August 2007
31st August. Warrington 22 Huddersfield 34.The lead changed hands several times in a see-saw first half before Kevin Penny's 37th-minute try sent the teams into the break level at 12-12. Rod Jensen's interception try put the Giants in front and even Ben Westwood's hat-trick could not save the Blues. Wire battled bravely, but Kevin Brown intercepted to kill off the game. In conditions harking back to the pre-Super League era of winter rugby, both sides made plenty of mistakes but Wire who dropped to sixth place in the table - were severely punished.
Paul Cullen said "We got what we deserved. We scored five very good tries but our composure and discipline simply wasn't good enough," said Cullen. "We surrendered the battle of field possession and played the game at the wrong end of the field. "But it all pales into insignificance when we consider the injuries to Paul Wood. He has a very badly bust shoulder. The shoulder came out and we fear he broke it as well."
Scores Warrington: (12) 22 Tries: Fa'afili, Westwood 3, Penny Goal: Westwood Huddersfield: (12) 34 Tries: Hudson, Drew, Jensen, Lolesi, Brown Goals: Thorman 7
Squads Warrington: Grose, Fa'afili, M. Gleeson, Westwood, Penny, Clarke, Briers, Wood, M. Gleeson, Rauhihi, Morley, Bracek, Harrison. Replacements: Leikvoll, Pickersgill, Parker, Mitchell. Huddersfield: Thorman, Reilly, Lolesi, Nero, Jensen, Brown, Drew, Griffin, Hudson, Skandalis, Jones, Raleigh, Wild. Replacements: Paul, Crabtree, Jackson, Lawrence.
30th August.Head Coach Paul Cullen has named his 18 man squad to face Huddersfield Giants in Round 25 of the engage Super League XII at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Friday: 2. Henry Fa'afili 3. Martin Gleeson 5. Brent Grose 7. Lee Briers 8. Chris Leikvoll 9. Jon Clarke 10. Paul Rauhihi 11. Adrian Morley 12. Ben Westwood 14. Mark Gleeson 15. Rob Parker 16. Paul Wood 19. Steve Pickersgill 21. Andrew Bracek 22. Ben Harrison 24. Chris Riley 26. Kevin Penny 29. Lee Mitchell.
Academy players Steve Pickersgill, Ben Harrison, Chris Riley and Mike Cooper. All four have played in the Super League this year. Second row forward Harrison, 19, has signed a new three-year contract and 21-year-old prop Pickersgill has signed a new 12-month deal. Winger Riley, 19, and 18-year-old prop Cooper have taken up one-year options on their current contracts.
28th August.Head Coach Paul Cullen has named his 20 man squad to face Huddersfield Giants in Round 25 of the engage Super League XII at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Friday: 2. Henry Fa'afili 3. Martin Gleeson 5. Brent Grose 6. Chris Bridge 7. Lee Briers 8. Chris Leikvoll 9. Jon Clarke 10. Paul Rauhihi 11. Adrian Morley 12. Ben Westwood 13. Vinnie Anderson 14. Mark Gleeson 15. Rob Parker 16. Paul Wood 19. Steve Pickersgill 21. Andrew Bracek 22. Ben Harrison 24. Chris Riley 26. Kevin Penny 29. Lee Mitchell .
23rd August. Paul Cullen has expressed his disappointment at the clubs inability to hang on to three of the clubs best performers namely Henry Fa'afilli Chris Leikvoll and Brent Grose,the three are released at the end of the season purely on salary cap considerations, Fa'afilli was offered a new deal but was not happy with it.Paul Cullen said While expressing his disappointment at losing the trio's services, head coach Paul Cullen also highlighted the club's tough stance with regards to the game's salary cap regulations. "Personally, I'm gutted to be losing the three players and I genuinely mean it when I say our loss is someone else's gain," he said. "They are outstanding contributors both on and off the field. "The character of those players is remarkable but we won't cheat, we won't try and dodge the salary cap and we make no apologies for spending how we have done. "Unfortunately, something's got to give. "Other clubs haven't operated that way, they've bought players and kept hold of players and we can't." The three players have committed to do their best for the club untill the end of the season. Australian Leikvoll, who arrived from St George-Illawarra in time for the first season at The Halliwell Jones, said: "Even though I'm leaving, and Brent and Henry are in the same situation, we're still 100 per cent committed. "You've got to be professional about it even though you don't like the decision they've made but that's the way it goes." Negotiations are continuing with three other players namely Paul Rauhihi , Ben Harrison and Steve Pickerskill.
