2013 - Back to Back Winners

In preparation for the 2013 season, Mark Aston looked to retain the majority of his successful Grand Final winning squad. Some players were offered new contracts, Michael Knowles had his extended to 2015 whilst Alex Szostack was given a completely new deal, amongst others. A couple of players left to ply their trade elsewhere. Simon Brown and Sam Scott joined York; Alex Rowe went to Batley; Ryan Hepworth to Dewsbury and Tim Bergin joined new club Gloucester All Golds.

Replacements had to found to replace those who had left, with the focus on strengthening the existing squad. These recruits included well seasoned professionals and up and coming youngsters looking to develop their careers further.

• Liam Ellis (York)
• James Davey (Wakefield
• Tom Armstrong (Swinton)
• Colton Roche (Leeds)
• Pat Walker (Dewsbury)
• Matt Garside (York)

There were also a number of internal promotions to the first team squad from the reserves. Leigh Sanders, Corey Hanson, Tom Ashton, Connor Scott Sam Williamson and Cory Aston all played for the first team during 2013.

Dario Esposito later joined from Dewsbury Rams in March to replace Dane McDonald, who had returned to Australia, due to a persistent injury problem. . Ben Gledhill was also signed on loan from Salford in March and stayed for a couple months.

The club also linked up with Limoux Grizzlies with a view to exchanging coaches and players. Limoux agreed to host a pre-season training camp which would include a friendly game .. The link was Frederic Texido who was a Director at Limoux, but he had also previously played for the Eagles in their Super League years.

Before the season kicked off the Championship was hit by a major controversy. A new proposal to develop Dual Registration Partnership arrangements between Super League clubs and Championship teams. The catalyst for this was the decision of Super League Clubs to scrap their under 20s teams as well as rejecting an RFL proposal to move to under 23 teams and enable those who would have been the nucleus of those under 23 squads to play for Championship clubs as required.

Aston decided that the Eagles would not be involved, along with other leading Championship clubs, Featherstone, Halifax, Barrow and Leigh . Each Championship team who were linked could play up to five loan dual registration players,. Although it was meant to be limited to younger fringe players, the Super League clubs had been bending the scheme to bring injured first teamers back to match fitness. On other occasions clubs had played Super League first teamers from two to three separate clubs, which was totally against the spirit of the arrangement

To address this abuse, the four clubs not involved in the scheme, drew up a memorandum of understanding in February containing four pledges that were needed to maintain the integrity of the competition:

• That clubs will not select any dual registered player over who is age 23 or over on 31st August 2012;
• They will not select any dual registered player who is within his Super League clubs top 20 (ranked by salary cap value) for 2013;
• They will not select more than four dual registered players for any Championship, Northern Rail Cup or playoff fixtures;
• They will not select for any play off fixtures any dual registered player who has represented them in less than 50% of their 2013 Kingstone Press Championship fixtures

They asked the other clubs to sign up to this memorandum and operate in accordance with its provisions.

Due to the demise of the under 23 competition at Championship level, the Eagles had set up with Sheffield Hallam the Sheffield Hallam Eagles to allow reserve grade players the opportunity to play regular Rugby league in the Southern Conference.

All this was against a backdrop of uncertainty concerning the future of the club. Rumours started to circulate that Sheffield City Council were considering demolishing the loss making Don Valley and the savings would be used to refurbish the Woodbourn Road athletics stadium. This became a reality in March, although the Eagles had a guarantee that they would be able to complete their season’s home fixtures before anything happened. Initially Bramall Lane was to be the main venue for the majority of home fixtures, but because of issues surrounding the suitability and usage of the pitch, Don Valley became the regular venue for the season.

However in April the Council announced that a project plan had been developed to build a purpose built rugby stadium with a 10-12,000 capacity, as part of the overall scheme to redevelop the Don Valley site, which also included a new University Technical College and basketball centre. Partners in the scheme included both Sheffield’s Universities, the teaching Hospitals, the NHS Foundation Trust and Sports England.

The Eagles Board welcomed the proposed project but recognised it would take a few years before it could become a reality. In the meantime an alternative venue needed to be found, preferably in the Sheffield area for the club to continue in the next few seasons. However by September an alternative venue in Sheffield had not been found, which was raising concerns that the club may have to play their home games outside the city boundaries.

The club had secured the use of the Sheffield Hallam University’s Bawtry Road Sports Complex for their training base, but its use for games would mean the building of a temporary 500 seater temporary stand and turnstiles to meet RFL requirements

As September progressed it emerged that their former home Owlerton Stadium could be a temporary solution to the Eagles predicament, but that move would require one-off financial backing by the City Council to bring it up the Rugby League requirements for the Championship, as it had lost its safety licence in 1989 to host rugby league matches. Yet by November a deal had been sorted out and the club were able to maintain its continued presence in Sheffield, for at least another season.

Unlike previous seasons, when the Championship teams were part of the group stages of the Northern Rail Cup, it had been decided as part of the restructuring of the competitions that their participation would take place later into the Championship season at the knockout stages. The first games Championship clubs would face, therefore, would be the first round of the 2013 Championship season , which took place in the first weekend of February.

The Championship had been expanded from 10 to 14 teams. Four teams had been promoted from Division 1 – Barrow, Doncaster, Whitehaven, and Workington. Relegation of the bottom two teams had been restored, but there was still no automatic promotion for the Grand Final winner into Super League. The licensing system remained.

Featherstone were the bookies favourites to win the minor premiers once again for the fourth year in succession, with Leigh and Halifax as second and third favourites. The Eagles’ objectives for the season were to finish first and win the Grand Final once again.

The 2013 Northern Rail Cup, was the 12th and last season of the competition. The format was changed to coincide with the expansion of the Championship from 10 to 14 teams. The competition began on 3 March with a group stage containing eight teams from the 2013 Championship 1 split into two groups. Each team played four games (two home, two away) with three of the games being played against the other teams in the group and the fourth game being played against a team from the other group. 

Following the completion of the group stage, the teams finishing first in each group progressed to the knock-out stages where they joined the 14 teams from the Championship to make up 16 team knock out stage. There were three knock-out rounds (play-off, quarter final, semi-final) before the final on 20 July 2013 at The Shayin Halifax. The final took place after the inaugural Northern

Rail Bowl final, involving the two highest-ranked teams from the group stages. Those two teams were North Wales Crusaders and London Skolars who had won the two groups and progressed to knockout stages.

