2003 Bradford Bulls season explained

Year:2003
Team Colour:
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Font Colour:
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League:Super League
League Link:Super League VIII
League Rank:1st
League Wins:24
League Draws:0
League Losses:6
Points For:1149
Points Against:637
Playoff Result:Winners
Cup:Challenge Cup
Cup Result:Winners
Cup Wins:5
Cup Losses:0
Ceo Title:Chairman
Ceo:Chris Caisley
Coach Title:Head Coach
Coach:Brian Noble
Stadium:Odsal Stadium
Avg Attendance:15,284
High Attendance:21,784 vs. Leeds Rhinos
Top Tries:Lesley Vainikolo (26)
Top Goals:Paul Deacon (173)
Top Points:Paul Deacon (389)
Prev Season:2002
Next Season:2004
List:yes
List Link:List of Bradford Bulls seasons

This article details the Bradford Bulls rugby league football club's 2003 season, the 8th season of the Super League era.

Season review

February 2003

The season started off well for the Bulls as they beat Warrington Wolves 38–12 in the 4th Round of the Challenge Cup. Bradford's start to the league campaign was shocking as they were hammered 46–22 by the 2002 champions St Helens R.F.C.

March 2003

Bradford continued their run in the Challenge Cup with an 82–0 victory over lower league Hunslet Hawks with Lesley Vainikolo grabbing a hat-trick. The Bulls got their 1st win of their league campaign with a hard fought 22–10 win against Wakefield Trinity Wildcats. Bradford progressed to the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup by beating Widnes Vikings 38–28 in the quarter-final. The Bulls got their first back to back wins of the season with an outstanding 62–22 victory against Halifax Blue Sox, both James Lowes and Robbie Paul both grabbed hat-tricks. Bradford finished the month off with a hard fought 26–18 win against Widnes Vikings.

April 2003

The Bulls continued their run of form by opening April with a comfortable 32–8 win over Warrington Wolves. Bradford progressed to the Challenge Cup Final as they beat Wigan Warriors 36–22 in the semi-final. The Bulls great league form continued with a 48–24 win over Hull FC. Bradford's month came to a spectacular end as they beat rivals Leeds Rhinos 22–20 to win the Challenge Cup. Tries from Robbie Paul, Jamie Peacock and Tevita Vaikona helped the Bulls win their 2nd Challenge Cup in the Super League era.

May 2003

The Bulls followed their Challenge Cup win with a hard fought 14–8 win against Wigan Warriors. The Bulls good form continued with a hard fought 30–10 win against Castleford Tigers which was made even harder when Leon Pryce was sent off. Bradford recorded a huge win as they beat Huddersfield Giants 52–6 with Robbie Paul scoring a hat-trick. The Bulls finished May with an impressive 48–22 win against arch rivals Leeds Rhinos.

June 2003

Bradford started June with an unfortunate 22–12 loss to London Broncos with Dennis Moran tearing the Bulls apart and scoring a hat-trick. The Bulls got back to winning ways as they edged out Hull F.C. to win the game 26–20. Bradford once again came away with the 2 points as they beat Warrington Wolves 24–20. The Bulls came crashing back to earth as Wigan Warriors beat them 35–22. Bradford then were demolished 35–0 by St Helens R.F.C. at the end of the month.

July 2003

The Bulls started July with a 30–18 win against Wakefield Trinity Wildcats to get the Bulls back to winning ways. Bradford backed this win up with a 60–12 victory over Halifax Blue Sox. The Bulls continued their fine form with a 40–8 win against Widnes Vikings. The streak continued with a 40–20 win over Castleford Tigers and then a 60–6 win against London Broncos where Leon Pryce scored 4 tries.

August 2003

Bradford continued their form into August as they beat Huddersfield Giants 30–16 and then followed this up by beating Leeds Rhinos 18–16 at Headingley Stadium. The Bulls also beat Hull F.C. 36–22 in the middle of the month before losing 26–12 to Wigan Warriors. Bradford bounced back and hammered London Broncos 54–12 with Paul Deacon becoming the highest point scorer for the Bulls in the Super League era as he booted over his 400th goal for the club.

September 2003

Bradford started September with a very narrow 22–21 win against arch rivals Leeds Rhinos, the Bulls won thanks to 2 drop goals from scum-half Paul Deacon. In the run up to the end of the season Bradford lost 28–14 to Castleford Tigers. The Bulls finished the regular rounds with a 22–18 win over St Helens R.F.C. which meant that Bradford finished top of the league ahead of Leeds Rhinos.

