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I'm in better physical shape now than when I was playing
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Martin Gleeson has had four months to prepare for a crack at the Aussies - and he's not going to waste the opportunity to put a nightmare behind him.
The Warrington centre, caught up in the middle of a betting scandal at his former club St Helens, has served his time and paid his fine.
Now it's just a case of getting his career back on the road.
"I've done a lot in the last four months, but I've also spent a lot of time on my own," said the 24-year-old, rated as one of the best centres in the world before his ban.
"It's seemed like forever since I got banned. I had about six weeks when I went on holiday and chilled out, then I slowly got back into it."
It may have been tough for Gleeson to find the inspiration to return to training had it not been for a phone call from Brian Noble.
The Great Britain coach called him soon after he was handed his punishment to tell him he was still a part of his plans for the up-coming Gillette Tri-Nations Series.
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This will be like my first game of the year after a pre-season build-up
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"He dangled that carrot and I've built up training towards that," said Gleeson.
"I'm in better physical shape now than when I was playing. All I've been doing is running and loads of weights. I've put on a bit of size and strength.
"I had a behind closed doors game at Warrington and I felt alright in that, so hopefully I will be fine.
"This will be like my first game of the year after a pre-season build-up - and I was flying at the start of the year, so it shouldn't be any different."
So will there be a release of pent-up frustration when and if he takes to the field against the Aussies on Saturday night?
"There probably will be, but you can't let that take over in a Test match," he said.
"You could do something wrong and jeopardise the team."
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2004 TRI-NATIONS
LATEST NEWS
Saturday, 13 November 2010
| Australia |
12 - 16
(6 - 6) |
New Zealand |
R |
Tries: Tate, Slater |
|
Tries: Kenny-Dowall, Nightingale, Fien |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Goals: Smith
2 |
|
Goals: Marshall
2 |
|
Suncorp Stadium |
Saturday, 06 November 2010
| England |
36 - 10
(24 - 0) |
Papua New Guinea |
R |
Tries: Robinson
2, Clubb
4, Harrison |
|
Tries: Aizue, Yere |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Goals: Westwood
3, Widdop |
|
Goals: Aiye |
|
Eden Park |
| New Zealand |
20 - 34
(10 - 18) |
Australia |
R |
Tries: Pritchard, Nightingale, Kenny-Dowall |
|
Tries: Cronk, Morris
2, Tate, Boyd, Lawrence |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Goals: Marshall
5 |
|
Goals: Smith
3, Carney
2 |
|
Eden Park |
Sunday, 31 October 2010
| Australia |
34 - 14
(26 - 8) |
England |
R |
Tries: Lewis
2, Slater, Tate, Tonga, Tuqiri |
|
Tries: Burgess, Robinson |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goals: Smith
5 |
|
Goals: Westwood
2, Cudjoe |
|
AAMI Park |
Saturday, 30 October 2010
| New Zealand |
76 - 12
(46 - 0) |
Papua New Guinea |
R |
Tries: Perrett
3, Smith
3, Sa'u
3, Hohaia, Eastwood, Luke, Nightingale, Manu |
|
Tries: Yere, Nami |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Goals: Marshall
8, Luke
2 |
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Goals: Tongia
2 |
|
International Stadium |
Sunday, 24 October 2010
| Australia |
42 - 0
(26 - 0) |
Papua New Guinea |
R |
Tries: Slater, Tate, Cronk, Tonga
2, Morris, Smith, Lockyer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goals: Smith
5 |
|
|
|
Parramatta Stadium |
Saturday, 23 October 2010
| New Zealand |
24 - 10
(12 - 0) |
England |
R |
Tries: Sa'u, Hohaia, Kenny-Dowall, Marshall |
|
Tries: Roby, Widdop |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goals: Marshall
4 |
|
Goals: Widdop |
|
Westpac Stadium |
Saturday, 16 October 2010
| New Zealand Maori |
18 - 18
(0 - 18) |
England |
R |
Tries: Thompson, Heremaia, Taumata |
|
Tries: Atkins, S Tomkins, O'Loughlin |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goals: Locke
3 |
|
Goals: Widdop
3 |
|
|
Wednesday, 06 October 2010
| Wales |
6 - 13
(6 - 6) |
Italy |
R |
Tries: Thomas |
|
Tries: Caligari, Falcone |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Drop-goals: Stewart |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goals: Reece |
|
Goals: Mantellato
2 |
|
Racecourse Ground |
Saturday, 12 June 2010
| England |
60 - 6
(34 - 6) |
France |
R |
Tries: Widdop, Briscoe, S Tomkins
4, Shenton
2, Ellis
2, Bridge |
|
Tries: Bentley |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goals: Sinfield
6, Widdop
2 |
|
Goals: Mounis |
|
Leigh Sports Village |

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