In the first knockout round the Eagles were facing a home fixture against Barrow Raiders on the 19th of May. Sheffield dominated the game running in 11 tries. They were 18-0 ahead within the first 10 minutes. The first came after just 40 seconds as Tom Armstrong sent in QLT under the posts. Duane Straugheir scored six minutes later from a Pat Walker kick, then Menzie Yere scored on 10 minutes, following a break by Dominic Brambani. Brambani added all three conversions. Michael Knowles scored the last try of the half on 19 minutes which, with Brambani’s kick, gave the hosts a 24-0 lead. Barrow threatened but failed to breach the Sheffield defence.

The Eagles, after the restart scored five tries in eleven minutes, the first on 50 minutes, Yere racing in from a Walker offload. Next Andrew Henderson sent Matt Garside through for his first, followed by Brambani and Tom Armstrong linking up, before he passed to QLT for his second. A Yere burst out of defence enabled Garside to get his second and the try fest ended with Joe Hirst supporting an Armstrong break to touchdown. Brambani converted all five tries to give the hosts a 54-0 lead just after the hour. The Raiders hit back with two consolation tries of their own, but there was still time for the Eagles to register two more tries. Henderson scored a typically opportunist try from dummy half, but Brambani dragged the ball wide with the conversion. But he made up for it soon after as he broke the Barrow line, offloading to Hirst, who secured his second. With Brambani converting the rout was complete, 64-10 and Sheffield were through to the next round.

Their opponents in the Quarter Final were Dewsbury Rams in a home fixture at Don Valley on the 4th of June. Dewsbury dominated the opening half hour of the game to take a 16-0 lead, although Misi Tualapapa had a try disallowed. It took a great one handed catch by Michael Knowles from a Dominic Brambani’s kick to get Sheffield back into the game seven minutes from half-time. Brambani added the conversion and a further penalty which saw the Eagles go in at the interval 16-8 behind. On the restart Sheffield mounted an assault on the Rams line but failed to produce a final killing pass until 52 minutes had elapsed. Peter Green forced himself over between the posts, with Brambani again adding the extras.

The Eagles were only two points behind, but despite their attempts to overcome that deficit, the Rams defence held firm. That was until the 71st minutes when Knowles, again taking a high cross field kick from Brambani, touched down, to put the hosts ahead. With Brambani’s conversion, Sheffield now led 20-16. With only two minutes left, confusion in the Dewsbury defence, allowed Scott Turner to collect a dropped ball and touchdown with Brambani scoring his fifth goal. The 26-16 victory put Sheffield into the semi-finals of the competition.

Their semi-final opponents were South Yorkshire rivals Doncaster. The match was played at the Doncaster Athletics Stadium on Friday 28th of June. Sheffield were quick out of the blocks and in the first set, good hands involving Pat Walker and Andrew Henderson, paved the way for QLT to advance over the line, but he spilled the ball. Moments later Doncaster lost the ball deep in their own territory. The Eagles made them pay. A reverse pass from Misi Tualapapa into the advancing run of Joe Hirst saw him make no mistake, powering over at point blank range. The sixth minute 6-0 lead did not last, as Doncaster scored six minutes later to reduce it to two points. With just over 20 minutes gone, however, three tries in eight minutes virtually settled the tie. First Menzie Yere bulldozed his way through several challengers to score, with 24 minutes gone. Next Dominic Brambani fed QLT and his long pass to the right resulted in

Tualapapa scoring a spectacular one handed try in the corner. Then Walker fed Tom Armstrong, who side stepped his challenger to score on 32 minutes. Brambani converted two out of the three kicks to give the visitors a 22-4 lead at half time.

The second half was much the same. Five minutes in, Brambani teased the defence before releasing Armstrong, who gave Tualapapa a glimpse of the line. He looked to have been squeezed out but a little kick and chase enabled him to extend the visitors lead, 26-4. The Eagles were running riot when, three minutes later, Walker’s slide rule pass to Yere sent him breezing under the post. Brambani’s conversion extended the lead further. Mitch Stringer made the next attempt, but he was held up on the line. Just before the hour mark, Doncaster managed to secure a converted try, and despite having a further effort ruled out for a forward pass, it was the Eagles who advanced to the Cup Final, three weeks later.

Their opponents were Leigh Centurions, who had defeated Batley Bulldogs 236. The Final was played at the Shay on the 20th of July. In the first half the lead changed four times. Leigh took an early lead with a penalty for interference by Mitch Stringer, after five minutes had elapsed. In the 12th minute a fine sweeping move saw Matt Garside break into open field down the left edge, then running in to touch down beneath the posts. Dominic Brambani added the conversion to give the Eagles a 6-2 lead. Sheffield were again over the line on 20 minutes in the corner, when Menzie Yere offloaded in the tackle for Scott Turner to touch down. The video referee however deemed that he had received the ball from a forward pass. Then back to back penalties took Leigh down the pitch, from which the scored, on 29 minutes, to take a two point lead. Undaunted, six minutes later Sheffield hit back with two tries in three minutes. Yere robustly charged his way over the line from dummy half despite the attentions of four Leigh defenders. Then Misi Taulapapa collected his own kick forward to score in the corner. Brambani missed the first but scored the second, to give the Eagles an eight point advantage. On the stroke of half-time Leigh managed to score a converted try to leave the game closely balanced, 16-14, in Sheffield’s advantage.

That lead was eradicated when Leigh were awarded a penalty for ripping by Brambani to put the game all-square, soon after the restart. Then came the telling point of the game when Leigh’s halfback elbowed Liam Higgins, who retaliated with punches. A mass brawl ensued, with Higgins and a Leigh player being red carded, but not the player who elbowed Higgins in the face, who was not even sin-binned. Sheffield were awarded a penalty for the incident, which Brambani goaled to retake the lead 18-16. On 50 minutes Leigh thought they had retaken the lead, but it was chalked off as the player had his foot in touch. Two minutes later it was Sheffield’s turn to attack. Turner took a long ball from QLT to score in the corner, Brambani goaled the touch line kick to extend the Eagles lead to eight points. With time running out, the next score would be crucial and it was Leigh who scored it, to reduce the arrears to two points. The momentum then switched dramatically to the Centurions as they finally took advantage of their extra man. They went on to score, four tries, two conversions and a field goal in the next thirteen minutes to establish a commanding 43-24 lead. Yet it was the Eagles who were the last to score, with Turner getting a consolation try, but Brambani failed to convert. Sheffield had lost what was to be the last ever Northern Rail Cup final, 43-28.

The Eagles were drawn at home against amateurs Leigh East in the Third Round of the Challenge Cup. The game saw the senior debut of Mark Aston’s 18 year old son, Cory, almost 15 years after appearing on his dad’s shoulders at Wembley. The 333 in attendance at the game on 7th April witnessed the club rack up its highest ever score in any competition. Menzie Yere and QLT scored eight tries between them, whilst Cory Aston claimed two for himself.

