David WILLIAMS [
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Tue February 14, 2012
While Manly prepare to welcome back David Williams for Friday's Heinz Big Soup World Club Challenge, Leeds Rhinos are set to rule Lee Smith out.
Australia Test winger Williams has been passed fit to make his comeback after missing the Sea Eagles' Grand Final triumph last October with a broken neck.
He was included in Manly's 20-strong travelling squad and will be named in coach Geoff Toovey's team later this week.
"He looks good," Toovey told a press conference at Headingley, the venue for Friday's game. "He's got through training really well.
"There was a bit of doubt whether he'd come over last week. He had to pass a fitness test, not only for his neck but he had a foot injury last month.
"It's a big boost. David's a very confident player. It was a fairly serious injury and he's really excited to be back playing football."
Williams is one of nine survivors from the Manly team that beat Leeds 28-20 in the 2009 World Club Challenge at Elland Road.
Leeds are hoping that centre Kallum Watkins will recover from a wrist injury that forced him to miss last Saturday's 20-6 defeat at Wigan Warriors but coach Brian McDermott rates former England winger Smith's prospects as "slim" after he damaged his ribs at the weekend.
"I don't want to write him off," McDermott said. "He'll certainly be given until the 11th hour but he was very sore this morning so he's no looking great.
"If he's popped a rib cartilage or torn some of those muscles around that area, it's pretty serious.
"Given that he's started off this year pretty good for us and his head is in the right place, I'll give him as long as we can."
The Rhinos have an obvious replacement in Ben Jones-Bishop, who was a member of their Grand Final-winning team in October and was also in the England squad for the Gillette Four Nations Series.
"We've got a couple of options there," McDermott added. "Ben Jones-Bishop is probably the notable one.
"If it's him, I'm sure he'll be doing everything possible to keep hold of his shirt."
The Australian champions' arrival at the weekend coincided in a rise in temperatures that removes any lingering doubt over Friday's game and will be a relief to the Rugby Football League after they ignored the claims of Elland Road's undersoil heating.
Co-captain Jamie Lyon, the former St Helens centre who was named Man of Steel in 2005, told the press conference: "The weather's been pretty nice. We've had a good couple of days so far."
Leeds are expecting a 20,000 full house and McDermott is delighted to be handed some home comforts.
"We'll enjoy playing at Headingley," he said. "We're in familiar surroundings and obviously the majority of the fans will be from Leeds.
"I don't think it will give us too much of an advantage. For a one-off game, these Aussie fellas will come and give it their best shot.
"If we were playing a three-game series at the same venue possibly it would have a bearing but, for one game, they'll be ready for it."
Toovey, who will be in charge of his first competitive match after succeeding Des Hasler in the close season, insists the Sea Eagles have no problem playing at Headingley.
"It doesn't matter where we play," he said. "I think the players will be very excited about playing here in front of a hostile crowd.
"We'll really take that on board. It's a great experience for our players. Not many of our players have been over here.
"There are a handful of internationals amongst them, though, who are used to playing over here and that will help us. But, as Brian says, [it's] a one-off game [and] our players will be up for it.
"They're ready to play. They're sick and tired of running around the field and playing against nobody. They want to get out there an play some football."
McDermott said he had no issues over the appointment of Australian referee Ashley Klein, who operated in Super League before moving to the NRL.
"He did all his groundwork over here," he said. "We don't let referees affect our game."
Tue January 17, 2012
Source: www.manlyseaeagles.com.auManly winger Dave Williams could complete his miraculous return to the field sooner than expected after being given the all-clear to begin contact training.
His surgeon delivered the good news today, less than five months after Williams fractured his neck at Brookvale Oval.
Wolfman couldn't be happier and is already pushing for a spot on the Sea Eagles' World Club Challenge tour to Leeds in February.
"I'm clear to start contact training and will be right to play if I get selected for the World Club Challenge," he said.
"I've been able to train at a certain level up til now, so it'll be great to take it to the next level."
Despite the severity of his injury, which was expected to leave him sidelined for at least six months, Williams says he wasn't surprised by the news.
"I was expecting it, I've felt ok for a while."
Sea Eagles trainers are yet to decide exactly when and how Williams returns to full duties.
But both coaches and fans are sure to be happy to see him fighting fit so soon.
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 2012 NRL Telstra Premiership
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
9 games; 6 tries, 24 points.
[View] Round 1 [04 Mar 12] W 26-20 v Warriors (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 2 [09 Mar 12] W 22-18 v Wests Tigers (H). [WG]
[View] Round 3 [19 Mar 12] L 14-17 v Cronulla (A). [WG]
[View] Round 4 [24 Mar 12] L 6-17 v Dragons (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 5 [31 Mar 12] L 20-29 v Parramatta (A). [WG]
[View] Round 6 [09 Apr 12] W 30-0 v Penrith (H). [WG] 8 Pts; 2t
[View] Round 7 [14 Apr 12] L 14-26 v Gold Coast (H). [WG]
[View] Round 8 [27 Apr 12] W 12-10 v Canterbury (A). [WG]
[View] Round 10 [11 May 12] W 24-22 v Brisbane (A). [WG] 8 Pts; 2t
======================================================================================================
2011 NRL Telstra Premiership
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
12 games; 8 tries, 32 points.
