Monday night football is on the menu for the Vodafone Warriors twice in the opening three rounds of the 2008 NRL season.
They'll start their campaign against defending premiers the Melbourne Storm at the Telstra Dome on Monday, March 17.
And in round three they'll be in Monday night action again against Manly at Brookvale Oval on March 31. Both matches kick off at 7pm (AEST).
In between those two encounters the Vodafone Warriors have their first home game of the year against Parramatta at Mt Smart Stadium on March 24 (Easter Day), kicking off at 4pm.
They're home again for rounds four and five, both games on Sundays.
The first against Newcastle at 4.00pm on April 6 is the day the clocks go back (at 2.00 that morning) after daylight saving. Australian states on daylight saving also go back an hour that day.
And on April 13 the Vodafone Warriors have a 2.00pm kick-off against the Bulldogs.
The first of the club's two byes comes in round nine when the Kiwis take on the Kangaroos in Australia's Centenary Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday, May 9. The second bye is in round 17 (July 4-7), the weekend after the third State of Origin match.
There will again be a two-game road trip for matches against North Queensland and Gold Coast only the order will change in 2008. This time the Cowboys will be first up at Dairy Farmers Stadium in round six (April 18-21) followed by the Titans the following week (April 25-27) at their new home ground Skilled Stadium in Robina.
For the fourth season running, the Vodafone Warriors face Canberra and St George Illawarra just once, the Raiders in Auckland in round eight and the Dragons away in round 24. The other sides drawn only once are Gold Coast (away), the Sydney Roosters (home), Wests Tigers (away) and Brisbane (home).
The Vodafone Warriors' draw with full details for the first five rounds and confirmed venues for all rounds is:
Round 1
Monday, March 17
v Melbourne, Telstra Dome, 7.00pm (AEST)
Round 2
Sunday, March 23
v Parramatta, Mt Smart Stadium, 4.00pm (NZT)
Round 3
Monday, March 31
v Manly, Brookvale Oval, 7.00pm (AEST)
Round 4
Sunday, April 6
v Newcastle, Mt Smart Stadium, 4.00pm (NZT)
Round 5
Sunday, April 13
v Bulldogs, Mt Smart Stadium, 2.00pm (NZT)
Round 6
April 18-21
v North Queensland, Dairy Farmers Stadium
Round 7
April 25-27
v Gold Coast, Skilled Stadium
Round 8
May 2-4
v Canberra, Mt Smart Stadium
Centenary Test
Friday, May 9
Australia v New Zealand, Sydney Cricket Ground
Round 9
May 10-12
Bye
Round 10
May 16-19
v Penrith, CUA Stadium
State of Origin I
Wednesday, May 21
New South Wales v Queensland, Telstra Stadium
Round 11
May 23-26
v Sydney Roosters, Mt Smart Stadium
Round 12
May 30-June 2
v Newcastle, EnergyAustralia Stadium
Round 13
June 6-9
v South Sydney, Mt Smart Stadium
State of Origin II
Wednesday, June 11
Queensland v New South Wales, Suncorp Stadium
Round 14
June 13-16
v Cronulla, Toyota Park
Round 15
June 20-23
v Manly, Mt Smart Stadium
Round 16
June 27-30
v Wests Tigers, Leichhardt Oval
State of Origin III
Wednesday, July 2
New South Wales v Queensland, Telstra Stadium
Round 17
July 4-7
Bye
Round 18
July 11-14
v North Queensland, Mt Smart Stadium
Round 19
July 18-21
v Bulldogs, Telstra Stadium
Round 20
July 25-28
v Melbourne, Mt Smart Stadium
Round 21
August 1-4
v South Sydney, Telstra Stadium
Round 22
August 8-11
v Brisbane, Mt Smart Stadium
Round 23
August 15-18
v Cronulla, Mt Smart Stadium
Round 24
August 22-25
v St George Illawarra, WIN Stadium
Round 25
August 29-September 1
v Penrith, Mt Smart Stadium
Round 26
September 5-8
v Parramatta, Parramatta Stadium
Finals - Week 1
September 12-14
(home venue quarter-finals)
Finals - Week 2
September 20-21
(home city semi-finals)
Finals - Week 3
September 27-28
(home region preliminary finals)
Wests Tigers announced the signing of talented half-back Mathew Head for season 2008.
The former St George-Illawarra Dragons playmaker has signed a one-year-deal with the club and is looking to re-establish his first grade career after spending time with Hull in the English Super League competition this year.
Head has played 57 first grade games but knee injuries have haltered his career. He left the Dragons in July to play for Hull.
"I felt I had some unfinished business back here,'' Head said, of his signing with Wests Tigers.
