The switch to summer rugby and the launch of the Super League era wasn't the only major change to hit the Odsal scene in mid-90s.

Despite missing out on the title to Wigan on points difference in 1993-94 under Peter Fox, after a three-way tie at the top also involving Warrington, things had fallen a little flat by the time the Murdoch millions were offered to the game.

The club saw the switch to summer as the perfect chance to undergo a facelift including the radical step of adopting the Bulls tag. It was to help revolutionise the image of the club and just as radical was the bold step taken by chairman Chris Caisley to bring highly respected Aussie coach Brian Smith to England.

Fox had come under fire for failing to adapt to modern training techniques but Smith was at the cutting edge of the Aussie game. Although results were slow to turn around during the shortened 1995-96 Centenary season it was soon clear that things would never be quite the same again.

The professional era was well and truly here and although Smith was forced to take a step back with the sale of Paul Newlove to St Helens, the £250,000 they received in addition to Bernard Dwyer, Paul Loughlin and Sonny Nickle was to prove the key to Smith's re-building programme.

The three players he brought in for the inaugural summer season were unchallenged selections for our panel's select side of the 90s.

Ian Wilkinson had done a solid job in the post-Mumby years but the £120,000 spent in bringing Stuart Spruce to Odsal proved to be one of Smith's most astute buys.

He had been recognised as a player of some potential during his time with his hometown club but injuries had held him back somewhat.

But the Bulls' training expertise put that right and Spruce has established himself as one of the finest in the game in his position.

Hooker Jimmy Lowes was snatched from neighbours Leeds after Smith spotted him while studying his new charges on video before his arrival. His attention was quickly drawn to the livewire hooker and, when he found on his arrival that Lowes' contract at Headingley was coming to an end he made his move.

Completing the expensive trio was popular loose forward Steve McNamara, who despite his departure for Wakefield during the close season in controversial circumstances, gave great service during his four seasons with the club.

In front of him Karl Fairbank played just one season in the summer era before his retirement but he edged out Bernard Dwyer as our hard-man selection in the back-row with Mike Forshaw's running game providing the balance.

Another man to win selection in both the 80s and 90s sides alongside Fairbank is David Hobbs, who gets the vote at prop.

Brian McDermott and Paul Anderson were both mentioned in dispatches for the other front-row berth but our panel plumped for Stuart Fielden who has already made a massive impact with the prospect of much more to come.

At half-back it was impossible to look beyond the brothers Paul, Henry and Robbie. Henry was an instant hit in his first season with the club with his ability to produce something special when it mattered.

Robbie's progress has been hampered by injury since that remarkable hat-trick at Wembley in 1996 but he's proved his quality with New Zealand and his defensive game has come on greatly.

Deryck Fox gave solid service pre-Super League as did Neil Summers, but the other half-back to capture the imagination was Kiwi Dave Watson who wins a place on the bench.

The three-quarter selections fuelled more debate although not in the case of Paul Newlove who stands head and shoulders above any other Odsal centre in the modern era.

There were two major candidates to fill the other centre role - Graeme Bradley and Danny Peacock - despite the contribution of Darrall Shelford.

Bradley's efforts in the 1997 title winning campaign were outstanding, but the panel felt his undisciplined approach the following year tarnished his stay.

That could not be said of Peacock whose ability to hit the ball at pace and emphatic defence won him the day with Bradley winning a place on the bench alongside Paul Medley, Dwyer and Watson.

The wing spots went to current duo Tevita Vaikona and Leon Pryce.

Team of the 90s

1 Stuart Spruce

2 Tevita Vaikona

3 Danny Peacock

4 Paul Newlove

5 Leon Pryce

6 Henry Paul

7 Robbie Paul

8 David Hobbs

9 James Lowes

10 Stuart Fielden

11 Karl Fairbank

12 Mike Forshaw

13 Steve McNamara

Subs

14 Dave Watson

15 Graeme Bradley

16 Paul Medley

17 Bernard Dwyer

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