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Warrington Wolves Club News |
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Warrington Wolves Club News |
The ground capacity at Wilderspool is to be increased from 7,284 to 9,000 after a meeting between club officials, safety advisors and the local council. The work, mainly on the installation of new crush barriers, is being carried out this week and will be complete well in time for the clash between the Wolves and Bradford Bulls this coming weekend.
22 year-old Warrington born prop forward Andy Leatham is to join the Wolves on loan from St Helens this week. Leathem has been unable to secure a regular first team place at Knowsley Road this year and is looking for games in Super League. The loan helps out the Wolves who are looking a little thin on the ground in the forwards after injuries to Danny Nutley, Gary Chambers and Mark Hilton.
Leathem was a member of the Saints side that beat Bradford in the Challenge Cup final three years a go.
Lord Doug Hoyle has accepted the Chairmanship of the Warrington Wolves. The former Chairman of the Labour paty and local MP has been courted by the club for the position for several months.
The new chairmans role will be to represent the Wolves at RFL functions and generally raise the clubs profile.
Lord Hoyle said: "I am delighted to be joining Warrington Wolves at this stage of their development. The club are looking forward towards recreating past glories on the pitch."
Peter Deakin added: "It is a pleasure to welcome Doug as chairman. His experience and enthusiasm will prove a tremendous asset in the development of this club."
A re-launch of the club by Peter Deakin is planned later in the year, probably the end of summer.
The Wolves capped off a wonderful Bank Holiday weekend with wins over Salford Reds and Gateshead Thunder. The win over the Reds saw Warrington move from fifth to fourth and the win over Gateshead pushed the Wolves up further to second spot behind Saints.
This is the best start to a season that Warrington have had for many years but matches against Wigan (away 11/4/99) and Bradford (Home 18/4/99) are still to come. The last time Warrington was in second place was the so near yet so far season of 93/94 when the Wire drew on points with Wigan and Bradford.
Injury worries have started to rear their ugly head with Jon Roper out a hamstring problem, Scott Wilson with a knee problem and a general tiredness through the camp from having to play two games in four days.
A three year deal has been signed by Peter Deakin to assure his immediate future at the Wolves.
The Wolves chief executive has just returned from a fact finding trip to Australia where he exchanged marketing ideas with NRL clubs and looked at how best to manage and build new stadia. Part of the trip was also to see how the big Australian cubs handle their youth structure and coaching.
The Wolves have received a letter from Parammatta officially tying the two clubs. Exchanges of junior coaching staff and fitness/conditioning proffessionals are to be arranged. Another link with the American Football team the Green Bay Packers has been unofficially started.
Chief Executive Peter Deakin has signed his first player. True to his word the Wolves supremo has linked up with his Rugby Union club Saracens by signing on loan 23 year old Alex Bennet.
Wing back Bennet, who has been unable to gain a first team spot through injury, has played for England B at Union as well as representing England Students and playing for local side Orrell.
"Alex has had plenty of first-team experience with Saracens but has been hit by injuries and is keen to try his hand at rugby league.", said Peter Deakin.
"We have set up an exchange with Saracens with one of the younger Warrington players likely to go down there at the end of our season."
Bennett is unlikely to start for the first team in the near future and it is thought that he has joined the club to bolster the Under 21's side.
Bennett is unlikely to start for the first team in the near future and it is thought that he has joined the club to bolster the Under 21's side and gain valuable league experience.
Both Lee Briers and Danny Farrar were cleared of any further action at a disciplinary hearing at Redhall today. Farrar was the first to be put on report by Referee John Connolly for an alleged high tackle, something that the Wolves Captain had a habit of doing throughout last season.
A more serious allegation of gouging was levelled at scrum-half Lee Briers. Bradford full-back Stuart Spruce claiming he was on the receiving end from Briers, but the league's executive ruled that Briers "had no case to answer" after they examined the incident on video.
The placing on report of both players and the substitution of an injured Lee Penny only added to the woe dished out by the superbly drilled Bulls side which beat the Wolves 52-16 in the Challenge Cup quarter final yesterday.
After their back-to-back victory over Halifax in the Challenge Cup and then the league the Wolves are looking to the Bradfors Bulls as there next scalp. The Bulls new half-back pairing of Robbie and Henry Paul are a dangerous combination for the visitors to contend with, but after a great defensive performance in difficult conditions at The Shay the Wolves are confident that past seasons poor performances at Odsal are well behind them.
The team is unlikely to be changed, other than a doubt over Lee Penny who fractured his thumb in the Halifax match but is rated by coach Darryl Van de Velde as having an 80-20 chance of playing.
"I don't think it would affect him if he plays," said Van de Velde.
"I'll make a decision later in the week but he has got to be 100% or close to it because we have 30 games to play in Super League this year."
