SUMMERTIME rugby league, whether playing or watching, seems natural now but in 1996 it was almost revolutionary.

It was the same story with full-time clubs, playing league games in France, pre-match entertainment and the general razzmatazz now associated with 80 minutes on the pitch.

Also, the act of becoming champions by winning the play-offs (as from 1998) rather than topping the table had not been around since the Championship Final format ended in 1972-1973.

Similarly akin to football in this country, seasons started at the end of August and finished in April or May depending on whether a team reached the Challenge Cup Final at Wembley or made it to the play-offs in the hunt for the Premiership Trophy.

October through to March delivered many a game on mudbath pitches in treacherous rain, wind, hail or snow – played by men who had regular jobs in the day and trained at night.

Sky Sports had tentatively got its hooks into the game, covering one match live on a Friday night since 1992-93.

But the sport at the top level in England, with Wigan annually dominant as the only full-time club, was not in the greatest of health.

Warrington RLFC were typical in trying to survive on a fourth drop in five years in terms of average attendance (4,922) and in a crumbling Wilderspool Stadium home that presented difficulties in attracting corporate and sponsorship support.

Warrington Guardian:

Rowland Phillips breaks for Warrington at Wilderspool Stadium prior to Super League era

 

Top-flight rugby league literally became a whole new ball game in 1996, but it did not arrive smoothly.

In April 1995, Sky signed an £87million, five-year deal for all matches, bar Challenge Cup, for 1996 to 2000. With this would come the switch to a summertime season, a move to full-time clubs based up and down the country, the inclusion of at least one French outfit to make the competition ‘European’ and the intention for participating clubs to develop a new stadium where necessary.

For Sky, they would have a dynamic sport living alongside cricket to boost their summer ratings. News Corporation boss Rupert Murdoch also had a pawn in a takeover bid for the broadcasting rights to the more lucrative Australian game.

Locally, Wolves had their own survival battle.

Warrington Guardian:

Flashback to Warrington Guardian back page in 1995 as a merger with Widnes looked a real possibility

 

Initially, talks resulted in Warrington set to enter 1996 as a merged operation with Widnes under the banner of Cheshire. Manchester and Cumbria were among other ‘joined forces’ in there too.

It was only a further late-hour plea from chairman Peter Higham that kept the club alive as its own entity marching into the new Super League era.

With some rule changes added to help make the game faster on firmer grounds of summer, hopes were high for the new all-singing (yes, Bucks Fizz and Black Lace provided pre-match entertainment at Wilderspool) competition.

Warrington Guardian:

Here comes summer rugby and match day barbecues - Iestyn Harris with Paul Sculthorpe

 

SUPER LEAGUE 1 - 1996

THE Wire were setting their stall for the inaugural season of Super League and then SMASH!

Warrington crashed 80-0 in a Regal Trophy semi final at St Helens on January 4 – one of the last games hanging over from the shortened 1995-96 winter season.

And the next day Brian Johnson’s resignation ended a decent seven-year reign that had overseen triumphs in the Lancashire Cup (1989) and Regal Trophy (1991) as well as a Challenge Cup Final appearance.

Among all other preparations in turning into a full-time operation, The Wire now needed a new coach.

As fans started to dream of summertime cold beers and ice creams on the terraces instead of body-warming pie and mushy peas, the club’s first chief executive Graham Armstrong introduced ex-Wigan boss John Dorahy as coach, working alongside Alex Murphy as football director.

Warrington Guardian:

Alex Murphy and John Dorahy take charge at Wilderspool Stadium under chairman Peter Higham and his board of directors

 

With exciting young New Zealand flyers, in the shape of Toa Kohe-Love and Richard Henare, parading their wares alongside blossoming Johnson juniors like Mike Wainwright, Mark Hilton, Iestyn Harris, Paul Sculthorpe, Jon Roper and Lee Penny, Warrington did enter the new era with optimism despite an early exit from the Challenge Cup.

The history-making first game was marked with a victory against Leeds at Headingley, former Tongan Olympic sprinter Mateaki Mafi crossing for the club’s opening try.

Warrington Guardian:

Warrington winger Mark Forster is clawed by a Leeds defender and ex-Wire prop Neil Harmon closes in during Warrington's first game of Super League in 1996

Warrington Guardian:

Warrington's first try scorer of the Super League era Mateaki Mafi racing away for a score in the historic clash with Paris St Germain at Wilderspool Stadium

 

The rest of the year did not always similarly go to plan, the 42-12 loss to Wigan at Easter raising eyebrows and although there were disappointing losses to lesser lights like Oldham Bears and Halifax Blue Sox it did not get as bad again until the awful 66-14 defeat at Knowsley Road as Saints were crowned champions.

