Dell not ready to ring bell on career "I love playing for the Dragons and their brand,'' Sailor said. "The Red V is incredible, the support I've had from the fans and the players has been amazing. "When I got suspended a few years ago, not many people were willing to give me a chance, but the Dragons did. "Wayne knows how to get the best out of me and the boys have given me a great deal of confidence. "It's been an unbelievable ride - I don't think my expiry date is up just yet.''

www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/s ... 57,00.html

Dell not ready to ring bell on career "I love playing for the Dragons and their brand,'' Sailor said. "The Red V is incredible, the support I've had from the fans and the players has been amazing. "When I got suspended a few years ago, not many people were willing to give me a chance, but the Dragons did. "Wayne knows how to get the best out of me and the boys have given me a great deal of confidence. "It's been an unbelievable ride - I don't think my expiry date is up just yet.''

www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/s ... 57,00.html

Big Dell the man to shoot down Cowboys 6 all right now 1st half ST GEORGE Illawarra's hopes of breaking a three-match losing streak against the Cowboys in Townsville tonight could hinge on the biggest name in their backline - Sarina product Wendell Sailor.
The Dragons will assess the fitness of their seven representative stars this morning before coach Wayne Bennett finally settles on his team for tonight's game at Dairy Farmers Stadium.

Simply ferrying Test stars Darius Boyd and Jason Nightingale from Brisbane, and Country Origin representatives Beau Scott, Jamie Soward, Justin Poore, Michael Weyman and Ben Creagh from Orange to Townsville shapes as a logistical nightmare, making it likely Bennett will be forced into a string of late changes.

Sailor, who plays his first match in North Queensland since returning from a stint in union and a two-year drug ban, is likely to take on greater responsibility, particularly with a number of his forwards running on tired legs.

"He has been in fine form," Cowboys coach Neil Henry said of Sailor yesterday. "He is a damaging runner. He had a bit of injury the other week, but he has been very good for them and it is great to see because he has put a lot of work in. He is a big man who gets forward and gets good metres for them. We are going to have to be strong out on the fringes."

Henry is also yet to finalise his outfit, with the fitness of Test halfback Johnathan Thurston and City back-rower Luke O'Donnell crucial to the Cowboys' cause. Ty Williams remains in his extended squad but he has backed diminutive winger Ben Farrar to handle Sailor despite giving away 25kg to the dual international.

"Ben Farrar is fine so he'll take the field and I'm quite confident he can do the job on that edge with Willie Tonga, who is quite strong defensively," Henry said.

"We just have to get forward on Wendell and not give him too much room."

The Dragons will be without Kiwi Test lock Jeremy Smith, who missed last night's trans-Tasman showdown with an ankle injury.

"He's a blow for them because he is very solid through the middle and offers a bit of aggression there," Henry said of Smith.

While Dragons skipper Ben Hornby was a late scratching from the Country side, he is expected to play against the Cowboys.



www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/s ... 66,00.html

Big Dell the man to shoot down Cowboys 6 all right now 1st half ST GEORGE Illawarra's hopes of breaking a three-match losing streak against the Cowboys in Townsville tonight could hinge on the biggest name in their backline - Sarina product Wendell Sailor.
The Dragons will assess the fitness of their seven representative stars this morning before coach Wayne Bennett finally settles on his team for tonight's game at Dairy Farmers Stadium.

Simply ferrying Test stars Darius Boyd and Jason Nightingale from Brisbane, and Country Origin representatives Beau Scott, Jamie Soward, Justin Poore, Michael Weyman and Ben Creagh from Orange to Townsville shapes as a logistical nightmare, making it likely Bennett will be forced into a string of late changes.

Sailor, who plays his first match in North Queensland since returning from a stint in union and a two-year drug ban, is likely to take on greater responsibility, particularly with a number of his forwards running on tired legs.

"He has been in fine form," Cowboys coach Neil Henry said of Sailor yesterday. "He is a damaging runner. He had a bit of injury the other week, but he has been very good for them and it is great to see because he has put a lot of work in. He is a big man who gets forward and gets good metres for them. We are going to have to be strong out on the fringes."

Henry is also yet to finalise his outfit, with the fitness of Test halfback Johnathan Thurston and City back-rower Luke O'Donnell crucial to the Cowboys' cause. Ty Williams remains in his extended squad but he has backed diminutive winger Ben Farrar to handle Sailor despite giving away 25kg to the dual international.

"Ben Farrar is fine so he'll take the field and I'm quite confident he can do the job on that edge with Willie Tonga, who is quite strong defensively," Henry said.

"We just have to get forward on Wendell and not give him too much room."

The Dragons will be without Kiwi Test lock Jeremy Smith, who missed last night's trans-Tasman showdown with an ankle injury.

"He's a blow for them because he is very solid through the middle and offers a bit of aggression there," Henry said of Smith.

While Dragons skipper Ben Hornby was a late scratching from the Country side, he is expected to play against the Cowboys.



www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/s ... 66,00.html

Dragons winger Wendell Sailor offered deal to name names in drug scandal
DRAGONS star Wendell Sailor has revealed he knocked back an offer to halve his two-year suspension from sport for cocaine use because it meant dobbing in other drug takers.
And the 34-year-old dual international said the controversy also taught him who his real friends were. Opening up about the darkest period in his life, Sailor said the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Agency offered a deal to slash his sentence in return for naming other drug users.

"Look it's pretty true. ASADA have got their job and if I'd dobbed other players in or other people that were with me, I could have got my sentence cut back to a year," Sailor told pay-TV channel ESPN in an interview airing tomorrow.

"But my motto is 'I did the line so I have to do the time', so I'm happy with that and I can sleep at night."

