Warrington Guardian:

Warrington Guardian:

Warrington Guardian:

Steve Anderson, getting his weekly Guardian fix

 

STEVE Anderson’s five-year plan lasted 16 matches as Wolves’ fortunes plummeted.

In the year a Government planning inspector was assessing the need and risks for the club’s new stadium, tied into a Tesco superstore, Wolves ended up flirting with relegation.

Only after Paul Cullen was appointed as the club’s fourth head coach in 12 months did two crucial wins save Wolves.

Warrington Guardian:

Paul Cullen saluting the fans after victory over Castleford Tigers secured Super League safety

 

Warrington entered their first full season under performance manager Anderson and his right-hand man David Plange with a stack of player changes, the most high-profile arrivals being Australians Sid Domic, skipper Matt Rodwell, Paul Marquet and Darren Burns.

Warrington Guardian:

Darren Burns

Warrington Guardian:

Paul 'Pepe' Marquet

Warrington Guardian:

Matty 'Rocket' Rodwell

Warrington Guardian:

Sid Domic

After a narrow Challenge Cup mudbath win at Barrow and then defeat to St Helens, Wolves started Super League VII on a six-game losing streak and it became apparent that a lot of the signings could not cut the mustard.

Anderson handed over the coaching reins to his assistant David Plange but, with the Aussie still pulling strings behind the scenes, the ex-Castleford winger’s first game in charge was a 58-4 disaster at Wigan.

Anderson resigned and soon after Rodwell decided to hang up his boots after picking up a serious groin injury.

Lee Briers, Rodwell’s successor as captain, was at the heart of the first victory of term at high-flying Hull.

Warrington Guardian:

David Plange and Darren Burns celebrate a surprise win at Leeds Rhinos

 

Four successive losses put Plange’s future in doubt but he was given a brief respite with victories in three of their next six games inspired by the individual brilliance of Briers, Domic, Burns and Nick Fozzard.

Warrington Guardian:

Nick Fozzard

Warrington Guardian:

Lee Briers

New recruits Nathan Wood and Ben Westwood, snapped up from relegation rivals Wakefield for transfer fees totalling £90,000, also made significant contributions as did loan signings Danny Halliwell from Halifax and Richie Mathers from Leeds.

Warrington Guardian:

Nathan Wood

Warrington Guardian:

Danny Halliwell

Warrington Guardian:

Ben Westwood

Warrington Guardian: Richie Mathers celebrates with Ben Westwood after a Wolves try against Hull at Wilderspool in 2002

Richie Mathers

 

Wolves then slumped back into mediocrity.

Warrington Guardian:

 

The axe fell on Plange, and Cullen was the man brought in to save his hometown team after a successful period as head coach of Whitehaven Warriors in the Northern Ford Premiership.

Warrington Guardian:

Cullen was a popular choice and he encouraged his troops to express themselves.

Wolves edged out Halifax and they recorded a victory over Castleford, ensuring the drop was avoided.

Warrington Guardian:

Graham Appo in the crucial win against Castleford

Warrington Guardian:

Jon Clarke in the crucial win against Castleford

Warrington Guardian:

Warren Stevens in the crucial win against Castleford

Warrington Guardian:

Tommy O'Reilly in the crucial win against Castleford

Warrington Guardian:

Paul Marquet in the crucial win against Castleford

Warrington Guardian:

Celebrating the win that ensured Super League survival

Warrington Guardian:

Celebrating the win that ensured Super League survival

Warrington Guardian:

Celebrating the win that ensured Super League survival

 

In terms of win-loss ratios 2002 was Wolves’ worst season in the club’s history.

But the year ended, after much finger crossing and nail biting, with Wolves achieving the final thumbs up to build their new home.

Warrington Guardian:

Day one, the former Tetley Walker brewery site where the new Wolves stadium was to be built

Warrington Guardian:

Paul Cullen watches work start on the fooundations for Wolves' new stadium

 

SEASON'S RESULTS:

Challenge Cup:

Feb 10: Barrow Raiders 0 Wolves 10

Feb 23: Wolves 14 St Helens 36

Super League:

