This year’s first winner of the monthly Brian Walker Family Award as player-of-the-month for February was hooker Matty Wildie, whose £250 prize will go to Wakefield Hospice.
The former Featherstone Rovers star was presented with the £250 cheque, which goes to a charity of his choice, by club chairman Bill Quinn at the Rochdale derby last Sunday.
After the match player and chairman again had a presentation picture in a packed Broadway Suite where the proceedings were hosted by Michael Bradshaw. One of the highlights before the game was his interview with our injured Kiwi star Elijah Taylor, who said he played Rugby Union until he was 17.
“Union is massive in New Zealand, " he said, “and it was only when I went to a League-playing college aged 17 that I was introduced to League. I fell in love with it immediately.”
The rest, as they say, is history. While at College, he was picked for NZ Maoris under-18s. He was on his way, He played 67 games for NZ Warriors, 39 for Penrith Panthers and 80 for Wests Tigers in the NRL. He played 11 times for NZ.
“I hope to be playing again soon,”
said Elijah. who tweaked a hamstring at Swinton in the Challenge Cup.
Head coach Sean Long was interviewed after the game – another plus for the ever-increasing numbers who realise that pie and peas in the Broadway Suite makes for an excellent day out and the chance to chat with and to meet-and-greet players and club officials.
