Bull Masters - Paul Loughlin
As a masterstroke of business they don't come any better that the Bulls decision to sell want away Paul Newlove to St Helens right at the start of Super League. Brian Smith's decision, much to the regret of most Bradford fans, was undoubtedly the prime move in making the Bulls the Champion team they were to become as the new era of Super League and summer rugby took Odsal by storm.
Whilst it was with regret that a player of Newlove's standing and pedigree was leaving Odsal, those regrets were tempered with the deal that was arranged for his departure. Coming the other way were Bernard Dwyer, the most underrated forward in the British game over the past ten years, Sonny Nickle and Paul Loughlin. All this plus a considerable amount of money to enable the purchase of Stuart Spruce, James Lowes and Steve McNamara, a good day at the office!
Of these Loughlin was the first to leave Odsal, a mere two years after he arrived. But Loughlin had made his mark on the club he served so briefly. He had the most difficult of tasks, being seen as a direct replacement for Newlove but he quickly won over the Odsal faithful with some quality displays in the Centre.
Strong running and built like the proverbial brick outhouse Loughlin was the forerunner of such as Nathan McAvoy, Scott Naylor and Michael Withers. The Bulls based their early Super League form on a physical game. It was felt that they 'bullied' opponents into submission. Dead right they did and in Paul Loughlin they had a man of power and class to do just that. Often using the blind side when all seemed covered, a slipped pass from James Lowes would find Loughlin and the big Centre had all the ability of an Eric Ashton or an Alan Davies in making play for his winger. Jon Scales, another giant of a player, was the major beneficiary as the irrepressible Loughlin put out the seemingly impossible pass to make the try a formality.
Loughlin too could score tries and was an automatic choice for Gt. Britain at the peak of his career. The game's unluckiest Wembley finalist, he lost on all five visits to the stadium, Paul's time at Odsal saw him make a massive contribution to the 1997 Championship season before he was off the Huddersfield to finish his career in 'Fartown's' Claret and Gold.
Paul Loughlin made a big impression in his time at the Bulls and was a vital member of Brian Smith's team that sowed the seeds for the success that are now evident at Odsal. He was a great team man and is still talked about in glowing terms by his former team mates. He was a big player with great skills and deserves his place in the Bulls 'Hall of Fame.'