Television deal set to offer small increase

Super League clubs will tonight be shown the proposed new television deal upon which they depend for much of their income. Sky's contract to screen games, worth £9m a year to the clubs, expires at the end of this season and it is thought that theirs is the only one yet on the table.

The new deal is expected to represent a small increase, rather than a dramatic one, and is likely to extend over four or five years.

Widnes are interested in Scott Hill, the Australian international loose forward who has been told by the Melbourne Storm that he is free to seek a new club for next season.

Wakefield have signed the former Oxford Cavaliers prop Darrell Griffin on an 18-month contract. Griffin is the first player to graduate from the Rugby League Conference, for clubs outside the game's heartlands, to Super League.

Andrew Johns shrugged off reports of a rift with the New South Wales coach, Phil Gould, by leading them to a 25-12 victory over Queensland in the first State of Origin match in Brisbane. Johns set up three tries, scored one and landed four goals and a drop goal.

The Hull full-back Steve Prescott has been named Tetleys Super League player of the month. Bradford's Brian Noble took the coaching award.