HANDY ANDY FOR WOLVES! (From Warrington Guardian)

HANDY ANDY FOR WOLVES!

GARY Chambers is hoping to start his first game of 1999 to boost Warrington's hopes of a revenge victory over full strength Bradford Bulls at Wilderspool on Sunday.

The Cumbrian has struggled all week with a knee injury but, with Australian prop Danny Nutley sidelined, Chambers' anticipated recovery will be a shot in the arm for Warrington's pack with Bradford's powerhouse forwards coming to town.

Wolves coach Darryl Van de Velde has taken extra measures by recruiting St. Helens' out of favour front rower Andy Leathem on a one month's loan deal.

The 22-year-old, who turned pro for Saints from Crosfields, is expected to be on the bench as the Wolves look to make up for that dreadful 52-16 bashing in the Challenge Cup at Odsal last month. But much will depend on how Leathem's first training session went with the Wolves yesterday, Thursday.

Leathem, who played for Warrington Schoolboys and has Warrington back rower Dean Busby as a lodger at his Penketh home, was a regular Super League starter with Saints' 1996 championship winning team but has been unlucky with injuries and non-selection since.

He will not have any problems settling in with the Wolves players, being a former teammate of Busby, Lee Briers and Alan Hunte at Knowsley Road.

Chambers, who has made eight appearances as a subsitute this year, says: "Andy's a good bloke and he will do a good job for us.

"I'm hoping to be fit. It is an impact injury which I picked up in the first few minutes of the second half at Wigan on Sunday. I did some running on Tuesday and it freed it up a lot but I have not done any tackling on it yet.

"We're all looking forward to this game. At Odsal in the Challenge Cup it was the first and only time we haven't competed this year and maybe we've got something to prove."

Nutley has a shoulder injury, picked up in the first half at Central Park.

The other prop option available to Van de Velde is Warren Stevens, who has been performing well in Paul Cullen's Under 21s Alliance team and he will come into contention for his first top flight appearance of the season too. Chris Causey misses out on a call-up chance with a hamstring injury.

Disappointing news for the Wolves as they look to get back to winning ways after the 24-10 defeat at Wigan is Scott Wilson's continued absence.

The Aussie stand off, who has missed the last two Wolves matches, had a knee operation for possible cartilage trouble on Wednesday which will keep him out of contention for at least a fortnight.

Van de Velde will continue with John Duffy at stand off and the coach has been pleased with the 18-year-old's effort and commitment since standing in for Wilson.

Winger Mark Forster, who had 14 stitches in a head cut after colliding with Mick Cassidy's shin on Sunday, will be playing in a specially-made headguard against Bradford as a normal cap protector would have aggravated his wound.

He says: "Drumscrum in Keighley have been really good. I phoned them on Monday telling them what I needed and they were specially making one for me in time to train in it on Friday (today) in preparation for Sunday.

"It should be a good game. I don't think it will be anything like the Challenge Cup match. We've had time to settle down since then."

And Foz is not too concerned that Bradford have announced they are optimisitic at having a full strength side available for the trip to Wilderspool, with Henry Paul, Stuart Spruce, Tevita Vaikona, Michael Withers and Mike Forshaw all recovering from injury after missing last weekend's 26-16 victory over Wakefield.

Forster says: "I think Bradford are easier to beat when they are at full strength because they get a bit complacent. Players coming in tend to give them that bit extra because they are fighting for a regular place."

Bradford coach Matt Elliott will bring back together the Robbie Paul and Henry Paul pairing which did so much damage to Warrington at half-back the last time the two sides met.

Sunday's game kicks off at 3pm with the Wolves Acaedmy curtain-raiser against Bradford at 12.45pm.

Wolves from: Lee Penny, Jason Roach, Toa Kohe-Love, Alan Hunte, Mark Forster, John Duffy, Lee Briers, Mark Hilton, Danny Farrar, Gary Chambers, Andy Leathem, Simon Gillies, Ian Knott, Steve McCurrie, Dean Busby, Mike Wainwright, Dean Hanger, Warren Stevens.

Bulls probable: Stuart Spruce, Tevita Vaikona, Danny Peacock, Scott Naylor, Michael Withers; Henry Paul, Robbie Paul; Brian McDermott, James Lowes, Stuart Fielden, David Boyle, Bernard Dwyer, Mike Forshaw. Subs from: Nick Zisti, Paul Deacon, Neil Harmon, Paul Anderson, Warren Jowitt, Leon Pryce.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.