How many can you name in this squad picture at the start of the 1998 season? From left, back row, David Highton, Brendon Tuuta, Chris Causey, Ian Knott, Lee Briers, Warren Stevens, Michael Eagar, Danny Whittle, Paul Wingfield, Vince Fawcett; middle row, Paul Cullen (assistant coach), Gary Chambers, John Duffy, Mark Forster, Danny Nutley, Mark Hilton, Jon Roper, Mike Wainwright, Jason Roach, Chris Morley, ? , Terry Gilogley, conditioner; front row, Billy Cowell (physio), Chris Rudd, Adam Doyle, Danny Farrar, Darryl Van de Velde (head coach), Steve McCurrie, Toa Kohe-Love, Lee Penny, Peter Cowell (physio). Pictures by Mike Boden
A THIRD season of wholesale changes did Warrington Wolves no favours in the short term.
Only seven wins from 23 games left them 10th on the 1998 ladder, though a takeover and £1.6 million cash injection brought fresh optimism for the future.
Coach Darryl Van de Velde, for his first full season in charge, looked overseas to bolster an underperforming squad.
Danny Farrar is watched by Mike Wainwright
In came a quartet of Australians – hooker Danny Farrar from Penrith Panthers, stand off Adam Doyle from Western Suburbs, prop Danny Nutley and centre Michael Eagar from South Queensland Crushers.
Adam Doyle is chased by Leeds Rhinos centre Richie Blackmore
Also arriving at Wilderspool were forward Steve McCurrie from Bedford RUFC, ex-St Helens prop Adam Fogerty, plus winger Jason Roach and Kiwi back rower Brendon Tuuta from Castleford.
Steve McCurrie
Among a backdrop of financial difficulties behind the scenes, Great Britain loose forward Paul Sculthorpe left the club during the winter in a £370,000 deal with St Helens which saw Chris Morley, older brother of future Wire skipper Adrian, come the other way.
Chris Morley is ambushed against Wigan Warriors
With the previous year’s Super League top try scorer Nigel Vagana one of 30 members of the 1997 squad not featuring, Wolves needed finishing quality from elsewhere.
Although Roach made a promising four-try debut in the Challenge Cup win at Wakefield, it was Mark Forster’s 11-try haul that topped the club’s charts and emphasised the season’s penetration struggles.
Four tries in the win at Wakefield Trinity Wildcats for debutant Jason Roach
Wolves had a sequence in mid-season of only one win from nine games, becoming whipping boys at the hands of Halifax and Castleford during the run. Four different half-back combinations, following a season-ending injury for in-form stand off Jon Roper, came at that time.
Highlights were the home win against Bradford Bulls, the experience of a game at Anfield against St Helens as well as the ‘roadshow’ clash with Castleford Tigers at Cardiff Arms Park.
A thunderous run from future Hollywood film star Adam Fogerty against his former club St Helens at Anfield
And there was the Wilderspool 100th anniversary victory over Huddersfield on September 6, but the year’s big news was chairman Peter Higham and his board of directors selling shares for £1 – handing over the reins to a consortium that included future owner Simon Moran. Plans for a new stadium were on the horizon too.
