. They missed the game with ankle ligament, knee and shoulder injuries respectively but they have all returned to full training this week. Prop Chris Leikvoll and utility forward Paul Noone have also been exposed to the rigors of Wolves' weekly preparations despite being in the wars against Hull. Leikvoll had to be helped off the pitch in the second half after taking a heavy blow to the shoulder and Noone twisted both of his ankles during the course of the game. But Cullen expects them both to be passed fit for Sunday's game, kick-off 3.30pm. Cullen said: "We are desperate to get back to winning ways but we know that we face a difficult game on Sunday. "Wakefield are in great form and we have found to our cost on many occasions that their place is a difficult place to play." Sid Domic will undoubtedly be one of Wakefield's main threats on Sunday. But they will be without Semi Tadulala and Oliver Elima, who picked up suspensions for their part in a brawl against Bradford.

What has happened to a squad that last season looked so good Paul Cullen answers some questions?" He said: "We are doing the vast majority of our work right but we don't give ourselves any reward for going from our own 10-metre line to their 10m line. "Our finishing prowess has not been where it was at the back end of last season and that's due to a lack of form and fitness of certain individuals. "We keep coming up with poor and lame options on the fifth and sixth tackle. "It's like consistently walking up a sand hill. At some point you've got to have a break at the top. You've got to have a reward and replenish and we have not been getting that. "We simply complete our sets, go 60 or 70 metres up the field and then come away with nothing. No repeat sets and no tries and psychologically it just breaks your back. "I can fully understand the fans' frustration following Sunday's poor performance against Hull but there are no concerns from me about a lack of effort from my players or a lack of desire to play for this club. "There are still 20 points to play for and I am very confident that we can get our season back on track. "We need to be in the Tiunt for every one of those points and my message to the players this week is that we are only going to get through this difficult period by sticking together as a team and fighting against everyone who wants to take those 20 points from us." Cullen added: "There is a great feeling of disappointment around the club and around the town at the moment. "We have to shoulder and carry that heavy weight but we can't spend too long beating ourselves up. This is the same side that completely outplayed Wigan not too long ago and our season is far from dead and buried. "The top six is still well within our grasp but we are desperate to get back to winning ways at Wakefield on Sunday. This week, more than any other week, we need to take two points and it doesn't matter how to get them." Cullen denied that Wolves' players are in cruise control because the majority of them already have contracts tied up for next season. And he defended his selection policy of consistently fielding players out of position. He said: "I don't play a hooker at full back or a second rower at right wing out of preference. I am forced into it because of the injury situation that we have. "Also, someone like Ian Sibbit is not playing out on the wing for Warrington because he wants to. He is playing there because we have no-one else at this moment in time fit enough and able enough to do that job for us. "I think that he has acquitted himself very well, specially when you consider the pressure he is under from himself and from the supporters. He is being unfairly criticised and people need to be aware that unnecessary undue pressure adversely effects players' performances."

Until last week I was blissfully unaware of the name of Maros Kolpak, but just as the Jean Bosman ruling changed football, then this Slovakian handball player could well revolutionise rugby leaue in the same way. Kolpak was a handball player in the German League but was released because of a quota on non EU players in the league. He took the matter to the European Court of Justice and won. The court found that once a non EU national had obtained a work permit to ply his trade he could not be restricted by quotas in any way. The Kolpak ruling means that workers from around 100 countries with trade agreements with the EU are now protected by European employment law. These countries include South Africa, Zimbabwe, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. Leading Sports lawyer Stephen Hornsby told the Sunday herald newspaper " The implications are particularly important for rugby league and cricket, because we are talking about players from the likes of S Africa, the South Seas and the Caribbean. There is nothing stopping a club employing as many South Sea islanders as they want providing they have work permits.." The situation is further complicated by changes to rules governing working holiday maker visas. Previously they couldn't participate in professional sport but now that block has been removed.

