August 2005
25th August. Mike Wainwright,Graham Appo and Paul Noone are all expected to shake off injuries and should be available for the Game at Salford on the 4th September at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, a win against Salford will be 16 wins out of 25 played, which is the best season in Super League to date.Danny Lima, a scorer of one of nine Wolves tries at Widnes, is looking forwardto turn out again for the Wire after the club ended a run of three successive defeats. The 30-year-old prop said: "It's a bit of a nuisance that we've now got a weekend off but it is good for some to recover, as some players are carrying injuries. "We can't wait to play Salford, who had a good win against Wakefield at the weekend, because I think things are starting to turn around again. "The win against Widnes will lift our confidence. Against Widnes we just refound the character that we had been missing for a few months and it's given us a chance to kick on again. "Everyone's back to how we were when we had our winning run in mid-season. A lot of the players are starting to enjoy themselves again and there are smiles on faces again, which is credit to the coach. "We went away from the enjoyment we had. But Paul Cullen has turned it round with the light week of training we had prior to Widnes, and the players have turned it round by executing the game plan against Widnes. "So everyone's excited and looking forward to the Salford game and getting the last two points on offer at home before Andrew Johns' arrival."
Assistant Coach Mike Forshaw's experiences as a winner of a Grand Final when he was at Bradford is something he hopes to get accross to his charges at Warrington.He said: "We can't rest on our laurels after working hard to get where we are. We've got to be focused and mentally prepared for end-of-season football. "Rallying up some points against Widnes was good for us after three successive defeats. No disrespect to Widnes but I think Salford will be a sterner test next weekend and that is what we need at this stage. "I think we'll need to win our last three games to get third spot in the table and I don't think it is beyond possibility for us to win all three. "As for training, it's all about getting some energy back inside the players. "Rugby league's all about peaking and we've got to be going into our final games fresh rather than jaded."
A pioneering dream to bring community organisations closer together is set to become a reality next month – with the unveiling of a new Community Learning and Sport Foundation based at the Halliwell Jones Stadium. The Warrington Wolves Community Learning & Sport Foundation, a stand-alone charitable trust, will bring community groups and organisations together under one umbrella. To commemorate the achievement former Wolves star Sid Domic has produced a unique piece of Aboriginal Artwork to be displayed in the entrance to the Community Floor. Sid’s story is as unique as the painting - a self-taught artist with a passion for his Aboriginal history. This is the type of role sport can play in changing lives and giving people opportunities. Sid, who still lives in Warrington, states, "The community work done by all Clubs is fantastic, Warrington certainly lead the way and the setting up of The Foundation within this great new stadium is a tremendous testament to the hard work that goes on." Cllr Terry O’Neill, a member of the Board of Trustees commented, "On behalf of The Foundation, I would like to thank all the many partner agencies, organisations and people across the community who have been so instrumental in its development from a simple community liaison group to a very special example of a true working partnership – a Foundation we can be very proud of. The reality is even better than our vision!", he added. The Charitable Trust will have its own Board of Trustees comprising of representatives from local community organisations and partnerships as well as Club personnel. The Trustees include Wolves Chief Executive Andy Gatcliffe, Cllr Terry O’Neill the Council’s Executive Member for Sustainable Regeneration, Pat Kitto Director of Lifelong Learning at Warrington Collegiate and John Gartside Chairman of the National Health Trust. The Foundation has been formed to enable the Wolves and Warrington Borough Council to build upon the success of its past community work and to help expand and develop that work right across the Warrington community. Thanks to funding from Northwest Regional Development Agency, the Foundation will also manage a new 'Community Floor' at the Halliwell Jones Stadium bringing existing community initiatives together – the first of its type anywhere in the country. The aim of the Foundation is to create a more cohesive approach to the provision of many of Warrington’s key services. As a Registered Charity, The Foundation will focus on using the positive power of sport to promote active participation in sport and learning, with the ultimate aim of helping to improve the quality of life for everyone involved. Foundation objectives will major on interaction with its community through innovative sporting and educational programmes. Neil Kelly, who will be The Foundation’s Director, explains the thinking behind The Foundation. He said: "There is no doubt that, away from the field of play, Wolves’ biggest strength is the work developed in conjunction with the local authority over many years within our local community. With the new stadium, the formation of The Foundation enables us to now take this work to a new and unprecedented level." Warrington Wolves Chief Executive, Andy Gatcliffe, added: “The Foundation offers a unique opportunity for the Club to continue to strengthen our community partnerships. We want to convince everyone who lives in the Borough that sport, health, education and local community involvement can be a positive experience especially in these challenging family times, and can present an opportunity for the whole family to share a common interest." The new venture and will be offering a range of learning opportunities in this purpose-built accommodation to include arts and crafts, computing and Learndirect provision." An Official Opening date for the Community Floor is to be announced in the very near future. Keep your eyes and ears peeled at all of the remaining Warrington Wolves home games.
