Tetley's Super League VIII was the official name for the year 2003's Super League championship season, the 109th season of top-level professional rugby league held in Britain, and the eighth championship run by Super League.
The season culminated in a replay of the 2001 Grand Final between Bradford Bulls and Wigan Warriors, and again Bradford won, claiming the 2003 Championship, their second in three years.
Rule changes The knock-on rule was modified so that if in the referee's judgement a player did not play at the ball, a knock-on would not be given. Super League coaches voted 12-0 for new interchange and substitution rules for the 2003 season. The number of interchanges, which now included blood bins, increased from 6 to 12 using a pool of 4 substitutes. This change aimed to retain the element of wearing down a team's opponents during the game – which was considered part of the character of the sport. Stuart Cummings, the Rugby Football League's technical controller said the changes "bring us into line with the international rules" and ruled out future increases as well as declaring, "We will never see the unlimited interchange introduced into rugby league in Britain," a change that had caused controversy in Australia during its experiment there.
Table
Play-offs
Source: Rugby League Project
Grand Final
Media Television This season was the final year of Sky Sports' contract with the Rugby Football League allowing them to broadcast matches exclusively live, the deal ended in November 2003.
Records
On 2 March, Matt Crowther of Hull F.C. equalled the club record for goals in a match when he was successful 14 times against Sheffield Eagles.
2003 Transfers
Players
Player2002 Club2003 Club Brandon Costin Bradford Bulls Huddersfield Giants Brian McDermott Bradford Bulls Retirement Richard Gay Castleford Tigers Retirement Barrie-Jon Mather Castleford Tigers Kubota Spears (Japanese rugby union) Gary Mercer Castleford Tigers Retirement Kyle Warren Castleford Tigers Retirement Jon Wells Castleford Tigers Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Robbie Beckett Halifax Blue Sox NRL: Wests Tigers Jamie Bloem Halifax Blue Sox Huddersfield Giants Gavin Clinch Halifax Blue Sox Salford City Reds (National League One) Andrew Dunemann Halifax Blue Sox Leeds Rhinos Jason Flowers Halifax Blue Sox Salford City Reds (National League One) Jim Gannon Halifax Blue Sox Huddersfield Giants Brett Goldspink Halifax Blue Sox Retirement Karle Hammond Halifax Blue Sox Retirement Jamie Thackray Halifax Blue Sox Castleford Tigers David Woods Halifax Blue Sox Retirement Lee Jackson Hull F.C. York City Knights Graham Mackay Hull F.C. Retirement Tonie Carroll Leeds Rhinos NRL: Brisbane Broncos Darren Fleary Leeds Rhinos Huddersfield Giants Andy Hay Leeds Rhinos Widnes Vikings Karl Pratt Leeds Rhinos Bradford Bulls Ryan Sheridan Leeds Rhinos Widnes Vikings Marcus St Hilaire Leeds Rhinos Huddersfield Giants Adrian Vowles Leeds Rhinos Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Ben Walker Leeds Rhinos NRL: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Richie Barnett London Broncos Hull F.C. Wayne Evans London Broncos Retirement Michael Gillett London Broncos Retirement Jason Hetherington London Broncos Retirement Mark Corvo Salford City Reds Retirement Damian Gibson Salford City Reds Castleford Tigers Michael Hancock Salford City Reds Retirement Graham Holroyd Salford City Reds Huddersfield Giants Warren Jowitt Salford City Reds Hull F.C. Francis Maloney Salford City Reds Castleford Tigers Jason Nicol Salford City Reds Retirement Nick Pinkney Salford City Reds Hull Kingston Rovers (National League One) Darren Shaw Salford City Reds Oldham (National League One) Darren Treacy Salford City Reds NRL: Parramatta Eels Mike Wainwright Salford City Reds Warrington Wolves Darren Britt St. Helens Retirement Sean Hoppe St. Helens Retirement Sonny Nickle St. Helens Leigh Centurions (National League One) Peter Shiels St. Helens Retirement Deon Bird Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Widnes Vikings Paul Broadbent Wakefield Trinity Wildcats York City Knights Chris Feather Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Leeds Rhinos Andrew Frew Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Halifax Phil Hassan Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Swinton Lions Paul Jackson Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Castleford Tigers Neil Law Wakefield Trinity Wildcats York City Knights Martin Moana Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Halifax Kris Tassell Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Swinton Lions Nathan Wood Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Warrington Wolves Dean Busby Warrington Wolves Hull Kingston Rovers (National League One) Dale Laughton Warrington Wolves Retirement Paul Marquet Warrington Wolves Retirement Matthew Rodwell Warrington Wolves Retirement Steve Carter Widnes Vikings Retirement Troy Stone Widnes Vikings Retirement Craig Weston Widnes Vikings Hiatus Gary Connolly Wigan Warriors Leeds Rhinos David Furner Wigan Warriors Leeds Rhinos Harvey Howard Wigan Warriors Hull Kingston Rovers (National League One) Marvin Golden Doncaster Dragons (Northern Ford Premiership) Widnes Vikings Chris Thorman Huddersfield Giants (Northern Ford Premiership) London Broncos Matt Calland Rochdale Hornets (Northern Ford Premiership) Huddersfield Giants Darren Smith NRL: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs St. Helens Colin Best NRL: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Hull F.C. Nick Graham NRL: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Wigan Warriors Chris McKenna NRL: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Leeds Rhinos Paul Mellor NRL: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Castleford Tigers Dean Treister NRL: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Hull F.C. Ian Sibbit NRL: Melbourne Storm Warrington Wolves Julian Bailey NRL: Newcastle Knights Huddersfield Giants Clinton O'Brien NRL: Newcastle Knights Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Bill Peden NRL: Newcastle Knights London Broncos Shontayne Hape NRL: New Zealand Warriors Bradford Bulls Anthony Colella NRL: South Sydney Rabbitohs Huddersfield Giants Brent Grose NRL: South Sydney Rabbitohs Warrington Wolves Jason Hooper NRL: St. George Illawarra Dragons St. Helens Shane Millard NRL: St. George Illawarra Dragons Widnes Vikings Dallas Hood NRL: Sydney Roosters Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Ben Jeffries NRL: Wests Tigers Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Matt Seers NRL: Wests Tigers Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Quentin Pongia Villeneuve Leopards (Elite One Championship) Wigan Warriors Neil Harmon N/A Halifax Damian Kennedy N/A London Broncos
See also 2003 Super League Grand Final 2003 World Club Challenge
References
External links Super League VIII at wigan.rlfans.com Super League VIII at rugbyleagueproject.com