AT LEAST four engage Super League clubs have inquired about signing Danny Ward, the Leeds Rhinos and Great Britain prop, who had his contract at Headingley terminated for alcohol-related breaches of club discipline, three weeks before the start of the season.
Ward was dismissed under an apparent policy of “three strikes and you’re out”. His latest misdemeanour followed a drink-driving conviction last July, his alleged misbehaviour on the return journey from Leeds’s match in Perpignan against London Broncos last season and a run-in with Tony Smith, the Leeds coach, who has a reputation as a disciplinarian.
He had already received two official warning letters. His contract had a year to run and was torn up after what Leeds described as a further “serious breach” of club rules.
His imbibing was something of an exception at Leeds, where many of the players are teetotal. As a result of his driving ban, Ward, 25, who made his senior debut with Leeds in 1999, was dependent on team-mates for lifts and also cycled to training. He was part of the squad that attended Leeds’s pre-season camp in Cumbria last week. The players were informed of the decision on the return to their Kirkstall training base on Monday.
Although he was shocked at his departure from Leeds, with whom he won the 2004 Grand Final and then went on to represent Britain in the Tri-Nations series that year, Ward’s agent has been inundated with calls from other clubs. He has also contacted at least one NRL side. Ward had been linked with a possible move to the new Gold Coast Titans franchise in Australia next year, although his immediate destination is likely to be closer to home.
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Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, who were recently put off by Henry Paul’s six-figure salary when looking to sign the former New Zealand stand off from Gloucester, have been in touch about Ward, although with most squads nearing completion for the 2006 season, the difficulty is accommodating him under the 20/20 rule, whereby clubs can have a maximum 20 players earning above £20,000 annually.
As well as from other clubs, Wakefield could face stiff competition from Castleford Tigers, who finally secured the signature yesterday of Willie Manu after Canberra Raiders withdrew from a deal for the Tonga forward, but would be in the market for another international forward.
Having dispensed with Ward, Leeds are hardly short of front-row options, with Jamie Peacock, the Britain captain, and Mark O’Neill, the former Wests Tigers forward, hired as props. O’Neill is making good progress after recent shoulder surgery and should now only miss the opening month of the season. “We’ve Ryan Bailey, Chris Feather and Nick Scruton, which takes us to five props,” Smith said. “Jamie Jones- Buchanan, Willie Poching and Ali Lauitiiti played quite a bit at prop last year, so we feel we’re probably OK.”
Adrian Morley, the Britain forward, has begun talks about extending his stay at Sydney Roosters beyond the forthcoming NRL season, dampening speculation that he may return to Bradford Bulls, with whom he won last year’s Grand Final on a short-term contract. Bradford have signed Marcus St Hilaire, the 28-year-old former Leeds and Huddersfield Giants back, on a one-year deal. He is expected to make his debut in Sunday’s pre-season match away to Huddersfield.
Paul King, the Hull prop, has taken his first step to conquering his fear of flying by accompanying a hypnotherapist, with whom he has been working, on a test flight to Dublin. King is now expected to join Hull’s training camp in Spain. “At first I forgot what I had been taught, but my hypnotherapist just reminded me how I should be thinking. I am looking forward to travelling with the rest of the squad on Thursday,” he said.