If you could pick your best 2 sets of 13 who would you chose, who have played for bradford of course

I wasn’t alive pre-SL as I was born in 1995. But I’d expect Mumby to be in the pre-SL side!

Post SL side pretty much writes itself other than maybe one or two positions.

1. Michael Withers
2. Tevita Vaikona
3. Scott Naylor
4. Shontayne Hape
5. Lesley Vainikolo
6. Henry Paul
7. Paul Deacon
8. Stuart Fielden
9. James Lowes
10. Paul Anderson
11. Daniel Gartner
12. Jamie Peacock
13. Brad Mackay/Sam Burgess

14. Elliott Whitehead/Lee Gilmour
15. Joe Vagana
16. Brian McDermott
17. Robbie Paul

Obviously there are arguments for players like Danny Peacock, Graham Bradley etc. I haven’t included players like Trueman or Bateman because I think they played their best rugby away from Bradford.

Brad Mackay was arguable our best ever 13 despite only playing one season. But you can’t argue with Burgess’ role at the time.

Same with Whitehead/Gilmour to be fair.

Great selection, I would have to find a place for forshaw he had a spell where he was scoring tries for fun, and was a tackling machine too

That's probably one of the positions that was up for debate. I'd argue right centre, one second row place (the other is JP) and the LF position.

For SR you could have had Gartner, Rigon (absolute class for that one season), Morrison, Menzies, Forshaw etc.

Pre Superleague
1 Mumby
2 Lamb
3 Watson
4 Newlove
5 Redfearn
6 Watson
7 Smales
8 Mills
9 Fisher
10 Thompson
11 Clawson
12 Grayshon
13 Casey

BTW
3 is Bernard Watson and 6 is Dave Watson

Wow that is a fantastic team, not sure could add to that

Just thought of a certain player who I think should be in that team, a certain John woods,,,, what a player he was,,,, skill pack in abundance

Interesting question this... SL is a lot easier in respect that I was a ST holder for each and every season between 1996 and 2014. The difficult part of that process was selecting just 13 as you soon realise that there are multiple players that could fill each and every position.

The pre-SL team is a bit more tricky. I started to attend games regularly when I was about 7yrs old so I only really got to see the last 5yrs of the Northern sides. I've tried to stick to players I actually saw play during those years (including players that had moved on previously but plays in the RAB). Therefore there is a distinct lack of some of the clubs big names.

Bulls Super League XIII
1. Stuart Spruce
2. Tevita Vaikona
3. Graeme Bradley
4. Shontayne Hape
5. Lesley Vainikolo
6. Henry Paul
7. Paul Deacon
8. Joe Vagana
9. James Lowes
10. Paul Anderson
11. Jamie Peacock
12. Mike Forshaw
13. Sam Burgess

Pre-Super League XIII
1. Dave Watson
2. Carl Hall
3. Daryll Shelford
4. Paul Newlove
5. Brimah Kebbie
6. Neil Summers
7. Deryck Fox
8. Karl Fairbank
9. Trevor Clark
10. Kelvin Skerrett
11. Roy Powell
12. Paul Medley
13. Ellery Hanley

That’s a very good SL side bullinenemyland!

This is the great thing about picking teams because everyone will have a different opinion and it’s great to hear others. Like you’ve chosen Spruce for example but I’d have put Withers and Robbie there first even though I thought Spruce was class.

Yeah I agree that Spruce v Withers is a very tough call. I'd go with Withers for versatility but only by a fraction. That SL side makes me ache with what phenomenal lads we've had gracing our team. Although I have to say I'm now thinking we need a separate thread for our worst ever 13. Nick Zisti and Marc Herbert anyone?

Yes I agree, shall we just do worst bradford superleague team

Pre SL would have to include Ellery Hanley.

Whilst we are on about SL players. https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/ranking- ... LslVP_AYjU 5 out of the 10 were Bulls players. 6 if you include Morley. You could cry if you thought about it.

Whilst we are on about SL players. https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/ranking- ... LslVP_AYjU 5 out of the 10 were Bulls players. 6 if you include Morley. You could cry if you thought about it.

If youre going back far enough to include Ellery, the surely Nobby has to be at 9 and Sir Kieth at 1.

Pre SL based on who I actually saw.

Mumby
Ford
Hanley
Newlove
Redfearn
Woods
Fox
Skerrett
Noble
Grayshon
Dixon
Powell
Fairbank

Subs

Medley
Hobbs
Harkin
Watson

SL selection

Withers
Vaikona
Pryce
Hape
Vainikolo
H Paul
R Paul
McDermott
Lowest
Vagana
Peacock
Menzies
Burgess

Fielden
Anderson
Morrison
Bradley

Henderson Gill? Trevor Foster? Ernest Ward? Frank Whitcombe? Michael Worrincy?

I doubt anyone on here is old enough to have seen Trevor and Frank play but nobody could argue they weren't great players. Add Eric Batten, Ernest Ward, Willie Davies and Jack McLean too from the 40s and 50s.

Henderson Gill played all his best rugby at Wigan.

As for the Worlord he was so good I regularly left Odsal in tears after his performances.

Very moving