Sheffield were ruthless from the off and were 28-0 ahead after 15 minutes with Yere providing three tries , Misi Tualapapa and Vinny Finigan scoring the other two. QLT scored the next before Aston had the crowd on their feet, racing 80 metres to register his first professional try. Just after the half hour, Leigh registered their only points of the game, reducing the lead to 40-6. Four more tries came before half time. Pat Walker’s was followed by James Davey, then by Alex Szostack and QLT, with his second, after a 40/20 by Dominic Brambani. The Eagles had a 64-6 advantage at the break.

Shortly after the restart Walker secured his second. Nine minutes later Yere linked up with QLT to score his fourth, before it was QLT ‘s turn to record his hattrick five minutes later. Yere’s fifth on 64 minutes equalled the club’s record for tries in a game whilst Brambani’s 14th conversion also put him into the record books, as the first Eagles player to kick 14 goals in one game. Aston and Davey both doubled their tallies in the last ten minutes with Connor Scott and Joe Hirst also touching down, Michael Knowles kicked all four conversions, the Eagles progressing to the next round 112-6.

In the fourth round of the Cup the Eagles had a home clash against Dewsbury Rams on the 20th of April. The Rams ran up a 16-0 lead within the first 13 minutes of the game and that’s how it remained until the break. After their poor first half performance, the second half saw a different Sheffield on display after a few choice words from Mark Aston.

They scored first after 46 minutes. Menzie Yere made the break down the left, before passing to Joe Hirst who sent QLT racing over the line. Brambani added the conversion. Ten minutes later QLT made the break, passing to Scott Turner who offloaded to Pat Walker to cross the whitewash. Brambani added the extras to reduce the Ram’s advantage to four points. On the hour Sheffield took the lead, as the Rams defence fumbled a Brambani chip, Duane Straugheir offloading in the tackle for Matt Garside to go in between the posts. With the conversion the Eagles were ahead 18-16. Mitch Stringer pushed Sheffield further in front with a drive from a quick tap 20 metres out, and with five minutes to go, Misi Tualapapa linked with QLT to step in off his wing to make the game safe. With Brambani’s two conversions, Sheffield progressed to the next round, 30-16.

The draw for the fifth round brought another home tie against Halifax, that took place on Friday 10th May. QLT was the first to score after three minutes. A Halifax fumble of a Dominic Brambani kick led to penalty for talking back. From the subsequent play, Andrew Henderson got the ball out to Michael Knowles, who off loaded to QLT to touch down, Brambani converting. The lead was stretched six minutes later off the back of a penalty for crossing. Henderson again started the move. Then Brambani and QLT combined to send Tom Armstrong in to score, but Brambani’s kick went wide. Halifax enjoyed the majority of the territory for the rest of the half but were devoid of ideas when they came close to the line. They did get on the scoreboard with penalty for a high tackle by Matt Garside on the stroke of half time, but remained behind 102 at the interval.

The second half opened with Halifax scoring a try that was chalked off for a forward pass, before the Eagles extended their lead further on 51 minutes. QLT ran from his own 40 metres line to run in under the posts which, with Brambani’s conversion, took the score to 16-2. Seven minutes later, Halifax reduced the lead with a converted try and soon after looked to be going to reduce the deficit to two points when they coughed up the ball to QLT. The Eagles broke away in the following set to kill the game off. Alex Szostak broke the defensive line on the left. He then passed to Scott Turner who scored, Brambani converting, taking the lead to 22-8. With four minutes left of the game, Halifax scored again, but missed the conversion. Sheffield had the last score, Menzie Yere dropping on a grubber kick, with Brambani’s kick ensuring the tie to the hosts, 28-12. The Eagles were in the Challenge Cup Quarter Finals for the first time since they had won the Cup in 1998.

That Quarter Final game was held on the 12 July at home to bottom of the Super League London Broncos. In front of the Eagles largest home crowd of the season, 2,459, Sheffield made the Super League side work hard, but it was too many handling errors that cost them a semi-final berth. Going into the game on the back of 15 consecutive victories, a club record, they were only six points behind at half time, despite incessant attacks by the Broncos. Their first try came from the ball being knocked out of Tom Armstrong’s hands by a London tackler that bounced into the hands of another who was in front of him in an offside position who then scored on 22 minutes. Four minutes later the hosts responded as Pat Walker’s long ball to Menzie Yere was taken forward. He offloaded in the tackle to Scott Turner who scored, but Brambani was unable to add the conversion. Three minutes later London regained the lead, to go in at half time 10-4 ahead, although Sheffield had a couple of chances to go ahead before the hooter. 

After the restart, the visitors gradually built on their lead. However that was after the video referee ruled out, yet another try from Turner for being knocked into touch. Three tries and a field goal secured them a commanding 29-4 lead, before Yere barged over, with Walker converting to reduce the lead to 29-10. That’s how it remained as London progressed to the Semi-Final were they lost 70-0 to eventual winners Wigan.

Halifax away was the first of Sheffield’s title defence fixtures of the season, played on the night of Thursday 31st January. A ring rusty Eagles toiled on the muddy pitch, repeatedly heaping pressure on themselves through errors and indiscretions. However they did score first after only four minutes, as Michael Knowles sprinted onto a deft kick from Pat Walker to give the visitors an early 4-0 lead. Five minutes later Halifax took the lead and by the 20th minute that lead was extended to 10-4. The Eagles managed to level the scores when QLT dabbed the ball to the corner for Misi Tualapapa to dive onto , Walker adding the conversion. However a high teasing kick from Halifax was collected by their full back with four minutes left in the half, to give the hosts a 16-10 interval lead. 

The second half was try less and disjointed, although Dominic Brambani had a try chalked off by the video referee for obstruction, which Mark Aston disagreed with. If that had been allowed it would have made the second half more competitive. It was Halifax who scored the only points of the half from a penalty kick nine minutes from time. Sheffield were defeated in the first defence of their title, 18-10 and had only a bonus point to show for their efforts.

Their next game was at home to Batley Bulldogs on a bitterly cold night at Don Valley. Just over a 1,000 supporters turned up and witnessed a rare error strewn stalemated first half. Batley seemed determined not to want to complete their sets and fluffed their lines when chances came. Relief came five minutes after the restart when, following a penalty, prop Mitch Stringer was held near the posts, but he offloaded to QLT, who squeezed over. Pat Walker added the conversion. An immediate response from Batley, lead to Misi Tualapapa knocking the ball dead. From the ensuing play, Dominic Brambani’s 40/20 gave the Eagles field position. After a scrum on the next play, Brambani kicked to the corner with Tualapapa palming the ball down to centre Tom Armstrong who raced in for a try. Walker second conversion gave Sheffield a 12-0 lead. Just before the hour, the Bulldogs pulled a converted score back. It was left to Walker to seal the victory, 13-6, with a drop goal. The Eagles had their first win of the campaign, but Mark Aston was not happy about the performance.