However reports out of Wilderspool suggest that Penny is less than fit and being advised by medical staff not to start the match.
New Chief Executive Peter Deakin is to visit his old club Bradford Bulls as the Wolves drew the Yorkshire side in the quarter finals of the 1999 Challenge Cup. The game is to played on Sunday 14th March at Odsal, the match being shown live on BBC2's Grandstand Kick off 2.30pm.
Captain Danny Farrar was on hand after the draw to comment, "It doesn't matter who we play, you have to play the best sides to win the cup so we might as well play those teams now."
Tickets for the Challenge Cup clash with Halifax this coming Sunday are to be made available on the day. The tickets, leftovers from the Halifax ticket office, will be for the Railway end and Brian Bevan stand.
Tickets will be available from 10am - 1pm. Ground tickets, from the Railway end, will be available to buy from the club shop. Stand tickets, for the Brian Bevan stand, will be available from the ticket office.
Ground - £9 Adults, £5 concessions
Stand - £13 Adults, £7 concessions
The Wolves preparation for the Challenge Cup match against Halifax are going well. The same line up from the Featherstone match is expected to greet the Yorkshire challengers this Sunday.
The match is all set to be a battle of the forwards, with the way in which the backs support being vitally important in what in recent years has been a very close fixture.
"The task is for our forwards to match them up front because we've got the backs to settle it.", commented the Wolves coach.
This is a big game. Everyone off the field has done their bit, now it is up to the team on the pitch and the supporters to get behind us."
| Year | W/L/D | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | W | 31 - 20 |
| 1997 | W | 25 - 22 |
| 1996 | W | 16 - 10 |
| 1995-96 | L | 14 - 16 |
| 1994-95 | D | 14 -14 |
| 1993-94 | W | 15 - 7 |
| 1992-93 | W | 56 - 24 |
| 1991-92 | W | 38 -14 |
The Wolves fifth round tie against Halifax Blue Sox, which is scheduled for Sunday 28th February, is to be all ticket. The decision was made before the BBC decided that it would like to feature the match on Sunday Grandstand, kick off time is now 2.30pm.
Tickets will go on general sale at the club shop this Saturday and will continue to sell until the following Saturday, with no tickets being sold on the day. Telephone orders are currently being taken by the Club on 235005 and an evening ticket sale in the Touchdown club on Thursday 25th between 5-10pm will take place. An allocation of 1,800 tickets has been given to the Blue Sox and their tickets will also go on sale this coming Saturday. Demand for tickets is likely to be high and supporters are urged to buy early to avoid disappointment as the match is looking likely to be a sell out.
The capacity for the ground has again been decreased, due to safety reasons, to 7,284 from 9,200 the previous year.
The draw for the next round of the cup will come live from the sponsors lounge at 5.10pm.
After a convincing 50 - 6 victory over Division one side Featherstone Rovers the Wolves have been drawn at home to Halifax Blue Sox in the fifth round of the Challenge Cup. The Yorkshire side defeated amateur side Featherstone Lions 74 - 6 on their way to the next round.
The Blue Sox, who were beaten 31 - 10 at Wilderspool last season, will have a tougher time of it in the forthcoming round with the Wolves with a home advantage and hungry for victory. The Blue Sox are also the Wolves first opponents of SL IV on Sunday 7th March.
Coach Darryl Van de Velde has prepared his side well for this weekends clash with beaten Division 1 Grand Finalists Featherstone Rovers. The Wolves supremo has named the same squad that beat St Helens in a friendly match on 29th January. Packman Steve McCurrie has recovered from a niggling knee injury to take a place on the subs bench.
Former Wolf Brendon Tuuta, who re-joined Featherstone in the closed season, was due to face his old club but his inclusion is unlikely as he has been suffering from chicken pox an isn't due to arrive back in the country until today. Featherstone coach, Kevin Hobbs, has delyed naming his squad due the number of injuries and illnesses that abound. Faetherstone boast several former Super League players, along with Brendon Tuuta are Hitro Okesene, Asa Amone, Carl Hall, Richard Chapman and Jamie Coventry.
Van de Velde is pleased that he is able to have a virtually fully fit squad to choose from and that competition for places has started early, "Just take the centres for example - I could not leave Toa Kohe-Love or Alan Hunte out of the team after the way they played against St Helens."
"All the players have to look over their shoulders for competition which is the way it has to be. I want to get the best out of my players every week and the only way to do that is to put pressure on them. Then if they don't perform they'll be on the bench, spelling or playing Under 21's."
Wolves Squad: Lee Penny, Jason Roach, Toa Kohe-Love, Alan Hunte, Mark Forster, Scott Wilson, Lee Briers, Mark Hilton, Danny Farrar, Danny Nutley, Simon Gillies, Mike Wainwright, Ian Knott.