23rd August.Young Wolves For England Warrington Wolves' development strategies received a much deserved compliment last week when the announcement of the England Academy Under 17's squad to face the elite of the Australian Institute of Sport this winter, contained a quartet of Wolves products. Danny Colquitt, Michael Cooper, Ben Harrison and Chris Riley all have the chance to lead the charge when the England Academy Under 17's step out to contest a two game International Series against some of the best Australia can throw against them in November, after being named in a 24-man England Academy training squad from which selections will be made to take on the elite young Australians, who will all be products of one of the world's greatest sources of talent, a dedicated system created for the pursuit of athletic excellence at the very top level. Chris Riley demonstrated that he has the character to make it at the top when he came through a gruelling test on his Engage Super League debut last week, whilst Cooper, Colquitt and Harrison can't be far behind him. And with such an acknowledged world star as Andrew Johns soon to make his Warrington landfall, what better environment could there be for taking the new generations of Warrington players through to a fresh level? Head Coach will be former Hull, Leeds, Castleford and Great Britain star Lee Crooks, who will have former Warrington and Huddersfield forward Basil Richards, now on the coaching staff of the Bradford Bulls, as his Assistant, whilst Team Manager will be St. Helens Development Manager Mike Rush. The selectors have named a 24-man squad, which will be trimmed to a playing strength of 20 following a warm-up game to be played in November.
The full squad comprises seven players from the Wigan Warriors club, with half a dozen from St. Helens, four from the Warrington Wolves, three from the Leeds Rhinos and one each from the Bradford Bulls, Huddersfield Giants, Hull FC and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, as follows (in alphabetical order): James Archibald - Leeds Rhinos Sam Burgess - Bradford Bulls Paul Clough - St Helens Danny Colquitt - Warrington Wolves Michael Cooper - Warrington Wolves Thomas Coyle - Wigan Warriors Leroy Cudjoe - Huddersfield Giants Kyle Eastmond - St Helens Dale Ferguson - Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Chris Frodsham - St Helens Sean Gleeson - Wigan Warriors Darrell Goulding - Wigan Warriors Michael Haley - Leeds Rhinos Ben Harrison - Warrington Wolves Dean Hatton - Wigan Warriors Ben Kavanagh - Wigan Warriors Thomas Lee - Hull FC Dean McGilvray - St Helens Michael McIllorum - Wigan Warriors Scott Moore - St Helens Craig Rennison - Wigan Warriors Chris Riley - Warrington Wolves Steven Tyrer - St Helens Joe Walsh - Leeds Rhinos.
Powergen Champion Schools Final Cardinal Newman - Year 8 Girls Finalists Cardinal Newman Year 8 girls got a few tips from the Wolves before their trip down to Cardiff this weekend to participate in the Year 8 finals of the Powergen Champions Schools Final. Cardinal Newman is an 11-16 mixed Catholic Comprehensive school with over 700 children on the school roll. The school's intake covers a wide area of Warrington. The school has links with Warrington Wolves and is on the threshold of major developments for both indoor and outdoor sports. Last year the girl Rugby League team enjoyed great success and narrowly lost out in the girls Powergen Champion Schools final but thoroughly enjoyed the occasion and are looking forward to retuning to Cardiff. Playing Roster: 1. Emily Rudge 2. Emily Carters 3. Jodie Cunningham 4. Harriet Ellison 5. Jessica Green 6. Elizabeth Gladman 7. Jade McKay 8. Danielle McKay 9. Fern Davie 10. Lucy Edwards 11. Chloe Leech 13. Kim Sutcliffe 14. Jenny Parker
21st August. Widnes 16 Warrington 60. A superb display by Lee Briers got Warrington on the road to a deserved victory at Widnes. Widnes were consigned to the National League as Warrington scored 11 tries in a one-sided affair at the Halton Stadium. The Wolves bounced back to form in emphatic fashion after three straight losses as they ran riot against the hapless hosts. Henry Fa'afili and Toa Kohe Love both grabbed a brace as they made sure the Vikings would be relegated alongside Leigh. Widnes (4) 16. Tries: Hughes, Kerr, Finnigan. Goals: Myler 2. Warrington (26) 60. Tries: Fa'afili 2, Westwood, Lima, M. Gleeson, Kohe-Love 2, Grose, M. Gleeson, P. Wood, Riley. Goals: Bridge 8. Att: 7,878 . Teams Widnes: J. O'Neill, Watts, Connolly, Hughes, Viane, Myler, Kerr, J. O'Neill, Smith, Nash, Cassidy, Frame, Finnigan. Replacements: Emelio, Whitaker, Mills, Alcock. Warrington: Grose, Fa'afili, M. Gleeson, Kohe-Love, Bridge, Briers, N. Wood, Leikvoll, M. Gleeson, P. Wood, Swann, Westwood, Clarke. Replacements: Riley, Bracek, Hilton, Lima.