October 2003

The Bulls beat arch rivals Leeds Rhinos 30–14 in the Qualifying Semi-final to reach the 2003 Grand Final, in the process Paul Deacon became the first person to score 1,000 points for the Bradford Bulls in the Super League era. A couple of weeks later the Bulls would once again face Wigan Warriors in a Grand Final, the Bradford side won 25–12 after Shontayne Hape, Stuart Reardon and James Lowes (in his last game for the Bulls) all scored tries whilst Paul Deacon kicked 6 goals and a drop goal to make the Bulls Super League champions for a 3rd time.

2003 milestones

2003 Fixtures and results

LEGEND
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2003 Tetley's Super League

DateCompetitionRndVrsH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAtt
 21 February 2003Super League VIII1St. HelensAKnowsley RoadL22–46L.Pryce (2), RadfordDeacon 5/512,217
 9 March 2003Super League VIII2Wakefield Trinity WildcatsHOdsal StadiumW22–10Gilmour, Hape, Pratt, L.PryceRadford 3/420,283
 23 March 2003Super League VIII3Halifax RLFCHOdsal StadiumW62–22Lowes (3), Paul (3), Deacon, Hape, Pratt, L.Pryce, ReardonDeacon 7/9, Lowes 2/215,557
 30 March 2003Super League VIII4Widnes VikingsAHalton StadiumW26–18Anderson, Naylor, Paul, WithersDeacon 5/56,320
 6 April 2003Super League VIII5Warrington WolvesHOdsal StadiumW32–8Deacon, Lowes, L.Pryce, Vaikona, Vainikolo, WithersDeacon 4/615,540
 18 April 2003Super League VIII6Hull F.C.HOdsal StadiumW48–24Pratt (2), L.Pryce (2), Hape, Lowes, Vaikona, VainikoloDeacon 8/815,182
 2 May 2003Super League VIII8Wigan WarriorsAJJB StadiumW14–8L.Pryce (2), VainikoloDeacon 1/310,281
 11 May 2003Super League VIII9Castleford TigersHOdsal StadiumW30–10Vaikona (2), Deacon, VaganaDeacon 7/714,749
 18 May 2003Super League VIII10Huddersfield GiantsAMcAlpine StadiumW52–6Paul (3), Vaikona (2), Naylor, Peacock, Pratt, VainikoloDeacon 3/4, Radford 5/58,297
 23 May 2003Super League VIII11Leeds RhinosHOdsal StadiumW48–22Vaikona (2), Vainikolo (2), Anderson, Gartner, Paul, PrattDeacon 8/821,784
 1 June 2003Super League VIII12London BroncosHOdsal StadiumL12–22Naylor, ParkerDeacon 2/210,835
 8 June 2003Super League VIII13Hull F.C.AKC StadiumW26–20Hape, Pratt, VainikoloDeacon 7/719,549
 15 June 2003Super League VIII14Warrington WolvesAWilderspoolW24–20Forshaw, Gartner, Naylor, PaulDeacon 4/47,507
 21 June 2003Super League VIII15Wigan WarriorsHOdsal StadiumL22–35Deacon, Gartner, Paul, VaganaDeacon 3/415,732
 27 June 2003Super League VIII16St. HelensHOdsal StadiumL0–35––11,127
 6 July 2003Super League VIII17Wakefield Trinity WildcatsABelle VueW30–18Hape (2), Gartner, Lowes, Vagana, VaikonaDeacon 3/64,658
 11 July 2003Super League VIII18Halifax RLFCAThe ShayW60–12Gartner (2), Parker (2), Vainikolo (2), Anderson, Deacon, Hape, Naylor, RadfordDeacon 8/114,555
 20 July 2003Super League VIII19Widnes VikingsHOdsal StadiumW40–8Radford (2), Vainikolo (2), Hape, Reardon, VaikonaDeacon 6/712,116
 27 July 2003Super League VIII20Castleford TigersAThe JungleW40–20Deacon, Gartner, Gilmour, Naylor, L.Pryce, Radford, VaikonaDeacon 6/79,081
 30 July 2003Super League VIII7London BroncosAGriffin ParkW60–6L.Pryce (4), Vainikolo (2), Anderson, Langley, Lowes, Naylor, VaikonaDeacon 8/113,651
 3 August 2003Super League VIII21Huddersfield GiantsHOdsal StadiumW30–16Deacon (2), Radford, Reardon, VainikoloDeacon 5/511,368
 8 August 2003Super League VIII22Leeds RhinosAHeadingley StadiumW18–16Forshaw, Parker, VainikoloDeacon 3/323,035
 16 August 2003Super League VIII23Hull F.C.HOdsal StadiumW36–22Vainikolo (3), Gilmour (2), Anderson, LangleyRadford 4/710,478
 25 August 2003Super League VIII24Wigan WarriorsAJJB StadiumL12–26Vagana, VaikonaDeacon 2/214,714
 31 August 2003Super League VIII25London BroncosAGriffin ParkW54–12Peacock (2), Vaikona (2), Hape, Lowes, Parker, Radford, VaganaDeacon 9/93,510
 7 September 2003Super League VIII26Leeds RhinosHOdsal StadiumW22–21Deacon, Reardon, VainikoloDeacon 4/4, Deacon 2 DG21,102
 14 September 2003Super League VIII27Castleford TigersHOdsal StadiumL14–28Hape, L.PryceDeacon 3/313,628
 19 September 2003Super League VIII28St. HelensAKnowsley RoadW22–18Hape, L.Pryce, Vaikona, VainikoloDeacon 3/48,432

