1996

9th June, 2017 By Phil Daly

1996

It is fair to say that, as a club, Leeds were less than committed to the concept of Super League by the time the inaugural summer campaign came around. A sceptical voice about the change of seasons, the Loiners? management had more pressing issues at hand as the spending of the Doug Laughton era, in a vain effort to overhaul Wigan, began to cut deeply. With the financial reserves exhausted, a battle began behind the scenes to secure survival with increasing concerns that Headingley would have to be sold and a move to Elland Road the only salvation, as the Caspian Group expressed an interest.

On the field, the start of the ill-feted 1996 season found Leeds desperately unprepared and Gary Mercer on the transfer list at ?45,000. That disarray was illustrated when, encompassing the first three matches of the campaign, a top line player left each week while the Challenge Cup was in progress, prior to the start of the regular season. Before travelling to second division ? effectively third tier ? Swinton in the opening round, a failure to present James Lowes with a new contract saw the hooker join local rivals Bradford without Leeds receiving a fee for one of the code?s brightest prospects. Another of the Hunslet area?s finest ever products, Garry Schofield, made his final appearance of 251 in blue in amber in that scrappy and fortunate 27-22 win at Gigg Lane. He tore a pectoral muscle and, by the time it had recovered, he had agreed to move to First Division Huddersfield for a ?135,000 fee that was a record for them.

Craig Innes controversially left to join Manly before Kiwi international Tony Kemp ? effectively Schofield?s replacement ? broke his arm in the Cup quarter final. With such a run of ill luck and bad judgement, it was hardly surprising that the club spent most of the rest of the season fighting against relegation.

Rule changes that were introduced for Super League included the advent of the zero tackle, the allowing of one-on-one ball stealing and the increase from two to four substitutes with six interchanges. With Leeds? squad depleting and reliant on youth, that was another factor behind their lack of competitiveness.

Leeds went down to a home defeat to Iestyn Harris-inspired Warrington on the opening weekend. At Castleford, on Good Friday, a first victory looked to be on course when Anthony Gibbons dropped a 75th minute goal but Frano Botica created a last gasp try for the linking Jason Flowers for the Tigers to claim a 26-23 success. There was little respite as emerging force St Helens finished the stronger to gain a 46-24 win at Headingley on Easter Monday, Danny Arnold scoring two tries including a 70 metre effort from dummy half. The following Saturday the Loiners slipped to a devastating reverse at the Watersheddings; Oldham racing to an early 17-0 lead. Barrie McDermott?s introduction from the bench sparked a revival and brought the visitors back to within a point only for Anthony Gibbons to be unfortunately sin-binned for a supposed ball steal, Martin Crompton landing the two points together with a further try and goal.

A first win of the season finally came at home to Sheffield 36-22, Graham Holroyd the hero with two tries but the match turned out to be the only one for lively loose forward Nathan Picchi, the Kiwi being the first summer recruit for Leeds, who dislocated his shoulder seven minutes from time. Optimism faded a fortnight later in the next round when former star Tony Currie?s London Broncos triumphed 27-20 at Headingley.

Bell desperately needed to add fresh blood to the squad and the capture of former Kiwi Test stand off Dean Clark from Enzed Heroes paid immediate dividends as Leeds became the first side to win in Paris on his debut. Adrian Morley was the star with a rip-roaring two try display in front of over 15,000 admiring fans.

Again Leeds failed to build and capitulated to Paul Rowley inspired Halifax ? who registered their first win of the campaign 32-18 on a cold, wet afternoon ? in a Headingley performance that clearly embarrassed Bell. It got no better when Bradford were rampant at Odsal, strolling to a 54-8 win that saw Morley dismissed, Jimmy Lowes cross twice and left the Leeds coach pleading for money for more players.

At home to Wigan, Leeds were 14-4 up approaching half time and looking in control but again their staying power was questioned as the champions won 40-20. Jim Fallon departed to Richmond RU but in early June a form of salvation did arrive with the capture of dogged, utility David Hulme from Widnes, where he had spent 16 seasons, on a part time match by match basis. For the remainder of the campaign, his effort and work rate was to prove both crucial and inspirational. He debuted off the bench as replacement hooker for the vital clash with Workington at Derwent Park. Defeat would have seen Leeds bottom of the table but, thanks to a Graham Holroyd interception that set up Tony Kemp to make it 18-8, they eventually cruised to a 48-18 triumph.

Four defeats in July set up an incredibly nervy finish to the season, two of them heart breakers. St Helens were comfortable winners at Knowsley Road before defeats to Oldham and Sheffield before Leeds travelled to London on the hottest day of season and, as a cost cutting measure, the team travelled down on the morning of the match and, not surprisingly, lost.

A desperate time called for a desperate measure and it paid off as beleaguered coach Dean Bell was forced to come out of retirement, 13 years after his Leeds debut, as his side faced Paris in a crucial Headingley encounter. He scored a late try to secure a vital 34-12 success. Despite relegation being avoided, Bell?s planned closed season recruiting mission to Australia was called off and George Mann, Alan Tait and Dean Clark transfer listed and later joined by Esene Faimalo.

August hammerings followed including a record home defeat against a club side to Bradford 56-18, and followed by 68-14 shellacking at Wigan. In the last home game of the season, Graham Holroyd kicked 10 goals in victory over hapless Workington in front of a crowd of less than 5,000. In the final match of their annus horibilis, Leeds were stuffed 64-24 at Halifax.

The year ended with 14,000 fans signing a petition against the possible move to Elland Road and, in late October, Paul Caddick secured the future of Headingley for both Leeds rugby league and union and was joined by rival bidder for the club Gary Hetherington, who left Sheffield Eagles to become the new Chief Executive, effectively heralding the birth of the Rhinos.

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