18th August. Paul Cullen reckons the lack of Lee Briers in the team has been a big factor in the teams poor display in recent weeks Cullen said: "When we got back to being two scores behind Huddersfield I was confident that we had the quality and the skill to come back and win the game. "We just missed an X-factor. Lee Briers has proven many times for us, including at Huddersfield and Widnes not so long ago, that the players respond to his ability to positively influence the game." Jon Clarke (head cut) and Mike Wainwright (foot) are expected to be fitand Graham Appo is back in contention for the left-wing role after getting over from a shoulder injury.
Rd 25 Team News Coach Paul Cullen has named his 20-man squad to face Widnes Vikings on Sunday afternoon at the Halton Stadium in Round 25 of the engage Super League. 1 Brent Grose 2 Henry Fa'afili 3 Martin Gleeson 4 Toa Kohe Love 6 Lee Briers (C) 7 Nathan Wood 8 Chris Leikvoll 9 Jon Clarke 10 Mark Hilton 11 Logan Swann 12 Mike Wainwright 13 Paul Noone 14 Mark Gleeson 15 Ben Westwood 16 Paul Wood 17 Danny Lima 18 Graham Appo 22 Steve Pickersgill 25 Chris Bridge 28 Chris Riley INJURIES 5 Dean Gaskell - groin injury sustained in RND21 v London Broncos (17/07/05) U21s 19 Daryl Cardiss 21 Simon Grix 23 Andrew Bracek 26 Nicky Royle 27 Ben Harrison
Cullens Comment Paul Cullen looks at the recent run of games and looks to the derby match this weekend with Widnes Vikings. 3 LOSSES IN A ROW ARE YOU CONCERNED? Challenged and focussed on our performance against Widnes, no other team in the competition has beaten Leeds and St Helens back to back. We hit a fresher side last week who were the best team on the night. WHAT TO YOU CONTRIBUTED TO THE POOR PERFORMANCE ON FRIDAY AGAINST HUDDERSFIELD ? A far better effort from Huddersfield than they offered in our previous two victories so far this season and a Warrington side who sent some very dangerous signals to the Giants in the first two sets.
Cycle Train to Widnes Nearly thirty Wolves fans decided to 'cycle themselves fitter' to Widnes and back for the recent Wolves versus Vikings fixture. The sun shone on these righteous eco-travellers and even the Widnes fans seemed to approve. A secure parking area was kindly provided by the Vikings and, saddle-soreness notwithstanding, a fine time was had by all. The exercise was so successful that it will be repeated when we next visit the Halton Stadium on August 21st. If you are interested, call Community Wolves on 01925 248894.
Referees Question & Answer Forum on Monday 22nd August 2005, in the Vice Presidents Lounge, North Stand, Halliwell Jones Stadium from 7pm. In attendance will be Warrington's own Karl Kirkpatrick, Ian Smith, Tony Brown and "Refscall" from Wolfweb. This is your chance to come along and ask all those burning questions. Everybody is welcome to attend the event. Admission is free to Supporters' Trust members and £3 to non members (pay at the door). Non members will have the opportunity to join the Trust, the fee is £5 per year which entitles you to free entrance to the event. Please come along and help us with the development of Warrington Wolves.
