Super_League_II
1997 Super League (UK) season
Season in rugby league
Stones Bitter Super League II was the official name for the year 1997's Super League championship season, the 103rd season of top-level professional rugby league football in Britain, and the second to be played in summer.
| Super League II | |
|---|---|
| League | Super League |
| Duration | 22 Rounds |
| Teams | 12 |
| Highest attendance | 19,137 Leeds Rhinos vs Bradford Bulls (29 July) |
| Lowest attendance | 500 Paris Saint-Germain vs Salford Reds (2 July) |
| Broadcast partners | Sky Sports |
| 1997 Season | |
| Champions | Bradford Bulls 1st Super League title 3rd British title |
| Premiership winners | Wigan Warriors |
| Man of Steel |  James Lowes |
| Top point-scorer(s) | Andrew Farrell (243) |
| Top try-scorer(s) |  Nigel Vagana (17) |
| Promotion and relegation | |
| Promoted from Division One | Huddersfield Giants Hull Sharks |
| Relegated to Division One | Oldham Bears |
| Resigned from League | |
| Dissolved | Paris Saint-Germain |
Twelve teams were selected to play in the second Super League season, however Salford Reds were promoted into the League, taking the place of relegated Workington Town.
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Reigning Champions | |
| Challenge Cup Holders | |
| Promoted | |
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | City/Area | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Bradford Bulls |
Odsal | 27,000 | Bradford, West Yorkshire | |
 Castleford Tigers |
Wheldon Road | 11,750 | Castleford, West Yorkshire | |
 Halifax Blue Sox |
Thrum Hall | 9,832 | Halifax, West Yorkshire | |
 Leeds Rhinos |
Headingley | 21,500 | Leeds, West Yorkshire | |
 London Broncos |
The Stoop | 11,000 | Twickenham, Greater London | |
 Oldham Bears |
Boundary Park | 13,500 | Oldham, Greater Manchester | |
 Paris Saint-Germain |
Sébastien Charléty Stadium | 20,000 | Paris, France | |
 Salford Reds |
The Willows | 11,363 | Salford, Greater Manchester | |
 Sheffield Eagles |
Don Valley Stadium | 25,000 | Sheffield, South Yorkshire | |
 St. Helens |
Knowsley Road | 17,500 | St Helens, Mersyside | |
 Warrington Wolves |
Wilderspool | 9,200 | Warrington, Cheshire | |
 Wigan Warriors |
Central Park | 18,000 | Wigan, Greater Manchester |
For this season, the Leeds club added 'Rhinos' to their name for the first time.
During the year a secondary title, known as the Stone's Premiership, was also played for the last time on Sunday 28 September, with the final being contested between Wigan Warriors and St. Helens with Wigan coming out victorious 33-20 after a Harry Sunderland Trophy-winning performance by captain Andy Farrell.[1]
At the end of the season Bradford Bulls were crowned League champions by virtue of finishing the season at the top of the table.[2]
At the end of the 1997 season the Paris Saint-Germain club was dissolved. Oldham suffered a similar fate - they finished bottom of the league and were relegated to the First Division, but by the end of October had entered liquidation and were dissolved with over £1m in debts. The club's assets including its name and history were retained for a second Oldham club which entered the Third Division for the 1998 season.
A post-season Super League Test series between Australia and Great Britain was also held in England.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bradford Bulls (C) |
22 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 769 | 397 | +372 | 40 | |
| 2 | London Broncos |
22 | 15 | 3 | 4 | 616 | 418 | +198 | 33 | |
| 3 | St Helens |
22 | 14 | 1 | 7 | 592 | 506 | +86 | 29 | |
| 4 | Wigan |
22 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 683 | 398 | +285 | 28 | |
| 5 | Leeds Rhinos |
22 | 13 | 1 | 8 | 544 | 463 | +81 | 27 | |
| 6 | Salford Reds |
22 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 428 | 495 | −67 | 22 | |
| 7 | Halifax Blue Sox |
22 | 8 | 2 | 12 | 524 | 549 | −25 | 18 | |
| 8 | Sheffield Eagles |
22 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 415 | 574 | −159 | 18 | |
| 9 | Warrington Wolves |
22 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 437 | 647 | −210 | 16 | |
| 10 | Castleford Tigers |
22 | 5 | 2 | 15 | 334 | 515 | −181 | 12 | |
| 11 | Paris Saint-Germain |
22 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 362 | 572 | −210 | 12 | |
| 12 | Oldham Bears (R) |
22 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 461 | 631 | −170 | 9 | Relegated to Division One |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points difference; 3) Number of points scored;
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
All 12 teams qualified for and competed in a knockout play-off series for the Premiership Trophy. Wigan defeated St Helens in the last final at Old Trafford. Following this season it was abolished and replaced with the Super League Grand Final which would determine the Champions rather than the current first past the post system.
- Dave Hadfield (29 September 1997) Farrell keeps Wigan's trophy cabinet stocked The Independent
- "Bradford Bulls Honours List". Bradford Bulls official website. 2007-01-26. Archived from the original on 2007-02-05. Retrieved 2007-08-02.