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Leuluai gets the all-clear for Kiwis



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Warriors Kiwi half-back Thomas Leuluai has flown out to play for New Zealand without the threat of a ban hanging over his head.
Leuluai was sweating over an alleged trip on St Helens winger Ade Gardner as St Helens romped to their 57-16 landslide victory over Warriors at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday.

Leuluai was called out and spoken to by the match official after he seemingly lunged out with his foot at Gardner as the Saints ace crossed for his second try of the night.

Although referee Phil Bentham spoke to Leuluai, he decided not to place the second-half incident on report.

The RFL disciplinary committee still decided to take a look yesterday – but no further action will be taken.
If a ban had been imposed, the player will have missed the one-off Test
against Australia on Friday.

Leuluai flew out yesterday morning after the sport's international governing body insisted he and fellow Kiwi Brent Webb of Leeds had to be released by their respective clubs.

He now faces a race against time to be back for Warriors' next game, the fifth-round Challenge Cup tie against Whitehaven at the JJB on Monday.

Meanwhile, coach Brian Noble has backed plans to carry on with a full weekend of Super League matches at one ground.
Noble embraced the concept even though Wigan have lost heavily to St Helens in successive seasons.

Noble said: "In terms of results at least, the Millennium Magic weekend certainly hasn't been a happy hunting ground for us over this last couple of seasons.

"But it has given the chance for the rugby league community to come
together in Cardiff, literally under one roof, and I think we all benefit from that.

"I know the fans in general enjoy it – and I know the Wigan fans would enjoy it even more if our side performed better."

St Helens coach Daniel Anderson said: "I like the idea that all the teams in Super League get time to bond as a unit. It's really great."
However, it is being widely rumoured the RFL has plans to switch from Cardiff to Murrayfield in Edinburgh next year.

Fans have expressed concern over high hotel prices in and around the Welsh capital, while officials have been disappointed with a lack of local promotion for the event.

Noble said: "Any changes are decisions for the RFL administrators to make, but I feel sure the Super League clubs would back them."

The full article contains 419 words and appears in Wigan Evening Post newspaper.
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  • Last Updated: 06 May 2008 9:27 AM
  • Source: Wigan Evening Post
  • Location: Wigan
 
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BriH,

Germany 06/05/2008 10:38:46
Is the Millenium weekend such a sucess? Unless my mathematics are faulty each of the 6 games averaged 10,000. Put that in the context of a Wigan vs Saints at the JJB getting 25,000 or a Leeds vs Bradford getting 20,000 then the figures don't look that goog. One thing that is obvious though is the amount of good, hard earned money the long suffering Wigan supporters are wasting watching a team that is not worthy of being called Wigan. Can you imagine Andy Farrell or Shaun Edwards putting up with that attitude? Never.

Brian, get your house in order: swing the axe and get rid of all the deadwood who are picking up their wages and doing nothing whatsoever to earn them.

The Fans have an absolute right to be very, very angry at the way the pride in Wigan is being rubbished.
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RL7,

06/05/2008 11:44:35
There is too much deadwood to get rid of!

Mathers-nothing more can be said.
Richards-the only player who deserves a place.
Goulding-If he is that slow now, how will he go on as he ages and carries injuries!
Carmont-just average but average doesn't win trophies.
Colbon-can't run around opponents or through them.
Leulai- not a tactical player,doesn't boss a game.Should have been sent off.
Barrett-Disappears when it matters.How can Long/Pryce outplay a 'mighty Aussie'?
Fielden-makes Seuseu look good!
Higham-correct Mr Lowe.
Feka-too predictable and 15mins is not good enough to win trophies.
Hansen-if only he was as good as he thinks he is.
Coley-not good enough to interest any other SL team but Wigan will have him.
Captain Clueless-can't lead,can't run,can't catch,can't pass,can't tackle below the shoulders, but hey what do I know? Give him 4 more years he is related to Farrell!
Prescott and J Tomkins are just not and never will be SL standard. Calderwood is poor but has yet to have a decent centre with him.There are some decent young lads coming through but how can they learn their trade from this lot,where are the seniors they can aspire to be like?
I know we can't buy our way to success anymore but even before the glory days Wigan teams had pride, guts and decent players.
Noble is not the man to lead Wigan, not only does he think Leeds is our crunch game but his route one game is dated now in SL. Most packs are too evenly sized so mobility and quick play win matches these days. Noble has never produced a team like that not even when coaching GB.
The frustrating thing is that if you look at Saints players such as Long,Meli,Talau,Gidley,Gardner,Graham,Cayless.Gilmour,Wilkins etc not one of them is a world class star but look at how these same players destroy us every time.
The trouble with these poseurs is that they think they can stroll around impressing people because they play for Wigan without grasping what that actually means and meanwhile we
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RL7,

06/05/2008 11:58:02
have become the laughing stock of SL and the source of every other supporters amusement and yet we still have the best support! It s time we had a team that deserved this support.

Over to you Joe!
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Pre '86 fan,

06/05/2008 12:20:02
I know this isn't directly relevant to the above story but... whilst I agree with the majority of the comments posted in the last few days and agree that the whole squad need to prove that they aren't taking the proverbial, the main thing that is eating at me is that I can't see any signs of improvement for the next 2/3 years.

In my opinion this years team is significantly weaker than the last as it is completely devoid of leadership and experience. Losing and not replacing Fletcher is an absolute disgrace, I appreciate that he wasn't at the top of his powers but unlike the majority of the current squad he knew the game and didn't take a backward step, more importantly he was the closest thing that we have had to a skipper for a few years especially in terms of leadership and acting as the cruelty man in the pack.

When you look at the younger or less experienced members of the squad, where the hell are they going to get pick up the winning mentality/habit from? For one reason or an other our Snr pro's are all tainted, Barrett’s head is elsewhere, Feka is in no position to inspire/bully given he can't manage half a game (either pre or post his legal issue), Micky Higham has been publicly undermined for at least 18 months, Hock seems to be our version of Sonny Nickle so he has his own game to worry about and finally Fielden is trying to rediscover his own game in a pack going backwards.

I can't see this situation improving in the short term given we'll be onto our next 6-7-9 combination next season so in effect starting from scratch. If Tommy is staying, it makes more sense if Barrett goes now freeing up salary cap cash to get a new 6 to bed-in before next year or at the very least strengthen the pack and give us a chance in the challenge cup.
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