Simon Grix could be out for the year after picking up a potentially seriuos ankle injury in training however Paul Cullen is hopefull that three of his long term injured players will be back to face Huddersfield on the 31st August in a game to be televised on Sky TV, Chris Bridge (knee), Henry Fa'afili (ankle) and Vinnie Anderson (back) .Culleen fuether revealed that no less than nine of the players on the field for the Catalans game were carrying injuries they were Lee Briers, Brent Grose, Martin Gleeson, Jon Clarke and Adrian Morley, Mark Gleeson and Chris Riley .Rob Parker and Chris Leikvoll made themselves available despite not being 100 per cent ready to return from their injuries. Kevin Penny ended the game with a limp and Martin Gleeson had to leave the field with a rib injury.
20th August.Warrington 22 Catalans 18.Coach Paul Cullen "It wasn't the best we've been all year but it was the bravest by a mile. "We had eight players out of 24 unavailable and medically it's been the probably the hardest week since I came back to the club five years ago. "Full credit to the Catalans, who didn't come here to give the game away, and I was really pleased the guys toughed it out."
Scorers: Warrington (12) 22 Tries: Riley, Penny, Grose 2, Parker Goals: Briers. Catalans Dragons (6) 18 Tries: Greenshields, Jones, Murphy Goals: Jones 3
Squads: Warrington: Grose, Riley, M. Gleeson, Westwood, Penny, Clarke, Briers, Wood, M. Gleeson, Rauhihi, Morley, Bracek, Harrison. Replacements: Leikvoll, Pickersgill, Parker, Mitchell. Catalans Dragons: Greenshields, Murphy, Wilson, Raguin, Khattabi, Mogg, Jones, Ferriol, Quigley, Chan, Gossard, Croker, Mounis. Replacements: Touxagas, K. Bentley, Casty, Fellous.
18th August. Head Coach Paul Cullen has named his 18 man squad to face Catalan Dragons in Round 24 of the engage Super League XII at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Sunday. 2. Henry Fa'afili 3. Martin Gleeson 5. Brent Grose 7. Lee Briers 8. Chris Leikvoll 9. Jon Clarke 10. Paul Rauhihi 11. Adrian Morley 12. Ben Westwood 15. Rob Parker 14. Mark Gleeson 16. Paul Wood 19. Steve Pickersgill 20. Simon Grix 21. Andrew Bracek 22. Ben Harrison 24. Chris Riley 26. Kevin Penny .
16th August.Head Coach Paul Cullen has named his 20 man squad to face Catalan Dragons in Round 24 of the engage Super League XII at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Sunday: 2. Henry Fa'afili 3. Martin Gleeson 5. Brent Grose 6. Chris Bridge 7. Lee Briers 8. Chris Leikvoll 9. Jon Clarke 10. Paul Rauhihi 11. Adrian Morley 12. Ben Westwood 13. Vinnie Anderson 15. Rob Parker 14. Mark Gleeson 16. Paul Wood 19. Steve Pickersgill 20. Simon Grix 21. Andrew Bracek 22. Ben Harrison 24. Chris Riley 26. Kevin Penny
Simon Grix could take over the number 6 spot if Chris Bridge fails to make the team for Sundays game against Catalans KO 17.00 hrs.Other players doubtful are Morley (thigh bleed) and hooker Mark Gleeson (cut eye), as well as Bridge (knee), will be given time to prove their fitness but Paul Cullen is definitely ruling out a return for loose forward Vinnie Anderson, Rob Parker (lip surgery) could return as\well as Chris Leikvoll (Achilles) along with winger Chris Riley (under 21s), Les Catalans expectto name their strongest possible line-up six days prior to their Wembley showdown with St Helens.Lee Briers, has trained this week despite a first-minute injury at Hull, also looks set to figure, as does Martin Gleeson, who needed stitches in a head cut after his 80 minutes at the KG Stadium. Prop Paul Wood will be available after avoiding a suspension at Tuesday afternoon's disciplinary hearing for the careless high tackle that resulted in a red card at Hull. On Simon Grix Paul Cullen said. "Simon got a chance to get some decent work in at Hull. He through unscathed physically which is a massive bonus to him and us "We're confident he can do the job at stand off that is going to be required for this game.
