WHAT a difference a year makes.

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New head coach Paul Cullen turned Warrington Wolves from relegation candidates to play-offs contenders as excitement grew towards the club’s move into a new stadium in 2004.

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New stadium was on its way up

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Highlights were Wolves’ first ever appearance in the Super League play-offs, courtesy of finishing sixth, an emotional farewell to Wilderspool and the way they dealt with an injury blow that could have rocked the campaign.

Warrington Guardian: The last game in 2003

Fans crammed into Wilderspool Stadium for the last league game on the ground

Although lengthy contracts afforded to some existing players by previous boss Steve Anderson restricted Cullen’s dabbling into the transfer market, he recruited a few gems.

Three-quarter Brent Grose arrived from South Sydney Rabbitohs, while back-rowers Ian Sibbit and Mike Wainwright, as well as hooker Mark Gleeson, returned to the club.

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Brent Grose breaks free with Jerome Guisset trying to keep up

Dave Alstead, Dean Busby, Leon Felton, John Hill, Dale Laughton, Steve Maden, Tommy O’Reilly and the retiring Paul Marquet made way.

Although sights were set on simply ensuring Wolves did not get dragged into another relegation dogfight, the team responded to Cullen’s ‘must win’ tactics for key games.

But skipper Lee Briers, the ‘heart and soul’ of Wolves’ three wins in four games in mid-season in what was seen as a response to omission from the Lancashire team for the Origin Series, broke a bone in his wrist during a two-try display in a 50-8 dismantling of London Broncos.

The long-term injury to Wolves’ main organiser and most potent creative force resulted in the team being written off but Cullen and company had other ideas.

Nobody could have guessed the immense impact Aussie Graham Appo, out of condition when signed from French rugby union in 2002, would go on to make as Briers’ deputy.

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A Graham Appo try against Leeds Rhinos

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He formed a top quality half-back combination with stand-in skipper Nathan Wood, including scoring a club league record 34 points – four tries and nine goals – in Wolves’ biggest win of the Super League era (Wolves 66 Halifax 6).

All led to the last ever league game at a crumbling but sold-out Wilderspool Stadium, with Wolves needing to win to finish in the top six.

The capacity crowd was treated to a sensational Wolves performance, with Appo, three, Sid Domic, two, Ben Westwood, two, and Paul Noone marking the historic occasion with tries in a 52-12 success. Appo also set a league record for Wolves by banging over 10 goals.

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A Ben Westwood try in the last league at Wilderspool Stadium

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All of these pictures are from the last Warrington Wolves league game at Wildersppol Stadium

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Impressive Wolves led 12-6 at half time at Wigan in the play-offs but failed to add to their score in the second half as the home forwards took over on their run to the Grand Final.

Wolves rounded off their 2003 season with a friendly against the touring New Zealand A, officially the last first-team game on the 105-year-old ground.

 

SEASON’S RESULTS:

Challenge Cup:

Feb 8: Wolves 12 Bradford Bulls 38

Super League:

Feb 22: Huddersfield Giants 8 Wolves 20

Mar 9: Wolves 22 Leeds 32

Mar 22: London Broncos 8 Wolves 29

Mar 30: Wolves 14 Hull FC 27

Apr 6: Bradford Bulls 32 Wolves 8

Apr 18: Wolves 35 Wakefield Trinity 20

Apr 21: St Helens 56 Wolves 6

May 3: Wolves 34 Widnes Vikings 6

May 9: Halifax 8 Wolves 38

May 16: Wigan Warriors 21 Wolves 20

May 24: Wolves 16 Castleford Tigers 32

Jun 1: Wolves 30 St Helens 30

Jun 8: Wakefield Trinity 32 Wolves 12

Jun 15: Wolves 20 Bradford Bulls 24

Jun 22: Widnes Vikings 28 Wolves 32

Jun 28: Wolves 32 Huddersfield Giants 28

Jul 6: Leeds Rhinos 30 Wolves 20

Jul 13: Wolves 50 London Broncos 8

Jul 20: Hull FC 38 Wolves 14

Jul 27: Wolves 66 Halifax 6

Aug 3: Wolves 16 Wigan Warriors 18

Aug 10: Castleford Tigers 16 Wolves 29

Aug 17: London Broncos 19 Wolves 12

Aug 23: Wolves 30 Widnes Vikings 16

Aug 29: Leeds Rhinos 34 Wolves 26

Sep 7: Wolves 40 Halifax 18

Sep 12: Huddersfield Giants 12 Wolves 25

Sep 21: Wolves 52 Wakefield Trinity 12

Play-offs:

Sep 27: Wigan Warriors 25 Wolves 12

Tour game:

Oct 26: Wolves 28 New Zealand A 26

 

SUPER LEAGUE TABLE:

 

                P             W            D             L              F              A             Pt

Bradford Bulls    28           22           0             6             878        529        44

Leeds Rhinos      28           19           3             6             751        555        41

Wigan Warriors 28           19           2             7             776        512        40

St Helens              28           16           1             11           845        535        33

London Broncos               28           14           2             12           643        696        30

Warrington Wolves         28           14           1             13           748        619        29

Hull FC  28           13           3             12           701        577        29

Castleford Tigers               28           12           1             15           612        633        25

Widnes Vikings  28           12           1             15           640        727        25

Huddersfield Giants         28           11           1             16           628        715        23

Wakefield Trinity              28           7             1             20           505        774        15

Halifax Blue Sox 28           1             0             27           372        1,227    2

 

SQUAD STATS 2003:

 

App        T              G             Dg           Pt

Graham Appo    29+1     23           62           0             216

Phil Berry             1             0             0             0             0

Lee Briers             15           7             64           4             160

Darren Burns      27+2     9             0             0             36

Mike Callan         0             0             0             0             0

Daryl Cardiss      7             2             2             0             12

Jon Clarke            29           4             0             0             16

Kevin Crouthers                2             0             0             0             0

Sid Domic            21+3     10           0             0             40

Jamie Durbin      1+1        1             0             0             4

Nick Fozzard       26+1     1             0             0             4

Dean Gaskell       20           1             0             0             4

Mark Gleeson    2+18     1             0             0             4

Mike Govin         1             1             0             0             4

Brent Grose        30           15           0             0             60

Tommy Grundy 0+1        1             0             0             4

Jérôme Guisset  8+18     3             0             0             12

Danny Heaton   1             0             0             0             0

Mark Hilton        26+1     2             0             0             8

Gary Hulse           3+15     2             0             0             8

Paul Noone         13+14   1             0             0             4

Nick Owen          1             1             4             0             12

Dave Pennington              0+1        0             0             0             0

Lee Penny            13           4             0             0             16

Dave Saxton       0+1        0             0             0             0

Ian Sibbit             21+1     5             0             0             20

Rob Smyth          18           11           3             0             50

Warren Stevens 2+23     0             0             0             0

Matt Sturm         1+5        0             0             0             0

Richard Varkulis 1             0             0             0             0

Mike Wainwright              21+3     1             0             0             4

Steve Warburton              1             1             0             0             4

Ben Westwood 18+1     8             0             0             32

Shane Williams  1             0             0             0             0

Matty Wilson     0+1        0             0             0             0

Nathan Wood    29           10           0             2             42

Paul Wood          14+12   6             0             0             24