Wolves are slaughtered

Psychological advantages don't come any bigger than this.

Ahead of next week's Challenge Cup semi-final re-match at Headingley even Wolves boss Darryl van de Velde was forced to concede: "There's not much point studying that video."

It's perhaps as well because his side might not bother turning up if they spend too much time examining the huge gulf in class, power and speed in evidence here - especially during a breathtaking opening 40 minutes from the Bulls.

Assistant Odsal coach Brian Noble enthused: "It was superb but we have just got to make sure we play as well next week. We know Warrington will be totally different then.

"We have to make sure there is no complacency but I don't think that will be a problem. Our lads were getting angry with each other when they let in the Warrington try."

One pundit not too far away from these pages tipped a home win by six points - well, close!

But even Matthew Elliott must have been surprised at the way the Wolves - I'll avoid any reference to sheep's clothing - were tossed aside in such emphatic fashion.

New overseas recruits Allan Langer, Tawera Nikau and Andrew Gee were given big billing and rightly so following glittering careers on the biggest stage in the world.

But they would have willingly slipped through the trap door to avoid further embarrassment yesterday after the Bulls rattled up 30 points in the opening quarter.

It's hard to know where to start with so much to admire but if anything summed up the mood it was the debut of Aussie Justin Brooker.

The former Wests three-quarter has had to bide his time following a two-try effort on Boxing Day warm-up at Headingley but he'll be thinking it was well worth the wait.

His second touch of the game saw him bag his first senior try for the club, pouncing when Lee Penny and Alan Hunte made a real hash of Henry Paul's superbly placed bomb.

But if that, with less than two minutes on the clock, was not memorable enough, he was on hand later to put the finishing touches to a breathtaking move which said everything about the irresistible Bulls.

Prop Paul Anderson created havoc with the initial charge and the superb handling and support play by Jimmy Lowes, Brad Mackay, Mike Forshaw and finally Scott Naylor brought the house down.

By that stage, albeit only 24 minutes in, the damage was well and truly done.

Elliott could even afford the luxury of resting first Forshaw and then skipper Robbie Paul with Headingley in mind but not before they had both stamped their mark on this contest.

Forshaw's swashbuckling run on the angle completely wrong-footed the defence and Paul bagged a couple to continue his excellent start to the season.

First he was on hand to take a return pass from the rampaging Naylor and the confident 50-metre finish was further indication of his return to full fitness.

Nathan McAvoy did the spadework for his second with a dazzling run which was ended just short but Lowes went blind from the resulting play-the-ball and Paul did well to get the ball down in a tight situation.

McAvoy was not to be denied though and when a flat Henry Paul pass released him ten metres inside his own half he sped away in impressive style.

The first half showing was always going to be virtually impossible to follow but they still ensured there was nothing positive for the Wolves to take into next Saturday's encounter.

They did finally manage to scramble over courtesy of Penny but they had been reduced to a shambles and with sharper handling the Bulls could have filled their scoring boots to an even greater extent.

As it was, they only managed three more but they were all delivered by very deserving causes.

Mackay, who is steadily becoming a key figure with his incisive running and tireless defence, slipped through three tackles to end a 14-minute try 'drought' and normal service was restored as Henry Paul ghosted through in typical fashion.

Anderson then set the seal on another powerful stint with a thunderous 30-metre effort and the Wolves may need therapy this week over the prospect of facing him again so soon.

Several players had strong claims for the man of the match prize and it was difficult to look beyond Henry Paul and Mackay it says much about the current rate of Jamie Peacock's progress that the young back-rower got the nod.

He's been restricted to appearances off the bench before today but his wide-running and ability to slip the ball in the tackle is fast earning him a reputation as someone to fear.

His team mates aren't too bad either!

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.