Halifax Panthers vs Bradford Bulls

Rugby League, on the face of it, is a simple game. I am not, (fortunately), talking about the turmoil or the politics, the lack of funding or even the endless reviews and restructures.

Run hard, get off your line, tackle hard and keep hold of the ball, and you win the game. Simple. The extra efforts. The one percent.

This year, Halifax Panthers were written off. Outsiders at the bookies, and even us die-hard fans were realistic about what our modest playing budget could afford. We signed a rookie coach, Kyle Eastmond, unbelievable pedigree, but zero experience.

Pre-season came, and we looked good against Keighley. Very good. Challenge Cup, and we hammered plucky Thatto. "Too Soon!" was the cry. "Let's see what happens against a better team." Then the Dragons came to The Shay and brought their Superstars. For three quarters of the game, we not only kept them honest, but we also looked the better team!

Hope arrived. Hope can be dangerous. We took hope away to Sheffield, a solid side, with rich history and a tough place to go. We came away with a good win and a growing good feeling.

Barrow came and went. Win. A tough day at York in the Cup, but there was a distinct taste of revenge the following week. Win.
Players were rotated, but there was a growing confidence.

It doesn't matter who plays where, we play for each other. It started in the dugout, with Kyle and his coaching team. It spread, through the dressing room, onto the pitch. Through the players, working hard for each other on the pitch. The one percent. The extra efforts. Not flashy, often unseen.

This same ethos is flowing through the club, all the staff, the volunteers. Try a little harder, nothing flashy, but if we all do it, we can win. We have seen the boys do it.

Fev came. Grudge match an understatement, they brought a large number of foul-mouthed and vocal fans. Us Panthers supporters, we turned up in numbers. The Barmy Army was back. The drum was back. We all did our part, and sang them into silence, and the boys did theirs on the pitch. The extra efforts. The one percent. Win.

Batley, good old Batley, with plenty of ex-Panthers, well they didn't know what hit them! Smashed by a Blue and White juggernaut, blown away by as good a team performance as this writer can remember, especially the first 40 minutes.

Underpinning this victory, was solid defence, each player working hard for the man next to him. The fans keeping the players going. Even CEO Damian Clayton came to bang the drum! Teamwork, the extra mile, the one percent. Win.

Hunslet, on a chilly Friday. The largest away following for years. Loud and proud fans, even with no drum. 6 buses organised by a volunteer. The extra mile. The one percent. Win.

Today is the Derby. Possibly the game of the season. All the talk is of our local rivals, their Super League credentials, and their incredibly expensive squad. What do we have? We have each other.

The staff, the players, the coaches. The fans, from the community clubs to the Barmy Army. The raucous South Stand and the reserved but no less passionate East Stand. We have each other, and we can all do our bit. Put in the effort. Go the extra mile. Donate, sponsor, buy a ticket, bring a friend, bring 3 friends even.

We have the product on the pitch, to excite new fans and bring back old fans. We are the difference. Stick together, and go the extra mile, make the efforts. The one percent.

If we all do it, we can win!

Will Bonfield,
Halifax Panthers Supporters

INTRODUCING HALIFAX INDEPENDENT SUPPORTERS TRUST

We've been around for quite a while. We started as the Supporters Club at the old Thrum Hall – now there's a name that will bring back memories for a lot of people! Speaking of Thrum Hall, here's a fact which you can amuse your friends with – it was the highest professional rugby league ground in Britain. There now.

Anyway, in 2002 we changed our name to the Halifax RLFC Independent Supporters Limited. Now we know that's a bit of a mouthful, so most people call us Fax Trust.

WARNING – BORING BUT IMPORTANT PARAGRAPH ALERT.

Back then, we registered ourselves as an industrial and provident society. 'So what?', you might say. Well, that means that we are registered by the FCA, and we are required to provide full financial accounting transparency. That means that every penny which our members raise or contribute is accounted for. And every possible penny goes to our club.

So, over the years we've existed solely to raise funds to support Halifax Panthers RLFC, while at the same time maintaining complete independence. Over the years, we've raised several hundred thousand pounds so you know those big cardboard cheques that lottery winners get presented with? We've given more of those than you've had hot dinners. Well, almost.

For many years we supported our Reserve grade team, and at the risk of blowing our own trumpet, many of our current and past players are around because of our efforts.