"I wasn't too happy playing my last game in Australia in reserve grade. It was a great opportunity to come to the Wests Tigers and to play under coach Tim Sheens.
"When it came up, I jumped at the chance and I am glad that it is all sorted now.''
Head said any question marks over a suspect knee injury was just media talk.
"All I need is a good off-season and hopefully that is what I can achieve here. I just want to put those injuries behind me,'' Head said.
"I am doing all the work I can to get over my injuries and that is something I suppose I have got to prove.
"I want to prove I am over them. I left Australia injured. I didn't want to be known as a player that had injuries and couldn't make it to what his potential showed.
"I have a new start at a new club and I am looking forward to the challenge.
"I want to show people what I can do. I spoke with Tim last week and he has given me that opportunity to start here at the club. I have now got to train hard and hopefully have some good trials and put my name there to maybe be the number seven.
"Tim has given me no indication as to what he is going to do with the half-back position. I am fresh and ready to go. I will be there for the first trial and I've just got to put my best foot forward there.''
Head said he was already looking forward to playing the Dragons.
"To play the Dragons in round one at the SCG will be pretty special. There is plenty of work to be done before that, though,'' Head said.
"I'll set myself those goals down the track. For now, I've just got to train hard.''
Canberra Raiders rising star Adrian Purtell has been given the all clear by to return to full contact training with the Green Machine, after receiving the all clear from his specialist today.
The 2006 Raiders rookie of the year has been sidelined since round 11 last season, after he was diagnosed with Deep Vein Thrombosis in his leg. The condition forced Purtell to take medication to thin his blood to reduce the size of the blood clot in his leg, keeping him away from any physical contact.
But after a long and indecisive six months Purtell is now ready to make his return to the full time training squad, after receiving the all clear from his specialist to resume contact training.
Purtell said it's a decision he wasn't expecting, but is one that he will be making sure he doesn't take for granted.
"I went in there thinking I would have to stay on the medication for another three months, but he's told me I'm allowed to stop taking the medicine and I'll be back into training next week," Purtell said. "My own opinion when I received the ultrasound and saw the clot was still in there, the alarm bells started ringing, but once I saw the specialist he said the high risk was over now and I'm allowed to return to training."
Purtell said his condition has not fully cleared up, but it's understood the risk of further damage is low, and he is confident he will be ready to continue his career.
"I will take a week off training just to make sure that my blood is back to the right thickness, but after that I'll commence full contact training," he said. "The specialist said sometimes this type of clot can hang around, but once it's below the knee the high risk element goes."
With trial matches set down for late February and early March Purtell is keen to get him self into the frame for selection in round one, and will make sure he catches up with the rest of the squad over the remainder of the pre-season
"My goal has always been to be ready for round one, and hopefully I can be ready for the trial," he said. "I've been doing weights and running up until now, so it will be good to get some contact work in."
Purtell said not knowing his future had forced a range of emotions over the past six months, but thanked everyone for their support over this time.
"Its been a long six months because its been a slow process and I wasn't sure what was happening, and a thousand things went through my mind thinking that my career may be over and what I would do outside footy, so it's a big relief off my shoulders," he said. "The clubs been very helpful through all this, last season they put about 10 of us through a course to become personal trainers, and this year we're doing a business course, and I maybe doing a real estate course as well. Even if I couldn't have continued playing footy at least I would have had a few options."
Raiders Coach Neil Henry said Purtell's return to full time training would bolster the prospects in their backline for season 2008, and would welcome his return to the fulltime squad in the pre-season.
"Its fantastic news for the club to have him back on board," Henry said. "We feared the worst and thought he may be out for another three months, which would put him out for the start of the season, but to hear this today is great news."
The Queensland Rugby League today announced the eleven competing teams for the 2008 Queensland Wizard Cup season.
In an exciting time for rugby league in Queensland, the QRL Board today confirmed the participation of Wizard Cup newcomers the Mackay Cutters and Northern Pride (Cairns).
The two North Queensland teams effectively replace the Aspley Broncos and the North Queensland Young Guns.
The Aspley Broncos and NQ Young Guns did not re-apply for entry into the Wizard Cup, largely due to the changing rugby league landscape following the introduction of a National Under 20 competition.
QRL Managing Director Ross Livermore said the Board was satisfied the clubs had met the criteria following a review of their player strength and finances.
The Wizard Cup season kicks off with a grand final re-match between title holders Tweed Heads and Redcliffe at Cudgen on March 15.
On the same day, the first installment of what promises to be a fierce northern rivalry begins when the Northern Pride tackles the Mackay Cutters at Cairns' Barlow Park.
Two clubs ? Tweed Heads and Souths Logan ? have announced venue changes.
Tweed will now call Cudgen's Ned Byrne Oval home, bringing an end to its tenure at the Piggabeen Complex.
