2008 Challenge Cup and League Leader's Shield Winners,
St Helens RLFC
News
19 man Squad Announced
St Helens have announced their 19-man squad for the Grand Final against Leeds Rhinos at Old Trafford on Saturday October 4.
Daniel Anderson will choose from:
1. Paul Wellens, 2. Ade Gardner, 3. Matt Gidley, 4. Willie Talau, 5. Francis Meli, 6. Leon Pryce, 7. Sean Long, 8. Nick Fozzard, 9. Keiron Cunningham, 10. Jason Cayless, 11. Lee Gilmour, 12. Jon Wilkin, 14. James Roby, 16. Chris Flannery, 17. James Graham, 18. Bryn Hargreaves, 21. Paul Clough, 23. Maurie Fa’asavalu, 24. Kyle Eastmond.
Brian McClennan, Leeds' Head Coach, will choose from:
1. Brent Webb, 2. Scott Donald, 4. Keith Senior, 5. Lee Smith, 6. Danny McGuire, 7. Rob Burrow, 8. Kylie Leuluai, 9. Matt Diskin, 10. Jamie Peacock, 11. Jamie Jones-Buchanan, 12. Gareth Ellis, 13. Kevin Sinfield, 14. Ali Lauitiiti, 16. Ryan Bailey, 17. Nick Scruton, 18. Ian Kirke, 19. Carl Ablett, 22. Ryan Hall, 24. Luke Burgess.
Referee for the clash which kicks off at 6.00pm is Ashley Klein.
Match Stats:
LONG TARGETS 1,000 GOALS
SEAN LONG of St. Helens needs five goals for a career total of 1,000 in club and representative matches. The scrum half has kicked 953 for St. Helens, 14 Widnes, 2 Wigan and 26 in representative matches. His 995 goals include 23 drop goals and have come in 349 matches.
A former Wigan St. Judes amateur, Long signed for Wigan on his 17th birthday, 24 September 1993. He made his senior debut for Wigan as a substitute in a 46-0 home League defeat of Oldham on 27 November 1994. He made two more substitute appearances before starting at stand off and scoring a try in a 44-4 home League defeat of Doncaster on 5 April 1995.
After only a dozen appearances in four seasons, Long moved to Widnes Vikings as part exchange for Lee Hansen, who was valued at £160,000. Long made his Widnes debut as a substitute in a 26-16 League defeat at Dewsbury Rams on 11 April 1997. He was at stand off in the next match five days later when he scored a try and goal in a 54-6 League defeat at Keighley Cougars.
Long played for his third club in the same season when St. Helens signed him two months later for about £80,000. His first match for Saints was at scrum half in a 48-8 World Club Championship home defeat by Cronulla, kicking two goals, on 16 June 1997.
Born: 24.9.76
* DG Drop goals included in total
|
|
App.
|
+Sub
|
Goals
|
DG*
|
|
|
Wigan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1994-95
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
0
|
|
|
1996
|
0
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
1997
|
1
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
Widnes
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1997
|
8
|
1
|
14
|
1
|
|
|
St. Helens
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1997
|
19
|
0
|
40
|
0
|
|
|
1998
|
24
|
5
|
89
|
3
|
+ 1dg Emerging England
|
|
1999
|
29
|
2
|
118
|
2
|
|
|
2000
|
33
|
0
|
162
|
0
|
|
|
2001
|
16
|
0
|
65
|
1
|
|
|
2002
|
21
|
1
|
50
|
1
|
|
|
2003
|
33
|
2
|
119
|
1
|
+ 8g GB (Inc.5 non-Test)
|
|
2004
|
18
|
0
|
82
|
1
|
|
|
2005
|
22
|
1
|
68
|
2
|
|
|
2006
|
29
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
+ 11g, 1dg GB
|
|
2007
|
22
|
1
|
35
|
6
|
|
|
2008
|
28
|
0
|
123
|
2
|
|
|
Totals
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wigan
|
3
|
9
|
2
|
0
|
|
|
Widnes
|
8
|
1
|
14
|
1
|
|
|
St. Helens
|
294
|
12
|
953
|
20
|
|
|
Great Britain
|
10
|
4
|
15
|
1
|
|
|
GB Non-Test
|
2
|
0
|
5
|
0
|
|
|
England
|
4
|
1
|
5
|
0
|
|
|
Emerging England
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
Grand totals
|
322
|
27
|
995
|
23*
|
|
ST. HELENS’ only defeat in five previous Grand Finals was last year when Leeds Rhinos beat them 33-6. Saints have won a record four finals, in 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2006.
