A Fitting Fairwell

Suncorp Stadium sold out for Brisbane Broncos skipper Darren Lockyer's official fairwell against the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.

Canterbury-Bankstown farewell Andrew Ryan with a win against Canberra in his final NRL game

Wolves v Warriors: Morley Returns In Top Of The Table Showdown

Warrington captain Adrian Morley has been named in the Wolves' 19-man squad for their top-of-the-table showdown with Wigan on Sunday.

The England prop has missed his side's last seven games with vision problems and dizziness after suffering a head injury at the end of June.

But he could now make a shock comeback as Warrington look to leapfrog the Warriors and go top of the Super League table heading into the final weekend of the regular season.

Utility player Simon Grix and full-back Brett Hodgson have also been included in coach Tony Smith's squad after both missed the win over Catalan Dragons last time out.

However, Warrington will be without second-rower David Solomona due to suspension, while former Warriors hooker Mickey Higham has not been included despite completing a two-match ban.

Recognition
Head coach Tony Smith would like to see his side finish top of the table at the end of the regular season, if only to get the recognition they deserve.

"I don't think there is any greater advantage finishing first or second in terms of how the competition is structured but for a club like us and where we've come from, it would be nice recognition," he said.

"We've had a pretty good season and it would be nice to get that top spot.

It's not going to make or break our season, though. I think both teams are in good positions to compete for the title, as are a few others."

Challenge Cup winners Wigan will be without prop Lee Mossop, who dislocated a shoulder during the 28-18 victory over Leeds at Wembley.

Gareth Hock is set to take his place in the match-day line-up, while Eamon O'Carroll is also in contention for a place on the bench after being included in Michael Maguire's 19-man squad.

Hungry
"We had a taste of Old Trafford and winning the minor premiership last year and they're in front of us now," said Maguire.

"If we want to go get them, it's up to us as a group and I know they're very hungry."
Maguire is confident his players will have their focus back following the high of last week's cup final victory.

"I think that is part of the challenge, to get yourself up fresh and ready to go after a big weekend like that," he added. "But we pretty well moved on after Monday.

"There were a few sore heads and sick stomachs but they jumped into training on Tuesday and worked hard.

"The long week allowed us to have a good recovery so there will be no excuses this weekend. It is important to us to finish top."

Whoever wins the sold-out clash, which can be seen live on Sky Sports HD1, will be in pole position to claim the League Leaders Shield during the final round of regular season fixtures.

Warrington squad: Anderson, Atkins, Blythe, Bridge, Briers, Carvell, Clarke, Cooper, Grix, Harrison, Hodgson, King, Mitchell, J. Monaghan, M. Monaghan, Morley, Myler, Riley, Wood.

Wigan squad: S. Tomkins, Goulding, Carmont, Richards, Deacon, Leuluai, McIlorum, Coley, Hansen, J. Tomkins, O'Loughlin, Prescott, Lima, Hoffman, Finch, O'Carroll, Farrell, Charnley, Hock.

live on Sky Sports HD1 from 12.30pm (uk)

Roosters, manager deny Carney sacking

The Sydney Roosters and Todd Carney's management have both denied a decision has already been made to tear up the troubled NRL star's contract.

A report today said Carney would be cut loose from the NRL club this week after a year marred by a return to alcohol-related problems.

The Dally M medallist, who appeared to have beaten his demons when he led the Roosters to the 2010 grand final in his first season with the club, has been linked to a move to French Super League club Catalans.

"As we said a couple of weeks ago, the decision will be made at the end of the season and we're playing today so it's certainly not the end of the season," Roosters chief executive Steve Noyce said.

Noyce said a decision would be made in the "next short period of time".

"But first it's important today for us with the (under-)20s still in the semi race and first grade are three (wins) on the trot," he said.

"It would be great to finish with a win over Melbourne.

"I've been saying all along with this thing, we need to focus on the team that's playing and then once the season's finished we'll address the matter with Todd and his manager."
Carney's management company Titan posted a denial on Twitter.

"Contrary to reports in The Sun Herald, Todd Carney has not been sacked by the Sydney Roosters," it read.

"Management working on a resolution this week."

It is widely believed the 25-year-old has played his last game for the Roosters.

He has been stood down three times by the club this season for alcohol related issues.
The Roosters play ladder-leaders Melbourne at the Sydney Football Stadium tonight.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

Enough is enough: Roosters sack Carney

FROM player of the year and Australian five-eighth to being released by the Roosters less than 12 months later - that's the tale of Todd Carney.

Carney will be set free by the Roosters this week and it's my understanding he is comfortable with the decision. Those who know Carney say he has got his head around the idea of going to play rugby league in France for Super League club Catalans. However, his ambition is to stay in the NRL and he is hoping that a rival team will throw him a lifeline. Carney recently said he wanted to be a long-term Roosters player, so naturally he is shattered by the club's decision to terminate his contract.

However, as I revealed in this column recently, coach Brian Smith didn't want him in his team any more after his well-documented off-field dramas. Roosters chairman Nick Politis had been equivocating about whether to keep the former Canberra Raiders star at the Bondi Junction club, but in the end it was the influence of Smith and some senior players that made Carney's position unworkable.

