NORTH WEST MEN’S LEAGUE FINALS DIVISION 5 | 9.30 AM DIVISION 4 | 11.30 AM DIVISION 3 | 1.30 PM DIVISION 2 | 3.30 PM DIVISION 1 | 5.30 PM PREMIER | 7.30 PM SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 30 RUSKIN DRIVE, WA10 6RP WELCOME As ever on today’s occasion I open with the classic, Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening and welcome which although resembles something out of the Trueman show is relevant to all our games and staff of whom some would have started out at 7am this morning and won’t get home until 11pm tonight. So to kick off the acknowledgements I will thank my hard working volunteers and RFL staff who have put together this event. I will also personally thank Billy Dillon and Pilkington Recs, along with St Helens Council, for providing the venue and working hard together to get the show organised. Also thanks to the side kick Laura Fairbank she does more than most behind the scenes and seldom get appreciated, so thank you all. It’s hard to find a venue that will host 6 games back to back and although the Rugby Football League heavily subsidise these events it was the NWML Management that said no to the astronomical cost that our historical venue wanted to charge. We can only hope that our endeavours today pay off and we have provided a top-quality playing service and facilities for the players and spectators to play, support and enjoy. Our first game today kicks off at a shivering 9.30am when Wigan Spring View take on Saddleworth in the Division 5 final. Both these teams last season had folded or not got off the ground so it’s great to see them pushing forward and getting to the final game of the season. Game 2 shows again that strong work with volunteers pays tenfold. Woolston A and Westhoughton Lions have both grown this season. Woolston have managed to maintain the reserve grade whilst their NCL grade has maintained a good standing in their respective division. Westhoughton this season have hit their 20th anniversary and are now putting together a formidable package off the field. It was great to see their second Lions Fest which not only gave you great rugby but entertained you with Live wrestling, music and the odd reptilian. It well worth a visit next season! Hold on to your seats as the Division 3 final is possibly going to be a fire cracker. These teams have met a couple of times in the past few weeks and only a couple of points have separated them in both games, Oldham St Anne’s winning on both occasions. St Cuthbert’s will be looking for revenge after what they perceived to be a last-minute try wiped out by a great touch judge call with a foot on the line, I’m on the fence for this one. Come 3.30pm we are half way there but the rugby does not stop. Roll up Rochdale Mayfield and Widnes Tigers. Division 2 could not have been any tighter with 3 clubs finishing on 24 points, Mayfield taking the title on points difference. Tigers were second and will be looking to win this one to share the silverware. The Division 1 Grand Final sees Folly Lane and the resurgent Halton Farnworth Hornets battling for the honours. Both teams have had a great season and both will be back in the Premiership next season competing with the big teams. I’m sure both clubs will go out and give it their all. Our final game is the Premiership Final between Thatto Heath and Orrell St James. Orrell have been one of the most successful clubs over the last 4 – 5 years running two competitive teams and both winning trophies. Thatto Heath have also been superb in their development, maintaining a great standard in the NCL as well as table topping the NWML. Only two points separated these two teams after the regular season so again a ding dong battle should be afoot. Please enjoy your day and please respect everyone that attends, plays and officiates today. It will be a long day for all concerned and your encouragement is required. Thank you all for your continued support this season and have a good Winter break and we will see you all next Season. Stuart Prior NWML Chairman NORTH WEST MEN’S LEAGUE RUNNING ORDER DIVISION 5 | 9.30 AM WIGAN SPRING VIEW v SADDLEWORTH RANGERS A REFEREE: ANDREW MARSH | TOUCH JUDGES: JIM FALLON & DYLAN BARLOW RESERVE: AARON MOORE DIVISION 4 | 11.30 AM WOOLSTON ROVERS A v WESTHOUGHTON LIONS REFEREE: AARON MOORE | TOUCH JUDGES: PHIL THOMAS & MATTHEW BALL RESERVE: IAN HARVEY DIVISION 3 | 1.30 PM WIGAN ST CUTHBERTS v OLDHAM ST ANNES A REFEREE: IAN HARVEY | TOUCH JUDGES: DYLAN BARLOW & ANDREW MARSH RESERVE: PHIL THOMAS DIVISION 2 | 3.30 PM ROCHDALE MAYFIELD A v WIDNES TIGERS REFEREE: DOMINIC BRESLIN | TOUCH JUDGES: JAMES COLLIER & CALLUM KELLY