Mar 3: Wolves 30 Halifax Blue Sox 22

Mar 10: Bradford Bulls 38 Wolves 12

Mar 22: Wolves 28 Leeds Rhinos 50

Mar 29: Salford City Reds 31 Wolves 18

Apr 1: Wolves 14 Widnnes Vikings 20

Apr 7: Wakefield Wildcats 32 Wolves 20

Apr 19: Wigan Warriors 58 Wolves 4

Apr 30: Wolves 14 London Broncos 28

May 5: Hull FC 16 Wolves 19

May 12: Wolves 36 St Helens 44

May 19: Castleford Tigers 46 Wolves 24

May 25: Halifax Blue Sox 16 Wolves 11

Jun 2: Wolves 12 Bradford Bulls 40

Jun 9: Wolves 24 Wakefield Wildcats 12

Jun 22: London Broncos 30 Wolves 18*

Jun 29: Wolves 16 Wigan Warriors 41

Jul 4: Leeds Rhinos 22 Wolves 23

Jul 21: Wolves 18 Salford City Reds 9

Jul 27: Wolves 42 Hull FC 14

Aug 3: St Helens 72 Wolves 2

Aug 11: Wolves 12 Castleford Tigers 24

Aug 18: Widnes Vikings 19 Wolves 18

Aug 26: Wolves 18 Wigan Warriors 40

Sep 1: Halifax Blue Sox 16 Wolves 19

Sep 8: Wolves 29 Castleford Blue Sox 14

Sep 13: Wolves 2 Salford City Reds 22

Sep 22: Wakefield Wildcats 50 Wolves 10

*Played at Albert Domec Stadium, Carcassonne

 

SUPER LEAGUE VII TABLE:

P W D L F A Pt

St Helens 28 23 0 5 927 522 46

Bradford Bulls 28 23 0 5 910 519 46

Wigan Warriors 28 19 1 8 817 475 39

Leeds Rhinos 28 17 0 11 865 700 34

Hull FC 28 16 0 12 742 674 32

Castleford Tigers 28 14 2 12 736 615 30

Widnes Vikings 28 14 1 13 590 716 29

London Broncos 28 13 1 14 661 635 27

Halifax Blue Sox 28 8 0 20 558 856 16

Warrington Wolves 28 7 0 21 483 878 14

Wakefield Wildcats 28 5 2 21 566 899 12

Salford City Reds 28 5 1 22 490 856 11

 

SQUAD STATS 2002

App T G Dg Pt

David Alstead 18 3 0 0 12

Graham Appo 5+4 3 0 0 12

Lee Briers 28 9 75 11 197

Darren Burns 26+1 6 0 0 24

Dean Busby 7+6 1 0 0 4

Mike Callan 0+4 0 0 0 0

Dale Cardoza 6 1 0 0 4

Jon Clarke 27+1 4 1 0 18

Kevin Crouthers 6+2 1 0 0 4

Sid Domic 23+1 7 0 0 28

Leon Felton 5+3 0 0 0 0

Nick Fozzard 18+10 1 0 0 4

Dean Gaskell 1 0 0 0 0

Mark Gleeson 1+2 1 0 0 4

Jerome Guisset 18+7 4 0 0 16

Danny Halliwell 9+1 8 0 0 32

John Hill 0+4 0 0 0 0

Mark Hilton 26+4 1 0 0 4

Gary Hulse 3+2 1 0 0 4

David Kidwell 3+3 2 0 0 8

Dale Laughton 17+1 0 0 0 0

Craig McDowell 0+1 0 0 0 0

Steve Maden 4 0 0 0 0

Paul Marquet 24+2 1 0 0 0

Richie Mathers 4+3 0 0 0 0

Paul Noone 3+13 1 1 0 6

Tommy O’Reilly 10+5 2 0 0 8

Lee Penny 13+2 1 0 0 4

Leroy Rivett 9 1 0 0 4

Matt Rodwell 12 3 0 0 12

Rob Smyth 24 8 7 0 46

Warren Stevens 1+2 0 0 0 0

Matt Sturm 0+14 0 0 0 0

Michael Watts 3 0 0 0 0

Ben Westwood 13 6 0 0 24

Nathan Wood 14 2 0 0 8

Paul Wood 9+17 4 0 0 16

Warrington Guardian:

Jon Clarke

Warrington Guardian:

Dean Busby

Warrington Guardian:

Lee Penny

Warrington Guardian:

Nathan Wood

Warrington Guardian: Richie Mathers in primrose and blue in 2002

Richie Mathers

Warrington Guardian:

Matty Rodwell

Warrington Guardian:

Dean Gaskell

Warrington Guardian:

Jerome Guisset

Warrington Guardian:

Mike Callan

Warrington Guardian:

Sid Domic

Warrington Guardian:

Leroy Rivett

Warrington Guardian:

Ben Westwood

Warrington Guardian:

Saluting the fans