(Image: Ben Duffy/SWPIX.com)
ONE of Warrington or Wakefield will win their first-ever Super League Grand Final this evening.
And to mark the occasion, the T&A thought we’d rewind the clock, given it is the 25th anniversary of Bulls’ maiden success at Old Trafford.
While Bradford reached their zenith in 2003 with that iconic treble, this was perhaps their best big-game performance in the Brian Noble era.
They dismantled a shell-shocked Wigan side 37-6, with the game already well over by half-time.
Bradford had of course won their first Super League crown back in 1997, 20 straight league wins from the start of the season ought to do that.
But the Grand Final wasn’t introduced until the following season.
And Bulls had already been pained by losing, Henry “without a boot” Paul’s fabulous try not enough as they were beaten 8-6 by St Helens in 1999.
It was expected to be similarly tight in 2001 as well.
Bulls had topped the table at the end of the regular season, but only on points difference, they and Wigan finishing with identical records of 22 wins, one draw and five defeats.
Bradford had had the edge at Odsal a couple of weeks earlier, with a 24-18 victory in the play-off semis, but Wigan had bounced back by destroying reigning Grand Final champions Saints in the preliminary final.
Yet from the moment Paul’s penalty put Bulls ahead at Old Trafford after just two minutes, Noble’s side never looked back.
Henry Paul (right), pictured lifting the trophy with his brother Robbie, was playing his final Bulls game before moving into rugby union. (Image: Ben Duffy/SWPIX.com)
Playing some astonishing attacking rugby league, the mighty Michael Withers helped himself to a first-half hat-trick, after Jimmy Lowes had gone over for the opening try.
The hooter sounded with Wigan in defensive and disciplinary disarray at 26-0 down.
Andy Farrell was their only player even close to his best, but current Leigh boss Adrian Lam at least stopped the Warriors getting nilled with a try just after the hour mark.
But even that made things worse, as it seemed to give Bradford a second wind.
Stuart Fielden crossed the whitewash before the humiliations really started for Wigan.
First, Paul landed a cheeky drop goal, just for fun really, to extend the lead to 25 points.
And then Graham Mackay got the final try late on, adding to it with his one and only conversion as a Bulls player.
Many Wigan fans poured out of Old Trafford long before the end, but Bulls’ deservedly celebrated long into the night.