RESERVE: PHIL SALISBURY DIVISION 1 | 5.30 PM FOLLY LANE v HALTON FARNWORTH HORNETS REFEREE: PHIL SALISBURY | TOUCH JUDGES: PHIL RIGBY & STEPHEN CATTERALL RESERVE: PHIL LOEB PREMIER | 7.30 PM THATTO HEATH CRUSADERS A v ORRELL ST JAMES REFEREE: PHIL LOEB | TOUCH JUDGES: JAMES COLLIER & CALLUM KELLY RESERVE: PHIL RIGBY DIVISION 5 | 9.30 AM WIGAN SPRING VIEW WIGAN SPRING VIEW v SADDLEWORTH RANGERS A We are currently in the rebuilding players and have been able to turn 2 process this season after teams out several times this year. unfortunately folding last year. We are very excited at the prospect of This season we have been lucky playing in a grand final in our first season enough to have a flutter of new back up and running and are hoping for many more to come. WIGAN SPRING VIEW SQUAD ASHTON, JACK | BRERETON, NATHAN | CLEGG, JORDAN | COLLIER, LUKE FORSHAW, DARRYL | GALLAGHER, PAUL | GIBSON, MICHAEL | GIBSON, PHILIP HARRISON, MARC | MCDONALD, JAMES | MEADOWS, ANDREW | MELLING, DANIEL MELLING, GARETH | MONKS, DEACON | MORRIS, GARY | PARKINSON, JORDAN ROTHWELL, PHILIP | SMITH, LEWIS | THORNTON, JOSHUA SADDLEWORTH DIVISION 5 | 9.30 AM WIGAN SPRING VIEW RANGERS A v SADDLEWORTH RANGERS A After a four year absence we were As a Club we are very proud to say that every delighted to re enter the NWML member of the squad has come through our competition in 2017. junior teams to Open Age. Last Winter our Masters players offered For many of them, all of their rugby league to steer and support a team in the NWML life to date has been spent at Saddleworth comprising our 2016 Under 18s; first team Rangers. fringe players and anyone who wanted to play but could not commit to being They have had an outstanding first season, available every week. losing only one league fixture along the way, and fully deserve their place in the Grand Final. SQUAD RYAN GORDON, 24, FULL BACK/WING | JAMES ADAMS, 19, WING SAMMY IRELAND, 19, CENTRE | NATHAN ROEBUCK, 17, CENTRE/SECOND ROW LEWIS ADAMS, 19, WING | JAY TAYLOR, 17, STAND OFF | ROB KIVLIN, 25, SCRUM HALF JAMES BUCKLEY, 19, PROP | SAM OGDEN, 19, HOOKER/LOOSE | TOM LEES, 26, PROP CHRIS CONWAY, 41, PROP/SECOND ROW | JAMES ROGERS, 42, PROP/SECOND ROW ADAM WALKER, 35 ,LOOSE/SECOND ROW | RYAN ROBINSON, 23, WING AARON MULLER, 29, PROP/SECOND ROW | JACK LEIGH, 22, SECOND ROW REECE CUMISKY, 19, SECOND ROW | JOSHUA PEGLER, 24, WING DANNY BALLAN, 31, PROP/SECOND ROW | SAM KERSHAW, 20, HOOKER CALLUM SIDDALL, 22, CENTRE/SECOND ROW | SIMON PARRISH, 36, LOOSE/PROP JACK HOLDEN, 32, HOOKER/SECOND ROW | HARRY GODFREY, 20, HOOKER SAM HART, 19, FULL BACK/CENTRE | DANNY ATTERSALL, 31, PLAYER COACH PHILIP WOOD, 34, PLAYER COACH | CHRIS GARFORTH, 38, PLAYER COACH WOOLSTON DIVISION 4 | 11.30 AM WOOLSTON ROVERS A ROVERS A v WESTHOUGHTON LIONS The route to the Play Off Final Semi Final (1 v 4) Won 24-0 Culcheth Eagles (home) Season to date NWML Division Four: played 18, won 15 victory over Culcheth Eagles towards the and lost 3. Won the league title ahead end of August at Victoria Park Stadium. of Westhoughton Lions and Langworthy Reds. Won the NWML Shield Final with a 26-22 golden point extra time success over Won The Stuart Middleton Foundation Clock Face Miners ‘A’ in a titanic match at Warrington Alliance Cup with a 48-0 the beginning of September. SQUAD AINSWORTH Max 19 Prop Forward Young prop forward who has moved up from the Under 18s this season. CALEY Steve 40 Centre Experienced centre who never takes a backward step; unfortunately he is likely to miss the final though injury. ECCLES Jake 17 Stand Off/Winger Member of our Under 18s side who has made a significant contribution to the NWML side when called upon. EVANS Jimmy 21 Full back/Centre Talented player who scores plenty of tries; currently out of the country travelling so will miss the game. EVANS Nathan 19 Second Row Strong running second row who has took his chances well this season after moving up from last season’s Under 18s side. FAGAN Tom 24 Second Row Very under rated player who gets through a lot of work in attack and defence; been a regular for the past few years and never lets the side down. FILES Adam 24 Hooker Quality hooker who has returned to the club this year from Oldham; has added an extra dimension to the Rovers attack. FILES Sam 26 Prop Forward Very powerful prop forward who is very difficult to stop when close to the line; returned to the club earlier this season. GARCIA O’BRIEN Dani 21 Centre/Full Back Spanish International and current Spain player of the year; injury has restricted his appearances so far this year but on his day he is a very exciting player who is difficult to stop when in possession.