12th July. A bright start that went pear shaped within minutes. Richie Barnett Jr, Gareth Raynor, Nick Scruton, Richard Whiting, Shaun Briscoe and Jason Smith all got tries for Hull. Chris Leikvoll gave the Wire an early lead with his first try for the club, but Wolves did not score again until the final six minutes. Brent Grose and Mike Wainwright made the scoreline more respectable, but by then the damage had been done. Warrington were ahead after nine minutes through Leikvoll, with Lee Briers converted. But despite conceding early, the rest of the first half belonged to the visitors as they built up a 20-6 half-time advantage. Barnett crossed for Hull's opener, and five minutes later Gareth Raynor blasted through two attempted tackles to touch down. The winger was forced to leave the action with a suspected damaged cartilage after crashing over the advertising hoardings after scoring. Hull added to their tally when Paul King sent Whiting clear and the centre raced 40 metres to score. We succumbed to the fight Wolves coach Paul Cullen Paul Cooke added all three conversions and also landed a penalty to help give his side their healthy interval lead. The visitors extended their advantage six minutes after the restart when Jason Smith's high kick bounced loose and Scruton scooped up the ball to score, with Cooke converting. Full-back Briscoe then got on the scoresheet when he touched down Richard Horne's kick and Cooke made it 32-6. Warrington's late rally gave the home fans something to cheer but the visitors had the final word when Smith went over and Cooke made it seven kicks out of seven. "I am thoroughly disappointed with the performance and defensively it is completely unacceptable, " said Wolves coach Paul Cullen. "We succumbed to the fight and that aggressive element you would expect from a Warrington pack was non-existent. There was a lack of desire. "To credit Hull they took the fight to us and won it hands-down, and the most disappointed factor is that we backed off and took it." Warrington Tries: Leikvoll, Grose, Wainwright Convs: Briers 3 .Hull Tries: Barnett, Raynor, Scruton, Whiting, Briscoe, Smith Convs: Cooke 6 Pen: Cooke Ht 6-20 Attn 8,116.

Mike Wainwright and Mark Hilton are the only players in the Wire squad who have played in every game this Year they have each played 22 games.Mark Hilton has received a First Class Honours Degree in Mathematics from Bolton institute,it has taken him 4 years of part-time studying , he started the course after getting 3 broken arms , so he decided to take another option and get the degree and a teaching certificate .

8th July. Wire will have a new half back pairing for Sunday's at The Halliwell Jones Stadium. Skipper Lee Briers and Graham Appo will be starting together in the play-making positions for the first time and in a match which will be as tough as Sunday's defeat to league leaders Leeds. Second-placed Hull's only losses in their last 11 outings have been home and away against Leeds but the Briers and Appo combination could be one to unsettle their team. Head coach Paul Cullen says: "There's an x-factor in both Lee and Graham that might surprise themselves and us and hopefully they do so this weekend. "Both players have genuine threats in their passing and kicking options but their real threat, as is the case with Nathan Wood, is their running game which turns defences and puts them on the back foot. "We have to encourage the running attacking game from both of them because when we have played well this year it has been on the back of Nathan Wood's or Lee Briers' running game." Their link-up comes about due to vice-captain Wood damaging ankle ligaments as he fell awkwardly from Andrew Dunemann's high tackle at the weekend and the scrum half could be missing for a few weeks. Australian Appo came to prominence as a half back last year after Briers broke year the chance to see tnem paired together has been lost through either of the players missing games due to injury or because of Appo covering for injured wingers. So their abilities as a double act will be an unknown quantity for Hull to contend with and will be an intriguing feature of the game for fans to follow. Other expected changes to the line-up that started against Leeds include Gary Hulse at full back and Dean Gaskelf, after recovering from a calf problem, on the wing but there are no planned returns yet for injured Mark Gleeson and John Wilshere. Cullen says: "Daryl Cardiss has a chance to be available at full back but he re-injured a knee in the process of making a decent break against Leeds from a kick return. "I do have an option to move Brent Grose to full back but I don't want to dilute the attacking edges we've got in the three quarters. "Gary Hulse did an exceptional job for us at full back against Bradford Bulls in that 22-22 draw at The Halliwell Jones Stadium and if called upon I've got no doubt that he will give his best and stand up to the challenge." Wolves will come up against one of the success stories of the season in Hull's full back Shaun Briscoe let go by Wigan in what could possibly be Maurice Lindsey's worst decision. He was picked up from Wigan and appears in the game's top 10 try charts with 17 touch downs so far this season. Cullen says the signing of Briscoe is not the only thing Hull have done right this year. He adds: "They have got great shape and play a smart brand of Rugby League. They have the right men in the right positions and the'chances that they create are finished off. "Their three quarters are class and they have two young pivots, in Paul Cooke and Richard Home, who can play at international level and are very ambitious. "They're real bonus has been the form of Briscoe, who apparently is firmly fixed on taking a Great Britain spot. His form this year really has been that good and puts pressure on Paul Wellens and Kris Radlinski ahead of the Tri-Nations tournament." Cullen does not expect the Hull side to have been affected by coach Shaun McRae's announcement this week that he will be leaving at the end of the season, nor by the loss of ex-Wolves centre Mike Eagar who has broken his arm for the second time this year. Despite Hull's form, Cullen is feeling confident about the encounter, which kicks off at 3pm. He says; "Although we are disappointed with the result against Leeds, there were passages of play which were , very encouraging. The fact that we scored so many tries ' through the middle lines of the Leeds defence gives us great encouragement. "We were a fraction short on effort and a little bit more on game smartness and we have to make sure we make big improvements on both of those accounts this weekend. " "Leeds were two points lost and Hull are two points for us to take back and we go into this game confident and excited by the work we've done this week in training."