[View] Round 2 [20 Mar 11] W 27-16 v Roosters (A). [WG]
[View] Round 3 [27 Mar 11] W 26-12 v Knights (H). [WG] 8 Pts; 2t
[View] Round 10 [16 May 11] W 16-12 v Titans (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 12 [27 May 11] W 34-10 v Broncos (H). [WG]
[View] Round 13 [04 Jun 11] W 38-4 v Canterbury (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 14 [11 Jun 11] W 24-4 v Cowboys (H). [WG]
[View] Round 15 [20 Jun 11] W 22-18 v Eels (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 16 [27 Jun 11] L 6-24 v Dragons (A). [WG]
[View] Round 18 [10 Jul 11] W 36-22 v Rabbitohs (H). [WG] 8 Pts; 2t
[View] Round 19 [17 Jul 11] W 32-10 v Knights (A). [WG]
[View] Round 24 [21 Aug 11] W 27-16 v Canterbury (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 25 [26 Aug 11] W 18-4 v Storm (H). [WG]
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2009 State of Origin
New South Wales Origin
2 games; 2 tries, 8 points.
[View] Origin [24 Jun 09] L 14-24 v QLD Origin (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Origin [15 Jul 09] W 28-16 v QLD Origin (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
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2009 NRL Telstra Premiership
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
18 games; 11 tries, 44 points.
[View] Round 4 [05 Apr 09] L 12-26 v Knights (A). [WG]
[View] Round 7 [25 Apr 09] L 12-26 v Cowboys (A). [WG]
[View] Round 8 [01 May 09] L 8-22 v Storm (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 9 [10 May 09] W 22-20 v Broncos (A). [WG]
[View] Round 10 [17 May 09] W 34-10 v Eels (H). [WG] 8 Pts; 2t
[View] Round 11 [24 May 09] L 17-18 v Titans (A). [WG]
[View] Round 13 [06 Jun 09] W 38-18 v Roosters (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 14 [13 Jun 09] W 20-6 v Panthers (A). [WG]
[View] Round 17 [06 Jul 09] W 19-12 v Bulldogs (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 19 [18 Jul 09] W 32-26 v Sharks (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 20 [24 Jul 09] W 44-20 v Knights (H). [WG]
[View] Round 21 [03 Aug 09] L 18-19 v Tigers (A). [WG]
[View] Round 22 [08 Aug 09] L 22-36 v Rabbitohs (H). [WG]
[View] Round 23 [15 Aug 09] W 44-12 v Roosters (A). [WG] 8 Pts; 2t
[View] Round 24 [23 Aug 09] W 20-16 v Storm (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 25 [30 Aug 09] W 18-16 v Sharks (H). [WG]
[View] Round 26 [05 Sep 09] W 38-4 v Titans (H). [WG] 8 Pts; 2t
[View] Finals Week 1 [11 Sep 09] L 12-40 v Storm. [WG]
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2008 World Cup
Australia
2 games; 4 tries, 16 points.
[View] Pool A [09 Nov 08] W 46-6 v PNG. [WG] 12 Pts; 3t
[View] Final [22 Nov 08] L 20-34 v New Zealand. [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
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2008 NRL Telstra Premiership
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
20 games; 14 tries, 2/7 goals, 60 points.
[View] Round 9 [11 May 08] W 30-12 v Broncos (A). [WG]
[View] Round 10 [17 May 08] W 38-6 v Cowboys (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 11 [23 May 08] L 18-20 v Dragons (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 12 [30 May 08] W 31-18 v Raiders (A). [WG]
[View] Round 13 [08 Jun 08] W 42-0 v Roosters (H). [WG] 8 Pts; 2t
[View] Round 15 [22 Jun 08] W 20-14 v Warriors (A). [WG]
[View] Round 16 [28 Jun 08] W 28-12 v Knights (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 17 [04 Jul 08] W 34-14 v Gold Coast (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 18 [12 Jul 08] W 34-6 v Sharks (A). [WG]
[View] Round 19 [18 Jul 08] W 28-10 v Eels (H). [WG] 12 Pts; 2t, 2/6g
[View] Round 20 [27 Jul 08] L 12-34 v Roosters (A). [WG]
[View] Round 21 [01 Aug 08] W 30-10 v Panthers (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 22 [08 Aug 08] L 10-16 v Storm (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 23 [17 Aug 08] L 32-40 v Rabbitohs (A). [WG]
[View] Round 24 [23 Aug 08] W 48-16 v Tigers (A). [WG]
[View] Round 25 [01 Sep 08] W 28-10 v Gold Coast (H). [WG]
[View] Round 26 [06 Sep 08] W 34-16 v Panthers (A). [WG] 8 Pts; 2t
[View] Finals Week 1 [13 Sep 08] W 38-6 v Dragons (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Finals Week 3 [27 Sep 08] W 32-6 v Warriors. [WG]
[View] Grand Final [05 Oct 08] W 40-0 v Storm. [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
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Williams, David
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