Paul Cullen has admitted his squad need to freshen up in the bid to finish Super League X in third spot. He has described the squad as looking 'worse for wear' in Friday's third successive defeat at Huddersfield and has put a training schedule in place that will hopefully put Wire back on track at relegation threatened Widnes on Sunday, kick-off 3pm. Cullen is also hoping that captain Lee Briers and utility back Graham Appo should give the necessary lift to the performance of the team. He said: "There are times in a season when you can push the players hard and we were doing that in the build-up to the Leeds, St Helens and Huddersfield games. "But against .Huddersfield we looked 'worse for wear' for the season so far. It was a flat week, it was a flat start to the game and one that we never recovered from. "There are times when less is best and this is very much one of them." He added: "This squad is basically rotated off 19 players. Our players, as a small unit, have played more games together than any other team in Super League. So, we've used far less players for longer periods than any of the other 11 clubs and that is very evident at the moment. "That's a matter of fact and we can't undo that. What we simply have to do now is try and freshen up and take the two points from this game against Widnes, and that is all that our focus is on." He said: "There are more signings to come and the bottom line in our recruitment policy for next year is that we believe we have to get far better value from the 20 players in the 20/20 (20 players who are paid £20,000 or more). "This year injuries and lack of form have overburdened the 18 or 19 senior players who have figured consistently. "The 20/20 means you cannot carry one single player and all 20 have to be able to contribute. "The 20 have to be first-choice players and the players numbered from 14 to 20 have to have the ability to go into a starting 13 and be able to win the game for us. "And the players numbered from 21 to 25 have to be able to come in and contribute to a win, as opposed to making introductory performances that occasionally contribute to a loss because the players aren't ready for it at that time."
12th August. Coach Paul Cullen bemoaned Wires lack of desire after their third defeat in a row. "That desire to win the game wasn't there. I was very, very disappointed with our defence," he said. We had too many of our players waiting for someone to win the game Warrington coach Paul Cullen "We sent them early signals by giving three tries away and Huddersfield made some decent yards on us. "I'm very disappointed that our defence and our contact was again very soft from the kick-off." Huddersfield: Reilly, O'Hare, Evans, Nero, Greenwood, Thorman, March, McDonald, Drew, Gannon, Crabtree, Smith, Gene. Replacements: S. Jones, Grayshon, White, Jackson. Warrington: Grose, Fa'afili, M. Gleeson, Kohe-Love, Riley, Bridge, N. Wood, Leikvoll, Clarke, Hilton, Swann, Wainwright, Westwood. Replacements: M. Gleeson, P. Wood, Lima, Noone.Tries Huddersfield (26) 38 Tries: Reilly, Drew, Crabtree 2, Nero 2, Gannon Goals: Thorman 5. Tries Warrington (6) 22 Tries: M. Gleeson, Swann, N. Wood, Bridge Goals: Bridge Att: 4,067. Ht 26-6
11 th August. Rd 24 18 Man Squad Coach Paul Cullen has named his 18 man squad to face the Huddersfield Giants on Friday 12th August 2005, kick off 8pm live on Sky Sports. 1 Brent Grose 2 Henry Fa'afili 3 Martin Gleeson 4 Toa Kohe Love 7 Nathan Wood (C) 8 Chris Leikvoll 9 Jon Clarke 10 Mark Hilton 11 Logan Swann 12 Mike Wainwright 13 Paul Noone 14 Mark Gleeson 15 Ben Westwood 16 Paul Wood 17 Danny Lima 22 Steve Pickersgill 25 Chris Bridge 28 Chris Riley (D) INJURIES 5 Dean Gaskell - groin injury sustained in RND21 v London Broncos (17/07/05) 6 Lee Briers - thigh injury sustained in RND 20 v Wigan Warriors (09/07/05) 18 Graham Appo - shoulder injury sustained in Rnd23 v St Helens (05/08/05) U21s 19 Daryl Cardiss 21 Simon Grix 23 Andrew Bracek 26 Nicky Royle 27 Ben Harrison
Cullens Comment Paul Cullen gives his view on the Saints game last week and looks towards this Friday evening against the Huddersfield Giants. POST MORTEM TO FRIDAY NIGHT? Very simple, the sin bin killed us; two tries in that ten minutes period took a very good St Helens side too far away. One poor kick chase and the quality that we are all aware of who was invited to score. A SECOND DEFEAT TO ANOTHER TOP TABLE CONTENDER, DOES THAT REINFORCE THE GAP BETWEEN POSITION 1/2 AND 3/4 SPOT? With out doubt and the fact that we don't hide from, we will have to be at our very best to beat Saints or Leeds and no team can afford to be down to 12 men against them. More comments from Paul on the news section of Wolf Web.
