Optimum are proud to announce the sponosorship of five local players on their tour to the South Pacific with the BARLA Great Britain Team.

Wigan St Judes player John McMullen is accommpanied by Wigan St Patricks players Tony Suffolk and recent NCL Player of the year nominee Gary Philips.  The local contingient is made up by Jamie Dallimore and Sean Foster fresh from their National Cup exploits with their team Wigan St Cuthberts.

All five of the players are eager to get over and test themselves at the highest level possible.  This blog will serve to relay messages to familiy and friends back home and also for the well wishers to pass their regards to the players.

All at optimum would like to wish the guys all the best on tour and hope the support we have offered them helps to make this the trip of a lifetime!!!

THE PLAYERS:

Name : John McMullen (Wigan St Judes)

John has represented Lancashire and BARLA at all levels (U16, U18, U21, U23 and Open Age) and is very experiecned on the international scene.  John’s main aims for the tour are to enjoy the exprerience of taking in a new culture, contribute to the team and hopefully win all the games!!!

Name : Gary Philips (Wigan St Patricks)

Gary is a young and explosive player whom has recently burst into the international area.  Having County and BARLA honours under his belt already his aims are to enjoy the experience and to win!!!

Name : Tony Suffolk (Wigan St Patricks)

Tony has seen his inclusion in the squad after strong performances at club level all year and a strong County Championship.  Tony’s no nonsense approach and lead from the front mentality will help him to achieve his goals of playing well on tour and winning!!!

Name : Jamie Dallimore (Wigan St Cuthberts)

Jamie is another player drafted into the squad following an impressive County Championship.  This is Jamie’s first internatinal call up and fully deserved follwoing strong club performances and marshalling his side into the National Cup Final.  His aims of the tour are to win all games and learn from the experience.

Name : Sean Foster (Wigan St Cuthberts)

Sean is an aggressive forward that defends and attacks very strongly.  He leads a pack well and never takes a backwards step.  Sean is another inclusion following impressing at County level and his aims for the tour are to win all the games and to give 100% effort to each game.

St. Judes travelled to Halifax at the weekend to play Siddal and were unfortunate not to come away with the spoils. The home side drew first blood on seven minutes when weak defence on the right hand side allowed Siddal number three to cross wide out,the conversion was unsuccessful. Judes M.O.M. Paul Pendlebury and scrum half John McMullen were now becoming more prominent spraying out some nice passes resulting in two quick scores from Steven King wide out and Anthony Ridyard by the posts, Scott Robinson goaled the second one. On the stroke of half time Siddal again found space on the right hand side and made the half time score 8-10.

Siddal started the better in the second half and a grubber kick through the defence brought six points to put the hosts ahead, the game was moving the visitors way with Pendlebury and McMullen keeping pressure on the home defence, eventually they cracked and Pendlebury forced his way over Robinson added the extras. Siddal were not going to lie down and once again good approach work found a gap in the line to conclude the scoring. In the final 10 minutes Judes crossed twice but the scores were ruled out by the referee and time eventually ran out. Wigan St Judes 16-18 Siddal  Next Week - Skirlaugh (Hull) - Away

Judes moved in to the top 4 of the NCL Premier divivision with a 46-22 win over Thornhill Trojans.  Judes hit the front on 5 minuets with a Gavin Corfield try goal Scott Robinson.  On 7 minuets it got better for Judes with a Dwayne west try, goal Robinson. Judes were well on top and got more points came with tries from Scott Robinson (2),  Lee Forshaw and Paul Pendlebury with Robinson adding one goal 28-0.   Full credit must go to Thornhill who hit back with tries from Liam Morley and  Anthony Broadhead with James Gravin adding two goals half time 28-12.  Judes got off to the perfect start to the 2nd half with two Paul Pendlebury tries completeing his hat trick goal by Robinson.  The Trojans hit back with a James Graven try on 56 minuets.   Ian Thompson got in on the act with a try for judes, robinson adding the extras. On 60 minuets Thornhill came back with a Tom Marsden try goal by Graven.   Judes had the final say with a Eugene Swift try goal Robinson to take the spoils 46-22.  This was Judes at there best with this display.  Man of the Match for Judes Paul Pendlebury

Judes made the long trek to West Hull at the weekend and came away with a well deserved victory. The home side struck first on five minutes when their stand off side stepped under the posts to make it 6-0, on fifteen minutes Judes M.O.M. Paul Pendlebury did the same and Scott Robinson levelled it. Judes were doing all the pressing and further scores came from Eugene Swift wide out and two from hooker Shaun Spowart one of which he  grubber kicked through and won the chase, Robinson converting, Wests crossed on the half time mark to make it 22-12.

On the turnround the home side crossed and goaled first in what was becoming a seesaw game, the visitors replied when Pendlebury broke and slipped a peach of a ball to Gavin Corfield relishing in his new loose forward role, Robinson again obliging with the boot, but Wests were not lying down and hit back with a fine try wide out but failed to add the extras. With the game finely balanced at 22-28 it was Pendlebury again coming on an arched run and out pacing the cover defence to cross wide out, Robinson finished the Judes scoring with a fine convertion, the hosts got a try in the corner on the stroke of full time to complete the scoring in what had been a great game of rugby league.