Crusaders 30 Hull KR 24: Morgan delighted to lure Australian Mason to Craven Park

Morgan secured the colourful 30-year-old Australian prop on a two-year deal on Sunday, in one of the most eye-catching signings in the history of Super League.

Mason is best known to English fans as the man who knocked out Great Britain's Stuart Fielden while playing for Australia in the 2006 Tri-Nations, while a series of other off-the-field incidents have given him a notorious reputation.

But Morgan, who has known Mason for over a decade, believes his reputation has been exaggerated and that when Mason arrives from North Queensland in the winter, he will have landed himself a stellar player.

"I've known Willie for a long time, right back to when he started out at Canterbury," Morgan said.

"I know that a lot of flack has fallen at his doorstep throughout his career but a lot of that gets taken out of proportion.

"Because he is a larger than life character that sort of thing happens, but when you talk to him, as I have done and as the players have done, you know that he has a passion to do well, to work hard and to train hard.

"This is a guy who has played a number of years in the NRL, played State of Origin and played for Australia. You don't do that if you're not a serious player."

Mason will arrive at Craven Park as an NRL winner with Canterbury in 2004, joining fellow title winners Clint Newton (Melbourne) and Ben Galea (Wests) in Morgan's squad.

And, with a number of young forwards such as rising star Liam Watts on his books, Morgan believes Mason can help create a legacy for the club that will last for years.

"You're not just signing a big name player, you're signing someone who has won things," Morgan said.

Crusaders made it into the play-offs for the first time this victory at Wrexham's Racecourse Ground, while their will be a Hull derby on Saturday in the end-of-season climax.

By half-time, the Welshmen were ahead after front rower Ryan O'Hara capatlised on pressure in the visiting 25 and took the ball over through a half-gap in the Hull defence.

Full back Clinton Schifcofske converted before Peter Fox replied, Michael Dobson adding the extras. But the Welshmen were on top and it told when a kick by Jarrod Sammut saw Luke Dyer climb high, throw a speculative pass to the right wing and Tony Martin nabbed the try that Schifcofske converted.

The second-half exploded as Rovers took the lead with two tries in four minutes when Shaun Briscoe and Kris Welham crossed, both converted by Dobson, for a 18-12 lead.

But the Crusaders restored their six-point lead when Rhys Hanbury went over before Sammut sprinted 100 yards for a try.

Rovers hit back again when Galea drove over and Dobson's fourth conversion levelled the match before Schifcofske booted a 25-yard penalty and Luke Dyer crossed to secure their play-off place.

Crusaders RL: Schifcofske, Dyer, Martin, Mellars, Youngquest, Sammut, Hanbury, O'Hara, Withers, Bryant, Hauraki, Chan, Lupton. Substitutes: Lee, James, Peek, Winternstein.

Hull KR: Briscoe, Fox, Welham, Cockayne, Colbon, Murrell, Dobson, Vella, Fisher, Clinton, Newton, Galea, Lovegrove. Substitutes: Wheeldon, Watts, Hodgson, Netherton.

Referee: R Hicks (RFL).