Wolves' proposed 18-man squad: Gary Hulse, lan Sibbit, Ben Westwood, Brent Grose, Dean Gaskell, Lee Briers, Graham Appo, Chris Leikvoll, Jon Clarke, Mark Hilton, Paul Noone, Mike Wainwright, Mike Forshaw, Darren Burns, Jerome Guisset. Paul Wood, Danny Lima, Warren Stevens.

WARRINGTON Wolves' top six hopes are under heavy pressure this weekend and hooker Jon Clarke says the team must act accordingly. Wolves dropped to eighth spot in the Super League table after Sunday's defeat to Leeds Rhinos and they could fall five points behind sixth place this weekend if Huddersfield beat 'coach-less' Widnes and Warrington fail to defeat in-form Hull. Wakefield are also in the mix for the sixth play-offs spot and went one point above Wolves after their stunning hammering of St Helens on Friday. Clarke is never one to shirk pressure moments and he says: "We're not giving up on anything this season, including top six. "In the changing rooms, we know what we're about and what we're capable of. We're just a couple of per cent short on where we need to be in our finishing and that is making asjnas-sive difference at the moment. "Wakefield had a good win against Saints which puts us under a little bit more pressure but we've got to be able to play under pressure and perform and now we have another massive test against Hull. "It doesn't get any easier does it as Hull and Leeds are up there among the best at the moment but we'll relish playing them and I'm sure it will be a great game. "We've got to take the two points and climb back up the ladder." Clarke was pleased to be one of five players to recover from injury to take to the field against Leeds but it was a frustrating game for him. Wolves planned to put Leeds' capabilities around the ruck area to the sword but the visiting defenders were allowed to get away with technical infringements that restricted Clarke's progress with the ball, and for him this added to the disappointment of the defeat. He says: "A ploy that most dummy halfs use is to run at the play-the-ball markers if they are not standing square and try to get them to tackle you. "That would mean they are off side but when I tried this we were getting nothing off the referee and it was really frustrating." At least injury wise Clarke came through the Leeds match all right. He says: "My ankle was the problem for the St Helens game but it is fine now." Source MIKE PARSONS Warrington Guardian.

WARRINGTON Wolves Supporters' Trust's annual meeting on July 21 will double up as the monthly squadbuilder gathering. This will be held In one of the hospitality rooms on the second floor of the North Stand at the Halliwell Jones Stadium. The meeting will start at 7pm.

LATCHFORD Albion's new under 18s Rugby League team will be coached by lain Fowler and his assistant Krls Buckley for the planned 2004/05 season In the North West Counties League. Albion, who are based at Victoria Park, are now recruiting players to add to those who played for Albion at under 16s level last term. Anyone who Is Interested to join the team can turn up for training at Victoria Park on Mondays from 6.30pm to 8pm and on Saturdays from 10.30am to 11.30am.

THE Halliwell Jones Stadium looks set to become smoke-free next season, when fans have their say. Club bosses are discussing nonsmoking options after an overwhelming number of supporters posted suggestions for an anti-cigarette atmosphere on Wolfweb, the Warrington Wolves fans' forum. As a result the club has several eir options, including making the stadium non-smoking, restricting smoking to the concourse and refreshment area, and leaving stand areas tobacco-free. Another possibility will be to ban smoking in East Stand, the family area. Over the next few weeks fans will be asked to complete questionnaires to feed in to a non-smoking policy incorporating views of the club and supporters, which will be implemented next season.

