AUSTRALIA'S last appearance on Warrington soil was brutal.

The Kangaroos' highest scoring tour team arrived at Wilderspool in November, 1994, buoyed by a second Test 38-8 success over Great Britain at Old Trafford.

For as skilful, powerful, clinical and entertaining as they had been in earlier matches, Bobby Fulton's Kangaroos had also bullied teams off the park.

But not Warrington.

Paul Cullen, Bruce McGuire, Paul Darbyshire, Gary Tees and Mark Hilton were never players to hold back, but it was almost as if they had been given a licence to kill anything in green and gold on that wet and gloomy November night.

To be fair, they only gave as good as they got in what will go down as one of the fiercest games to have taken place at Wilderspool.

The 11,244 supporters lapped it up, although Fulton, Kangaroos captain Allan Langer and co were not quite so pleased to have been thrust into such gladiatorial actions.

A match that teetered slightly below boiling point throughout, finally spilled over in the closing stages with a brawl that resulted in Australia full back Tim Brasher (Balmain Tigers) receiving a red card from Wigan referee Bob Connolly.

Although Warrington failed to score on the night, they kept the free-scoring Aussies to 24 points and provided one of the closest contests of the entire 14-match tour.

Warrington kept the score to 0-0 in the first quarter but then three triies in 11 minutes turned the game in Australia's favour, with Webdell Sailor crossing twice.

Brasher, Terry Hill and Steve Menzies also touched down, with David Furner kicking two conversions.

Warrington: Lee Penny; Mark Forster, Iestyn Harris, Jon Roper, Jason Lee; Fancis Maloney, Greg Mackey; Gary Tees, Tukere Barlow, Bruce McGuire, Paul Cullen, Gary Sanderson, Paul Darbyshire. Subs used: Chris Rudd, Mark Hilton, Andy Bennett, Phil Sumner.

Australia: Tim Brasher (Balmain); Wendell Sailor (Brisbane), Terry Hill (Manly), Greg Florimo (North Sydney), Michael Hancock (Brisbane); Kevin Walters (Brisbane), Allan Langer (Brisbane); Paul Sironen (Balmain), Jim Serdaris (Wests), David Fairleigh (North Sydney), David Furner (Canberra), Steve Menzies (Manly), Jason Smith (Canterbury). Sub used: Glenn Lazarus (Brisbane).