The next game was against Swinton Lions, who had a dual registration with Warrington. It saw the debut of the new Eagles kit, which Misi Tualapapa had had a hand in designing, adding a tribal tattoo to left shoulder.

The Lions were camped on the Eagles line for the first ten minutes of the match and took the lead on 11 minutes with a try and conversion under the posts. It was all Swinton for much of the half, until they lost the ball on their line enabling Dominic Brambani to go over and add the extras. Swinton however ended the half ahead by courtesy of a penalty for back chat, 8-6. A half time rollocking by Mark Aston saw a much more focused and determined performance from the visitors after the interval. However the Lions were the first to score on the restart to extend their advantage to eight points.

The game started to turn on its head as the passes started sticking and Michael Knowles crashed over for the Eagles’ second try three minutes later. Still two points behind, the next score from Tom Armstrong gave them the lead three minutes later, 18-14. Jack Howieson stretched the lead on 57 minutes, followed by Andrew Henderson who scored on the hour courtesy of a collision between two Swinton defenders. Brambani converted all three tries to give the visitors a 30-14 advantage. Swinton piled on the pressure, but the Sheffield defence held. Matt Garside added his first try for the Eagles on 68 minutes but, three minutes later, Swinton pulled back the deficit, with a converted try, 20-34. The final six minutes saw the visitors run in three more converted tries. Armstrong got his second with a neat sidestep; Brambani finished a nice passing move under the posts; and Pat Smith secured the last in the dying seconds. Victory for Sheffield, 52-20.

February ended with a trip up to Workington Town for a game which looked like being called off at one stage, due to the freezing conditions in the area. The hosts dominated their visitors for the majority of the first half. Against the run of play, Andrew Henderson scored from dummy half after 13 minutes of the half to give the Eagles a surprise 6 points lead. Two minutes later Town had equalised and just after the half hour they were 18-6 ahead. On 34 minutes, Sheffield had pulled a try back, through a dazzling run by QLT, before Nev Morrison walked the try in. Not to be daunted, a speedy Workington reply gave them a 24-10 half time lead.

Straight after the restart a decision by Workington to take a penalty kick, rather than to run the ball, brought about a reversal in fortunes. The penalty was missed, and although the ball went dead, the subsequent drop out from Dominic Brambani found touch only metres from the Town line. A few tackles later James Davey strolled over the line from dummy half to score under the sticks, to reduce the lead to eight points, after only five minutes of the half had elapsed. Four minutes later, the next Sheffield attack saw Mitch Stringer charging and twisting for the line for his first try, reducing the lead to two points. An epic arm-wrestle between the forwards ensued, culminating with Stringer finding a gap to cross the line for his second, with ten minutes on the clock remaining. With Brambani’s conversion, the visitors were in the lead. Despite Town’s best efforts, the Eagles defence held firm, Sheffield claiming the tie. 29-24. to put them fifth in the Championship table. two points behind leaders Featherstone.

March opened with a Friday night home fixture against York City Knights at Bramall Lane. Andrew Henderson opened the scoring with a trademark scoot from dummy half after only four minutes. Then on 12 minutes Vinny Finigan notched his first, as Dominic Brambani launched a kick to the left corner which was patted down by Michael Knowles for him to score. The hosts third try came from Duane Straugheir via a Mitch Stringer off load just short of the line. With Brambani kicking two out of three, the Eagles were 16 points ahead within the first 20 minutes. York pulled two tries back on the 28th and 37th minute, but Brambani ended the half with a penalty from the halfway line, to give Sheffield an 18-8 lead at the break.

Finigan scored his second shortly after the restart, before Menzie Yere latched onto a Brambani bomb to cross for his first on 48 minutes. York responded three minutes later to reduce the hosts lead to 28-14. Any hope of York catching up dwindled soon after. Tom Armstrong from a 20 metre tap set Misi Tualapapa free. He linked up with QLT to put the game out of reach with eleven minutes to play. There was still time for two further tries. First Yere crashed over for his second before a move down the right, started by Henderson, culminated in Colton Roche offloading to Armstrong to touch down. With Brambani converting six out of eight tries, the Eagles were worthy winners 46-14, the victory down to the hard work of the Sheffield pack.

The following Friday Sheffield were playing away at Leigh Centurions in a top of the table clash. The first half was one of missed opportunity for Leigh. They created an abundance of chances and failed to capitalise on any of them. Sheffield’s defence was solid and the runs of QLT from the back created opportunities, the first on 16 minutes. Andrew Henderson passed the ball to Mitch Stringer, who turned and spun the ball back to QLT, who ran clear for 20 metres to score. Dominic Brambani goaled the first of his six kicks. The Eagles then took command of the half, aided by a welter of possession off the back of numerous penalties and forced dropouts. Joe Hirst was the next to score after

23 minutes, going in near the posts and both Tom Armstrong and Michael Knowles were making dangerous inroads into the Leigh defensive line. Sheffield’s next score was a penalty, followed by QLT completing a move down the right to give the visitors a 20-0 lead on 36 minutes. Menzie Yere was the next to score with a 30 metre finish down the left flank, after Leigh had coughed up possession. The teams went in at the end of the half, Sheffield 24-0 ahead.

Leigh’s response came on the restart with two tries in less than ten minutes, to reduce the Eagles lead to twelve points. Armstrong stopped the hosts’ comeback with a try after 55 minutes, yet the Centurions secured another try seven minutes later, before a dropped ball on 66 minutes resulted in Pat Walker gaining the ball then passing to Scott Turner to give Sheffield a 34-18 lead. The visitors made the game safe with five minutes left, when Brambani inspired a try from Misi Tualapapa to ensure that the visitors secured the three points, 40-18.

The following Thursday the Eagles had a home tie against league leaders Featherstone Rovers. Originally scheduled for Bramall Lane, due to a waterlogged pitch, it was transferred to Don Valley. A topsy turvy clash which brought Rovers first defeat of the season. The hosts opened the scoring after four minutes when Featherstone were penalised for a high tackle. Pat Walker made good yards with the kick, after which Menzie Yere was held on the line. The subsequent flat pass from Andrew Henderson sent Michael Knowles crashing over, but Dominic Brambani could not add the extras. On the 12th minutes, Yere fumbled the ball in a try scoring position, Featherstone then scored in the next move to give them a 6-4 lead. Rovers started to dominate possession and scored again after 27 minutes to extend their lead to 12-4. Yet three minutes to the interval, the Eagles reduced that lead to just two points, as a Brambani kick was fumbled by the Rovers defence, Tom Armstrong following up to score the try, with Brambani this time adding the conversion.