So, that's enough about us. What about you? We'd love you to get involved. Our membership costs are low, just £15 a year and you'll be doing your bit to bring success to our team. If we've whetted your appetite, just click on the Join Us tab.

JOIN US

As always our fundraising is only possible with your generous support, be it with pre loved merchandise, match day donations, or attending any of our events. A massive THANK YOU from your Trust Board.

When you picture sporting derbies, one word always come to the forefront of your mind: passion!

Whether it be the last minute winners, the bone crunching tackles, the agony of being overcome by the enemy, the absolute refusal to accept defeat in any shape or form against your nearest and dearest, rivalry can bring the best out of people.

No player in blue and white has ever embodied that theology more than hall of famer Scott Murrell.

'Muzza' always wore his heart on his sleeve. He played the game in the right way; as an inspirational leader with a surgical skilful precision, a total application of commitment, and a smile on his face. And one thing got the former Fax captain grinning like a Cheshire Cat more than anything else - victories over Bradford Bulls.

Murrell was a constant thorn in the Odsal outfit's side during his time at The Shay. A maverick half back that seemed to come to life any time a red, amber, black and white shirt crossed his path.

"I think it's because of the past and the heritage of the games and the battles that have gone on in the past. I'm a Rugby League fan myself and growing up, watching Leeds Bradford, Wigan Saints and that. Playing in the Hull KR Hull FC derbies, and then obviously, going on to play in the Halifax V Bradford Derbies, I think it's how much it means to the supporters and the families. And seeing some families divided between it for me, how much it means to them, there's a completely different feel to the games. It's always good to get one over your rivals, I always looked forward to those games more than any others."

"The supporters are what make these games great spectacles. I thrived on the opposition fans giving me some stick, they always used to sing songs about me and stuff like that but that used to just give me that little added motivation to compete so I could give it back to them afterwards when we'd won."

Although the fanbases would often engage in heated debates over who should take the bragging rights each time, that abhorrence rarely spilled over into the dressing rooms themselves.

"I wouldn't say there's any hatred between the two sets of players though, as soon as you cross the whitewash, you're professionals and there to win the game. We did build it up in the dressing rooms ourselves and with our teammates because they are big occasions but you're playing for the badge, they're playing for theirs, let the best team win."

Murrell would go on to have some iconic moments in Bulls Derbies during his 8 year Fax career, and when pushed for his favourite one, he didn't hesitate for a second.

"It's got to be the Challenge Cup quarter at Odsal. Everybody had written us off that year, we'd lost Richard Marshall at the start of that season and Grixy had obviously got the job. All the talk was about them and how great they'd played against Leeds and we weren't having it! I was getting stick from their fans all game, calling me 'you fat b*****d' and all that, and we just stuck to our game plan really. Grixy gave us a really simple game plan, and I remember watching it back afterwards and the commentator saying we needed to change it but we just stuck to our task."

"And then the plays we'd been doing all game led to Woody coming on and scoring that try to really give it to them. I think the discipline we had in that game, just to stick to our plan, kick long, defend tough, we made it an 80 minute game. It was outstanding really to get that one over them and reach the semi finals, it was massive for us and for the club."

"And then to cap it off, we got that great photo with the fans with my shirt off. I was gutted Bobby slapped me on the belly and I had a massive hand print on my belly, you could see it in all my cellulite. [laughs] But that was a great day, and some celebration afterwards."

"We obviously had some other great times. 2015 at The Shay, beating them for the first time in 17 years. I remember our forwards absolutely took it to them all game, and then Tyrer got all the headlines for taking that interception even though he did f**k all, all game. Make sure you get that in! [laughs]."

"I remember as well we beat them at the Summer Bash at Blackpool, Elliot Morris scored that try right in front of the Fax Fans before I knocked over a cheeky drop goal. That was another good one. We had some great games against them and I enjoyed every minute."

When asked what advice he would give to the current Panthers squad, Murrell kept it simple.

"Keep doing what you're doing! It's obviously working, you've hit the ground running. We've got Bobby Fairbank there, he's leading the club and been there a long time now. He'll know how much it means to the Halifax lads being a Halifax born kid as well, and having his uncle play for Bradford, he'll know how much it means for Halifax to get one over."

"I think the lads just need to worry about themselves, they're playing at a really high level so I don't think they need to get over hyped with the occasion. Keep doing what you're doing, they look like they're enjoying each others company again for me and long may it continue. Good luck lads, get them beaten!"