Bull Masters - Bernard Dwyer
Bernard arrived at Odsal during Rugby League's Centenary Season 1995 as part of one of the most successful transfer deals the club has ever conducted. The Bulls' decision to sell unsettled centre Paul Newlove to St Helens may have upset many of the club's supporters but proved a master stroke by coach Brian Smith as he assembled a team not only good enough for the newly created Super League but also to be Champions. The disappointment of losing a player of the calibre of Paul Newlove was more than tempered by the arrival of Bernard and his Knowlsley Road team mates Paul Loughlin and Sonny Nickle plus a considerable fee which financed the signings of Stuart Spruce, James Lowes, and Steve McNamara.
Bernard was undoubtedly the most underrated forward in British Rugby League. One of the most wholehearted players to ever don the famous Red, Amber and Black, his performances won him the respect of colleagues, opponents and fans alike. His work rate was phenomenal, regularly topping over thirty tackles a game whilst never shirking from having to do the hard yards. His ability on the field was not restricted to the so call ‘donkey work'. Bernard could read the game well enabling him to time his support runs to perfection resulting in numerous tries. One commentator once described him has a human pin ball as he bounced off one defender after another on his way to the try line. What the commentator missed was Bernard's talent for protecting the ball against any would be tacklers by shifting the ball from his left to right arm and back several times and his precise footwork.
Like so many great players before and after him, team mates and fans gradually start to take their extraordinary performances for granted. Only on the rare occasion he was missing due to injury did everybody fully realise what a massive contribution he made to the club.
Bernard started his professional career with his home town club St Helens signing in 1984 from the Hare & Hounds ARL club. Originally he was a hooker and reliable goal kicker. Despite making his debut against Hull 27th February 1985 it wasn't until 1988/89 season that Bernard became a regular first team member. That season also saw Bernard suffer his first Challenge Cup Final defeat. Unfortunately he was to endure the same fate a further three times, once more with the Saints and twice for the Bulls, ironically against St Helens but he went on to play 233 times for Saints picking up Premiership, Regal Trophy and Lancashire Cup medals. It was the emergence of a young Kieron Cunningham at St Helens as hooker that caused Bernard to move into the second row and ultimately led to his departure from Knowsley Road, to the benefit of the Bulls.
With the heralding of Super League and a new dawn at Odsal, Bernard quickly became a cornerstone in the Bulls pack that finished third in 1996 and Champions in 1997. Unfortunately both seasons would also incur the despair of a Challenge Cup final defeat.
It looked as if something special would have to happen for Bernard to win a treasured Challenge Cup winners medal. In 2000 due to the re-building of Wembley Stadium the final was to be special, staged for the first time out of England. Murrayfield, Edinburgh, home of the Scottish Rugby Union, was to host the final (and Rugby League) for the first time. Even the build up to the game was different to any other final as the stadium was a victim of major flooding only two days prior to the match. After a hard fought 24-18 win over local rivals Leeds Rhinos in which Bernard played his part as the true professional he was, he proudly received his coveted Cup winner's medal. It also Bradford's first success in the competition for fifty one years.
After the Edinburgh triumph Bernard retired from playing and initially embarked upon a coaching career where he became a success with the Bulls under 17's completing the 2002 season undefeated. Sadly he decided that Coaching was not for him and left the Bulls in 2003 to begin his new career as Prison Officer leaving behind some great memories for the Bulls' fans who had witnessed some memorable performances for a true ‘Bull Master'.