After having a try ruled out by the video referee, a subsequent penalty ended with Yere spinning away in the tackle to claim his first try of the night, and the Eagles the lead 16-12. The hosts then bombarded the Rovers line, yet failed to score from the pressure. It was Featherstone who were the next to score on 62 minutes, to retake the lead 18-16. There it remained until eight minutes from the end. Following a Rovers knock on, from the subsequent scrum, a Mitch Stringer off load to Walker, who then flung the ball wide to Scott Turner, led to him squeezing in at the corner, restoring Sheffield’s lead, but Brambani missed with the kick. With only a two point deficit, the Rovers laid siege to the hosts line. However it was Sheffield who secured the vital next score. Stringer drove forward, after Featherstone had lost the ball again, offloading to Walker. He got the ball to Knowles who gave it to Yere to crash over the line to confirm the Eagles had the points. Despite Brambani yet again failing with the boot, the hosts had their sixth successive victory, 26-18. In third place with 19 points, they were now only one point behind the new league leaders Halifax.

The penultimate game in March was to have been an away fixture against Hunslet, but that was postponed due snow. The next time the Eagles were in action was the following weekend with a home Good Friday tie against South Yorkshire rivals Doncaster. 

It was a close fought encounter which was error strewn and often tempestuous affair with both sides having a player sent to sin bin during the game. The Eagles took an early lead, after a Doncaster knock on led to Scott Turner squeezing in the corner, but Dominic Brambani failed with his touch line kick. Five minutes later the visitors hit back to take a slender 6-4 advantage. After quarter of an hour, Misi Taulapapa took an off load from Tom Armstrong to score, with Brambani adding the extras on this occasion, Sheffield retaking the lead, 10-6. However two tries and one conversion in the plays that followed enabled the visitors to restore their lead,16-10, just before the half hour. Yet Sheffield were the last to score in the half, as Tualapapa secured his second and Brambani added the conversion. He was denied his hat-trick minutes later, when he was adjudged to have been offside when he received the ball. As the hooter sounded Doncaster had a player sin-binned following a team warning.

All square at the break, with a man advantage, the Eagles threatened to pull away after the restart with two tries in the first ten minutes. Matt Garside got the ball down under pressure, followed by Tom Armstrong securing yet another try. Brambani kicked one and missed the other to give Sheffield a ten point lead, 26-16. Yet Doncaster came back pulling a try back to reduce the lead to six points on 53 minutes. QLT put the game out of site fifteen minutes later with Brambani kicking the hosts 12 points ahead. With a minute left Ben Gledhill was sin-binned for punching, which the Dons took advantage of, scoring a consolation try, but Sheffield had extended their unbeaten run to seven games, 32-26. The win moved the Eagles into second place in the league, four points behind Halifax, but with a game in hand.

March also saw Mitch Stringer lead the Championship Player of the Year’s standings. The new format for the season was based on five players each week being awarded points for their performance that went towards the end of season award. Peter Green was fourth in the table at that stage.

Easter Monday brought the end to the Eagles unbeaten run with their away fixture at Whitehaven. Sheffield were three tries down after 23 minutes but hit back with two of their own in the final five minutes of the first half. Mitch Stringer scored the first, using his power to charge through, with Menzie Yere taking a pass from QLT to run 30 metres to score. Dominic Brambani’s conversions reduced Whitehaven’s lead to 18-12 at the break. Two minutes after the restart and any hope of an Eagles comeback were thwarted by the hosts extending their lead with a converted try and a penalty to lead 30-12. A 40/20 by Brambani set up Yere’s second score, but Brambani missed the conversion and the Eagles failed to secure the bonus point, 30-16.

The following weekend Sheffield were in the Third round of the Challenge Cup. After their victory against Leigh East, they then faced a home tie against Barrow Raiders the following weekend. The game was tight in the early stages with both sides going close, but not coming up with any points. However, Menzie Yere broke the deadlock after 20 minutes, linking up with QLT to give the hosts a 6-0 lead. Five minutes later Sheffield doubled that lead, through Joe Hirst latching onto a Pat Walker grubber to touch down under the posts. Dominic Brambani goaled both conversions. Barrow managed to level the tie. 18 each at half-time. 

The Eagles produced a commanding display in the second half. Yere scored his second, two minutes after the restart after strong running from Dario Esposito. Ten minutes later they effectively killed off the game with two tries in as many minutes. Walker was the first to score from a Tom Armstrong pass and then Mitch Stringer trundled over from dummy half. Brambani only managed to convert one of the three tries to give the hosts a 26-12 advantage. Barrow secured the next, to keep them in the running for the bonus point, yet this was denied by Stringer’s second, as he barged over the whitewash to record his second of the game, extending the lead to 32-18. The hosts then took advantage of tiring Barrow legs, with Brambani and QLT scoring in the last ten minutes, both players taking on the defensive line and jinking through. The 44-18 victory secured the Eagles fourth place in the league.

Sheffield had a week’s break from league action due to Challenge Cup commitments but at the end of April they faced an away fixture against Keighley Cougars. Before the game The Eagles captain, Jack Howieson announced his retirement with immediate effect. He had played 271 games for the club since his debut in 2001, but a second knee operation had brought his career to a halt.

His retirement offered the first opportunity for Eddie Battye to play for the club, following the award of a one year extension to his contract, after a successful loan period at Villeneuve Leopards. Mitch Stringer was also made captain, with Misi Tualapapa taking over the vice-captaincy role.

In the game against Keighley, the Eagles strongly opened, Dominic Brambani capitalising on early pressure, before dummying himself over the Cougars line, to give the visitors the lead after only six minutes. Five minutes later he found Tom Armstrong, with a superb cut out pass, who galloped in without a hand touching him. The visitors led 12-0 before Keighley managed to work themselves back into the game. The home side’s dominant display saw them level the scores at 12 each on the half hour, before the Eagles responded. Pat Walker and QLT combined to free Scott Turner, who tiptoed his way down the touchline to give the visitors a 16-12 lead at the break.

Early in the second half they extended their lead, after Armstrong romped over to secure his second on 51 minutes. The Eagles 22-12 lead lasted until there were only ten minutes left on the clock, when Keighley managed to pull the lead down to only four points With three minutes left, the Cougars looked as though they were about to take the game, when a loose pass was intercepted by Misi Tualapapa, who raced the length of the field to take the game, 28-18, with Brambani converting. Sheffield moved up to third in the league with 28 points , only four points behind the leaders Halifax, who had lost to Featherstone that weekend.

