THE retirement of one of rugby league's biggest names also means the loss of one of Wharfedale Newspapers' sports columnists.

Jimmy Lowes, who capped a memorable career with the Bradford Bulls by scoring the try which secured them an historic 25-12 Grand Final win over Wigan on Saturday, has jetted off to Australia for a well-earned holiday.

Having been persuaded by his Guiseley-based coach Brian Noble to extend his career for one more year, Lowes, from Bramhope, could not have dreamed that the year would be the most successful ever by a Super League Team.

Already an established success story in Super League, Bradford Bulls swept the board this season taking the Challenge Cup, Minor Premiership and Grand Final honours - the first team to do so in the same season.

Lowes, who started his professional career with Hunslet in 1987, played for Leeds before being snapped up by the Bulls when they needed a top class hooker.

The player, who always wore his heart on his sleeve, never seemed reluctant to give his opinion to the referee and was so often at the forefront of the action when bad tempers boiled over into brawls, became a firm favourite with the Odsal faithful, if not with visiting fans.

Lowes contributed a column to Wharfedale Newspapers, revealing his quirky sense of humour and devotion to Leeds United soccer club.

Lowes insisted that last Saturday's game at Old Trafford would be his last and ruled out any prospect of playing in the forthcoming Test series against Australia.

He said: "I'm going away to Australia and I'm going to watch the series from over there.

"I think we've got a great chance of beating them. I really do."

He had his final meeting as a player with Bulls supporters on Sunday when the jubilant team paraded the Super League Trophy on an open top bus in Bradford.

He said: "I deliberately avoided the media in the run up to the final, because the game was all about the team, not me retiring.

"But the try, in a selfish way, was pretty nice. It was the icing on the cake. Now I can go to Australia and enjoy life on the beach a bit more with this (Super League) ring on my finger.

"I went on for an extra year, and am glad I did, but there's not a chance of anyone talking me out of retirement ."

Noble now has to begin the process of re-building the Bulls without Lowes and a few other plays who played such a part in this year's phenomenal success story.

But Lowes will not be gone for good, he is to join Noble's back room staff in time for the World Club Challenge match against the Australian Grand Final winners Penrith Panthers in the New Year.