A look back at one of the MKM Stadium’s biggest nights.
Hull FC host Bradford Bulls in their 2026 Super League opener on February 14 – a clash that will be played almost 20 years on from arguably the Black and Whites’ finest victory in the competition to date.
Defeating the Bulls in the 2006 final eliminator to reach their first and only Super League Grand Final, Hull, led by the likes of Richard Swain and Lee Radford, secured their passage to Old Trafford with a fine 19-12 victory, with a fair 16,087 MKM Stadium crowd there to see it.
Of course, the Bulls were one of the game’s leading pioneers when the summer era started in 1996. Winning four titles, they drew in huge crowds to Odsal with pyrotechnics, fireworks, and the like, and at the time, were the reining Super League champions.
But Bradford’s fortunes dipped towards the end of the noughties and in 2014, they were relegated from Super League. They even dropped down to League 1 at one stage but have since built the club up and now take their place in the top flight once again next year after finishing 10th in IMG’s gradings.
The 2026 opener will be the first competitive meeting of the two sides since 2014, but for now, let’s go back in time to 2006 and one of Hull’s greatest summer nights, with tries coming from Motu Tony, Richard Horne, and Kirk Yeaman.
Shaun Briscoe
The full-back was a popular player in his four years at Hull FC. He moved to Hull KR ahead of the 2008 season and later broke into the England squad before finishing his playing career at Widnes Vikings, retiring in 2013.
Motu Tony
The Kiwi played some impressive stuff for Hull both at full-back and on the wing, where he starred in the 2005 Challenge Cup win and again against the Bulls. He left Hull at the end of 2009 to join Wakefield Trinity. The 13-time New Zealand international then returned to the Black and Whites after his playing career ended, becoming the club’s Football Manager. He now works for New Zealand Rugby League.
Sid Domic
The Australian centre arrived at Hull in 2006 from Wakefield Trinity, scoring the side’s only try in the Grand Final against St Helens. He left the club midway through the 2007 season and finished his career at Dewsbury Rams. Since returning to Australia, Domic has been putting his art talents to good use, designing Hull FC’s Magic Weekend shirt for 2014.
Kirk Yeaman
The Hull-born centre is a firm club legend, having played from 2001 to 2016, not to mention one further game in 2018. He scored a staggering 176 tries, with the 2006 season being the most prolific of his career. Since retiring, Yeaman has taken on various conditioning roles at the club and has also helped out the academy side. He currently works as a prison officer and was inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame in 2023.
Gareth Raynor
The agile winger played nine seasons at Hull FC, reaching 100 tries for the club. He was at his best in the mid-2000s, scoring in the 2005 Challenge Cup win in Cardiff. Raynor left Hull in 2009, signing for Crusaders. He also played for Bradford Bulls, Featherstone Rovers, and London Skolars before hanging up his boots in 2013.
Paul Cooke
The Hull-born half-back had the best season of his career in 2006, playing all but one game throughout the entire campaign. Dynamic on the left edge, he was the side’s heartbeat in the win over Bradford and, to be honest, throughout the whole year. Cooke then infamously left Hull for Hull KR in a high-profile transfer in 2007. He went on to play for Wakefield Trinity, Featherstone Rovers, and Doncaster before stepping into coaching, a profession he holds to this day with Featherstone.
Richard Horne
Another club legend, Horne spent his entire career with Hull FC, from debuting in 1999 to retiring in 2014. He was at the peak of his powers in 2006, equalling a club record for successive try-scoring appearances. After retiring, Horne took over the club’s academy side before moving to Doncaster as head coach, a role he still holds today.
Ewan Dowes
The Cumbrian-born prop is perhaps Hull FC’s best-ever loan signing after coming for a month and staying for nine seasons. A dependable front rower, Dowes was a cup winner in 2005 before leaving at the end of the 2011 season. He went on to play for Workington Town and Dewsbury Rams and retired in 2014.
Richard Swain
The captain of the side, Swain played his part throughout the year and was a hugely popular player in his three and a half seasons at the club, largely due to that charge down in Cardiff. He arrived in 2004 and was forced to retire midway through 2007. He has a place in the Hull FC Hall of Fame and is still as fondly remembered today as he was back then.
Garreth Carvell
After helping Hull win the Cup in 2005, the big prop was in his pomp during the 2006 season. He had two spells with the club, returning for a brief stint in 2014. His first spell ended in 2008, when he signed for Warrington Wolves, where he won three more Challenge Cup medals. He finished his career at Castleford and hung the boots up at the end of the 2014 season.
Lee Radford
Re-signing for Hull ahead of the 2006 season after first debuting ten years prior, Radford played a key role throughout. He knew what it took to reach major finals, having been part of Bradford’s squad throughout their early Super League dominance, and he stayed with Hull until retiring at the end of 2011. In 2012, Radford famously came out of retirement in Hull’s hour of need, scoring on his return in a thumping win over Hull KR. He then stayed on as assistant coach to Peter Gentle before taking on the head coach role ahead of 2014. The rest is history, with Radford coaching Hull to back-to-back Challenge Cup wins in 2016 and 2017. He left the club in 2020 and currently has a coaching role with rugby union outfit Northampton Town and the Scotland national side.
Shayne McMenemy
A talented back-rower, McMenemy was a popular player during his time at the club, having arrived in 2004 and soon becoming a regular. He returned to Australia in 2007 after injury issues and played for the Perth-based Western Reds before making the move into coaching.
Danny Washbrook
After debuting in 2005, Washbrook really started to make a name for himself under Peter Sharp. He was a key component of the side before moving to Wakefield Trinity ahead of the 2012 season. The loose-forward returned to Hull four years later and was part of both the 2016 and 2017 Challenge Cup successes. His last season at his hometown club was 2018, with Washbrook finishing his career at York Knights, retiring in 2021. He has since returned to Hull and works in the club’s hospitality department.
Paul King
The Hull-born prop was one of a plethora of young talents who debuted for the club in the late 1990s. He played for Great Britain at 23 and went on to become a mainstay in the Hull pack, adding some punch and power to the side, including the 2005 cup win. King left the club in 2009 and went on to play for Wakefield Trinity and York Knights before retiring in 2012.
Scott Wheeldon
The young front-rower was just starting out in 2006, but he soon forced his way in to become a regular in Hull’s run to Old Trafford. However, it was only two years later that he made the cross-city move to Hull KR, joining the Robins ahead of 2009. Wheeldon also went on to play for London Broncos, London Skolars, Castleford Tigers, Featherstone Rovers, and Sheffield Eagles, retiring in 2021.
Graeme Horne
The younger brother of Richard, Graeme debuted for Hull in 2004 and stayed at the club until the end of the 2009 season. He then signed for Huddersfield Giants before moving to Hull KR in 2012. Horne also played for York Knights and Doncaster, where he finished his career in 2020.
Chris Chester
The 2006 semi-final was Chester’s final appearance for Hull FC before making the move to Hull KR ahead of 2007. He played at Rovers for two seasons and took on the head coach role in 2014. He has also coached at Wakefield Trinity and Leigh Leopards, and currently works as Director of Rugby at Castleford Tigers.