1998 Bradford Bulls season

1998 Bradford Bulls season
Super League III Rank 5th
Play-off result Elimination Play-off
Challenge Cup 5th Round
1998 record Wins: 13; Draws: 0; Losses: 13
Points scored For: 591; Against: 540
Team information
Chairman Chris Caisley
Head Coach Matthew Elliot
Captain
Stadium Odsal Stadium
Avg. Attend. 13,026
High. Attend. 19,188 vs. Leeds Rhinos
Top scorers
Tries Tevita Vaikona – 13
Goals Steve McNamara – 81
Points Steve McNamara – 170
< 1997 List of seasons 1999 >

This article details the Bradford Bulls rugby league football club's 1998 season, the 3rd season of the Super League era.

Season review

February 1998

The 1998 season started off with a 48–10 win over Rochdale Hornets in the Challenge Cup 4th Round, it was in this game that Wigan Warriors legend Shaun Edwards made his try scoring debut with the Bulls. However soon they were knocked out of the Cup for the 1st time before the final since the Super League started. It was Castleford Tigers who scored late in the game to beat Bradford 26–21.

April 1998

Bradford started off their league hopes with a 38–6 win against newly promoted Huddersfield Giants. However they were brought down to earth when they lost 26–6 to arch-rivals Leeds Rhinos after a sublime display from fullback Iestyn Harris. Bradford were soon back winning points as they ground out a hard fought 11–4 win against Sheffield Eagles. The Bulls managed to get their 1st back to back wins of the season as they struggled against Hull Sharks but just about scraped a 26–24 win.

May 1998

The Bulls won their next game 18–4 against St Helens however the week after Halifax Blue Sox beat Bradford 21–16 in a thrilling encounter. Bradford bounced back though by stuffing Castleford Tigers 52–10 and then dispatched of London Broncos 17–14.

June 1998

June started off poor for the Bulls as they lost 28–10 to Warrington Wolves after Graeme Bradley was sent off. Bradford also lost to eventual champions Wigan Warriors 28–12. The Bulls bad run continued with a shock 11–10 loss to Salford City Reds with Paul Medley scoring Bradford's only try. Bradford got back to winning ways with a comprehensive 36–10 victory over Huddersfield Giants.

July 1998

Bradford got off to a great start in July as they beat arch-rivals Leeds Rhinos 33–22 at Headingley. The Bulls travelled to Tynecastle Stadium to play London Broncos in an attempt to spread rugby league into Scotland, the Bulls lost to London 22–8 with ex Bulls player Shaun Edwards pulling the strings for the Broncos.

August 1998

Sheffield Eagles added to the Bulls misery when they beat Bradford 38–18 to kick off August, however it wasn't long before the Bulls won again as they beat Hull Sharks 38–18 with Tevita Vaikona scoring 2 tries against his former side. Bradford were brought back to earth with a 33–25 defeat at St Helens, a late Tommy Martyn try and a Sean Long drop goal won it for the Saints. Halifax Blue Sox continued their fine run of form by beating the Bulls 25–12 at The Shay. The final game in August saw the Bulls beat Castleford Tigers 24–8 to get back to winning ways.

September 1998

The month didn't start well for Bradford as they received a 34–8 hammering by London Broncos. The Bulls responded to this defeat by beating Warrington Wolves 36–8 at Odsal Stadium. The final two games saw contrasting results, the 1st saw the Bulls get hammered by Wigan Warriors 38–4 and the 2nd saw them destroy Salford City Reds 40–18 in the final league game of the year.

October 1998

The Bulls crashed out of the playoffs when they lost 46–24 to St Helens at Knowsley Road.

1998 milestones

Table

Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 Wigan Warriors 232102762222+54042
2 Leeds Rhinos 231904662369+29338
3 Halifax Blue Sox 231805658390+26836
4 St Helens 231418673459+21429
5 Bradford Bulls 2312011498450+4824
6 Castleford Tigers 2310112446522−7621
7London Broncos 2310013415476−6120
8 Sheffield Eagles 238213495541−4618
9 Hull Sharks 238015421574−15316
10 Warrington Wolves 237115411645−23415
11 Salford City Reds 236116319575−25613
12 Huddersfield Giants 232021288825−5374
Play-offs

