: Sat Apr 04, 2009 8:44 pm  

I remember standing in a big bowl of a stadium that comprised mainly of mud, squinting into the distance as some big fellas in brown and white shirts whose only game plan was to drive it forward and roll around in the mud. And there was no atmosphere.

Insert whatever year you want and it will fit.

Okay, if we're going to play the game, I remember Terry Crook being sent off at Odsal, back when the dressing rooms were at the top of the terraces, and he had to get back there by snaking through the Bradford fans, little old ladies waving their brollies at him. Or maybe I was just told about it.

: Sat Apr 04, 2009 11:14 pm  

1969 Challenge Cup second round and we drew Bradford Northern away. Unfortunately for Northern we were in the middle of a deep freeze and the Odsal pitch remained frozen for so long they were ordered to play the game at Headingley which had a heated pitch at that time.
Playing for Bradford at the time was Berwyn Jones, the fastest man in R.L. who had moved from Wakefield under "unfortunate circumstances" allegedly, and there was no love lost between him and Trinity. Midway through the second half, with Bradford trying to clear their own line, the ball reached Jones who had eighty yards to go and the defence queuing up to greet him. Three solid attempts were made to tackle him and all three were beaten by sheer speed down the outside. The final forty yards or so were covered in solitary splendour and he finished the run with a glorious swallow dive in the corner. In his eagerness to humiliate Trinity he had, of course, omitted to run behind the sticks, and on a windy and bitterly cold night the coversion attempt was too much for Phillips and the game ended in a draw 7 - 7, with Trinity winning the replay 10 - 0.

: Sun Apr 05, 2009 12:39 am  

hyperion wrote:

1969 Challenge Cup second round and we drew Bradford Northern away. Unfortunately for Northern we were in the middle of a deep freeze and the Odsal pitch remained frozen for so long they were ordered to play the game at Headingley which had a heated pitch at that time.
Playing for Bradford at the time was Berwyn Jones, the fastest man in R.L. who had moved from Wakefield under "unfortunate circumstances" allegedly, and there was no love lost between him and Trinity. Midway through the second half, with Bradford trying to clear their own line, the ball reached Jones who had eighty yards to go and the defence queuing up to greet him. Three solid attempts were made to tackle him and all three were beaten by sheer speed down the outside. The final forty yards or so were covered in solitary splendour and he finished the run with a glorious swallow dive in the corner. In his eagerness to humiliate Trinity he had, of course, omitted to run behind the sticks, and on a windy and bitterly cold night the coversion attempt was too much for Phillips and the game ended in a draw 7 - 7, with Trinity winning the replay 10 - 0.

I think that time has interfered with your memory a touch here old pal. It happened at B/V BJ picked a loose ball up in the corner where the players' now come out. He set off down the wing towards Donny Rd and hugged the touchline all the way down. Joe Bonnar who we had bought from Workington Town set off after him and making him do so. Supposedly the fastest man in RL and little joe made him go into the corner for the try because had he tried to go under the sticks Bonnar would have caught him.
And we went on and won the replay. That is of course unless there were two similar incidents

Re: Bradford Bulls / Northern Memories! : Sun Apr 05, 2009 6:08 am  

RebelRebel wrote:

Nothing quite so glamorous, I'm afraid, but I do remember a midweek game at Odsal against Northern before the 1979 final.

The great experiment of resting virtually the entire first team back-fired big time, and on that particular evening, the Wakey away support, of which I think there were 3 of us, had the pleasure of enjoying George Ballantine as one of the most senior players to take the field. We held on for quarter of an hour, after which we were solidly gubbed.

A moronic rendition of "you're not off to Wembley, you're not off to Wembley, na na na nah...." for about 10 minutes, which incurred the wrath of one female Northern supporter in particular, plus fish and chips and Harry Ramsdens on the way home, made up for what was otherwise a very unspectacular and depressing evening.

I remember all too well we were on the wrong end of a 50 5 score line young Steve Tinker played at stand off he was a great young prospect but his career was cut short a few seasons latter due to injury

The games that I remember best were a 15 15 draw at belle Vue in 1980/81 and the JPS Cup QF at Odsal that we lost 16 13 in 1980 maybe the best 2 tries I have ever seen both scored by Bill Ashurst. the first at Odsal only about 25 yards out but 2 or 3 dummies and over under the sticks for a great solo effort. the 2nd at Belle Vue was pure class a little kick over the top took in one hand dummy dummy and over for a great try that some on this site will remember well.