Lee Briers is to sit out another game on Friday night, Said Paul Cullen, He said: "We have won a number of games this year without Lee Briers, but they weren't against Leeds or St Helens, and the difference in class was obvious and one we don't hide from. "We knew full well that for us to beat Leeds and Saints back-to-back we were going to need our best 17 all fully fit and at the peak of their form, and the obvious fact was that they weren't. "But we won at Bradford without Lee Briers and Nathan Wood, and whether Lee plays or not at Huddersfield we have the ability to win the game."Expecting a hard game He said: "Winning the physical battle is very important. We have come up against that in the last three years against them, and we are fully prepared for it. "Anyone who wins at Wakefield by that points margin needs respect and it will be a very intense, tough, physical and important game. "We have to stand up to them, dominate the middle channels and make sure we complete, kick and chase." Wire winger Chris Riley, who missed out on selection against Saints. The 17-year-old will be preferred to Paul Noone despite the forward impressing on the left wing against St Helens. But Cullen wants to keep Noone as a substitute second rower and has no problems about Riley's ability to cope . "I've got no doubt in my mind that Chris can handle what's thrown at him," he said. "He's worked very hard, has got natural pace and a great desire, and it is the effort in the gym that has facilitated him being brought into the first team squad." Cullen has set a target of three wins from the games against Huddersfield, Widnes and Salford, and he is not concerned about the defeats against Super League's top two. "We're not worried about the results at all sometimes you go up against teams that are better than you," he said. "The table and form this year suggests that Leeds and St Helens are better than Warrington, and we always knew it was going to be tough. "At some point we were going to have to sit on the ropes for a couple of rounds, get a bit of a towelling and have enough character to bounce off them, and that's going to be tested tomorrow night. "We're going to Huddersfield for the win. We want six points from the next three games, and then Andrew Johns arrives and it becomes a whole different ball game." After securing a deal for Johns, who will join the squad on September 6, Wolves have been linked in the Australian media with a move for Sydney Roosters loose forward Luke Ricketson, while Great Britain international Adrian Morley has also been suggested for a loan switch to Super League. But Cullen said: "We're not planning any more short-term deals I think we've shocked the world enough for now!" Probable team to face Huddersfield: Brent Grose; Henry Fa'afili, Martin Gleeson, Toa Kohe-Love, Chris Riley; Chris Bridge, Nathan Wood; Chris Leikvoll, Jon Clarke, Mark Hilton, Logan Swann, Mike Wainwright, Ben West-wood. Subs: Paul Noone, Mark Gleeson, Paul Wood, Danny Lima.
Andrew Johns admits to being nervous about meeting his new team when he arrives in Warrington on September 6. Johns, who is the only player in the history of the game to have been voted the world's best player on two separate occasions, has done everything there is to do in rugby league, yet a switch of clubs will be new to him, having spent all his career with the Newcastle Knights.He said: "It's a big challenge for me because I've been at Newcastle since I was 14, so I'm a bit nervous about going over there into a different environment with new players and a new coach. "But I'm really looking forward to it. It's a whole new challenge and I'm excited about the prospect of getting to train with the new guys and learning the different moves and calls, and then ultimately getting on the field and playing that first game against Leeds. "My goal is to fit in with the side, get to know all the guys and play every game to the best of my ability." he is not taking the situation lightly knowing full well that one of the players he meets on the 6th will be out of the squad for the duration of the playoffs.Johns said: "I suppose the thing with me coming in is that someone is going to lose their position and I'm not really comfortable about that, but it's something which I've got to work out with the players there. "I know Nathan Wood, as well as knowing Chris Leikvoll, Danny Lima, Logan Swann, Martin Gleeson and Brent Grose to say hello to. "I understand Nathan's been great this year and he's been sensational in the games I've seen him play in the last couple of years, so it's something that's got to be handled in the right way." Wire are expecting a lot of input from a player with Johns' credentials "I was talking to Paul Cullen about the young players, and he says that they got some outstanding kids coming through," said Johns who will play for Newcastle on Sunday despite turning an ankle in their last game. "I enjoy the role of helping the young guys at Newcastle, and after every session I generally grab them and we do extras and some extra kicking, and pick each other's brains. "If anyone wants to know anything I'll definitely pass on whatever I've been taught in Australia."
