Noble quiet over Crusaders link (From Gazette & Herald)

Noble quiet over Crusaders link

1:11pm Friday 18th September 2009

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Wigan coach Brian Noble has revealed that young forward Mark Flanagan will make his farewell appearance at the DW Stadium on Sunday but declined to confirm it will be his last home game too.

Noble is out of contract at the Warriors at the end of the year and speculation linking him with a move to Celtic Crusaders heightened following confirmation that John Dixon has left the Bridgend club.

"There is nothing to say," he told a press conference at Orrell on the eve of Sunday's Super League elimination play-off against Castleford. "Nothing is done and dusted, I'm just concentrating on this game. It's not about me, it's about the team and always will be."

Noble has confirmed that 21-year-old loose forward Flanagan will become the second Englishman in Australia's National Rugby League in 2010 after agreeing a move to Wests Tigers.

The former Bradford player, who is the son of ex-Great Britain loose forward Terry Flanagan, has agreed a two-year deal with the Tigers, where he will link up with England second-rower Gareth Ellis.

Flanagan, who is out of contract with the Warriors, made his Super League debut at Celtic Crusaders in June and has appeared in the club's last seven matches.

"It's a fabulous opportunity and it would have been wrong to try and persuade him to stay," said Noble. "It's the right decision for Mark, the right decision for us and the right decision for Wests."

Flanagan will be vying with Michael McIlorum for a substitute spot against Castleford, with hooker Mark Riddell and stand-off Sam Tomkins both returning to the side.

Riddell missed last Sunday's 48-16 defeat at Huddersfield after returning to Australia on compassionate leave, while Tomkins rested an ankle injury.

The winners of Sunday's second sudden-death tie will earn an away game in the preliminary semi-finals of the new-look play-off system.

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