Sailor's world collapsed in mid- 2006 when he was banned for two years after failing a drug test that detected cocaine in his system.

Playing rugby with the Waratahs at the time after switching codes to play in the 2003 World Cup, the former Kangaroos star said he could never erase the stigma of his conviction.

"If I had any regrets it was those two years out of the game because (of) all the kids who watched Wendell Sailor play through the years and the kids that were trying to say 'don't do drugs'," he said.

Sailor, who returned to league with St George Illawarra last May, said the experience taught him who his real friends were.

"What I loved about league was when I did get in trouble, the first calls I had were from Allan Langer, Steve Renouf and Wayne Bennett, to see if myself and my family were OK," he said. "A lot of people were walking out the door, but there were also a lot walking in to support me."



www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/s ... 57,00.html

Dragons winger Wendell Sailor offered deal to name names in drug scandal
DRAGONS star Wendell Sailor has revealed he knocked back an offer to halve his two-year suspension from sport for cocaine use because it meant dobbing in other drug takers.
And the 34-year-old dual international said the controversy also taught him who his real friends were. Opening up about the darkest period in his life, Sailor said the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Agency offered a deal to slash his sentence in return for naming other drug users.

"Look it's pretty true. ASADA have got their job and if I'd dobbed other players in or other people that were with me, I could have got my sentence cut back to a year," Sailor told pay-TV channel ESPN in an interview airing tomorrow.

"But my motto is 'I did the line so I have to do the time', so I'm happy with that and I can sleep at night."

Sailor's world collapsed in mid- 2006 when he was banned for two years after failing a drug test that detected cocaine in his system.

Playing rugby with the Waratahs at the time after switching codes to play in the 2003 World Cup, the former Kangaroos star said he could never erase the stigma of his conviction.

"If I had any regrets it was those two years out of the game because (of) all the kids who watched Wendell Sailor play through the years and the kids that were trying to say 'don't do drugs'," he said.

Sailor, who returned to league with St George Illawarra last May, said the experience taught him who his real friends were.

"What I loved about league was when I did get in trouble, the first calls I had were from Allan Langer, Steve Renouf and Wayne Bennett, to see if myself and my family were OK," he said. "A lot of people were walking out the door, but there were also a lot walking in to support me."



www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/s ... 57,00.html

Wendell’s footwear sponsor Nike have specially created “LIVESTRONG” football boots for athletes to wear in recognition of cycling superstar Lance Armstrong’s campaign to conquer cancer.

On the July 4, 2009, Lance Armstrong will strive for his 8th Tour de France title and for the duration of the Tour de France, Wendell will wear these LIVESTRONG Boots when he plays for the Dragons over this same period of time beginning at WIN Jubilee Oval, Kogarah on Friday, July 3 against the Roosters and also in matches against the Sea Eagles and Warriors.

Wendell’s chosen cancer charity is the Joanne MacKay Breast Cancer Foundation and he has chosen to wear, sign and auction these boots via the Dragons website www.dragons.com.au to support this worthy cause set up by former Dragon, NSW and Australian player Brad MacKay in memory of his wife Joanne who sadly lost with breast cancer in 2002.
integrated.imgecommerce.com/dragons.htm

Wendell’s footwear sponsor Nike have specially created “LIVESTRONG” football boots for athletes to wear in recognition of cycling superstar Lance Armstrong’s campaign to conquer cancer.

On the July 4, 2009, Lance Armstrong will strive for his 8th Tour de France title and for the duration of the Tour de France, Wendell will wear these LIVESTRONG Boots when he plays for the Dragons over this same period of time beginning at WIN Jubilee Oval, Kogarah on Friday, July 3 against the Roosters and also in matches against the Sea Eagles and Warriors.

Wendell’s chosen cancer charity is the Joanne MacKay Breast Cancer Foundation and he has chosen to wear, sign and auction these boots via the Dragons website www.dragons.com.au to support this worthy cause set up by former Dragon, NSW and Australian player Brad MacKay in memory of his wife Joanne who sadly lost with breast cancer in 2002.
integrated.imgecommerce.com/dragons.htm

St George Illawarra winger Wendell Sailor says he wants to play on
By Wendell Sailor
July 19, 2009 There has been speculation about my future in recent weeks, so I want to set the record straight on where I stand with Wayne Bennett and the Dragons.

I want to play on next year.

I've never forgotten a comment Shane Webcke made when he announced his retirement in 2006. He said you get that gut feeling, that you just know in your heart that it's time to go.

I don't feel that way. To be honest, I don't think I've ever enjoyed my football like I have at the moment.

It's not just because we're winning games, it's the community support I've got and the mateship of the guys at St George Illawarra that is driving me to soldier on.

Last week, I started discussions with Dragons CEO Peter Doust and Wayne about which way we want to go. Hopefully in the next few weeks we will have something sorted out and I'll be in the red-V jumper in 2010.

www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,865 ... 66,00.html

St George Illawarra winger Wendell Sailor says he wants to play on
By Wendell Sailor
July 19, 2009 There has been speculation about my future in recent weeks, so I want to set the record straight on where I stand with Wayne Bennett and the Dragons.

I want to play on next year.

I've never forgotten a comment Shane Webcke made when he announced his retirement in 2006. He said you get that gut feeling, that you just know in your heart that it's time to go.

I don't feel that way. To be honest, I don't think I've ever enjoyed my football like I have at the moment.

It's not just because we're winning games, it's the community support I've got and the mateship of the guys at St George Illawarra that is driving me to soldier on.

Last week, I started discussions with Dragons CEO Peter Doust and Wayne about which way we want to go. Hopefully in the next few weeks we will have something sorted out and I'll be in the red-V jumper in 2010.

www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,865 ... 66,00.html