T’Other Side: North Wales Crusaders

T’Other Side: North Wales Crusaders

Stadium Postcode: LL13 8UH

LAST TIME OUT

Head Coach Mike Grady

Mike Grady became head coach of the North Wales Crusaders prior to the start of the 2017 season and in his first year took them to the League One Cup Final in which his team came close to causing an upset against Barrow Raiders. That match was played at Blackpool as part of the Summer Bash. He had previously coached South Wales Scorpions in 2014 and 2015. He has also coached the Welsh U18 team and the Wales Dragonhearts (amateur international team). Between his time at South Wales Scorpions and North Wales Crusaders he was assistant coach at Newcastle Thunder.

Captain: Lee Hudson

He made first grade début with North Wales Crusaders in 2012 prior to which he had played for the Great Britain Students team in 2010 and 2011. He has spent his whole career at Crusaders apart from a short loan spell at Hemel Stags in 2014. He plays at hooker. This is his second year as captain of the team.

New Signings

North Wales have signed several new players for this year. Signed from amateur clubs are Gavin Conroy (Farnworth Halton Hornets), who has played on the wing in all three matches so far, and Billy Sheen (Crosfields ARL). Sheen is a halfback or fullback and has returned to Crusaders for whom he played in 2012 and 2013. In June 2013 he transferred to South Wales Scorpions for the rest of the year. In 2015 he played for Coventry Bears. Yet to make his first appearance is Kash Watkins who has returned to league from playing union with Altrincham Kersal. He can play either centre or second row and has previously been at Swinton Lions and Oxford. His younger brother isd quite a good player - he’s called Kallum!!

Also yet to make his début is Jack Thompson, a centre who has signed from Salford Academy. Callan Beckett is yet another centre who was at Coventry Bears last year. Bradley Brennan is one of those players who always gives 100%. He is a prop forward who has spent several seasons at Barrow but has also played for Batley, York, Hunslet and Coventry. Stepping down from the Championship, Crusaders have recruited Jordan Case from Rochdale where he had been from 2013. In 2011 he played for England Academy while he was at Saint Helens. Liam Hulme was at Crusaders in 2012 and then spent two years at Swinton. He is the son of former Great Britain international Paul Hulme. Seen as a major acquisition is halfback Steve Roper, has been signed from Whitehaven. He began his career with Widnes in and has also played for Workington, Rochdale, Oldham and Gloucestershire All Golds. He just spent one year at Whitehaven.

Yet another former Rochdale player to have signed for Crusaders, Alex Trumper can play at centre, second row or loose forward. He played for three games for Crusaders back in 2012 on dual registration from Saint Helens. Since then he has been with Rochdale. Brett Whitehead is a second rower. He signed with Hunslet last year but spent most of the season on loan with Hemel Stags.

Stand-out players

Tom Johnson has spent his whole career with North Wales. He made his début in 2012 and has been a fixture in the team ever since. He plays at fullback, is a regular try scorer and is their main goal-kicker. Ryan Millington who has been playing at loose forward was in the academy system at Widnes but started his professional career with Blackpool Panthers. When Panthers went defunct he went back to playing for amateur clubs until he joined South Wales Scorpions in 205 and moving north to the Crusaders in 2016. Ryan Smith started with Dewsbury in 2008. After three years there he has played for Keighley, Hunslet and Rochdale before joining Crusaders in 2016 where he has become a lynchpin of the team. On six occasions last year League Express named him as Man of the Match.

Loan Players

North Wales have two players on loan from Widnes but it is unlikely they will be permitted to play in a Challenge Cup match. Stanton Albert is a prop forward and a Papua New Guinea international. He played in three of their four matches in last year’s World Cup. Brad Walker is a young loose forward. In 2016 he played three games with the England Academy.

The Fev connection

There are no former Fev players currently in the North Wales Crusaders squad.

The only current Fev player who has played for North Wales is Richard Moore. He was in their squad in 2012 when they were a Super League side playing as Crusaders RL.