28th September 2009 Rugby Leaguer & League Express a71 www.totalrl.com 13
GRAND FINAL PREVIEW
BARROW RAIDERS v HALIFAX
Sunday 4th October
5:30pm, Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington
ROUTE TO THE FINAL
FIFTH TIME LUCKY?
Qualifying Semi-Final
Barrow Raiders 35 Halifax 12
Final Eliminator
Halifax 36 Featherstone Rovers 30
PREVIOUS MEETINGS - 2009
by TIM BUTCHER tirelessly all year, and all the players
Co-operative Championship
we had, as well as the players we have
got now.”
W
HEN Gary Broadbent
28th March
goes into Sunday’s
Broadbent started his professional Barrow Raiders 24 Halifax 26
career at Widnes in 1993 – "It does
Championship Grand
seem a long time ago,” he says -
14th June
Final, he might just be hungrier
although he is still a month short of his
Halifax 30 Barrow Raiders 24
than most of the other 33
33rd birthday. He’s played over 400
combatants. first-grade games, including 119 Super
Northern Rail Cup
Sunday’s season climax in League games during six seasons at
22nd February
Warrington will be the Barrow Salford City Reds, who he left in 2002
Halifax 40 Barrow Raiders 10
fullback’s fifth major final, and he’s to move back to the far north west with
still to come away with a winner’s Whitehaven. It’s the sort of experience LEADING SCORERS - 2009
medal. any side would relish and in 2009 he
(Championship matches only)
Broadbent was a member of two has played a major role in Barrow’s
Whitehaven sides that went down in remarkable rise.
Barrow
Grand Finals, to Leigh, agonisingly His playing style hasn’t changed one
Tries: James Nixon 26
Goals: Jamie Rooney 41 (+3fg)
after extra time in 2004 and then to bit in all those years - the bravest of the
Points: James Nixon 104
Castleford a year later, and to Widnes brave under the high kick, bobbing and
in the 2007 Northern Rail Cup final. ducking through tackles when he Halifax
And earlier this year he was the returns the ball with interest. It’s no Tries: Shad Royston 19
custodian in Barrow’s 34-18 Northern surprise that wherever he’s played, he’s
Goals: Lee Paterson 105
Rail Cup final defeat, again to the always been a fans’ favourite.
Points: Lee Paterson 238
Vikings. Whether Sunday will be his
“I have lost in four finals and I swansong is yet to be decided, “I’ll
PREVIOUS
NATIONAL LEAGUE &
know how bad it is to lose,” Broadbent speak to Des after the final and let the
CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND FINALS
says. dust settle a bit. I really don’t know
“We have earned the right to get yet,” he says, but Broadbent is 1998
there and all we can do is give it our determined to finish 2009 on a perfect Wakefield Trinity 24
best shot. We hopefully can go one note. And he says no-one is taking
Featherstone Rovers 22
step further. It’s a grand final and it is Halifax for granted despite the
(at Huddersfield; attendance 8,224)
all about turning up on the day and relatively comfortable 35-12 win over
1999
performing as well as we can.” them in the Qualifying Semi-Final.
Hunslet Hawks 12 Dewsbury Rams 11
(at Leeds; attendance 5,783)
When Broadbent arrived at Craven “If we apply ourselves as we know
2000
Park at the start of this year to help his we can we know we will be in with a
Dewsbury Rams 13 Leigh Centurions 12
hometown club in what was predicted shout. But we need to play as well if (at Bury; attendance 8,487)
might be a survival fight after winning not better than we did against Halifax 2001
automatic promotion from NL2 by the other week.
Widnes Vikings 24 Oldham 14
finishing second to Gateshead in 2008, “We know it is going to be a
(at Rochdale; attendance 8,974)
he wasn’t even dreaming of running massive task. Halifax might have
2002
out at the Halliwell Jones at the end of tailed off a bit towards the end of the
Huddersfield Giants 38
Leigh Centurions 16
the year. season but they were superb early on.
(at Widnes; attendance 9,051)
“Never in a million years was this a They’ve got some fantastic players all
2003
target,” he says. “If you had a said to the way through the team, Black and Salford City Reds 31 Leigh Centurions 14
me at the start of the season that we Penkywicz at halfback, Beswick, (at Widnes; attendance 9,186)
would reach the Northern Rail final Worrincy is obviously a threat, and the
2004
and the Grand Final I’d have thought likes of Paterson. They might not have
Leigh Centurions 32 Whitehaven 16
you were having a laugh - maybe top Miles Greenwood, who's injured, but
(after extra time)
four, maybe a stab at the play-offs. It’s in Shad Royston they have another top
(at Widnes; attendance 11,005)
2005
been an exceptional season. To do player at fullback. Throughout their
Castleford Tigers 36 Whitehaven 8
what we have done has been fantastic team they have got matchwinners who
(at Widnes; attendance 13,300)
for the coaching staff, for Dave Clark, can turn a game in a second. Hopefully 2006
and I don’t think we would be where we can go there and give a good Hull Kingston Rovers 29
we are now if Steve Deakin hadn’t account of ourselves. We have to be on
HUNGRY FOR Widnes Vikings 16
come in, even for only a month. He did the boil as individuals and as a team.