10th August. Head Coach Paul Cullen has named his 20-man squad to face Huddersfield Giants on Friday night at The Galpharm Stadium. 1 Brent Grose 2 Henry Fa’afili 3 Martin Gleeson 4 Toa Kohe Love 6 Lee Briers (C) 7 Nathan Wood 8 Chris Leikvoll 9 Jon Clarke 10 Mark Hilton 11 Logan Swann 12 Mike Wainwright 13 Paul Noone 14 Mark Gleeson 15 Ben Westwood 16 Paul Wood 17 Danny Lima 18 Graham Appo 22 Steve Pickersgill 25 Chris Bridge 28 Chris Riley (D) INJURED: 5. Dean Gaskell – groin injury sustained in RND21 v London Broncos (17.07.05) U21s 19.Daryl Cardiss 21. Simon Grix 23. Andrew Bracek 26. Nicky Royle
Powergen Skills Day On Thursday 18th August the Wolves Award Winning Community Team will be teaming up with Powergen to deliver a 'Fun Rugby League Skills Day' at The Halliwell Jones Stadium! The event is open to all 8-11 year olds and will incorporate a Stadium Tour, use of the brand new Philip Williams 'Sport Wall' and an introduction to the equipment and sports incorporated within the Wolves new Liverpool John Lennon 'Fitkids' programme. Warrington Wolves stars will also be in attendance towards the end of the day to sign autographs and answer all of your questions! The activities start at 11am and run till 3.15pm and the event is completely free of charge! *A packed lunch is required *Suitable outdoor kit and footwear will be needed (no boots please) You will also have use of the fantastic Rugby League 'Skill Zone' Inflatable, where you will be able to take part in passing, tackling and kicking activities. If you would like to come and join the fun, please contact Debbie Blackburn on 01925 248894 to register. Please note that places for this event are limited and are ONLY available by pre-booking. For health and safety reasons, we will be unable to accept those who have not pre-booked. PLEASE NOTE THAT WARRINGTON WOLVES WOULD LIKE TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS AT THIS EVENT FOR THEIR RECORDS AND TO PUBLICISE THE WORK OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
8th August. Fixture Changes Warrington Wolves can confirm the following fixture changes to Round 27 & 28: Round 27 - Warrington Wolves v Leeds Rhinos This match will now be played Saturday 10th September, 2005 at 6pm (18:00 GMT), instead of Sunday 11th. This fixture will be live on Sky Sports. Round 28 - Hull FC v Warrington Wolves This match will now be played on Friday 16th September, 2005 at 8pm (20:00 GMT), instead of Sunday 18th September. This fixture will be live on Sky Sports.
5th August . Warrington 10 St Helens 30.Warrington coach Paul Cullen insisted his side were not distracted by the signing of Andrew Johns after their defeat. "The absence of Lee Briers probably had more of an effect on the performance than the imminent arrival of Andrew Johns . Saints can find themselves very fortunate to have 13 men on the field for the entire game Teams Warrington: Grose, Fa'afili, M. Gleeson, Kohe-Love, Appo, Bridge, N. Wood, Leikvoll, Clarke, Hilton, Swann, Wainwright, Westwood. Replacements: M. Gleeson, Noone, P. Wood, L Johns," said Cullen. "The sin-binning of Jon Clarke just knocked us out of our stride. "But Saints can find themselves very fortunate to have 13 men on the field for the entire game." ima. St Helens: Wellens, Albert, Lyon, Talau, Gardner, Hooper, Long, Fozzard, Cunningham, P. Anderson, Bennett, Wilkin, Sculthorpe. Replacements: Roby, Graham, Fa'asavalu, Edmondson. Scores Warrington (0) 10 Tries: Gleeson, Noone. Goals: Bridge St Helens (18) 30 Tries: Bennett, Graham, Gardner, Long, Wellens Goals: Sculthorpe 5 Attn 12,762.