On Saturday they will equal Bradford Bulls’ record of six Grand Final appearances.
LEEDS RHINOS have won the Grand Final twice, last year and in 2004. They were losers in the inaugural Grand Final of 1998 and 2005.
KEVIN SINFIELD of Leeds Rhinos is aiming to equal the record of captaining the winning side in three Grand Finals. He lifted the trophy in 2004 and last year.
The record was set by Chris Joynt, who led St. Helens to victory in 1999, 2000 and 2002.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS IN ALL FINALS
Leeds won 5; St. Helens won 3
Grand Final
2007 Leeds won 33-6 at Old Trafford
Championship Final
1969-70 St. Helens won 24-12 at Bradford
1971-72 Leeds won 9-5 at Swinton
Premiership Final
1974-75 Leeds won 26-11 at Wigan
RL Challenge Cup Final
1971-72 St. Helens won 16-13 at Wembley
1977-78 Leeds won 14-12 at Wembley
John Player Special Trophy Final
1987-88 St. Helens won 15-14 at Wigan
BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final
1970-71 Leeds won 9-5 at Leeds
2007 engage Super League meetings
Leeds 38 v St. Helens 19
St. Helens 10 v Leeds 22
2007 engage Super League Play-off
St. Helens 10 v Leeds 8 Qualifying semi-final
Leeds 33 v St. Helens 6 Final at Old Trafford
2008 engage Super League meetings
St. Helens 10 v Leeds 14
Leeds 12 v St. Helens 26
2008 engage Super League Play-off
St. Helens 38 v Leeds 10 Qualifying semi-final
2008 Carnegie Challenge Cup
St. Helens 26 v Leeds 16 Semi-final at Huddersfield
Super League meetings summary
St. Helens won 17
Leeds won 15
Plus play-offs: St. Helens won 4; Leeds won 3
St. Helens highest score: St. Helens 62 v Leeds 18 … 1999
Widest margin: St. Helens 56 v Leeds 10 … 2004
Leeds highest score: Leeds 74 v St. Helens 16 … 2001
Widest margin: Leeds 70 v St. Helens 0 … 2004
Previous play-off meetings
1998 Leeds 44 v St. Helens 16 ... Final eliminator
1999 St. Helens 38 v Leeds 14 ... Qualifying play-off
2001 St. Helens 38 v Leeds 30 ... Elimination play-off
2005 St. Helens 16 v Leeds 19 ... Qualifying play off
2007 St. Helens 10 v Leeds 8 ... Qualifying play-off
Leeds 33 v St. Helens 6 ... Grand Final at Old Trafford
2008 St. Helens 38 v Leeds 10 ... Qualifying play-off
DOUBLE GRAND FINAL WINNERS
JASON CAYLESS of St. Helens is among the elite few who have been Grand Final winners in England and Australia. He has also been a losing finalist in both countries.
Cayless started at prop in the Sydney Roosters side that beat New Zealand Warriors 30-8 in the 2002 Australian Grand Final. He was also a loser in 2003 and 2004. In 2006 he was in the St. Helens side that beat Hull FC 26-4 in the engage Super League Grand Final and a loser last year against Leeds.
MATTHEW GIDLEY of St. Helens is aiming to join the elite, having been a winner with Newcastle Knights in 2001, but a loser with St. Helens last year. CHRIS FLANNERY was also a winner with Sydney Roosters in 2002 and a loser in 2003 and 2004 plus losing with St. Helens last year.
Other current St. Helens players who have been on the losing side in the Australian Grand Final are: Willie Talau (Canterbury 1998) and Francis Meli (New Zealand Warriors 2002), who were winners in the 2006 Super League Grand Final.