Subs: Jon Roper, Gary Chambers, Steve McCurrie, Dean Busby
Marketing guru Peter Deakin has taken over control at Warrington after the early retirement of Chief Executive John Smith. Mr Smith has been released from his contract at his own request to devote more time to the care of his ill wife. Deakin, who up until now has been spending one day a week at the club, will continue to see out his remaining three months at Saracens before moving back North and taking up the position full-time.
"He will be at Warrington for one or two days a week but we will be in daily contact over the phone and he will be responsible for all the major decisions," said Wolves spokesman David Gallant.
Deakin said: "On behalf of the club, I would like to take this opportunity to thank John for his excellent stewardship of Warrington during very difficult times. His contribution cannot be under-estimated."
On a personal note I would like to wish John all the best and echo the sentiments of David Gallant. The work that John has done over the past couple of years has been crucial to the salvation of the club, much of which John will go un-sung and un-thanked for.
The Wolves are due to face Featherstone Rovers at Wilderspool in the fourth round of the Challenge Cup on Sunday 14th February. The game will be a return to Wilderspool for Brendon Tuuta, who left the Wolves after a one year stint in the back row. Tuuta will be joined by newcomer and Kiwi international Hitro Okesene, who was signed in the close season from Hull Sharks.
"Getting a home draw is the pleasing thing and were looking forward to getting the season underway.", Van de Velde told the Warrington Guardian, "We'll give Featherstone the respect they deserve though. They're a young side with a lot of competitive spirit and I'm sure they'll give us a tough game.".
The Wolves were presented with their squad numbers and jerseys for the forthcoming season at a special presentation evening. The numbers are:
| 1. Lee Penny | 2. Jason Roach | 3. Jon Roper | 4. Toa Kohe-Love | 5. Mark Forster |
| 6. Scott Wilson | 7. Lee Briers | 8. Danny Nutley | 9. Danny Farrar | 10. Mark Hilton |
| 11. Simon Gillies | 12. Steve McCurrie | 13. Ian Knott | 14. Chris Rudd | 15. Dean Hangar |
| 16. Gary Chambers | 17. Alan Hunte | 18. Dean Busby | 19. John Duffy | 20. Warren Stevens |
| 21. Chris Causey | 22. Chris Highton | 23. Mike Wainwright | 24. Will Cowell | 25. Jamie Stenhouse |
Scottish International scrum-half John Duffy has not signed for Castleford as the Yorkshire side were unable to agree a transfer fee with the Wolves. It has been reported in the press that Warrington were looking for £35,000 for the youngster, this is not the case however as sources close to the club say the figure was nearer £15,000. Castleford alledgedly offered £8,000 after agreeing personal terms with the 18 year-old.
Coach Van de Velde responded to claims from Castleford coach Stuart Raper that the deal should have been smoother after the transfer of Brendon Tuuta the previous season, "John is an important member of my first team squad, and I need the cash to replace him."
Warrington have pulled off another major coup by agreeing terms with the man responsible for doubling crowds for the Bradford Bulls, and taking there average gate to over 10,000. Peter Deakin, currently working for Saracens RU club, initially turned down the clubs offer but seemingly had a change of heart and finally agreed to return to Rugby League with a top job at Wilderspool.
Deakin, originally from Oldham, is thought to be taking the Chief Executive job from current incumbent John Smith, who will move over and act in an advisory capacity to Deakin. Mr. Smith will also take on the mamoth task of overseeing the building of the clubs new stadium. Saracens RU club are to keep Deakins' services until the end of their current season. It also puts paid to a proposed new franchise in Watford that Deakin was heavily involved with.
Deakin met Saracens owner Nigel Wray for talks on Monday and Wray said: "I have heard that Warington have approached him."
"Someone of Peter's marketing skills was always going to be head-hunted. We would be sorry to see him depart."
After over three months of talks the Wolves have finally landed their man!
The Wolves have secured the services of Great Britain centre Alan Hunte in a three year deal said to be worth over £300,000 for the Wakefield born player. Huntes services were captured by the club after the Hull board heard of Alans talks with the Wolves and gave their permission for their record breaking signing to leave the club. Hunte had captained the Sharks in SL II, after finishing a nine season stint with Saints, playing 24 times and coming joint top of the clubs try scoring charts with a total of 13. The initial move from Knowsley Road a year ago included a three-player deal that cost Hull £350,000. The Sharks' decision to free the player is believed to be saving the cash strapped club around £2,000 a week.
The centre joined the squad at the Lilleshall centre of excellence for the last couple of days and has impressed coach Van de Velde with his running style and committment. Van de Velde missed out on Huntes' signature as an amateur, the wily Alex Murphy stepping in to woo the yorkshireman to St Helens for an estimated £50,000.