Souths Logan will play home matches at both Davies Park and Meakin Park.
The Brisbane Broncos wish to make a statement pertaining to today's media reports surrounding Wayne Bennett.
Broncos' chief executive Bruno Cullen would like to reiterate that any financial relationship between Ken Talbot and Wayne Bennett is purely an arrangement of their own.
"I would like to stress that Wayne notified me of this matter earlier this year in confidence, and I kept that information in confidence," said Cullen.
"I would also like to point out that any arrangement between those two gentleman is a private matter and is not an issue for the Broncos."
No further comment will be made by the club on this matter.
The future of Ricky Stuart's coaching career in 2009 is assured, but which club he'll be at will be the issue with the Dragons now believed to be in the running for the current Australian coach.
Stuart's two-year deal with Cronulla expires at the end of 2008 and already interest in his services are hotting up.
It's been reported in the press today that St George Illawarra have expressed interest in replacing current coach Nathan Brown with Stuart. Brown will be entering into his 6th season at the Dragons next year and there's some at the Saints who believe that the club needs a change of direction. Brown does have the undeniable and unbackable support of Chief Executive Peter Doust and both men have remained close knit despite calls from supporters to have both removed from their positions.
Stuart has been linked in the past two months with a possible return to the Bulldogs where he finished his playing career and started his coaching career with a Premiership in the 2001 Jersey Flegg competition.
The Bulldogs coaching situation has two twists to be decided before they'll make a decision if and when to replace long serving coach Steve Folkes, who after Wayne Bennett is the longest serving current coach at one club and including Bennett is the longest serving coach to only be in control of the one club.
Much of Folkes' future firstly depends on the Bulldogs AGM in February next year and secondly results in the opening six rounds of the competition. If George Peponis retains control of the board next year following the board elections, then Folkes will see out the entire 2008 season and needs a blistering start to retain his position. Should the Peponis controlled board move into a new era, they'll look at either Stuart or Catalans Dragons coach Michael Potter as the replacement. Should Peponis lose control of the board (even though he will be elected unopposed as Chairman) the new coach will be Kevin Moore and it won't be any surprise to see him in the position sooner rather than later.
Brown took on the Dragons coaching position two years after his playing days ended and much of the criticism levelled at Brown has been his close association to the players being former teammates. The team Brown now has doesn't contain many (if any) of his former teammates, but in some ways he was thrown into the position too early where he was unable to stamp his authority as a coach.
The Sharks are desperate to re-sign Stuart whereas Stuart if he plays his cards right will be keen to hold off as the opportunity to coach at more stable clubs for coaches such as the Bulldogs and to a lesser extent the Dragons would be much more enticing for him then a club who does do away with their coaches fairly easily.
Four of the five coaches off contract at the end of 2008 are four of the five coaches who were in control of their teams in 2003 and in the case of Folkes and Bennett before that as well. North Queensland's Graham Murray came into the Cowboys coaching role during 2003 and Wests Tigers Tim Sheens became Wests Tigers coach at the start of 2003. Bennett's future at the Broncos is now clouded a big question mark and there's a chance that the 2009 season could complete a generational change of coaches.
The opening round clash between the Wests Tigers and St George Illawarra at the historic Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday 16th March could be in jeopardy should NSW finish first in the Pura Cup Cricket competition.
Two matches have been scheduled by the Wests Tigers at the Sydney Cricket with the first one against the Dragons, which the Magpies have had a long history against clashing four times in Grand Finals during the Saints remarkable 11 successive Premierships reign. The second clash is against Souths in Round 6 (April 18-21) for which Balmain has an intense rivalry with including the controversial 1909 and 1969 Grand Finals - the first one never happening with Souths being award the Premiership and the second being the equal greatest upset in a Grand Final alongside the 2003 upset victory by Penrith over the Roosters.
The problem for the Wests Tigers and the NRL is the long-standing contractual arrangement Cricket Australia and Cricket NSW have with the Sydney Cricket Ground, which gives both the Australian and New South Wales Cricket teams' first preference to use of venue until the end of March.
Should NSW qualify first in the Pura Cup they will be within their rights to host it at the SCG unless the Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust strikes a deal to allow the historic NRL clash to take place with the Pura Cup Final being moved to either North Sydney, Bankstown or Newcastle. This is of course if NSW finish top of the Pura Cup, which they are currently placed, but they haven't hosted a domestic first class Final since 1993/94 with their two recent wins happening in away Finals - both against Queensland at the Gabba.
The NRL and Wests Tigers have obviously showed plenty of confidence in the NSW Cricket team managing to squabble their way from top position and fail in hosting the Final. But should NSW finish top in the Pura Cup than either a deal has to be struck or the NRL and Wests Tigers will be forced in moving the clash to Telstra Stadium, which is the Wests Tigers primary home ground.
