Rugby League
Your Stories

Stats for Hanley's Australian Clubs-

Greg's story is this...........Lowly Bradford beat the mighty Wigan

The date was 30/09/1990.

It was bloody freezing and I'd dragged my brother along for his first game of RL, wigan at the time where the darlings of Rugby League over here and Bradford where the minnows, with my brother having a soft spot for wigan I'd thought i would take him, expecting wigan to wallop us, i wasn't expecting the show we put on that day, we where awesome, we ended up winning 31-30, with Craig Richard's our replacement prop for Kelvin Skirt who was playing for wigan, im not kidding when i say Richard's picked skirt up in one of his many tackles on him and through him to the floor like he was a rag doll which produced the second biggest cheer of the afternoon however the first was reserved for an ex Northern legend Allergy Haley. Probably my favourite player of all time, but he had a tendency to talk to the referee at every given opportunity, however the ref for this match was the no nonsense Robin Whittled. One of the most hated of referees in this country, but he soon became The Northern fans Favourite after too much back chat from ellery again, who he dispatched to the stands at half time with little andy greg having to restrain allergy from knocking whitfileds head off, as well as 10'000 screaming Northern fans sending him on his way, Hanley would however walk into any 13 a side team now or in the past one of the best players of all time and im glad i was one of the thousands of fans who managed to see him play, GB could do with him now!

Feel free to tidy it up and spell check it im not the best of story tellers but that memory will stick with me to my dieing day!
(from Quigs, Thanks Greg this is exactly what I am chasing for the EOTB website, told as it is by those that witnessed it)

Great website btw im just a little bit too young to remember most of the ex players on here, im glad I had a nosy though!

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

Warrington v Wigan, 1 January, 1988

NEW YEAR'S DAY PUNCH-UP

WILDERSPOOL has staged many bad tempered matches but nothing compares to the New Year's Day 'derby' against Wigan in 1988.

While the game itself had a dramatic finale, it was the opening 20 minutes which captured all the headlines.

Wilderspool's biggest 'gate' of the season and highest league attendance for 15 years - 10,056 - ended up watching an 11-a-side game.

Southport referee Kevin Allatt sent four players off as the game boiled over. Another player was sent to the sin bin.

Afterwards, Warrington coach Tony Barrow described the episode as 'World War Three.'

The start was delayed eight minutes to allow the crowd to get in but on the pitch there was trouble from the first minute as Warrington's Les Boyd and Wigan's Adrian Shelford clashed.

There were other clashes before the game errupted on eight minutes, when Boyd and Andy Gregory tangled. Players from both sides piled in and Allatt ended up sending off Warrington's Tony Humphries with Wigan's Shelford.

Boyd was ordered to the sin bin. Even that did not end the hostility for on 20 minutes Wigan second rower Andy Goodway, currently the Great Britain coach, felled Paul Cullen and was sent marching to the tunnel.

As Goodway walked to the tunnel Cullen chased after him and launched himself at the Wigan player. A new brawl erupted and Cullen and Goodway had to be separated before the Warrington centre was also dismissed.

Cullen's moment of madness cost him a two match ban and probably cost Warrington victory, although Tony Barrow claimed at the time that Goodway had stamped on Cullen as he trooped towards the exit.

Thankfully, that was the end of the scenes but the game had already been tarnished. Wigan then opened the scoring when Ellery Hanley broke clear from the half way line.

Warrington responded with Australian Boyd leading the fightback. His power running set up touch downs for Billy McGinty and Brian Johnson. A drop goal from John Woods just before half-time gave Warrington a 13-4 advantage.

Then Gregory added his influence. His kick brought a try for Steve Hampson and then he was involved in the play that put Hanley over for his second try that gave Wigan a 14-13 lead.

Woods put over a penalty for off side but Gregory's drop goal two minutes from the end gave them a share of the spoils.

Warrington were in second place in the Stones Bitter Championship at the time - chasing Widnes for the title.

Result: Warrington 15 Wigan 15

Team: Brian Johnson; Des Drummond, Paul Cullen, Joe Ropati, David Lyon; John Woods, Martin Crompton; Les Boyd, Kevin Tamati, Tony Humphries, Bob Jackson, Ronnie Duane, Billy McGinty.
Subs: Mark Roberts, Gary Sanderson.
Tries: McGinty, Johnson.
Goals: Woods 3.
Drop goal: Woods.

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

Joined us in Mid 2004 as head coach but after 5 games decided to ababndon us as he was a (Censored by Quigs) and couldn't finish off what he promised.

Lost all respect for this great player after his farcical month at the tigers!!!

Hope he stays out of work for a long long long time.

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

text

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

text

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -

text

- why not share your memories with other members of Team Era, just click here -