5th August. Rd23: Ticket Update Round 23 v St Helens TONIGHT 8pm Kick Off South Stand: SOLD OUT Martin Dawes Stand: SOLD OUT North Stand: Less than 200 tickets available, with few together West Stand: Are available to Warrington Wolves fans, the Club are expecting a large contingent of home fans to go in this stand. Please purchase your tickets from Wolfware on 01925 248888
4 th August. Rd23 18 Man Squad Paul Cullen has named his 18-man squad to face St Helens on Friday night: 1 Brent Grose 2 Henry Fa'afili 3 Martin Gleeson 4 Toa Kohe Love 7 Nathan Wood 8 Chris Leikvoll 9 Jon Clarke 10 Mark Hilton 11 Logan Swann 12 Mike Wainwright 13 Paul Noone 14 Mark Gleeson 15 Ben Westwood 16 Paul Wood 17 Danny Lima 18 Graham Appo 25 Chris Bridge 28 Chris Riley (D)* INJURED: 5. Dean Gaskell - groin injury sustained in RND21 v London Broncos (17.07.05) 6. Lee Briers - thigh injury sustained in RND 20 v Wigan Warriors (09/07/05) U21s (NO MATCH THIS WEEKEND) 19. Daryl Cardiss 21. Simon Grix 22. Steve Pickersgill 23. Andrew Bracek 26. Nicky Royle 27. Ben Harrison *Chris Riley, 17 Woolston Rovers ARLFC signed 18 months ago and has gone through the system playing regular U21s this season. Has had representative honours for England and Lancashire this season, scoring for England against France. Featured in the pre-season friendlies on the wing against Widnes, Barrow and Whitehaven.
Paul Cullen was delighted by Andrew Johns' decision to come to Warrington after a chance enquiry at a Cricket Test match by the club's owner Simon Moran,Cullen said: "It is a breathtaking coup as he's the best player in the world. His defence is as good as any back row forward, his. thinking ability on or off the ball is far in excess of any other player in the world of rugby let alone rugby league and we are privileged to have him at The Halliwell Jones Stadium. "Buy your tickets now to get a piece of this as it won't last forever. Enjoy the ride." But the deal has gone through and Cullen has revealed plans to overcome the overseas quota issue, with Johns becoming the fourth player that would count but as only three are allowed. He said: "Once myself and Simon Moran believed this wasf| a possibility rather than a one in a million miracle, the first person I informed was the club captain Lee Briers and then immediately our three overseas players Nathan Wood, Brent Grose and Graham Appo. "And the response from all was that this is the most sensational deal that they've ever heard of or ever been a part of. "My explanation to the three overseas players was that if one of them is injured from now on and thus not available to be a part of the play-offs, then that player would be de-registered to accommodate Andrew Johns. "If all three are fit I would make the decision, based on technical and tactical reasons, as to which player would be de-registered. "De-registration is a matter of established protocol and precedents have been set. None of the three would lose out financially if they were to become de-registered. "And every player that we have on our books has offered nothing but admiration and support for the move that we've made." In telephone conversations with Johns, Cullen has been pleased with the player's eagerness to get down to business with Wolves and fulfil his ambitions of playing club rugby over here once his season's commitments are over with Newcastle. Cullen said: "The interest from Andrew Johns in coming across the world to play for us in the Super League has absolutely staggered us. "The moment this all became a possibility we were discussing tactics, and shape and structure of the Warrington players and how they play. " He added "The moment this all became a possibility we were discussing tactics, and shape and structure of the Warrington players and how they play. "He bit at the opportunity that much and that quickly that the logistics that needed to be resolved were almost put to one side because he went straight into pro mode. "And with regards to the finances, the numbers are very reasonable, have never been an issue for discussion and he is worth every penny. This is not a mercenary act - this is a dream and a goal that he is determined to fulfil. "His initial concern was how he would fit in within the player group, and how he would be accepted by joining us at the round 27 stage. "I simply reiterated every comment that every player made to me about his arrival, and he's greatly excited by that. He's humbled by the fact that the players are welcoming him into this with open arms."
WOLVES go into their next Halliwell Jones Stadium game against St Helens tomorrow, Friday, 1 kick-off 8pm, with major injury problems at half back. Both captain Lee Briers (thigh strain) and vice-captain Nathan Wood (neck, shoulder and back) are doubtful to take on St Helens. Graham Appo and Chris Bridge are to step up to the half backs roles and this could lead to a first start on the wing for 17-year-old Warringtonm born nplayerChris Riley, who has come through the club's ranks and impreesed atrepresentative level this year.The former Woolston Rovers junior Riley has been named in Paul Cullen's 20-man squad in the absence of other wingers Dean Gaskell, Daryl Cardiss and Nicky Royle. Wire' international centre Martin Gleeson, who has been on a Great Britain training camp this week, will be hoping to gain his first win against his former club after two last-ditch defeats to them earlier in the season . GB coach Brian Noble this week revealed that Warrington's back row forward Ben Westwood is being considered for the Tri-Nations series at the end of the season.
