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Millard latest to exit Wakefield for Catalan Dragons

Daryl Millard
Daryl Millard left Canterbury Bulldogs for Wakefield in September 2009

Wakefield Trinity Wildcats have lost a third player in as many days after Fijian international centre Darryl Millard's move to Catalan Dragons.

Australian-born Millard's exit follows the departures of Sam Obst to Hull FC and Dale Ferguson to Huddersfield.

But the crisis-hit Wildcats were able to enjoy one piece of good news ahead of this weekend's trip to Catalan.

Young centre Aaron Murphy is free to play after winning his appeal against a two-match ban for a dangerous throw.

After going in front of the Rugby Football League disciplinary committee on Tuesday evening, Murphy was banned for two games and fined £300 after being found guilty of a dangerous throw, lift and drop against Castleford at the Millennium Stadium.

But, on appeal, the offence was reduced from Grade C to Grade A after the tribunal viewed a video showing the incident from a different angle to the ones presented at the original hearing on Tuesday.

The appeals tribunal ruled that Murphy was guilty of a lesser offence and that the original £300 fine was sufficient punishment.

Murphy, who was warned about his future tackling technique, is now given the green light to travel to the South of France to play Catalan on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the club are still to confirm that their takeover by local businessman Andrew Glover's Spirit of 1873 consortium, as sanctioned by their administrators, has gone through.

I wanted an experienced player and especially one able to adapt to our system of play

Catalan coach Trent Robinson

The Wildcats officially went into administration last Friday.

But talks to complete the deal have yet to be completed and O'Hara and Company, their administrators, are still pursuing a policy of selling assets in order to pay the creditors.

With a weakened squad, and expected to suffer the league's statutory six-point penalty for any club going into administration, the loss of Obst, Ferguson and now Millard - all three of whom started in Saturday's season opener against local rivals Castleford at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff - are a huge blow to Wakefield coach John Kear.

But one pluspoint is that, although heading for Perpignan this week, Millard will not play in Saturday's match against Wakefield at the Gilbert Brutus Stadium.

Catalan coach Trent Robinson said: "I wanted an experienced player and especially one able to adapt to our system of play.

"Darryl has very good steps and an excellent ability to offload the ball to his winger.

"He is also very strong with high balls, equally good in attack and defence."

A product of Saint Georges Illawarra, the Australian joined the Canterbury Bulldogs and played for Fiji in the 2008 World Cup before moving to Super League.

He scored 11 tries in 22 appearances for the Wildcats in 2010.



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see also
Wakefield lose another key player
15 Feb 11 |  Wakefield
Glover seals Wakefield takeover
17 Feb 11 |  Wakefield
Wakefield sign up Bulldog Millard
04 Sep 09 |  Wakefield


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