May started with a Friday night clash against Dewsbury Rams at Don Valley. Unlike their Cup meeting, it was the Eagles that raced into an early lead. Menzie Yere muscled his way over from an Andrew Henderson pass in the first five minutes, Dominic Brambani converting. Six minutes later Henderson’s pass was instrumental in enabling Misii Tualapapa to touch down near the flag. A Brambani 40/20set up the third try, with Mitch Stringer reaching out to finish on the right, which with Brambani’s conversion had the Eagles ahead 16-0, on 21 minutes. Dewsbury managed to work their way back into the game, scoring a couple of converted tries before the half-hour and could have gone ahead if they had not fumbled a clear scoring opportunity. However it was Yere who ended the scoring in the first half, his power taking him over into the corner, to give the hosts a 20-12 lead at the break.

After the interval Sheffield went further ahead on 51 minutes, with QLT weaving in from a Walker pass, with Brambani adding the goal. Five minutes later Dewsbury responded with a converted try to reduce the lead to eight points, before James Davey and then Yere, completing his hat trick, ensured that Sheffield would take the game 36-18.

In the May edition of the Rugby League Monthly, Mitch Stringer was announced as their Championship Player of the month, with QLT. Menzie Yere and Dominic Brambani joining him in the team of the month, Pat Walker just losing out in the nomination for stand-off half. 

In the middle of May the Eagles were involved in Cup Competitions. In the first week they played Halifax in the Challenge Cup and in the Second they played Barrow in the knock out stage of the Northern Rail Cup.

May ended with a home clash with Halifax at Bramall Lane. Halifax started the stronger and opened the scoring after eight minutes. Midway through the half Eddy Battye charged over for his first of the season, Dominic Brambani converting to level the scores. Three minutes later, Sheffield hit the front when Pat Walker’s kick to Scott Turner fortuitously bounced into the arms of Menzie Yere, who then returned the ball to Walker to touch down. Brambani’s conversion gave the hosts a 12-6 lead. With six minutes to the interval Halifax were penalisd for slowing down the ruck, Brambani goaling the kick to increase the half time lead to 14-6.

Halifax again started the better on the restart to score and reduce the lead to just two points. Sheffield refused to let the visitors gain the upper hand. Ben Gledhill made good yards before offloading to QLT, who sprinted away to score.

This was followed by a Duane Straugheir touchdown from a palm back by Tom Armstrong off a Brambani kick. Brambani’s conversion gave Sheffield a 24-12 lead after 54 minutes. With 13 minutes left Yere scored the try of the match, racing away down the left, throwing a dummy pass to QLT before blitzing the last defender to score. Halifax scored with eight minutes to go but Brambani denied them a bonus point with a last minute drop goal. Victors by 31-18, Sheffield, although still third, were only one point behind new league leaders Featherstone.

The following Wednesday the Eagles played their postponed match away to Hunslet Hawks. In the first half, Sheffield built up a steady lead with a double from Menzie Yere, a try from Tom Armstrong and a diving touchdown by Scott Turner. Dominic Brambani converted two out of the four kicks. Hunslet hit back with two tries in the last ten minutes of the half, to reduce the Eagles lead to 2010 at the interval. A further converted Hawks try after the restart stung the visitors into action, with QLT scoring two quick tries, his second from a 50 metre break. Duane Straugheir crashed over for Sheffield’s last try, with Brambani scoring his fifth conversion of the night. Although Hunslet managed to pull a score back with five minutes left, it was the Eagles who secured the victory, 3822, that took them to the top of the league. 

Sheffield consolidated their position with the following away trip to Barrow Raiders on June 2nd. It was a game with end to end action, the result not being known until the final hooter. Barrow took the game to the Eagles in the opening session of the first half, scoring in the fifth minute to take a 6-0 lead. Sheffield gradually eased themselves back in, Michael Knowles going close before Dominic Brambani carved open a space for QLT to race over out wide with 17 minutes gone. An error by the Barrow defence, four minutes later, created the next scoring opportunity for the visitors. The dropped ball was scooped up by Knowles who sent QLT on a 30 metre dash for the line, to give Sheffield an 8-6 advantage. Barrow hit back as they went close, but spilled the ball. A Brambani kick at the other end was palmed back by Misi Tualapapa to Menzie Yere, who knocked on as he went over. On 29 minutes the lead was back in Barrow’s hands as they touched down to take the lead, 12-8. The Eagles responded with a cross the field move which saw Knowles being held up a foot short of the Raiders line. 

With four minutes to the interval it was Sheffield who took the lead again, when a last tackle chip was grounded by QLT for his hat trick, Brambani goaling the conversion. The visitors went in at the break, 14-12 ahead.

The visitors applied the pressure after the restart with Dario Esposito spilling the ball as he went in under the posts. Sheffield had five successive penalties after that, but the Raiders defence remained solid. Then on 56 minutes Andrew Henderson struck from 30 metres out pulling clear of defenders to touchdown, Brambani adding the vital goal to extend the visitors lead to 20-12 This was followed by chances for Tom Armstrong and QLT which were thwarted by last ditch tackles. With a quarter of an hour left, the momentum swung back to Barrow. After an inordinate amount of pressure, the Eagles defence finally cracked with six minutes left, as Barrow pulled the lead back to only two points. Despite efforts to overcome that deficit, the result stood. With a 20-18 victory, Sheffield remained top of the Championship.

The Eagles were in Northern Rail Cup action the following weekend as they faced Dewsbury at Don Valley. The following weekend they were in action yet again at home to Whitehaven, the victors of their Easter Monday duel. But a repeat of that defeat was not to be, as QLT put the hosts ahead, after joining the line and jinking through to score after nine minutes of the half. Dominic Brambani added the extras establishing a 6-0 lead. Five minutes later the visitors had levelled the scores, but with three tries in six minutes, Sheffield developed a commanding lead. The first on 18 minutes was created by a Scott Turner break, who then passed to Menzie Yere to score. Then it was Turner’s turn after QLT had made the initial break, three minutes later. Then QLT notched his second running from the base of a scrum ten metres out. Brambani goaled two out of the three conversions. A further two tries in the last five minutes effectively ended the tie. A reverse pass from Brambani sent Yere through the line with the scrum half in support,who went in under the posts. Then after the Whitehaven kick off went out on the full, Peter Green, from the resultant penalty, barged in over the line. With Brambani’s conversions the hosts ended the half 38-6 ahead.

