Kelly recruits Hughes to Wales cause

Neil Kelly has made a Welshman as well as a regular Super League try-scorer out of Adam Hughes.

Hughes, Yorkshire-born but with a Welsh grandparent, has been included in the 28-man squad to prepare for the match against New Zealand at Cardiff on 3 November. He has scored 15 tries for Widnes in Super League this season and is the most notable newcomer to the party, along with his team-mate David Mills.

"He is having a special season for us and he qualifies for Wales," said Kelly, his coach for club and country. Also included is Justin Morgan, the back-rower who appeared for Wales in the 2000 World Cup and who has been playing for the New Zealand Warriors. The Australian-born forward is coming to Europe as player-coach of Toulouse.

St Helens have confirmed that they made a loss of £940,745 in the year ending last October – during which they won the Challenge Cup, Super League and the World Club Challenge. The club's chief executive, Brian Kelly, who took over with a new board last November, said the scale of the loss would not affect the functioning of the club. "There have been a lot of changes and we are running the club as a business," he said. "We have had to look for extra revenue streams and we are cutting costs wherever we can – but not on players."

Wigan's long-serving second-rower, Mick Cassidy, has agreed a two-year extension to his contract. Cassidy becomes the latest, after the likes of Adrian Lam and Terry Newton, to commit his future to Wigan, whose chairman, Maurice Lindsay, said: "You could not find a more determined competitor in the whole of the league."

Ryan Hudson, in the middle of a two-year contract at Castleford, has agreed an extra two years, to keep him at the club until 2003. Darren Shaw has returned to Salford after a 10-week loan at London.

Chev Walker and Ben Westwood, of Warrington, have both been suspended for two matches for high tackles .

Bob Hagan, the chief executive of the Australian club, the Canterbury Bulldogs, has resigned amid the scandal over a Aus$1m (£366,000) breach of their salary cap.

The club, currently five points clear at the top of the National Rugby League, face the prospect of being expelled from the competition after admitting the offence and Hagan said he had no alternative but to stand down.

The Bulldogs also stand to lose several of their highest-paid players. The manager of Braith Anasta, the Australian international and top earner, has said that he will go to rugby union rather than accept a pay cut.

"I did a deal in good faith and the deal stands," said Greg Willett. "If we get $1 less, he won't be playing there and I can tell you he won't be playing for another league team."