Whelan plays musical chairs on Wigan boards

The contrasting fortunes of Wigan's rugby league and football clubs are to be more closely interwoven at board level, their owner, Dave Whelan, has announced.

With Wigan Athletic on course for European football and the Warriors two places from the foot of Super League, the sporting balance of power in the town has shifted. But the sense of all being in it together will be strengthened by the drafting of the Warriors chairman, Maurice Lindsay, on to the Latics board and two football club directors, Phillip Williams and Brian Ashcroft, becoming directors of the rugby club.

"We are blessed in this town to have two sporting clubs that are known throughout the world," said Whelan, who added that the clubs' day-to-day running would be unaffected. "By coming together in this way and sharing the talent both clubs have we can only make the Latics and the Warriors even stronger."

The Great Britain forward Adrian Morley has been suspended for the 10th time in his career in Australia's National Rugby League. Morley was found guilty of a careless high tackle on South Sydney's Ben Walker in his first game of the season with the Sydney Roosters and has been banned for two matches.

Sean Long is back for St Helens against Bradford in the meeting of Super League's top two on Friday night. The Great Britain scrum-half was left out of the side that beat Huddersfield on Sunday after taking a knock to the face.