L’Estrange beaming with pride after unexpected Exiles call-up

Bradford Bulls’ joint-captain Heath L’Estrange admits to being stunned by his call-up to the prestigious Exiles squad.

The Australian hooker was yesterday picked for the representative side drawn from the best overseas players operating in Super League.

Among Daniel Anderson’s 30-man initial selection, he could now face England in the International Origin Series.

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For the uncapped L’Estrange – who joined Bradford after winning the NRL title with Manly Sea Eagles in 2008 – it is a genuine bolt out of the blue.

“I didn’t even think I’d be in the running and thought it was someone pulling my leg when I got the call the other night,” he told the Yorkshire Post.

“To be just in the squad is massive and I’m very proud already.

“I think the whole Exiles concept is a great idea as a way of helping the England national team and I’d love to play a part.

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“It’ll be good to catch up with London’s Michael Robertson, who played with me at Manly, and Leeds’s Brett Delaney.

“I grew up with Brett. We went to school together and were in the same Parramatta Eels side as kids.

“He’s playing real well. You can put him anywhere, he just has such great aggression.

“There’s some great players in the squad and I know – with people like Michael Monaghan, Tommy Leuluai and Scotty Dureau around, it will be tough to make the cut.”

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Leeds Rhinos hooker Danny Buderus captained the Exiles in last year’s inaugural event when the overseas stars earned a last-minute shock win against Steve McNamara’s England.

However, the former Australia captain has since returned to Newcastle Knights so the dummy-half role is up for grabs this summer when the Origin is extended to two fixtures.

Warrington’s Monaghan is favourite to win the shirt while Wigan’s Leuluai played scrum-half last year but can also operate at hooker, which is also the case with Catalan’s Dureau.

L’Estrange’s excellent form, however, has been a principal reason behind the on-field revival of Bradford who are currently desperately trying to avoid the threat of administration.

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His leadership and direction have helped guide the troubled club up level with champions Leeds Rhinos in sixth spot, putting a play-off place in sight for the first time in four years.

L’Estrange, meanwhile, will be able to further his cause with an impressive showing directly against Monaghan after the Bulls were yesterday drawn at Warrington in the Carnegie Challenge Cup fifth round.

“We’re happy with that,” said the 26-year-old. “It’d have been nice to get them at Odsal to help get some more money in but we’ll go there and look to get over them.

“Obviously, Warrington are a class side and they’ll be tough but you have to beat them at some point if you want to go on and win at Wembley.

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“We’re always confident and the way the boys have been playing recently there’s no reason not to be excited by this draw.

“It’ll be my first game back from suspension and I can’t wait.”

He refers to a two-game ban incurred for a spear tackle on England captain Jamie Peacock during the rousing Good Friday win over Leeds at Odsal.

The proceeds from that night did so much to aid taking the club towards their £500,000 target to avoid going bust, but there was no escape for L’Estrange.

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Team-mate Bryn Hargreaves was red-carded for the offence which left Peacock nursing a sore neck but it was his colleague who later copped the ban after a case of mistaken identity.

“I certainly deserved the two weeks off and I have to sort out my tackle technique,” he admitted.

“It was a really bad situation – Bryn was going down and I was going up just as I let go and Jamie slipped.

“I apologised to him after the game and was just happy he was alright and wasn’t injured.”

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L’Estrange sat out Sunday’s 72-6 fourth-round cup mauling of Doncaster and will also be missing for this Sunday’s visit of league leaders Huddersfield Giants.

But, he will return for that Warrington contest and insists the club are now buzzing again after their financial concerns.

“(Chief executive) Ryan Duckett has been down a couple of times to talk about things and we have confidence in the club,” he said.

“We managed to get paid last week so there’s a lot of happy people around and we’re over that first hurdle.

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“We’re going to get through this and everyone has rallied. It’s probably brought us all together and we can’t wait to get out there again against Huddersfield.”

‘Clerical error’ sees Hull’s Manu missing from list

Hull FC’S Willie Manu is a belated addition to Daniel Anderson’s Exiles squad after a “simple editing” error.

There was some surprise yesterday when the former St Helens coach announced his 29-man squad for the International Origin Series and the explosive Tongan was not included.

Second-row Manu has again been one of Super League’s most dynamic players this season, carrying on the rich form which saw him represent Exiles in their shock win over England last June.

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However, his omission was a clerical mistake which their management team swiftly moved to correct in their new-look 30-man squad.

Anderson even Tweeted his apologies to the 32-year-old, who Hull want to tie down.

Exiles squad: Anthony Laffranchi, Francis Meli, Lance Hohaia, Tony Puletua, Sia Soliola (all St Helens), Antonio Kaufusi, Michael Robertson (both London Broncos), Brett Delaney (Leeds), Brett Finch, George Carmont, Thomas Leuluai, Jeff Lima, Pat Richards (all Wigan), Brett Hodgson (capt), Trent Waterhouse, Joel Monaghan, Michael Monaghan (all Warrington), Clint Greenshields, Lopini Paea, Louis Anderson, Darryl Millard, Scott Dureau, Setaimata Sa (all Catalan Dragons), David Fa’aologo, Jason Chan, Luke O’Donnell (all Huddersfield), Heath L’Estrange (Bradford), Jake Webster (Hull KR), Joel Moon (Salford), Willie Manu (Hull FC).

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