Challenge Cup

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DateCompetitionRndVrsH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAtt
 8 February 2003Cup4thWarrington WolvesAWilderspoolW38–12Vainikolo (2), Hape, Naylor, Paul, L.PryceDeacon 7/75,869
 2 March 2003Cup5thHunslet HawksASouth Leeds StadiumW82–0Vainikolo (3), Pratt (2), L.Pryce (2), Vaikona (2), Fielden, Gartner, Gilmour, Hape, Parker, RadfordDeacon 11/155,685
 15 March 2003CupQFWidnes VikingsAHalton StadiumW38–28Forshaw (2), Hape, Naylor, Paul, L.PryceDeacon 7/74,219
 13 April 2003CupSFWigan WarriorsNMcAlpine StadiumW36–22Radford (2), Deacon, Hape, Lowes, VaikonaDeacon 6/615,359
 26 April 2003CupFinalLeeds RhinosNMillennium StadiumW22–20Paul, Peacock, VaikonaDeacon 5/571,212

Playoffs

LEGEND
 width=100Win
 width=100Draw
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DateCompetitionRndVrsH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAtt
 4 October 2003Play-offsQSFLeeds RhinosHOdsal StadiumW30–14Forshaw (2), L.Pryce, VainikoloDeacon 7/719,786
 18 October 2003Play-offsGFWigan WarriorsNOld TraffordW25–12Hape, Lowes, ReardonDeacon 6/6, Deacon 1 DG65,537

2003 squad statistics

width=3%Nowidth=47%Playerwidth=15%PositionTriesGoalsDGPoints
1Robbie PaulFullbackalign=centre13align=centre0align=centre0align=centre52
2Tevita VaikonaWingalign=centre20align=centre0align=centre0align=centre80
3Leon PryceCentrealign=centre21align=centre0align=centre0align=centre84
4Shontayne HapeCentrealign=centre16align=centre0align=centre0align=centre64
5Lesley VainikoloWingalign=centre26align=centre0align=centre0align=centre104
6Michael WithersFullbackalign=centre2align=centre0align=centre0align=centre8
7Paul DeaconScrum-halfalign=centre10align=centre173align=centre3align=centre389
8Joe VaganaPropalign=centre5align=centre0align=centre0align=centre20
9James LowesHookeralign=centre10align=centre2align=centre0align=centre44
10Paul AndersonPropalign=centre5align=centre0align=centre0align=centre20
11Daniel GartnerSecond Rowalign=centre8align=centre0align=centre0align=centre32
12Jamie PeacockSecond Rowalign=centre4align=centre0align=centre0align=centre16
13Mike ForshawLoose forwardalign=centre6align=centre0align=centre0align=centre24
14Lee GilmourCentrealign=centre5align=centre0align=centre0align=centre20
15Karl PrattStand Offalign=centre9align=centre0align=centre0align=centre36
16Alex WilkinsonWingalign=centre0align=centre0align=centre0align=centre0
17Stuart ReardonFullbackalign=centre5align=centre0align=centre0align=centre20
18Lee RadfordPropalign=centre10align=centre12align=centre0align=centre64
19Jamie LangleyLoose forwardalign=centre2align=centre0align=centre0align=centre8
20Scott NaylorCentrealign=centre9align=centre0align=centre0align=centre36
22Karl PryceWingalign=centre0align=centre0align=centre0align=centre0
23Vinny MylerPropalign=centre0align=centre0align=centre0align=centre0
26Chris BridgeCentrealign=centre0align=centre0align=centre0align=centre0
27Rob ParkerPropalign=centre6align=centre0align=centre0align=centre24
29Stuart FieldenPropalign=centre1align=centre0align=centre0align=centre4
30Richard MooreWingalign=centre0align=centre0align=centre0align=centre0

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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "2003 Bradford Bulls season".

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