Trindall to take on St Helens over cancelled contract

St Helens' discarded half-back, Darrell Trindall, has not flown back to Australia as the club told him to do, but has stayed in England to consult lawyers.

Trindall, the former South Sydney player signed on a two-year contract last winter by the then Saints' coach, Ellery Hanley, but who has played only two games for them, was told by specialists that he needs surgery on a shoulder injury. The club then informed him that they were cancelling his contract, but Trindall is refusing to accept that decision. He has consulted the same solicitor, Richard Cramer, who is handling Hanley's claim for unfair dismissal.

"Darrell only needs keyhole surgery and would be out for six to eight weeks," said Cramer. "That does not entitle St Helens to rescind his contract. I am coming across this situation more and more, as clubs look for any excuse to cut their costs."

"It was a decision made purely on medical grounds," said Saints' football manager, Eric Hughes. "The advice was that he should go home for the operation and, if he chooses to go against that, it's up to him." Hughes said the club had no immediate plans to fill the space on the import quota that Trindall leaves.

Cramer has also been in discussion with Daio Powell, the Welsh international centre cut by Huddersfield-Sheffield after breaking his arm.

Saints will be without their centre, Paul Newlove, for their match against Halifax on Sunday. He is still suffering from the calf injury that ruled him out at Leeds last weekend, but the rest of side remains unchanged.

The London Broncos will take a coach and five players back to their former club when they play at Wigan tomorrow night. John Monie returns for the first time since being sacked as coach last year and Rob Smyth, Danny Moore, Andy Johnson, Jon Clarke and Steve Barrow are all in his starting line-up. Johnson replaces the suspended Karle Hammond at stand-off, Clarke makes his full debut at hooker and Smyth makes his first start of the season on the wing.

There is no Wigan swan-song, however, for Shaun Edwards, who was hinting atretirement after one last appearance in his home town, but a hamstring injury is still keeping him out. In his absence and that of Brendan Magnus (out with a knee injury) Tulsen Tollett will be employed at scrum-half and Dom Peters is back in the squad after a six-month suspension.