I also remember a great 30 5 win away at Odsal in 1980 in the Yorkshire cup and the return league game a week latter at Odsal when our injury hit team went down 27 3 after Paul McDermott opened the scoring for us
great memories of games at Odsal in the days when the players stayed on the field at half time because the dressing rooms were too far away and the players used to make there way back off the pitch at the end through the crowd and up the terrace.

: Sun Apr 05, 2009 6:15 am  

remember one Sunday afternoon game about 1991 which we won n Tracey lazenby was man of the match . remember it more for a young 18 year old being carried over the pitch during the first half by the stewards after suffering sun stroke. he was taken to hospital for a head scan as he smacked his head on the step as he went down . the lad apparently was suffering from concussion and was OK until his mum turned up at pinderfields and questioned why he had consumed 10 pernos n black before the game. that lad had never touched perno again and normally shades from the sun
can not remember the game from around the 15 minute mark apart from peter fox got a lot off verbals whilst walking down the touch line.

: Sun Apr 05, 2009 7:43 am  

This memory comes from 2005 (Sunday 13th February).

At the start of the Super League X season, Trinity were revelling on the back of the highly successful and gallant 2004 season, which has seen Shane McNally pick up the COACH OF THE YEAR award and club captain Gareth Ellis being called up for Great Britain in the Tri-Nations Series, before being snapped up by Leeds.

Still, Trinity aimed to continue as if the 2004 season was still going.

The weather was typical Odsal, four seasons in one day and Trinity wasted no time at all in putting pressure on the Bulls, when they knocked on directly from the Trinity kick off. Four minutes later, Jamie Rooney scored in the corner after intelligent play from new signing Jules O'Neill and Jamie Field. To make the try even more popular, this was Rooney's first appearance since August 2004, after being struck down by niggling ankle injuries. The only joy Bradford had in a dismal first half showing were two quick-fire tries, firstly through Karl Pryce and just a couple of minutes later when Iestyn Harris crossed over the line, following a burst through the middle from Robbie Paul.
Undetterred by this, Trinity kept on fighting, with O'Neill running the show, demonstrating so with a big surge, before offloading to David March, who just fell short of the line. Colum Halpenny, however ensured that the attack got its just reward by putting Trinity back in front, with Rooney scoring a penalty, taking the half-time score to 14 - 10.
In the second half, the Bulls again had no answer for Trinity's attacks, highlighted when Ben Jeffries waltzed passed Paul Deacon for his solo try. Again, although the Bulls responded, it was very brief. Andy Smith had his try disallowed for a forward pass, but nothing could stop Jamie Langley forcing his way over. Rooney, along with his five goals, proceeded to score two drop goals, Bradford's fate was sealed with thirteen minutes remaining, courtesy of Darrell Griffin's close range try.

The result proved to be a dream start for Trinity.

BRADFORD BULLS 16 - 28 WAKEFIELD TRINITY WILDCATS

BRADFORD: Reardon, K. Pryce, L. Pryce, Johnson, Vanikolo, Harris, Deacon, Vagana, Paul, Fielden, Peacock, Meyers, Radford
SUBS: Parker, Lynch, Smith, Langley

WAKEFIELD: M. Field, Halpenny, Demetriou, King, Tadulala, Rooney, Jeffries, Griffin, March, Korkidas, Elima, J. Field, O'Neill
SUBS: Wrench, Solomona, Obst, Feather


Ref: S. Ganson

To show that the result was no fluke, Wakefield repeated their triumph over the Bulls in July in a classic match played in roaring heat, scoreline reading TRINITY 44 - 34 Bulls, but that's another story.

: Sun Apr 05, 2009 9:19 am  

I remember bucket collections at Belle Vue in the 60's to keep Bratfud afloat.

: Sun Apr 05, 2009 9:23 am  

chissitt wrote:

I think that time has interfered with your memory a touch here old pal. It happened at B/V BJ picked a loose ball up in the corner where the players' now come out. He set off down the wing towards Donny Rd and hugged the touchline all the way down. Joe Bonnar who we had bought from Workington Town set off after him and making him do so. Supposedly the fastest man in RL and little joe made him go into the corner for the try because had he tried to go under the sticks Bonnar would have caught him.
And we went on and won the replay. That is of course unless there were two similar incidents

Whitehaven

: Sun Apr 05, 2009 1:20 pm  

lifelongfan wrote:

Whitehaven

Sorry mate deffo Workington Town. We got Matt McCloud from Whitehaven

: Sun Apr 05, 2009 1:22 pm  

chissitt wrote:

Sorry mate deffo Workington Town. We got Matt McCloud from Whitehaven

Did he not do that bridge thingy in Cas