5th July. Injury Update after Round 17 v Leeds Rhinos: Daryl Cardiss - bang to the knee, hopefully available for selection this weekend: Round 18 v Hull FC. Nat Wood - x ray has shown no break and the medical team will review the ligament damage of the ankle on a day to day basis.

4th July. Warrington 22 Leeds 38. A try by Marcus Bai and one 3 minutes later by Sinfield both goaled by Sinfield put Leeds 12-0 up after 10 minutes.A Grose try and Nathen Wood got another with one conversion from Briers and Wire fought back to 10-12, on 31 minutes Wainwright was sin binned for obstruction, immediately Leeds ran in two tries by Diskin and Cummings plus one conversion by Sinfield, and further tries by McGuire and Mckenna put Leeds further in front.Burns and Noone got tries back for Wire Both Goaled by Briers, on 79 minutes McGuire went in . HT.10-22 . Warrington Tries:Paul Noone Darren Burns Nathan Wood Brent Grose , Goals Briers 3.Leeds Tries, Francis Cummins Chev Walker Marcus Bai Danny McGuire 2 Chris McKenna Matt Diskin , Goals Kevin Sinfield 5 Attn 10,404.

3rd July.Paul Cullen has named his starting 17 for the clash with the Leeds Rhinos on Sunday, returning are Captain Lee Briers and hooker Jon Clarke. 1. Darryl Cardiss 5. Graham Appo 3. Brent Grose 4. Ben Westwood 12. Ian Sibbit 6. Lee Briers - returns from shoulder injury sustained in Round 14 v London Broncos (12/06/04) 7. Nat Wood 8. Chris Leikvoll 9. Jon Clarke - returns from an ankle injury sustained in Round 15 v Castleford Tigers (20/06/04) 10. Mark Hilton 18. Paul Noone 23. Mike Wainwright 13. Mike Forshaw SUBS: 11. Darren Burns 16. Paul Wood 15. Jerome Guisset 22. Danny Lima 18TH MAN: 17. Warren Stevens INJURIES: 2. John Wilshere - strained postural cruicate ligament sustained in Round 11 v St Helens (22/05/04) 14. Mark Gleeson - shoulder injury sustained in Round 16 v St Helens (26/06/04) 19. Gary Hulse - shoulder injury sustained in training 20. Dean Gaskell - calf injury sustained in the Powergen Fastest Man in Rugby League event (30/06/04)

1st July. Today Thursday is the make or break day for Lee Briers and Jon Clarke to become available to take on Super League's top outfit Leeds Rhinos on Sunday. Fingers are crossed that they come through training today, without any reactions to the injuries that kept them out of Wires' fixture against St Helens on Saturday. Skipper Briers is recovering from a shoulder injury and hooker Clarke trying to shake off an ankle problem and any improvments would come as welcome relief in a week when backs Graham Appo, lan Sibbit and Daryl Cardiss could be out through injury. The three started against Saints but are 'doubtful' according to head coach Paul Cullen while winger John Wilshere's knee is on the mend but still not ready for a return in what will be one of Wolves' toughest contests of the season at The Halliwell Jones Stadium on Sunday, kick-off 3pm. Cullen said: "Lee Briers and Jon Clarke have both trained this week and, injury wise, Jon trained more positively than Lee. We're working on both players and hopefully we've got them both fit for the game. Hopefully they'll both train on Thursday and come through." Stand off Appo and centre Sibbit's departure from the action at Knowsley Road with a'dead leg" left Warrington finishing the game with back rower Barren Burns at stand off and another back rower in Paul Noone at centre. Wolves may have to start the Leeds game with the same setup and with a change of full back if Cardiss is unable to get over a back injury picked up in the 28-8 defeat at Saints. Gary Hulse and Australian centre Brent Grose have stood in at full back this season and it is likely Cullen will consider either of these players if neither Cardiss or Appo pull through. Leading Super League try scorer and stand off Danny McGuire missed Leeds' sixth win in seven outings against Hull at the weekend because of a knee injury but Wolves are assuming Tony Smith's Rhinos will have a full squad for a game that the Yorkshiremen cannot afford to think will be easy..Wire have given all the top clubs, except for Saints, a torrid time at their new home this season and Cullen is firing up his men for a date that is being treated as one of his 'must win' games Cullen said: "This will be a game that Leeds will class as a difficult fixture but a 'must win' game and psychologically we must operate with the same philosophy. "We have to operatewith the desperation that comes with a must win game. Desperation is a fantastic energy. It can overboil at times and make players too anxious but it also pushes the juices that need to be pushed to force that extra effort through the game. We must be able to and be willing to compete with Leeds from zero to 80."And if we don't get this, at some point the Leeds quality in attack will find us out. We can't just complete our sets, kick and chase and expect to win the game. We've got to look up, make the plays and force some of the problems they do have in defence out into the open."