1998 fixtures and results

LEGEND
  Win
  Draw
  Loss

1998 JJB Sports Super League

DateCompetitionRndVrsH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAtt
3 April 1998 Super League III 1 Huddersfield A McAlpine Stadium W 38–6 Vaikona (2), Bradley, Edwards, Forshaw, Peacock, Spruce McNamara 5/7 12,417
12 April 1998 Super League III 2 Leeds H Odsal Stadium L 6–26 Calland McNamara 1/2 19,188
17 April 1998 Super League III 3 Sheffield A Don Valley Stadium W 11–4 Edwards, Spruce McNamara 1/2, Graham 1 DG 6,200
26 April 1998 Super League III 4 Hull FC A The Boulevard W 26–24 Calland (2), Peacock (2), Vaikona McNamara 3/5 9,447
10 May 1998 Super League III 5 St Helens H Odsal Stadium W 18–4 Lowes, McDermott, Vaikona McNamara 3/3 14,091
17 May 1998 Super League III 6 Halifax H Odsal Stadium L 16–21 Paul (2), Vaikona McNamara 2/3 16,337
22 May 1998 Super League III 7 Castleford A The Jungle W 52–10 Paul (3), Edwards (2), McDermott (2), Donougher, Peacock, Vaikona McNamara 6/10 8,043
29 May 1998 Super League III 8 London H Odsal Stadium W 17–14 Bradley, Lowes, McDermott McNamara 2/3, McNamara 1 DG 11,893
7 June 1998 Super League III 9 Warrington A Wilderspool Stadium L 10–28 Calland, Vaikona McNamara 1/2 6,054
12 June 1998 Super League III 10 Wigan H Odsal Stadium L 12–28 McDermott, Vaikona McNamara 2/2 14,103
21 June 1998 Super League III 11 Salford A The Willows L 10–11 Medley McNamara 3/3 6,319
28 June 1998 Super League III 12 Huddersfield H Odsal Stadium W 36–10 Bradley (2), Deacon, Forshaw, Lowes, Spruce McNamara 5/5, Deacon 1/1 12,024
3 July 1998 Super League III 13 Leeds A Headingley Stadium W 33–22 Forshaw (2), Calland, Paul, Scales McNamara 6/6, McNamara 1 DG 16,824
18 July 1998 Super League III 14 London N Tynecastle Stadium L 8–22 Bradley, Scales McNamara 0/2 6,863
2 August 1998 Super League III 15 Sheffield H Odsal Stadium L 18–38 Bradley (2), Lowes McNamara 3/3 11,493
9 August 1998 Super League III 16 Hull FC H Odsal Stadium W 38–18 Vaikona (2), Forshaw, McAvoy, Paul, Scales McNamara 7/7 11,294
16 August 1998 Super League III 17 St Helens A Knowsley Road L 25–33 Vaikona (2), Bradley, Spruce McNamara 4/4, McNamara 1 DG 6,955
23 August 1998 Super League III 18 Halifax A The Shay L 12–25 Deacon, McDermott McNamara 2/2 7,566
31 August 1998 Super League III 19 Castleford H Odsal Stadium W 24–8 Lowes, Scales, Spruce McNamara 6/6 10,946
6 September 1998 Super League III 20 London A The Stoop L 8–34 Bradley McNamara 2/2 4,562
13 September 1998 Super League III 21 Warrington H Odsal Stadium W 36–8 Lowes (2), Bradley, Ekoku, Paul, Spruce McNamara 4/4, Deacon 2/2 10,815
20 September 1998 Super League III 22 Wigan A Central Park L 4–38 Ekoku McNamara 0/1 11,181
27 September 1998 Super League III 23 Salford H Odsal Stadium W 40–18 Deacon (2), Bradley, Harmon, Howard, McNamara, Paul McNamara 5/6, Deacon 1/1 11,102

Challenge Cup

LEGEND
  Win
  Draw
  Loss
DateCompetitionRndVrsH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAtt
15 February 1998 Cup 4th Rochdale A Spotland Stadium W 48–10 Forshaw (2), Calland, Edwards, Jowitt, Lowes, Paul, Spruce, Vaikona Lowes 3/5, McNamara 3/4 5,466
28 February 1998 Cup 5th Castleford A The Jungle L 21–26 Calland, Lowes, Peacock, Spruce Lowes 1/2, McNamara 1/2, McNamara 1 DG 10,283

Playoffs

LEGEND
  Win
  Draw
  Loss
DateCompetitionRndVrsH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAtt
2 October 1998 Play-offs EPO St Helens A Knowsley Road L 24–46 Donougher (2), Crouthers, Graham McNamara 4/4 8,393

1998 squad statistics

For more details on this topic, see Bradford Bulls.
No Player Position Tries Goals DG Points
1 Robbie Paul Fullback 10 0 0 40
2 Tevita Vaikona Wing 13 0 0 52
3 Graeme Bradley Centre 11 0 0 44
4 Abi Ekoku Centre 2 0 0 8
5 Jon Scales Wing 4 0 0 16
6 Danny Peacock Stand Off 5 0 0 20
8 Neil Harmon Prop 1 0 0 4
9 Kevin Crouthers Hooker 1 0 0 4
10 Nathan Graham Fullback 1 0 1 5
11 Jeremy Donougher Second Row 3 0 0 12
12 Paul Medley Second Row 1 0 0 4
13 Sonny Nickle Loose forward 0 0 0 0
14 Mike Forshaw Loose forward 7 0 0 28
15 Paul Anderson Prop 0 0 0 0
16 Warren Jowitt Prop 1 0 0 4
17 Nathan McAvoy Wing 1 0 0 4
19 Harvey Howard Prop 1 0 0 4
20 Matt Calland Centre 7 0 0 28
22 Brian McDermott Prop 6 0 0 24
23 Bernard Dwyer Hooker 0 0 0 0
24 Paul Deacon Scrum-half 4 4 0 24
25 James Lowes Hooker 9 4 0 44
26 Steve McNamara Loose forward 1 81 4 170
27 Tahi Reihana Prop 0 0 0 0
28 Stuart Spruce Fullback 8 0 0 32
29 Stuart Fielden Prop 0 0 0 0
30 Andy Hodgson Centre 0 0 0 0
32 Michael Banks Prop 0 0 0 0
33 Leon Pryce Wing 0 0 0 0
36 Simon Knox Loose forward 0 0 0 0
47 Shaun Edwards Scrum-half 5 0 0 20

= Captain = Injured = Suspended

References

    External links

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