Ali Lauitiiti of Leeds Rhinos was a loser with New Zealand Warriors in 2002, but won with Leeds in 2004 and last year.
ADRIAN MORLEY is the only British player to play in a Grand Final winning team in both England and Australia. Morley played for Sydney Roosters when they beat New Zealand Warriors 30-8 in 2002 and for Bradford Bulls when they beat Leeds Rhinos 15-6 in 2005.
Nine overseas players have done the Grand Final winning double.
Marcus Bai (Melbourne 1999, Leeds 2004),
Ben Harris (Canterbury 2004, Bradford 2005)
David Furner (Canberra 1994, Leeds 2004)
Daniel Gartner (Manly 1996, Bradford 2001, 2003)
Darren Albert (Newcastle 1997, St. Helens 2002)
Darren Britt (Sydney Bulldogs 1995, St. Helens 2002)
Graham Mackay (Penrith1991, Bradford 2001)
Danny Moore (Manly 1996, Wigan 1998)
Jason Cayless (Sydney Roosters 2002, St. Helens 2006).
RECORD FINAL APPEARANCES
Four St. Helens players plus Jamie Peacock of Leeds Rhinos are in line to make a record-extending fifth Grand Final winning appearance.
The Saints players are Keiron Cunningham, Sean Long, Paul Wellens and Leon Pryce.
The first three were winners with St. Helens in 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2006, while Pryce won with Bradford Bulls in 2001, 2003 and 2005 plus 2006 with Saints.
Leon Pryce of St. Helens will also be making a record-extending eighth Grand Final appearance.
In addition to his four winning appearances he was a loser with Bradford in 1999 and 2002, and with St. Helens last year.
Peacock is the Leeds player with most final appearances - six; as a Bradford player in 2001 (W), 2002 (L), 2003 (W), 2004 (L) and 2005 (W) plus 2007 (W) with Leeds.
HARRY SUNDERLAND TROPHY
(Awarded to the man of the match in the Championship Final from 1965 to 1973; Club Merit Final 1974; Premiership Final 1975-1997; Super League Grand Final from 1998).
LEON PRYCE of St. Helens is in with a chance of becoming the first player to win the Harry Sunderland Trophy with two different clubs after winning it with Bradford Bulls in 2005.
THREE players have twice won the Harry Sunderland Trophy with the same club: Alan Tait (Widnes 1989, 1990 Premiership Finals), Chris Joynt (St. Helens 1993 Premiership Final, 2000 Grand Final), Andrew Farrell (Wigan 1996, 1997 Premiership Finals). Note: None has won it twice in the Grand Final.
This year’s finalists to have won the Harry Sunderland Trophy are Rob Burrow (2007) and Matt Diskin (2004) of Leeds plus Leon Pryce (2005) and Paul Wellens (2006) of St. Helens.
ROB BURROW of Leeds could become the third player to win it in successive seasons, following Alan Tait (Widnes 1989, 1990) and Andrew Farrell (Wigan 1996, 1997).
PAUL WELLENS of St. Helens could become the first player to win the Harry Sunderland Trophy and the Lance Todd Trophy (as man of the match in the RL Challenge Cup Final) in the same season. Wellens won the Lance Todd Trophy last month. Wellens is one of nine players who have lifted the two trophies in different seasons.
THREE players from the losing side have won the Harry Sunderland Trophy: - all against St. Helens: Bill Ashurst (Wigan 1971), Henry Paul (Bradford Bull 1999) and Paul Deacon (Bradford Bulls 2002).
YOUNGEST player to win the trophy is centre Kris Radlinski (Wigan 19 years, 42 days) v Leeds 1995.
OLDEST player: Loose forward Bob Haigh (Bradford Northern 34 years, 190 days) v Widnes 1978
INDIVIDUAL GRAND FINAL RECORDS
Most tries: 3 by Michael Withers (Bradford Bulls) v Wigan Warriors … 2001
Most goals: 7 (Inc. 1 dg) by Paul Deacon (Bradford Bulls) v Wigan Warriors … 2003
Most points: 13 (6g, 1dg) by Paul Deacon (Bradford Bulls) v Wigan Warriors … 2003
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