Henry Fa'afilli looks set to stay as centre to Kevin Penny after impressing coach Paul Cullen, however it is still on the cards that Henry will be moving at the end of the season due to salary cap considerations.Pual Cullen said: "I chose to leave Henry at centre and move Simon Grix on to the wing because of stability for the team but also because he's playing so well. "The second try he scored, getting on the outside of the centre and cutting Gareth Raynor up on the inside was an exceptional piece of play." Reagrding Henry leaving he club Cullen commented on Fa'afili's contract situation saying: "I've always been a massive fan of Hennry Fa'afili. "He has done and is doing what I brought him to the club to do and that is to score tries. "We've not been in a position where we can secure a contract for Henry for 2008. "If it's the case at the end of the year that Henry is released it's purely because we can't fit him under the salary cap."
15thAugust. Stuart Reardon will miss the rest of the season to undergo a full shoulder reconstruction.
14th August. Paul Wood is clear to face Catalans on Sunday, A Rugby Football League disciplinary hearing in Leeds, today, decided that he was guilty of a reckless high tackle but elected not to suspend him, although he has been fined £300.
12th August. Hull 46 Warrington 14. Warrington started well and were well in the game untill the second half when a couple of refereing decisions went against them. Paul Wood was dismissed
Coach Paul Cullen: "We had a good start, but conceded 14 penalties and allowed Hull to dominate us down the middle of the field. "We tried to push passes to get ourselves in the game, but invariably they went to the floor. "I don't think anyone could be happy with conceding 14 penalties. We appear in this game to have lost our discipline and it's not been the case for the last six weeks."
Scorers, Hull: Tries: Manu, Raynor (2), Briscoe, Carvell, Tony (2), Horne Goals: Tickle (7) Warrington: Tries: Gleeson, Fa'afili (2) Goals: Briers .
Squads Hull: Tony, Briscoe, Whiting, Hall, Raynor, R. Horne, Head, Dowes, Lee, King, Radford, Manu, Tickle. Replacements: Wheeldon, Washbrook, G. Horne, Carvell. Warrington: Grose, Reardon, M. Gleeson, Fa'afili, Penny, Bridge, Briers, Wood, M. Gleeson, Rauhihi, Westwood, Morley, Clarke. Replacements: Pickersgill, Grix, Bracek, Harrison. Ht 18-14.
11th August.Head Coach Paul Cullen has named his 18 man squad to face Hull FC in Round 23 of the engage Super League XII at the KC Stadium on Sunday: 1. Stuart Reardon 2. Henry Fa'afili 3. Martin Gleeson 5. Brent Grose 6. Chris Bridge 7. Lee Briers 8. Chris Leikvoll 9. Jon Clarke 10. Paul Rauhihi 11. Adrian Morley 12. Ben Westwood 14. Mark Gleeson 16. Paul Wood 19. Steve Pickersgill 20. Simon Grix 21. Andrew Bracek 22. Ben Harrison 26. Kevin Penny.
9th August. Head Coach Paul Cullen has named his 20 man squad to face Hull FC in Round 23 of the engage Super League XII at the KC Stadium on Sunday: 1. Stuart Reardon 2. Henry Fa'afili 3. Martin Gleeson 5. Brent Grose 6. Chris Bridge 7. Lee Briers 8. Chris Leikvoll 9. Jon Clarke 10. Paul Rauhihi 11. Adrian Morley 12. Ben Westwood 13. Vinnie Anderson 14. Mark Gleeson 16. Paul Wood 19. Steve Pickersgill 20. Simon Grix 21. Andrew Bracek 22. Ben Harrison 24. Chris Riley 26. Kevin Penny
Chris Leikvoll who missed the Wigan game due to an Achilles problem could step in to replace Rob Parker who will miss the Hull game after having cosmetic surgery on a badly cut mouth and lip, if Leikvoll does not make it Simon Grix will fill in.
Andrew Johns was most impressed with way Warrington beat Wigan on Sunday speaking to the Warrington Guardian he said, " The boys blew them off the park and played really well. "I was very impressed. They played really strong as a unit. A few players stood out but all round it was a great team effort. "I've played with a lot of the guys and I know what their ability is. If they get that luck with no injuries, there's no reason why they can't go all the way this season. "There's a lot of games to be played until then but I think they realise it too. The coach said there's a good feeling among the players. "It's good to see Paul Cullen getting a new contract. He's been a great servant to the club. "I see a great future for the club in the next couple of years and Paul wil! be involved with it. He's a great motivator. He understands the game and gets the best out of players."
