The Super League era

The Super League era - 1996

Position	Pld	Won	Drew	Lost	Points For	Points Against	Points Differential	Points
3rd of (12)	22	17	0	5				34

In April 1995, the Rugby League announced the formation of the European Super League. The Super League consisted of 10 clubs from the existing First Division (including Bradford Bulls) plus London Broncos from the Second Division, and new club Paris Saint-Germain.

For the first season of summer rugby, Super League I

Super League I

The year 1996's Stones Bitter Super League I was the official name for the 102nd season of top-level rugby league football, and the first year of Europe's new championship: Super League. It is also the first season of rugby league to be played in summer...

, the club's name was changed from Bradford Northern to Bradford Bulls and a new logo was adopted. Australian Brian Smith

Brian Smith (rugby league)

Brian Smith is an Australian coach and former player of rugby league football. He is the current head coach at the Sydney Roosters of the NRL. Smith played for St. George and South Sydney Rabbitohs , appearing in a total of 31 first grade games...

 was appointed coach and later Chief Executive. Bradford lost the 1996 Challenge Cup

Challenge Cup

The Challenge Cup is a knockout cup competition for rugby league clubs organised by the Rugby Football League. Originally it was contested only by British teams but in recent years has been expanded to allow teams from France and Russia to take part....

 final 40-32 to St Helens, Robbie Paul

Robbie Paul

Robert Rawiri 'Robbie' Hunter-Paul is a New Zealand rugby league player. He currently plays for Leigh Centurions in England. He played for the New Zealand national team 27 times. He is the younger brother of Leeds Carnegie player Henry Paul.-Early years:Born in Tokoroa, New Zealand, his junior...

 became the first player to score a hat-trck in the final, a performance that won him the Lance Todd Trophy

Lance Todd Trophy

The Lance Todd Trophy is awarded to the Man-of-the-Match in rugby league football's Challenge Cup Final.The trophy was introduced in 1946, in memory of Lance Todd, the New Zealand-born player and administrator, who was killed in a road accident during the Second World War...

. Robbie also won the Super League

Super League

Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...

 Player of the Year.

In September 1996, Brian Smith

Brian Smith (rugby league)

Brian Smith is an Australian coach and former player of rugby league football. He is the current head coach at the Sydney Roosters of the NRL. Smith played for St. George and South Sydney Rabbitohs , appearing in a total of 31 first grade games...

 decided to return to Australia as coach of Parramatta Eels

Parramatta Eels

The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...

 and assistant coach Matthew Elliot took over. Bradford Bulls finished the season as the best supported team in Super League with an average attendance in excess of 10,000.

Fixtures

Date	Round	Opponent	Result	Bulls.	Opp.	Venue	Crowd	Position
31/03/96	1	Castleford Tigers	Won	30	18	Grattan Stadium	(Att: 10,027)
05/04/96		Sheffield Eagles		24	40	Don Valley Stadium	(Att: 5,202)
08/04/96		London Broncos	Won	31	24	Grattan Stadium	(Att: 7,192)
14/04/96		St Helens		20	26	Knowsley Road	(Att: 10,010)
19/04/96		Wigan Warriors		6	22	Central Park	(Att: 9,872)
27/04/96	CC Final	St Helens		32	40	(Wembley Stadium)	(Att: 75,994)
05/05/96		Warrington Wolves	Won	36	14	Grattan Stadium	(Att: 9,278)
10/05/96		Oldham Bears	Won	30	10	Oldham	(Att: 4,228)
19/05/96		Paris St Germain	Won	60	32	Grattan Stadium	(Att: 8,194)
24/05/96		Leeds Rhinos	Won	54	8	Grattan Stadium	(Att: 10,229)
02/06/96	-	Workington Town	Won	52	4	Grattan Stadium	(Att: 8,658)
09/06/96	-	Halifax Blue Sox	Won	22	20	Thrum Hall	(Att: 7,187)
16/06/96	-	Castleford Tigers		23	26	The Jungle	(Att: 6,275)
23/06/96	-	Sheffield Eagles	Won	64
Grattan Stadium	(Att: 8,359)
29/06/96	-	London Broncos	Won	22
London	(Att: 3,814)
05/07/96	-	St Helens	Won	50
Grattan Stadium	(Att: 11,467)
12/07/96	-	Wigan Warriors	Won	20	12	Grattan Stadium	(Att: 17,360)
20/07/96	-	Warrington Wolves	Won	30	20	Wilderspool	(Att: 8,423)
28/07/96	-	Oldham Bears	Won	56	0	Grattan Stadium	(Att: 9,849)
04/08/96	-	Leeds Rhinos	Won	56	18	Headingley	(Att: 10,505)
11/08/96	-	Workington Town	Won	28	14	Derwent Park	(Att: 2,430)
18/08/96	-	Halifax Blue Sox		26	27	Grattan Stadium	(Att: 13,196)
24/08/96		Paris St Germain	Won	27	14	Paris	(Att: 6,152)
31/08/96		Wigan Warriors		36	42	Wigan	(Att: 9,878)

Table

1996 Stones Bitter Super League I Final Table

495

576

358

100

Pos	Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against	Points Diff	Points
1	St Helens	22	20	0	2	950	455
39
2	Wigan Warriors	22	19	1	2	902	326
38
3	Bradford Bulls	22	17	0	5	767	409
34
4	London Broncos	22	12	1	9	611	462	+149	25
5	Warrington Wolves	22	12	0	10	569	565	+4	24
6	Halifax Blue Sox	22	10	1	11	667	567
21
7	Sheffield Eagles	22	10	0	12	599	730
20
8	Oldham Bears	22	9	1	12	473	681
19
9	Castleford Tigers	22	9	0	13	548	599
18
10	Leeds Rhinos	22	6	0	16	555	745
12
11	Paris St Germain	22	3	1	18	398	795
7
12	Workington Town	22	2	1	19	325	1021	-696	5