2006, SUPER LEAGUE XI: Wolves upset Leeds, nearly end Bradford dreams too

From a position of losing their season opener at home to Salford, Wolves went on to win their first play-offs game of the summer era and came agonisingly close to reaching the final hurdle before Old Trafford.

Warrington Wolves players celebrate a magnificent play-offs win against Leeds Rhinos at Headingley. All pictures by Mike Boden

 

In between, there was everything from a giant-killing exit from the Challenge Cup, a primrose and blue invasion of Perpignan for a clash with new boys Catalans Dragons, a walloping of the World Club Challenge winners, and conceding more than 50 points on three occasions.

A failure of Nathan Wood’s replacement Michael Sullivan, a hooker from Cronulla Sharks, to settle into a half-back role led to youngsters Chris Bridge and Simon Grix partnering Lee Briers as pivots for much of the year, which accounted for some of the inconsistency.

Michael Sullivan in April's league game at Bradford

Chris Bridge against Leeds Rhinos

 

Other new arrivals Paul Rauhihi, who was named club captain, Rob Parker, Stuart Reardon and Richie Barnett were up and down with their impact too, while assistant coach Mike Forshaw's decision to join Wigan on the eve of pre-season left the club without his conditioning expertise.

Stuart Reardon scoring against his former Bradford club

Rob Parker

Richie Barnett

Paul Rauhihi

 

It was a 54-16 tonking at Leeds, the 2004 champions and 2005 Grand Final runners-up, that led to few giving Paul Cullen’s men any hope of toppling Tony Smith’s side in the third versus sixth-placed play-off tie at Headingley three weeks later.

Some were clinging to hope from the 44-16 home trouncing of the newly crowned World Club Champions back in May but odds stacked up higher when M62 traffic congestion resulted in Wolves only arriving 30 minutes before kick off.

Mike Wainwright looks for support against Leeds in the play-offs

 

However, with 100 seconds left on the clock, the outstanding Briers, who had set up two tries, landed a 38-metre drop goal to hand his side a shot at reigning champions Bradford at Odsal a week later.

Lee Briers jumps all over Ben Westwood as he celebrates the drop goal that breaks Headingley hearts

Supporters celebrate the Headingley heroics

At Bradford, Wolves, looking capable of another shock win, were only buried by Rauhihi’s handling mistake and Lesley Vainikolo’s 90-metre counter attack six minutes from time.

Huge support for Wolves at Odsal in the play-offs

A try for Toa Kohe-Love at Bradford

The moment after Lee Briers' pass was dropped and Lesley Vainikolo raced 90 metres to score the decider at Odsal

Paul Cullen fighting back the emotions after Bradford survive a playoffs fright against his Warrington side

Players acknowledge the fans' support after the loss at Bradford

 

Wolves went from ecstasy to heartbreak in the space of a week, but the strong finale made some amends for the mid-season collapse after the humiliating Challenge Cup quarter-final loss on BBC at the hands of National League front-runners Hull KR on a day when Briers’ absence, at late notice, with a hamstring injury was sorely missed.

Jon Clarke on the charge against Hull KR in the Challenge Cup

Stuart Reardon, one of only a few to show anything near true capabilities in the cup loss at Craven Park

Logan Swann, devastated with the loss to the National League side

Paul Cullen, not happy with what his men offered

An army of around 3,500 Wolves fans following Wolves to the south of France for the club’s first trip to Catalans Dragons were rewarded with a 44-16 win and that was one of the season’s highlights.

Putting down a marker during Wolves' first trip to Perpignan

SEASON’S RESULTS:

 

Challenge Cup:

Apr 2: Wolves 52 London Skolars 0

May 21: Wolves 46 Whitehaven 2

Jun 4: Hull KR 40 Wolves 36

Wolves fans at Hull KR for the Challenge Cup tie

Super League:

Feb 12: Wolves 6 Salford City Reds 24

Feb 19: Huddersfield Giants 26 Wolves 20

Feb 25: Wolves 46 Hull FC 24

Mar 3: Wolves 10 St Helens 18

Mar 10: Wigan 12 Warriors Wolves 24

Mar 18: Wolves 28 Catalans Dragons 26

Mar 26: Wakefield Trinity 21 Wolves 22

Apr 8: Bradford Bulls 18 Wolves 22

Apr 14: Wolves 6 Salford City Reds 22

Apr 17: Castleford Tigers 6 Wolves 64

Apr 23: Wolves 27 Bradford Bulls 4

May 1: Wolves 44 Leeds Rhinos 16

May 6: Catalans Dragons 16 Wolves 44

May 12: St Helens 34 Wolves 22

May 28: Wolves 46 Castleford Tigers 28

Jun 10: Harlequins RL 30 Wolves 28

Jun 18: Wolves 16 Wakefield Trinity 17

Jun 23: Wigan Warriors 30 Wolves 12

Jul 2: Castleford Tigers 52 Wolves 26

Jul 9: Wolves 30 Huddersfield Giants 26

Jul 15: Hull FC 36 Wolves 24

Jul 23: Wolves 22 Wigan Warriors 20

Aug 4: Bradford Bulls 50 Wolves 22

Aug 11: Salford City Reds 35 Wolves 34

Aug 19: Wolves 28 Harlequins RL 22

Sep 1: Leeds Rhinos 54 Wolves 16

Sep 10: Wolves 26 Hull FC 14

Sep 17: Wolves 30 St Helens 38

Play-offs

Sep 22: Leeds Rhinos 17 Wolves 18

Sep 30: Bradford Bulls 40 Wolves 24

 

INTERESTING NOTES:

 

Warrington's first win at JJB Stadium

Catalans’ win at The Halliwell Jones Stadium was their first away from home

Wolves pulled off greatest comeback in their history, winning 22-21 at Wakefield after trailing 21-0 at the interval

First taste of first-team action for Mike Cooper, Ben Harrison and Kevin Penny

 

Mark Hilton’s final year with Wolves

 

SUPER LEAGUE TABLE:

 

                P             W            D             L              F              A             Pt

St Helens              28           24           0             4             939        430        48

Hull FC  28           20           0             8             720        578        40

Leeds Rhinos      28           19           0             9             869        543        38

Bradford Bulls    28           16           2             10           802        568        32

Salford City Reds              28           13           0             15           600        539        26

Warrington Wolves         28           13           0             15           743        721        26

Harlequins RL     28           11           1             16           556        823        23

Wigan Warriors 28           12           0             16           644        715        22

Huddersfield Giants         28           11           0             17           609        753        22

Wakefield Trinity              28           10           0             18           591        717        20

Castleford Tigers               28           9             1             18           575        968        19

Catalans Dragons             28           8             0             20           601        894        16

 

SQUAD STATS 2006:

 

                App        T              G             Dg           Pt

Richie Barnett    22+6     14           0             0             56

Andy Bracek       1+11     2             0             0             8

Chris Bridge        21+2     15           11           0             82

Lee Briers             30           10           114        9             277

Jon Clarke            18+1     7             0             0             28

Mike Cooper      0+4        1             0             0             4

Henry Fa’afili      31           24           0             0             96

Mark Gleeson    6+21     3             0             0             12

Martin Gleeson 30           10           0             0             40

Simon Grix           8+6        6             0             0             24

Brent Grose        28+1     8             0             0             32

Ben Harrison      0+1        1             0             0             4

Mark Hilton        4+6        0             0             0             0

Toa Kohe-Love  26+2     11           0             0             44

Chris Leikvoll      25+1     0             0             0             0

Danny Lima         1+9        1             0             0             4

Paul Noone         7+7        0             4             0             8

Rob Parker          4+17     4             0             0             16

Kevin Penny       0+1        0             0             0             0

Steve Pickersgill 1+9        1             0             0             4

Paul Rauhihi       11+4     2             0             0             8

Stuart Reardon  25           6             0             0             24

Chris Riley            2+3        2             0             0             8

Michael Sullivan                19+9     7             0             0             28

Logan Swann     26+1     10           0             0             40

Mike Wainwright              30           3             0             0             12

Ben Westwood 30+2     6             0             0             24

Paul Wood          23+8     9             0             0             36