On Tuesday it will be 5 years since Paul Cullen took over at the Wire, and we all remember the situation at the time he arrived getting beaten by Hull FC 14-42 in front of 4,416 at Wilderspool. The first game Paul Cullen took control of the team was against Wigan at Wilderspool Warrington 18 Wigan 40.
7th August. Rob Parker has had surgery on his mouth, after a clash of heads during the Wigan game. Paul Johnson could be out for a further 8 weeks after having a consultation with a specialist on his back injury.
6th August.Wire are awaiting reports on a facial injury to Rob Parker he left the field after 4 minutes of taking the field.
5th August. Warrington 43 Wigan 24. Skipper Lee Briers notched a try, helped set up several others and booted seven goals, plus a drop goal. Smart passing put Stuart Reardon over in the corner with just three minutes gone then Kevin Penny raced 40 yards to grab bag his 10th try in eight starts. Paul Cullen: "We've had to work hard and chase the pack to climb to fourth and received our reward. "It's been very hard to get into the top four but it'll be harder to stay there. "We knew Thomas Leuluai and Trent Barrett were outstanding players and Iefeta Paleaaesina would take some holding, and if we had lost our focus they would have done some damage. "But we put Wigan under pressure with some great defence."
Scorers.Warrington: (25) 43 Tries: Grose 2, Penny, Briers, Clarke, Fa'afili, Bridge Goals: Briers 7 Drop goals: Briers Wigan: (6) 24 Tries: Colbon, Leuluai, Goulding 2 Goals: Richards 4 .
Squads.Warrington: Grose, Reardon, M. Gleeson, Fa'afili, Penny, Bridge, Briers, Wood, M. Gleeson, Rauhihi, Westwood, Morley, Clarke Replacements: Grix, Harrison, Parker, Bracek Wigan: Ashton, Colbon, Bailey, Vaealiki, Richards, Barrett, Leuluai, Fielden, Higham, Paleaaesina, Fletcher, Hock, O'Loughlin Replacements: Goulding, O'Carroll, Hansen, Mcllorum . Attd 12,552
4th August . 18 man v Wigan.
1. Stuart Reardon
2. Henry Fa'afili
3. Martin Gleeson
5. Brent Grose
6. Chris Bridge
7. Lee Briers
8. Chris Leikvoll
9. Jon Clarke
10. Paul Rauhihi
11. Adrian Morley
12. Ben Westwood
14. Mark Gleeson
15. Rob Parker
16. Paul Wood
20. Simon Grix
21. Andy Bracek
22. Ben Harrison
26. Kevin Penny
2nd August. 20 man v Wigan.
1 Stuart Reardon
2 Henry Fa'afili
3 Martin Gleeson
5 Brent Grose
6 Chris Bridge
7 Lee Briers
8 Chris Leikvoll
9 Jon Clarke 10
Paul Rauhihi
11 Ben Westwood
12 Adrian Morley
14 Mark Gleeson
15 Rob Parker
16 Paul Wood
19 Steve Pickersgill
20 Simon Grix
21 Andrew Bracek
22 Ben Harrison
24 Chris Riley
26 Kevin Penny
Remaining Fixtures,
05 Sun Aug Wigan Warriors 15:00 Home
12 Sun Aug Hull FC 15:15 Away
19 Sun Aug Catalans Dragons 19:00 Home Sky.
02 Sun Sep Huddersfield Giants 15:00 Home
07 Fri Sep St Helens 20:00 Away
14 Fri Sep Salford City Reds 20:00 Away
Kevin Penny v Mark Calderwood battle of the wingers however Paul Cullen has played down the contest, while admitting Wolves may look to exploit some of Calderwood's weaknesses at the weekend. "I think it will be as important as the other 16 match-ups," he said. "We're not planning anything over special for Kevin Penny against Mark Calderwood. advertisement "Mark Calderwood is an international winger of some seniority and has real positives to his game and a couple of aspects to it that we might want to exploit. "But I'm sure Brian Noble is working hard at the Orrell training camp trying to find one or two weaknesses in Kevin Penny. "It's going to be interesting but I honestly think it's only one of 17 match-ups."More on this temporary link.
1st August. Well we start the new month off with a possible sell out at the Halliwell Jones the South Stand is sold out and West Stand seats are selling well so to avoid dissapoinment get there .The day will be a "double-header" with the Wolves Senior Academy taking on the Warriors with a 12.30pm kick-off, followed by the main event of Round 22 of the engage Super League.