"He is a great acquisition for the club," said Van de Velde, "I tried to sign him from the amateur ranks when I was at Castleford but I was outbid by Alex Murphy."
"I have always followed his career and I've always had a great regard for his ability."
"We've been looking for strike players and he gives us a number of options in our back line."
Hunte commented: "I knew that Darryl was interested and I've always been impressed with what he has had to say."
"All the ingredients are here at Warrington for success and it's a move I'm excited with."
Hunte, who didn't figure in Andy Goodways Great Britain squad last year is looking for the move to give him a opportunity to add to the 15 caps already won.
"It was disappointing to lose my Great Britain spot but I'd like to be back challenging this season, the big games - cup finals, play-offs and internationals - are what everybody wants to play in and I really believe Warrington are going places."
speculation was rife as to Huntes' future when he was targetted by the Rugby Football Union as part of £2 million pound move to secure the services of top League players and hire them out as full-time professionals to the clubs.
"It looked like an exciting proposition but it didn't come off," commented Hunte.
"It was something the Rugby Union and the clubs were trying to set up. I'll probably never know how close it came but I didn't lose any sleep over it."
The club are riding high on the publicity and interest the signing has created and expecting increased season ticket sales and gates for the forthcoming season.
The Wolves have finally admitted that they have been in talks with Alan Hunte with a view to him coming to Wilderspool. The 28 year old Hull captain, and former Saint, has been given the go ahead by the Sharks to seek another club. A big stumbling block will be the alleged six figure salary that he currently banks.
Hunte, who holds 15 full Great Britain caps, has been in talks with the Wolves since November last year and would be a great catch for coach Van de Velde who rates the centre highly.
36 year old Dean Gallant (another Dean?) has taken the job of Marketing Manager at the Wolves. The position that has been vacant since Dave Swanton left nearly a year ago will be a challenge for the Middlewich based marketing man, "We need to be more commercially active without forgetting the fans are the life-blood of the club. It is the supporters' club."
The Cockhedge Centre based Warrington Wolves Theme Shop is due to close this friday due to being un-profitable. A massive closing down sale will be held before the stock moves back to Wilderspool.
Chief Executive John Smith said, "We have been looking at it for a while as we have been losing money there."
"We thought it would be a convenient site for our supporters but it showed over Christmas, when we were selling our season tickets, that it was taking upto two hours for people to get in and out of the area as it was that busy. Supportes have indicated it would be so much more convenient for them to pull up at the ground instead."
The man most tipped to make an impact for the Wolves in SL 4 is Simon Gilles, formerly a captain of Cantebury Bulldogs. Gillies, or Krusty as he's known (named after the Simpsons character Krusty the Clown), was a member of the 1995 Winfield Cup Grand Final winning Bulldogs side that beat Manly, under the captaincy of the great Terry Lamb. Gillies took the club captain mantle the following season and has been a great example of dedication and loyalty since. The second rower topped the Bulldogs tackling list last season and is known for his hard work in attack as well as defence.
Gillies was dropped for the last part of the season and couldn't regain his first team place that he had held for so long. Originally the offer from Warrington was turned down due the ill health of his wife, but Gillies eventually put pen to paper and has a Wolves shirt for the coming season.
Both Dean Busby and Dean Hangar have now agreed and signed one year contracts with the Wolves. Hangar had to undergo a groin operation which has now been deemed a sucess by doctors. Busby, who spent four months on loan at Hull last seaon, also underwent a medical which he passed with flying colours.
28-year-old Hangar will add extra fire-power and depth to the Wolves back line whilst 25-year-old Busby is looking to find the form that he had prior to a serious ankle injury.
Busby said, "I have been out of the limelight but have come to Warrington for a fresh start. I am hoping for regular football and to do well for the team."
Rugby League Legend Alex Murphy has been awarded and OBE for his dedication and committment to Rugby League.
Murphy joined Warrington from Leigh after winning the Challenge Cup in 1971, "Give me three years" he asked the Warrington board and they weren't to be disappointed.
In the 1973/74 season Warrington, under the player coach leadership of Murphy, won five trophies: The Challenge Cup, the Club Championship, the Players No. 6 Trophy, the Captain Morgan Trophy and the locker Cup. The year after he led the side to Wembley again, suprisingly getting beaten by an on-form Widnes.
In 1978 after a victorious John Player trophy final Murphy left Wilderspool to join Salford. An illustrious carrer continued as he coaches Wigan, Leigh, St Helens and Huddersfield before finally returning to Wilderspool in January 1996.
Murphy, one of the few players to be installed in the Rugby League Hall of Fame, is appointed as Director of Football and works alongside John Dorahy. In a shock move Dorahy resigns and Murphy and Paul Cullen pull off a shock victory over Wigan as they act as caretaker coaches.
An illustrious career and a well deserved honour for both the man and the game.