After playing a starring role in the Roosters' stunning charge to last year's grand final, Carney won the Dally M player of the year award and was also rewarded with selection in Australia's Four Nations squad. This year the Roosters have been among the NRL's biggest underachievers.

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

Kiwis' plan to lure Cooper to switch codes - and loyalty

THE New Zealand Rugby League is planning to convince Quade Cooper to turn his back on the Kangaroos and represent the Kiwis if the Wallabies superstar switches codes.

There was speculation New Zealand-born Cooper and All Black Sonny Bill Williams, both represented by Khoder Nasser, would be shopped around to NRL clubs as a package after the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

Parramatta put the 23-year-old Wallaby on rugby league's radar last year when they offered him a deal said to be worth $1.5 million over three years.

While he rejected it to sign a one-year contract with the Australian Rugby Union, to presumably play in a World Cup, the NZRL has monitored him closely.

Tony Kemp, the manager of New Zealand's national team, admitted he had already intended to do all he could to ensure Cooper declared his allegiance to the nation of his birth and joined the likes of Benji Marshall in the Kiwis squad.

''My role at the NZRL is to ensure any player who is a Kiwi makes himself available for our national team,'' the former Warriors coach said. ''It's only a rumour about him playing league but Quade Cooper is no different. He came through all the New Zealand structures, it was only because he played the back end of his rugby union career in Australia that he's playing for the Wallabies.

''If he stayed in New Zealand, I guarantee right now Dan Carter would be second string to him. If Quade Cooper does [switch] and he wants to play for New Zealand, we would be happy to have him.''

Meanwhile, if Williams, who walked out on Canterbury in 2008 after he signed a five-year deal estimated to be worth $2.5 million, needed a reason to return to league, Kemp offered one.
''Sonny would be in the mix for the next New Zealand team,'' Kemp said. ''He'd no doubt fit straight back into the sport.

''I think it'd be great for league if Quade and Sonny Bill came over as a package.''
While he didn't name names, Kemp said he continued to field calls from New Zealanders who had moved to Australia to declare themselves Kiwis.

''I'm getting calls all the time,'' he said. ''We have been working very hard at the NZRL to create pathways over the last couple of years, and one of the good things about the restructure of the organisation is we can talk more to [Kiwi eligible] players about the opportunity to wear the black jersey.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

Crusaders meet Championship date

Crusaders have met the deadline to bid for a Championship place next season
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The Wrexham-based club withdrew their application for a new three-year Super League licence in July, citing financial concerns.

Crusaders hope to join Wales' other professional outfit, South Wales Scorpions, in the second tier of the Rugby Football League pyramid.

Campaign groups supporting the Crusaders have backed the move.

Crusaders met Friday's deadline to submit their formal application to join the second-tier tournament.

The Wrexham club were forced to drop their bid for a new three-year Super League licence at the 11th hour when the owners withdrew their backing.

But the club pledged to fight for a future after receiving 4,000 pledges of support.
Crusaders' application will go before the Rugby Football League's board of directors, who are expected to reach a decision in mid-September.

Chief executive Rod Findlay, who pleaded for fans to show interest in sustaining rugby league in north Wales, said: "There have been over 4,000 expressions of support in a short space of time and that, along with backing from the business community, has given us the confidence to press ahead.

"The next step is to prepare a business plan to send to the RFL for approval and then we will need to sit down and think about recruiting coaches and players."
Local businessman Jamie Thomas, from the Save the Cru campaign, has been encouraged by the support they had received.

"Any fears of the club ceasing to exist I think can be allayed to an extent by the show of support from the fans," Thomas said

"We can be confident if we do go into the Championship that we will have a well-supported club."
Despite the disappointment of pulling out of Super League, supporters' club chairman Chris Jones said the club could now look forward to the future.

"This is not the end, it's the beginning," he said. "Hopefully we can resurrect this team now and kick on from here and learn our lessons."

Several Crusaders players have already signed deals with other clubs for next season and there is uncertainty over the future of head coach Iestyn Harris, who has been tipped to join Wigan Warriors as assistant coach.

Harris's men lost 58-18 to Hull in their final home game in Super League last Sunday and now complete their season with trips to Bradford and Wigan.

Source: BBC

Gareth Thomas Is A Shock Warrior

WIGAN WARRIORS have made a shock swoop for dual code international Gareth Thomas.

Former Wales and British Lions ­centre Gareth Thomas has been looking for a new club since Crusaders announced they were quitting Super League next season.

­Warriors looked at Thomas earlier this season as a replacement for centre George Carmont, who has since signed a new one-year deal.

But the Warriors still moved for Thomas to boost their depth in the outside backs.
Thomas, 37, has also agreed a one-year deal and will link up with ­Crusaders and Wales coach Iestyn ­Harris again.

Harris will become assistant to Shaun Wane when he takes over from Michael Maguire as Wigan boss next year.

Thomas has been steady rather than spectacular since switching codes at the start of last year.
It is difficult to see him getting many chances after Joel Tomkins’ switch from second-row to centre and ­Warriors fans will be shocked by the move.

Source: Daily Star