SUCCESS - (at Warrington; attendance 13,024)
a terrific job for the club. Des “Touch wood, I am hoping to break
Gary Broadbent
2007
(chairman Johnston) has worked a trend this Sunday."
Castleford Tigers 42 Widnes Vikings 10
(at Leeds; attendance 20,814)
2008
by LORRAINE MARSDEN
Celtic Crusaders 18 Salford City Reds 36
REVENGE NOT THE KEY
will be on our own game rather than
(after extra time)
going on a revenge mission.
(at Warrington; attendance 7,104)
"If we can get our own performance
H
ALIFAX forward Dave
Larder insists his side will
right as a team and individuals we will
INDIVIDUAL FINAL RECORDS
give Barrow a really good game."
not be looking for revenge
Most tries in a final:
when they take on Barrow at
Dave Larder touches down for Halifax’s first
Pre-licensing days, this Sunday's
No player has scored more than two tries
Warrington's Halliwell Jones
try against Featherstone on Thursday
winner would have earned promotion
to Super League, although both clubs
Most goals in a final:
Stadium on Sunday. can now apply for a franchise for 2012
8 (inc 2 fg) by Neil Turley
for Leigh in 2004;
Barrow booked their place in the having qualified for the Grand Final.
8 (inc 2 fg) by Danny Brough
showdown with a 35-12 victory over Promotion would be seen as the
for Castleford in 2007.
Halifax just under a fortnight ago, ultimate prize but, for Larder, that will Most points in a final:
meaning the West Yorkshire outfit had take nothing away for the game. 18 (1t, 6g, 2dg) by Neil Turley
to face a do-or-die match against "It is great for club that we have
for Leigh in 2004
Featherstone on Thursday evening. now ticked that box for a franchise
Most final appearances:
Fax came out of the thrilling application which is really important
5 by Sean Richardson
televised encounter 36-30 winners and for the club off the field," added
(Wakefield 1998, Dewsbury 1999 and
2000, Widnes 2001, Leigh 2003.
their thoughts have quickly turned to Larder, who won the old National
Most final wins: 3 by Sean Richardson.
their next game which could see them
was and we did that and got the win. been lacking over the last two or three
League One title with Leigh in 2004
ending the season on a high, despite
The tries for me were a bonus. months and it's nice to go into a tough
"But from the playing side of things
TOM BERGIN TROPHY
losing six of their previous nine
"We are delighted to have made game like Featherstone and come out
we just want to go out and give the For Man of the Match
matches prior to last Thursday.
final after pretty turbulent couple of on top. It does give us a confidence
fans something to shout about.
"We put a massive effort in on
months in terms of our form, but we boost, but we won't get carried away.
"We started training in October and
1998 Richard Chapman (Featherstone)
Thursday and are thrilled with win,"
realise the job is far from done. "We have got to wipe that qualifying
November last year and it's been a long
1999 Latham Tawhai (Hunslet)
Larder, who crossed for a brace of tries
"Barrow have proved they are the game from our memory ahead of
11 months. Our ultimate goal then was
2000 Mick Higham (Leigh)
in the win, told 'League Express'.
best team in the league by finishing top Sunday.
to win the Grand Final. We knew
2001 Phil Cantillon (Widnes)
2002 Chris Thorman (Huddersfield
"It's always nice to get over the
of the table and beating us comfortably "We've had our lack of form and
wouldn't be able to get to Super
2003 Gavin Clinch (Salford)
whitewash, especially as a forward.
in the semi. They'll be full of Barrow have maintained theirs, put in
League but that was our aim and we've
2004 Neil Turley (Leigh)
Against Barrow a fortnight ago we let
confidence ahead of Sunday, but we've a great game against us and deserved
still got the opportunity to do that on 2005 Brad Davis (Castleford)
ourselves down, myself included. I
proved earlier on in the season that we to get to the final. We were more
Sunday. 2006 Ben Cockayne (Hull KR)
was pretty keen to put in a decent
can play well. disappointed with own performance
"For the players it's just about
2007 Danny Brough (Castleford)
performance on Thursday as everyone
"Confidence is something we've that day and the main focus this week
winning one final game."
2008 John Wilshere (Salford)
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