Highlights included The Wire’s first league game in France, a 26-24 win against Paris St Germain at the Charlety Stadium in the capital in front of legions of travelling fans.

Warrington Guardian:

Warrington Guardian:

Warrington Guardian:

Warrington Guardian:

Supporters celebrating victory against Paris St Germain at the Charlety Stadium

 

Roper bagged two important tries that night, while Australian hooker Kris Watson – a mid-season arrival along with New Zealander Willie Swann and Paul Hulme from Widnes – crossed for the first time in primrose and blue.

Both Roper and Henare scored memorable long-range tries in probably the best game of the season, a last-gasp heartbreaking 25-24 home fall to Saints. Watch the highlights below:

On a sour note, the season ended with Harris seeking a transfer.

Warrington Guardian:

End of season award winners. From left, Anthony Murray, Paul Wingfield, Paul Sculthorpe, Mark Hilton, Gary Chambers, Jon Roper, Richard Henare

 

Highlights from Warrington's home win against London Broncos:

 

SEASON'S RESULTS:

Challenge Cup:

Feb 4 Oldham Bears 4 Wire 26
Feb 10 Wire 10 Leeds 30

Super League:

Mar 31: Leeds 18 Wire 22
Apr 5: Wire 45 Workington 30
Apr 8: Wigan 42 Wire 12
Apr 12: Wire16 Halifax Blue Sox 10
Apr 21: Wire 48 Paris St Germain 24
May 5: Bradford Bulls 36 Wire 14
May 12: Wire 36 Sheffield Eagles 26
May 17: Wire 24 St Helens 25
May 25: Wire 28 London Broncos 24
May 31: Castleford Tigers 17 Wire 22
June 9: Oldham Bears 35 Wire 24
June 14: Wire 36 Leeds 12
June 22: Paris St Germain 24 Wire 24
June 30: Wire 0 Wigan 21
July 7: Halifax Blue Sox 25 Wire 18
July 14: Workington Town 4 Wire 49
July 20: Wire 20 Bradford Bulls 30
July 28: Sheffield Eagles 28 Wire 22
Aug 4: London Broncos 20 Wire 13
Aug 10: Wire 38 Castleford Tigers 24
Aug 16: Wire 42 Oldham Bears 24
Aug 26: St Helens 66 Wire 14

LEAGUE TABLE:

    P    W    D    L    F    A    Pt

St Helens    22    20    0    2    950    455    40
Wigan    22    19    1    2    902    326    39
Bradford Bulls    22    17    0    5    767    409    34
London Broncos    22    12    1    9    611    462    25
Warrington    22    12    0    10    569    565    24
Halifax Blue Sox    22    10    1    11    667    576    21
Sheffield Eagles    22    10    0    12    599    730    20
Oldham Bears    22    9    1    12    473    681    19
Castleford Tigers    22    9    0    13    548    599    18
Leeds    22    6    0    16    555    745    12
Paris St Germain    22    3    1    18    398    795    7
Workington Town    22    2    1    19    325    1021    5

SQUAD STATS:

    App    T    G    Dg    Pt

Paul Barrow    1+9    1    0    0    4
Andy Bennett    6+5    1    0    0    4
Gary Chambers    16+2    0    0    0    0
Paul Cullen    21    3    0    0    12
Andy Currier    2    0    0    0    0
Gareth Davies    0+3    0    0    0    0
Chris Eckersley    1    0    0    0    0
Salesi Finau    6+9    4    0    0    16
Mike Ford    4+1    1    0    0    4
Mark Forster    24    7    0    0    28
Iestyn Harris    18    4    67    2    152
Richard Henare    18+1    17    0    0    68
Mark Hilton    20    1    0    0    4
Chris Holden    0+1    0    0    0    0
John Hough    8    2    0    0    8
Paul Hulme    10+1    2    0    0    8
Mark Jones    10+12    2    0    0    8
Ronnie Kettlewell    0+1    0    0    0    0
Ian Knott    12+5    9    16    0    68
Toa Kohe-Love    21+1    9    0    0    36
Mateaki Mafi    6+8    7    0    0    28
Lee Penny    15+1    6    0    0    24
Jon Roper    15+2    12    1    0    50
Chris Rudd    15+9    5    3    0    26
Paul Sculthorpe    24    5    0    0    20
Kelly Shelford    10+3    3    0    1    13
Warren Stevens    3    0    0    0    0
Phil Sumner    0+5    0    0    0    0
Willie Swann    15+1    4    0    0    16
Mike Wainwright    0+2    0    0    0    0
Kris Watson    11+2    2    0    0    8

What are your memories of the 1996 season? Add your comments below