Relegation and the NFP - My Golden Rugby League Year

Considering some of my previous and planned blog posts I have noticed a worrying theme: angst. Moan, moan, moan, moan. Anyone would think from reading them that I would rather my husband arranged life insurance at The Abbey than facilitate my family's special and sometimes privileged existence through sport.

That in mind I'm going for a TOTAL change of tone here. I shall recount the highs from my bestest, favouritest, most fabulous ever year in rugby league.

Having spent almost five seasons at the Leeds Rhinos now, including three Grand Final wins and a World Club Challenge some of you may wonder why I look back so fondly on 2002, the season my then team Huddersfield Giants spent in the Northern Ford Premiership following relegation.

I had only been a rugby league WAG for 2 years at this point and the two seasons I had been, Huddersfield were God awful. Just rubbish. Seriously bad. Relegation was almost a relief.

One good thing then about the 2002 season was that we didn't lose, ever, at all, all year. So that's a positive. Well we did lose in the Challenge Cup but that didn't count.

That year I saw what rugby league was about. Some grounds changed ends at half time, some sloped considerably, come had portocabins for players lounges and at some you got wet when it rained no matter where sat/stood. I remember many characters including one lady who shouted abuse with froth spilling from the corners of her mouth. I'm not saying that Superleague doesn't have such characters but they were more at home in the NFP.

The Buddies Cup was born in 2002. That was then name then for the National League Cup. The sponsor, Buddies, is a soft drinks manufacturer. They make the kind of bright blue pop that you give kids outside the pub with a straw in it. It is best accompanied by Seabrook crisps, IMO. Perfect. We played Hull KR at Featherstone and won 32-6.

The game was marred by a sending off for Stanley Gene. He took some stick during this match from both players and supporters. Stanley had previously left KR to go across the city to Hull FC for a short spell before joining the Giants. The red card was for tripping and as Gene left the pitch a pint was thrown on him from above the tunnel.

The children (and I am talking Primary age) of one of the roughest and readiest Giants gave the offending Robins fans some verbal of their own which was quite amusing, although totally condemned of course!

There was also a disturbance among some inebriated fans behind us (WAGS and children) and at one point we had to pass the little ones along the line of seats like a human conveyor belt to get them away from the bother. All exciting stuff.

Winning was goooooood!

In October 2002 we met Leigh in the Northern Ford Premiership Grand Final The winner would secure promotion to the Superleague. We had not lost a league match or play-off all year and Leigh had only lost to us. BIG GAME. The game was so big I took a hip flask. This is reserved for emergency situations. What did I have in it? Baileys of course.

At this stage by husband and I were still 'courting'. We wanted to get engaged but needed the bonus money from winning this match to buy the ring I'd seen. The stakes were very high.
Bobby Goulding was the Leigh player/coach at this time. We won and the Giants were back in Superleague. He lost. Double bonus.

Following the match the WAGS had to sit on the coach outside the ground. The only person who had secured a bar pass was Tony Smith's wife and we had to wait for her to have a drink. Thank Goodness for my hip flask.

The players' coach and the families' coach dropped us all off at a regular haunt of the Giants, the Chigaco Rock Cafe and there began one of the greatest nights out of my life.

We went on to Visage and Ethos. This is one of those dual centred places that has cheesy house in one side and cheesy oldies in the other. I refer to the music and not the clientele. Oh OK it applies to both. I love this type of place.

Each song seemed to hold a special meaning that night and as I ranted along with Welsh winger Hefin O'Hare and promising youngster Eorl Crabtree the musings of that great orator Jon Bon Jovi had never seemed so poignant: "Ohhhhhhh, we're half way there. OH OH. We're living on a prayer. Take my hand and we'll make it I swear. OH OH, we're living on a praaaaayer."

It was a crazy night. A few of the boys decided to follow the example of the club doctor and set fire to their own mouths with the aid of some sort of spirit. I hope you feel comfortable in the knowledge that this physician has just been named the new England Doctor to take care of the nation's best on their 2010 tour of the southern hemisphere. He's a changed man these days.

There was an official celebration the night after, Sunday, with the fans. It wasn't nearly as good. I think we'd burner ourselves out a bit and I remember being a bit peeved that my fella didn't win any awards for clubmanship despite having spent most of his waking hours working that year.

That Monday morning I had to go and watch 'XXX' at the cinema as I had to review it. It was very loud and my head hurt but I didn't mind. And there ends my best year in rugby league so far.

The first match back for the Giants in 2003 was away in the Challenge Cup to Hunslet Hawks. We lost. Gutted.

The three Grand Final victory celebrations to date have been muted by pregnancy, breastfeeding and toddler taming.

I can only hope there are more euphoric times to come.

The photos below are from the 2002 NFP Grand Final and the second night out.