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.
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.
Darren Burns
Paul 'Pepe' Marquet
Matty 'Rocket' Rodwell
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.
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.
Nick Fozzard
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.
Nathan Wood
Danny Halliwell
Ben Westwood
Richie Mathers
Wolves then slumped back into mediocrity.
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.
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.
Graham Appo in the crucial win against Castleford
Jon Clarke in the crucial win against Castleford
Warren Stevens in the crucial win against Castleford
Tommy O'Reilly in the crucial win against Castleford
Paul Marquet in the crucial win against Castleford
Celebrating the win that ensured Super League survival
Celebrating the win that ensured Super League survival
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.
Day one, the former Tetley Walker brewery site where the new Wolves stadium was to be built
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
Jon Clarke
Dean Busby
Lee Penny
Nathan Wood
Richie Mathers
Matty Rodwell
Dean Gaskell
Jerome Guisset
Mike Callan
Sid Domic
Leroy Rivett
Ben Westwood
Saluting the fans
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