PRIDE AT STAKE AT PHOENIX PARK
Pride and a desire to finish the season on a high note is the aim for the Gloucestershire Warriors as they travel to Phoenix Park to meet Leicester Phoenix for their final game in the Co-operative Rugby League Conference Midlands Premier division this season (kick off 2.30pm).
Both the Warriors and the Phoenix have no chance of reaching the play-offs after defeat last weekend. The Warriors going down to a disappointing 24-12 loss to Derby City while the Phoenix were beaten 28-6 at Coventry.
While the Warriors campaign has been one of a string of losses after a bright start, the Phoenix have been true to their name and risen from being the division's whipping boys to being genuine challengers for honours. Next season can't come soon enough for them as they look to revisit past glories and capture some silverware.
However, that is in the distant future. In the meantime, they will be looking to talismanic leader Ty Watson to continue the development of the club. Off the field, a new home and new attitude has borne fruit and with players being blooded in their development side, then the future is looking bright for the Phoenix. Players such as Nathan Walmsley, Demetrius Gonsalves, Michal Fornalczyk and Darren Birch along with Watson and Greg Hurst have led the way on the field and with a strong committee off it, expect big things from the Phoenix in the next few seasons.
The Warriors on the other hand have been playing their development side in the muck and nettles of the Midlands Premier division and seeing results go against them. However, should the players currently wearing the shirt continue in the game, then their future, too could be bright.
While the game has no bearing on the play-offs and the destination of the championship, it could have a huge impact on the future of both clubs.
At Tile Hill, Coventry Bears take on Birmingham Bulldogs with the winner qualifying for the play-oofs. Should the Bears record their sixth consecutive win and maintain their unbeaten record against the Bulldogs, then they would finish on top of the table, secure the Minor Premiership and host the division Grand Final on 22 August. Should the Bulldogs win, the calculators would be out to discover which of the Bulldogs, Derby City and Bristol Sonics would gain that honour and which would play off for the right to meet them.
Either way, it would seem that the play-offs have begun a week early.
MIDLANDS PREMIER DIVISION TABLE:
| Team | P | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | Pts |
| Derby City | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 378 | 244 | 134 | 16 |
| Coventry Bears | 11 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 377 | 254 | 123 | 14 |
| Birmingham Bulldogs | 11 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 290 | 209 | 81 | 14 |
| Bristol Sonics | 11 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 322 | 300 | 22 | 14 |
| Leicester Phoenix | 11 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 283 | 233 | 50 | 12 |
| Gloucestershire Warriors | 11 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 236 | 392 | -156 | 8 |
| Telford Raiders | 11 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 100 | 354 | -254 | 0 |
Redditch Ravens withdrew from competition. Their record has been expunged.
TOP SCORERS (after 13 Rounds):
Tries:
11 – Tristan Gill (Derby City)
10 – Tanaka Chamunokara (Coventry Bears)
10 – James Gross (Bristol Sonics)
9 – Ty Watson (Leicester Phoenix)
8 – Darren Birch (Leicester Phoenix)
7 – Danny Bancroft (Birmingham Bulldogs)
7 – James Turner (Derby City)
6 – Jon Cartlidge (Derby City)
6 – Dom Swann (Bristol Sonics)
6 – Paul Szehofner (Telford Raiders)
6 – Clinton Tull (Birmingham Bulldogs)
6 – Parminder Tutt (Telford Raiders)
5 – Richard Blagg (Derby City)
5 – John-Jo Burden (Bristol Sonics)
5 – Gareth Daikin (Derby City)
5 – Dan Evans (Bristol Sonics)
5 – Stephan Fourie (Gloucestershire Warriors)
5 – Drew Harper (Birmingham Bulldogs)
5 – Greg Hurst (Leicester Phoenix)
5 – Ryan Jenkins (Coventry Bears)
5 – Joel Keane (Bristol Sonics)
5 – Harry Marson (Bristol Sonics)
5 – Karl Wesley (Coventry Bears)
5 – Richie Whitehouse (Coventry Bears)
Goals (Including field goals):
44 – Paul Worthington (Derby City)
35 – Nathan Walmsley (Leicester Phoenix)
32 – Dom Swann (Bristol Sonics)
31 – Danny Bancroft (Birmingham Bulldogs)
23 – Nathan Tilsley (Coventry Bears)
Points:
99 – Paul Worthington (3 tries, 43 goals, 1 field goal)
90 – Danny Bancroft (7 tries, 31 goals)
88 – Dom Swann (6 tries, 32 goals)
81 – Nathan Walmsley (3 tries, 34 goals, 1 field goal)
46 – Nathan Tilsley (23 goals)
44 – Tristan Gill (11 tries)
40 – Tanaka Chaunukawa (10 tries)
40 – James Gross (10 tries)
36 – Ty Watson (9 tries)
33 – Richie Whitehouse (Coventry Bears) (5 tries, 6 goals, 1 field goal)
32 – Darren Birch (8 tries)
30 – Clinton Tull (6 tries, 3 goals)
26 – Stephan Fourie (5 tries, 2 goals, 2 field goals)
26 – Joel Keane (5 tries, 3 goals)
24 – Jon Cartlidge (6 tries)
24 – Danny Davis (Gloucestershire Warriors) (3 tries, 6 goals)
24 – Paul Szehofner (6 tries)
Remaining fixtures:
Saturday 8 August
Coventry Bears v Birmingham Bulldogs
Leicester Phoenix v Gloucestershire Warriors
Saturday 15 August
Elimination Play Off
2nd place v 3rd place
Saturday 22 August
Midlands Premier Division Grand Final
1st place v Elimination Play Off winner
Sunday 6 September
Harry Jepson Trophy Semi Finals
Sunday 13 September
Harry Jepson Trophy Grand Final
At Haslams, Derby
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Chris Wilson
Media Manager, Gloucestershire Warriors RLFC
Tel: +44 (0)1684 850903
Mobile: + 44 (0)7905 931033
Email: gloswarriors2004@aol.com
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The Gloucestershire Rugby League is an organisation for local rugby league clubs in Gloucestershire. Our main activity currently is to promote rugby league through the County and give useful information about our sport to the public of Gloucestershire.