Since the teams met on May 7 at Headingley, where Wolves lost 23-10 with an injury-hit back line, Leeds have further to their star-studded squad. Six-foot New Zealander Ali Lauitiiti, with a knack for basketball-style ball distribution, has made a big impression on to the Super League scene. His two tries were the difference between a win and a loss against Hull. Cullen said: "They have a massive threat up the middle channels with their impact off-loads. The last time we played Leeds, that was evident in the likes of Barrie McDermott, Wayne McDonald, Chris Feather, Danny Ward and Willie Poching but there is even more of a threat now with the capture of Lauitiiti. "If we stand back and watch these guys play, they're going to turn it on. The game plan is not to stand back and watch but to push forward, take up the play-space and dictate."

Daryl Cardiss is not happy with his try scoring record for Wolves and is determined to repay the faith being shown in him. This will be music to the ears of head coach Paul Cullen, who again acknowledges this week that his backs' inability to finish off golden opportunities is costing his side winning points. Cardiss, who signed a two-year contract extension with Wolves last week, is Wolves' last line of defence but he considers try scoring to be a huge part of his game too. He crossed for 43 touch downs in 110 career games prior to joining Wolves from Halifax last August but in primrose and blue colours the 26-year-old has placed the ball over the whitewash three times in 23 outings. The full back says: "I should be finishing off a few more tries than I am, considering the quality of the players I have around me at this club. "There are no excuses from myself. Chances have been there to be taken and, although I've been unlucky on occasions, I think it comes down to myself to make sure I get it right. "The forwards are working overtime in matches to get us in good positions and the likes of myself need to be finishing them off to reward their good work. "I'm not happy going out. there and not scoring. "The way I see it is that I am out there to score. The rest of the lads are riot on my back about it but I should simply be finishing moves off. "Like our coach said after the St Helens defeat at the weekend, we were the best team for 60 minutes and probably could have killed the game off in that 60 minutes. But we didn't take our chances, Saints did and it proved crucial in the end." One team that has not had any difficulty in discovering the route to the try line this season are Wolves' opponents on Sunday, Leeds Rhinos. Cardiss may have to sit the game out with a back injury from the Saints clash but if Leeds turn up in the form they have been showing, then whoever plays full back could have his work cut out concentrating on defensive duties. Cardiss says: "Possibly, but hopefully not. There's a good defence in front of our full back and for 60 minutes against St Helens our forwards were smashing theirs everywhere. "Hopefully it will be our three-quarters taking their chances in the Leeds game and relieving a bit of pressure off the forwards. "But it is another big challenge for us following on from Saints and we've got to prove a point to everyone again. "Leeds probably are the most consistent team in Super League this year. They play some great rugby and with people like Danny McGuire leading the way they're on fire. "So we must ensure we play to our strengths. We've got star players in our team too and hopefully we can pull off a win for us and for our fans." Cardiss reveals that the way the fans have made him feel so welcome at Warrington is one of the reasons that attracted him to signing his contract extension to the end of 2006. He says: "It's a great club that is rapidly moving in the right direction. The fans are fantastic. I've never met fans as unbelievable as they are. "It's a great privilege to be under Paul Cullen's influence and to be playing alongside this set of players. "There are a lot of attractions for me to be playing here. I'm loving it apart from I need to start scoring more tries." Source Mike Parsons Warrington Guardian

Latchford Albion Unicorns under nines Rugby League team are on the lookout for new players for the forthcoming season. Training takes place every Tuesday from 6.15pm until 7.30pm and for more details, contact John Wilkinson on 01925 650269.

Bank Quay Bulls are looking for new players for their first and second team for next season and also for the under 12s side. Training takes place at Longshaw Street on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7pm. Players are welcome to turn up or alternatively, for the senior teams, contact Andy Stephens on 07909 693130 or, for the under 12s, contact Chris Willows on 01925 411276 for details.

 

Peter O'Dea 2004