Wests Tigers officials would be expecting a crowd of around 35,000 at the SCG whereas the crowd at Telstra Stadium would be flat out reaching 20,000 such is the historic importance to the clash due to Rugby League's 100th birthday celebrations in Australia.
On the other hand, the Pura Cup competition barely attracts a single soul at the major venues whereas the country and local club venues seem to attract the larger crowds.
The NRL and the SCG Trust have locked in the Round 1 clash for Sunday 16th March at the Sydney Cricket Ground where the sale of tickets and corporate boxes is already underway whereas the two teams in the Pura Cup Final and venue won't be decided until a week before the Final commences. However, a clause in the Cricket NSW contracts gives them first preference of the SCG for the month of March ahead of all other organisations.
Chairman of the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys Board, Laurence Lancini, announced today that former Australian and Queensland Captain Gorden Tallis would join the Cowboys Board of Directors.
In making the announcement, Laurence Lancini believed that this appointment was a great one for the club. "The Cowboys are fortunate that a person of Gorden's standing in Rugby League has accepted a Directors position with the club," said Mr Lancini.
"His experience in all facets of the game will be an invaluable asset as the club moves forward."
The former Townsville born and bred product is a well respected Rugby League Analyst and Media Commentator, a board member of the NRL, and is in high demand in the corporate sector.
"I am excited to be given this opportunity by the Cowboys Board and look forward to assisting the North Queensland club to remain a power house in the National Rugby League Competition," Tallis said
Mr Tallis will be the fifth member of the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys Board which includes Laurence Lancini, Paul Travis, Frank Stanton and Lewis Ramsay.
There have been no changes to the Board of the Penrith District Rugby League Club Limited as a result of the election declared on Saturday.
The current nine members were challenged by Dennis Coffey and Greg Beacroft who called for a change of direction citing Penrith's performances on and off the football field.
Former Penrith legend and premiership-winning captain Greg Alexander polled the most votes with 450 and Alexander's former team-mate in the Panthers 1991 grand final success Col Bentley came in 3rd position with 435 votes.
Panthers Chairman Barry Walsh said, "We've had six new members in the last six years.
"I'm extremely happy with the result of the election.
"We want to get over the new smoking laws which have knocked around all clubs.
"There's new initiatives in the pipeline, but nothing has been passed yet so I can't really comment on those."
VOTING RESULTS:
1 Greg Alexander 450
2 Greg Chapman 438
3 Col Bentley 435
4 John Hiatt 426
5 Terry Heidtmann 425
6 Barry Walsh 417
7 Don Feltis 403
8 Kerry Lowe 333
9 Keith Rhind 331
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10 Dennis Coffey 259
11 Greg Beacroft 241
Total votes cast: 468 including six informal.
Meanwhile, the Panthers have released the newly re-designed 2008 home jersey for sale in time for Christmas.
The jersey which is predominantly black features rust and teal as highlights on the cuff of the sleeve and neck only. Panther claws have been etched into the the torso and shoulders. The new jersey retains SANYO as the major sponsor and Parkview as the sleeve sponsor with the new addtion of Tony Ferguson as the lower back sponsor.
Sizing is from Small to XXX Large with childrens sizes ranging from 4 to 14 . Adult sizes are $149 and Childrens $120.
Available NOW in store at the Panthers Trade Centre and Online.
Sharks winger Luke Covell, injured just five minutes into his international debut for New Zealand in October, will enter hospital to undergo elbow surgery.
It had been previously hoped that Covell could avoid surgery on his right elbow, however a second specialists opinion thought it best to have the injury corrected in a bid to prevent further problems down the track.
Covell, who had been back at training with the Sharks during the past couple of weeks, will enter hospital tomorrow (Wednesday).
The recovery period for Covell will be around four months, putting him in doubt for the opening rounds of the 2008 season.
After an outstanding 2007, Covell was selected to play for New Zealand, his father's country of berth, in the Trans Tasman Test in October and for the subsequent tour of France and the UK. However during the opening exchanges of the test against Australia, Covell dislocated the elbow, was forced from the field for the rest of the game and later deemed unfit to tour with the Kiwis.
With Covell his team's number one goal kicking option, coach Ricky Stuart will now be forced to find another kicker for the opening rounds, with the likes of Brett Seymour, Blake Green, Mitch Brown, Bryson Goodwin and Greg Bird all capable of carrying out the role, dependant on team selections.
At this stage of the Sharks pre-season preparations Covell appears to be the only player in doubt for the kick-off to 2008, with the remainder of the squad likely to be fit come March next year.
News 2007
Warriors Lined Up For Monday Night Football