Yere scored his second of the tie minutes after the restart, following up a Brambani chip, before linking up with QLT to send him in for his hat-trick. Brambani goaled one out of his two attempts. On the hour Whitehaven had a profitable few minutes scoring twice to reduce the hosts lead to 26 points. However it was the home side who completed the scoring, running in two tries in the remaining eleven minutes. First Pat Walker took on the Whitehaven defence and touched down on the left. Then Tom Armstrong pounced on a Brambani grubber which, with Brambani’s conversions, ended the tie 56-18. Mark Aston was critical of his team’s defensive display however, as he had challenged them to only let in 10 points, but they had allowed the visitors to score 18.

Sheffield were next away the following Thursday against Batley Bulldogs. Played in very wet conditions, with torrential rain , in front of the TV cameras it was an arm wrestle of a game. The Eagles handled the conditions better than their hosts, mainly through their kicking game. Playing up the slope the visitors hemmed Batley into their 10 metre area with challenging kicks. On three minutes Dominic Brambani hoisted a kick to the left corner, which both Menzie Yere and a Batley defender missed. Fortunately it bounced off Scott Turner’s leg into the hands of Michael Knowles who went over to score, but Brambani missed the conversion. Sheffield threw plenty at the Buldogs line, but their defence held and, after 20 minutes, a rare breakout saw them score to take the lead 6-4. That lead was short lived however.. An attempted 40/20 from Brambani was collected by a Batley defender, who was then ripped of possession by Pat Walker. The stand off went on to dive over under the sticks, restoring the visitors lead, 10-6. 

That’s how it remained into the interval.

The second half was attritional, both sides having chances but failing to capitalise on them. Duane Straugheir attacked the Batley line with 50 minutes gone and appeared to have been tackled on the line, but he managed to turn and force himself over the whitewash for a unconverted try, extending the visitors lead to 14-6. With just 10 minutes left Brambani was caught offside and from the resultant penalty, Batley reduced the lead, to bring the Bulldogs within one score. After Walker’s field goal seemed to have gone through the posts, the referee ruled it out, immense pressure was put on the Eagles line, but the defence held out. Sheffield’s victory, 14-8 put them on 46 points, maintaining their league leaders position by two points over the chasing pack.

July started with a home tie against Swinton Lions. An error strewn game saw the Eagles maintain top spot in the Championship with Menzie Yere scoring a hat-trick of tries. His first came after just three minutes and was his 100th of his Sheffield career. Michael Knowles offloaded in the tackle to QLT, whose inside ball sent Yere crashing over. Dominic Brambani added the conversion. Swinton responded with a converted try immediately and then a scrappy period of play ensued. It was Tom Armstrong who secured the next try on the stroke of half time. QLT’s short pass put him through, but Brambani missed with the kick. Sheffield were back in front, 10-6.

The opening stages of the restart effectively decided the tie, as the hosts scored three tries in 12 minutes. Firstly James Davey broke away from dummy half, passing to Matt Garside to score and then Yere scored his second and third tries of the evening. Pat Walker provided for both, firstly with a short ball that sent him racing through a gap in the defence, then with a perfectly weighted grubber kick which he pounced on to complete his hat-trick. Brambani goaled all three tries, giving the Eagles a 28-6 advantage. Yere’s fourth was not long afterwards, when a set play behind the scrum, involving Walker and QLT, sent him racing over from 20 metres. Brambani was again on target. Swinton ended the scoring with an unconverted try. The 34-10 victory maintained Sheffield’s Championship lead, but by only one point from second placed Featherstone.

The next fortnight were taken up by an appearances in the Challenge Cup Quarter Finals against London Broncos and the final of the Northern Rail Cup, where they were drawn against Leigh Centurions. During that time, the Eagles slipped to second place in the league, two points behind Featherstone, (who had also a superior points difference(376 to 242)) but with a game in hand.

After the double Cup defeats they bounced back in the home fixture against Keighley Cougars at the end of July. Forced to defend against three back to back sets at the start of the game, the hosts weathered the storm, to take the lead after 16 minutes. A Sheffield kick caused Keighley to knock on, and from the resultant scrum Pat Walker flung a long pass to Menzie Yere, who sprinted down the left touchline to score, but Dominic Brambani failed to add the extras. The Cougars then kicked out on the full. From the resultant penalty QLT produced one of his trademark runs, his fancy footwork fooling the defence before offloading to Walker who scored. This time Brambani was successful, giving the hosts a 10-0 lead after 20 minutes. From the kick off Joe Hirst threw a dummy and broke through the line, before offloading to QLT. He made more yards before passing to Tom Armstrong who scored between the posts. The lead was now 16 points. On the half hour Hirst powered over the line from a short pass from James Davey, Brambani again being successful with the kick. There were no further points scored before the interval, Sheffield going in 22-0 ahead.

The second half started in much the same fashion with both sides vying for possession. However it was Mist Tualapapa who was to put the game to bed, latching onto a Walker chip to score after 56 minutes. Brambani was on target once more. With 11 minutes left, Keighley finally got their first points on the board, and scored again a few minutes later, to reduce the deficit to 28-10. However they failed to progress any further, QLT completing the scoring after his kick hit the post and bounced back into his hands to jink over the line, Brambani adding the two. The 34-10 victory put the Eagles on the same number of points as leaders Featherstone, who had lost their game, but they were still on top by virtue of their superior points difference, 374 to 266. However the Sheffield side still had that game in hand. 

The Rugby League World’s Championship Team for July contained QLT at Full Back, Misi Tualapapa on the wing, Menzie Yere at Centre, Dominic Brambani at Half Back, and Michael Knowles at Second row.

The only games the Eagles played in July were both away to the top two in contenders in the League, Leigh and Featherstone. The first game was at Leigh Centurions on the 24th. Leigh took the lead on 11 minutes against the run of play through an interception, but Sheffield narrowed to scores two minutes later when Misi Taulapapa made an unstoppable surge to the line, 6-4. Errors from the visitors enabled Leigh to extend their lead in the following ten minutes with two converted tries to 18-4. Dane McDonald had a try disallowed for obstruction, with Leigh adding their fourth with five minutes to go to the interval. On the hooter as Leigh threw a pass to the ground which they couldn’t clean up, McDonald picked it up, got it to Ryan Hepworth, who passed to Menzie Yere who touched down. With Brown’s conversion, the Eagles went in 10-24 behind.