Little Red Riding Hood accompanied mascot Wolfie at matches, this one being the Wilderspool Stadium 100th anniversary game
Former Wire centre Bill Shankland was one of many past players to make a guest appearance at the Wilderspool Stadium 100th anniversary game
SEASON'S RESULTS:
Challenge Cup:
Feb 15: Wakefield Trinity 6 Wolves 42
Mar 1: St Helens 35 Wolves 22
Super League:
Apr 5: Leeds Rhinos 30 Wolves 8
Apr 10: Wolves 4 Salford Reds 37
Apr 19: London Broncos 14 Wolves 4
Apr 26: St Helens 36 Wolves 14*
May 10: Wolves 31 Halifax Blue Sox 20
May 17: Wolves 33 Castleford Tigers 18
May 25: Hull Sharks 28 Wolves 32
May 31: Huddersfield Giants 28 Wolves 6
Jun 7: Wolves 28 Bradford Bulls 10
Jun 14: Wolves 18 Sheffield Eagles 18
Jun 21: Wigan Warriors 56 Wolves 8
Jun 28: Wolves 14 Leeds Rhinos 27
Jul 5: Salford Reds 14 Wolves 25
Jul 25: Castleford Tigers 23 Wolves 16**
Aug 2: Wolves 14 London Broncos 23
Aug 9: Wolves 18 St Helens 48
Aug 16: Halifax Blue Sox 46 Wolves 16
Aug 22: Castleford Tigers 50 Wolves 24
Aug 30: Wolves 24 Hull Sharks 10
Sep 6: Wolves 36 Huddersfield Giants 8
Sep 13: Bradford Bulls 36 Wolves 8
Sep 18: Sheffield Eagles 35 Wolves 6
Sep 27: Wolves 24 Wigan Warriors 30
* Played at Anfield ** Played at Cardiff Arms Park
INTERESTING NOTES:
Debutants: Will Cowell, Adam Doyle, Michael Eagar, Danny Farrar, Vince Fawcett, Phil Finney, Adam Fogerty, David Highton, Steve McCurrie, Chris Morley, Danny Nutley, Mike Pechey, Jason Roach, Brendon Tuuta, Danny Whittle, Scott Wilson
David Highton looks for a way through against Huddersfield
Will Cowell, a debutant in 1998
Australian Scott Wilson played the final few minutes of Wolves’ last game to satisfy overseas player eligibility rules for 1999
Scott Wilson's cameo appearance
SUPER LEAGUE TABLE:
P W D L F A Pt
Wigan Warriors 23 21 0 2 762 222 42
Leeds Rhinos 23 19 0 4 662 369 38
Halifax Blue Sox 23 18 0 5 658 390 36
St Helens 23 14 1 8 673 459 29
Bradford Bulls 23 12 0 11 498 450 24
Castleford Tigers 23 10 1 12 446 522 21
London Broncos 23 10 1 12 446 522 21
Sheffield Eagles 23 8 2 13 495 541 18
Hull FC 23 8 0 15 421 574 16
Warrington Wolves 23 7 1 15 411 645 15
Salford Reds 23 6 1 16 319 575 13
Huddersfield Giants 23 2 0 21 288 825 4
SQUAD STATS 1998:
App T G Dg Pt
Lee Briers 22 4 49 5 119
Chris Causey 0+11 0 0 0 0
Gary Chambers 15+8 0 0 0 0
William Cowell 1+4 0 0 0 0
Adam Doyle 11+3 6 0 0 24
John Duffy 4+2 0 0 0 0
Michael Eagar 23 6 0 0 24
Danny Farrar 23 4 0 0 16
Vince Fawcett 4+9 2 0 0 8
Phil Finney 1 0 0 0 0
Adam Fogerty 4 0 0 0 0
Mark Forster 23 11 0 0 44
David Highton 6 1 0 0 4
Mark Hilton 7+6 0 0 0 0
Ian Knott 6+12 2 0 0 8
Toa Kohe-Love 14 5 0 0 20
Steve McCurrie 22+3 8 0 0 32
Chris Morley 2+10 0 0 0 0
Danny Nutley 25 0 0 0 0
Mike Pechey 6+3 2 0 0 8
Lee Penny 22 8 0 0 32
Jason Roach 18 10 0 0 40
Jon Roper 8 2 5 0 18
Chris Rudd 13+2 4 13 0 42
Warren Stevens 0+9 0 0 0 0
Brendon Tuuta 20+2 4 0 0 16
Mike Wainwright 25 5 0 0 20
Danny Whittle 0+2 0 0 0 0
Scott Wilson 0+1 0 0 0 0
Paul Wingfield 0 0 0 0 0
Congratulations for Mark Forster after a try against Wigan at Central Park
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