Super League Round 21: 2009

[DIEHARD]

Friday 24th July 09
Wigan v Leeds

Saturday 25th July 09
Celtic Crusaders v Bradford Bulls
Harlequins RL v St. Helens
Hull Kingston Rovers v Hull FC

Sunday 26th July 09
Huddersfield Giants v Catalans Dragons
Wakefield Wildcats v Castleford Tigers
Warrington Wolves v Salford City Reds

Friday 31st July 09
Hull FC v Huddersfield Giants

[DIEHARD]

Crusaders refuse to surrender fight

Celtic Crusaders coach John Dixon is refusing to wave the white flag in Bridgend despite another defeat for his side - this time 34-12 against Bradford.

The Australian has seen his side lose all but three of their 22 Super League games this season, but Dixon remains upbeat about the Crusaders' long-term prospects.

"I think our future lies in developing our own players," said Dixon, who has more than half his squad out of contract this summer.

"We have the structures that will do that. It will come and they will be there, they will be developed.

"We're looking for good quality players to come and be leaders for our young players and be leaders for our reserve grade and leaders for our Under 16s and Under 18s and have someone there they would aspire to be like."

Huddersfield's Australian coach Nathan Brown insists his squad players will make or break the Giants' bid to crack into the top two.

Speaking after his side's 36-12 defeat of Catalan Dragons, Brown said: "I was able to rest some key players this week and we do so next week against Hull because we have got some key games coming up.

"The main thing is the blokes who are coming in have a great job and that's all you can ask.

"Our hooker Scott Moore had a brilliant game coming off the bench against the Dragons."

Leeds look set to spend the rest of Super League without inspirational former Australian international Danny Buderus.

The Leeds hooker faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after suffering a broken tibia in Friday's defeat to Wigan.

It was originally hoped the injury would not see Buderus out for such a spell but scans over the weekend revealed the former Australian skipper had suffered a serious injury.

Leeds boss Brian McClennan, who sees his side second in the table, said: "Every team suffers injuries during the course of a season which is why you need a strong squad.

"We have every confidence as a group that we can continue to build towards the play-offs starting next weekend against Warrington."

Meanwhile, Wigan boss Brian Noble refused to be drawn over his future with the Warriors following their 28-10 weekend win over Leeds.

Speculation continues to mount over Noble's future despite Wigan winning five back-to-back games in Super League, with Melbourne Storm assistant boss Michael Maguire the latest name to be linked to the job.

Noble is in the final year of his Wigan contract, and no indication as to his future has yet been offered from either the Warriors boss or the club's hierarchy thus far.

Stephen Kearney, the former New Zealand forward who coached the Kiwis to World Cup glory has supposedly turned down the role, while Australian Graham Murray has also been linked with the Wigan job.

Instead Noble chose to hail the performance of 20-year-old Sam Tomkins, the Wigan local-lad who recently put pen-to-paper on a new five-year contract with the club.

"Everyone will be talking about Sam again and why not, he is exciting and is great for the game that we have someone like that coming through," said Noble.

"He's still a work in progress - I love him to bits, and I think he loves himself to bits."

Source: http://www.leaguehq.com.au