Saints have several fitness doubts, following Saints' Challenge Cup semi-final defeat to Hull on Saturday. Although there is a doubt over Keiron Cunningham with a drawn out injury, Saints are hopeful he will play. Prop Paul Anderson is unlikely to be fit because of a leg muscle injury. Mark Edmondson and Mike Bennett left out of Saturday's 17-man squad are likely to come back .
3rd August. Joey' Joins Warrington Wolves.' Warrington are offering Australian legend Andrew 'Joey' Johns, 31 the opportunity to play in British Super League. Johns, the current halfback with NRL club Newcastle Knights will be coming on loan to the Wolves until the end of season arriving in time to train sufficiently and play in Engage Super League X: Round 27 v Leeds Rhinos. He usually plays half-back, but has played in other positions at times throughout his career. He was born in Cessnock the son of a coal miner and country rugby league player. After playing junior rugby league in Cessnock, he joined the Newcastle Knights in 1989. He made his first grade debut in 1994 against the South Sydney Rabbitohs. On his first class debut for the Newcastle Knights he scored a record tally of points - 23 - for a player making his first Premiership start. He soon formed a partnership with his older brother Matthew, who played at five-eighth. He played a pivotal role in the Knights' 1997 ARL grand final against Manly, playing through injury. The partnership was broken in 2000 when salary cap pressures forced Matthew to leave the club and join Wigan Warriors. He would soon become captain of the team, and led the Knights to another grand final win, beating the Parramatta Eels 30-24 in 2001. He was awarded the Clive Churchill Medal for man of the match. In his career, he has also represented his country at two World Cups, and one Kangaroo tour, playing 17 games for the Australian Kangaroos. He has also played in 23 games for the New South Wales Blues in a decade of State of Origin, captaining the side to a series win in 2001 and 2003. In a surprising move by NSW Origin selectors, Andrew Johns was picked to replace injured halfback Trent Barrett in this year's State of Origin Game 2 and Game 3. Johns made his comeback from a broken jaw and has been out of action for much of the last 18 months due to a knee reconstruction. He has also played for the Country Origin side in 1995 and 1996. He is often considered the best player of his generation, but has been plagued by injury in the past few seasons, often before or during the finals series. He was the target of a massive offer from rugby union in 2004, but decided to stay on with the Knights until 2007 on a two-year deal, which includes a contract with Channel 9 at the end of h is career. He is a life member of the Knights, alongside his brother, Matthew Johns.
* Representative Honours
* Country Origin 1995-1996
* 23 games for NSW 1995-2002, 2005
* 17 Tests 1995-2002
* World Cups 1995, 2000
* Kangaroo tour 2001
* He has captained Club, State and Country Awards
* Most Valuable Player in 1995 World Cup
* Dally M winner in 1998, 1999 and 2002
* Provan-Summons Medal winner in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
* Rugby League Week's Player of the Year 1998, 1999, 2002
* NRL Player of the Year 1998, 1999, 2002
* Won Golden Boot award as best player in the world 1999, 2001
* Player of the Series Australia v Great Britain 2001
* Clive Churchill Medal 2001
2nd August.Rd23 Team News Head Coach Paul Cullen has named his 20-man squad to face St Helens on Friday night at The Halliwell Jones Stadium, kick-off 8pm. 1 Brent Grose 2 Henry Fa'afili 3 Martin Gleeson 4 Toa Kohe Love 6 Lee Briers (C) 7 Nathan Wood 8 Chris Leikvoll 9 Jon Clarke 10 Mark Hilton 11 Logan Swann 12 Mike Wainwright 13 Paul Noone 14 Mark Gleeson 15 Ben Westwood 16 Paul Wood 17 Danny Lima 18 Graham Appo 22 Steve Pickersgill 25 Chris Bridge 28 Chris Riley (D)* INJURED: 5. Dean Gaskell - groin injury sustained in RND21 v London Broncos (17.07.05) U21s (NO MATCH THIS WEEKEND) 19.Daryl Cardiss 21. Simon Grix 22. Steve Pickersgill 26. Nicky Royle .
After getting clearance from the ARL Andrew Johns could be available to face Leeds on the 11th September. However should Wire progress to the Grand Final Johns it is still not clear if he will be available, as he will be required for a Tri-Nations game v New Zealand.