On the restart Vinny Finnigan nearly scored but was hauled down by a Leigh defender into touch. Further errors from the visitors led to the Centurions adding a further 10 points to their tally, to establish a commanding 34-10 lead. Sheffield rallied and despite losing Joe Hirst and Brown to injury, claimed tries through Tim Bergin and McDonald. Bergin’s try came courtesy of quick hands after the visitors had forced back to back sets on 67minutes. McDonald cleverly grubbered through, picked up and ran round a Leigh defender to touchdown with three minutes left. A defeat by 22-34, but a bonus point for the Eagles never say die attitude.

Featherstone Rovers were the next opponents at their ground, Post Office Road four days later. An injury hit Sheffield failed to test the League leaders. They matched them for the first 20 minutes but after that it was one-way traffic. During that period a Mitch Stringer off load gave Misi Taulapapa the opportunity to score near the posts, with Simon Brown converting. That was the only points scored by the Eagles as Featherstone went onto to lead 16-6 by the interval, Despite second half efforts from Menzie Yere, Alex Szostak and Tim Bergin, it was only the home side who scored to take the tie 34-6. After these two consecutive defeats Sheffield had dropped to fifth only 3 points above 7th placed Halifax. 

However, they got a boost when sixth placed Barrow were deducted 6 points for breaching the 2010 salary cap, with a further 6 points deduction suspended to the end of the season. This strengthened the Eagles hold on a play-off spot. Leigh had also had 3 points deducted for the same offence. 

The Eagles entered August with six matches left to play to the end of the Championship season. They had already booked a place in the play-offs, but their final position was still up in the air. The first of those ties was a home fixture against Workington Town on a Wednesday night. Sheffield put on a strong defensive display that completely shut out the visitors, who had to play with 12 men for over an hour, as they had had a player red carded for punching QLT. 

By that point, the hosts had already developed a 12 point advantage. On six minutes Eddie Battye offloaded to Dominic Brambani, whose grubber kick was grounded by Matt Garside, the scrum half adding the conversion. The next to score was Battye six minutes later, sliding over the line from a short flat pass from James Davey. Brambani was successful again. Minutes after the dismissal it was Menzie Yere’s turn to score his 35th try of the season, which equalled QLT’s club record of tries scored registered in the previous season. Pat Walker was the provider after collecting a Town kick, sending Yere racing down the left to score. Brambani made it three from three. Sheffield could have scored more as they dominated play, yet were unable to turn possession into much needed points to improve their points difference position. They went in 18-0 ahead at the end of the half.

QLT notched his 26th of the campaign on 53 minutes, courtesy of a 50 metre sprint to the line. Walker took over kicking duties and added the extras. Cory Aston came off the bench to make his league debut. In his first play he passed to Michael Knowles who almost broke through to score, but offloaded to Aston to touch down. Again Walker was successful with the boot, increasing the lead to 30-0. Workington had a couple of chances, but could not convert them into points. With six minutes left in the game, Mitch Stringer ended the scoring by barging over from Davey’s inside ball. Walker converted to give the Eagles yet another victory, 36-0, moving the hosts back into pole position in the Championship, three points ahead of Featherstone.

The following Sunday, the Eagles were away at York City Knights. The hosts were 6-0 up after eight minutes and it was not until the 20th minute that Sheffield drew level through a try by Mitch Stringer. Four minutes later, York retook the lead. On the half hour Michael Knowles brought the teams level again, but it was York who again pulled ahead 16-12 five minutes later. Just before the break QLT got the first try of his hat-trick to enable the visitors to take a half time lead 16-18. The second half was all Sheffield as they turned the screw on their opponents. Two more tries for QLT in the 62nd and 73rd minutes, a try from Menzie Yere on 58 minutes and a last minute touchdown from Tom Armstrong, ensured the visitors took the points. Dominic Brambani goaled all seven conversions, to give Sheffield a 42-16 victory, reaffirming their hold on the Championship top spot. Yere’s try meant that he had surpassed the Eagles try scoring record of 35 in a season set in 2012. He was only seven tries short of Daryll Powell’s total of 114 career tries with the club.

The following Friday Leigh Centurions were the opponents at Don Valley, three weeks after the Rail Cup defeat. A determined, steely defence from the hosts, laid the foundations for an impressive win. A high quality, high tempo start, saw both sides try to get the advantage over their opponents, but it was Sheffield who gradually started to dominate proceedings. The deadlock was broken when Menzie Yere scored his 37thtry of the season. Receiving a long pass from Pat Walker, he dummied the defence to score under the posts after 13 minutes. Dominic Brambani converted. Joe Hirst nearly added to it but failed to touchdown a grubber from the scrum half. Indiscipline plagued the Leigh defensive approach to the game and a series of penalties saw James Davey go down the blind side from dummy half near the Leigh line. He got the ball to Michael Knowles whose quick, flat pass to Vinny Finigan resulted in the winger diving over to score, with Brambani’s conversion giving the Eagles a 12-0 advantage on 28 minutes. Leigh fnally hit back with five minutes of the half let, to reduce the Eagles advantage to 12-6 at the interval.

At the restart, both teams had tries ruled out. Brambani kicked a penalty in front of the posts to extend the host’s lead to 8 points with 24 minutes remaining, but then missed two further penalties as nerves started to kick in. Further attempts by both sides were thwarted, but on 75 minutes Yere made the game safe, powerfully scooting from dummy half through a tired defence. Brambani converted, but in the dying seconds Leigh goaled a penalty to secure a bonus point. The 20-8 victory was Sheffield’s 13thconsecutive League win, and ample revenge for their Cup defeat. 

Due to the Challenge Cup Final weekend, Sheffield had then a nine day period to prepare for the last four games of the season. The first was at Dewsbury Rams. The Eagles were ahead after three minutes as Pat Walker and QLT combined to send Menzie Yere over the Dewsbury line for yet another try, Dominic Brambani adding the two. On 20 minutes it was Joe Hirst who scored, latching onto a Walker offload to double the visitors lead. Just after the half hour, Brambani created an opening 30 metres out, he accelerated clear but with no support his options were limited so he kicked ahead and it was Peter Green who was the first to reach the ball and touchdown. The Rams only points of the half came from a penalty goal, but they went in at the interval 18-2 behind.

Dewsbury threw caution to the wind on the restart and that resulted in a breakaway try for the visitors. QLT made a line break, passed three men before off-loading one handed to Vinny Finigan who darted down the wing to score. Brambani cooly slotted the conversion, to extend the lead to 22 points. Just after the hour mark, the Rams scored an unconverted try. However the Eagles hit back through Cory Aston , with Brambani’s kick extending their advantage to 306. In the last five minutes of the game, Dewsbury secured two consolation tries to secure the bonus point. However, Sheffield had their 14th consecutive win, 30-18, and were still three points ahead of Featherstone in the league.

The next match on the 22nd of August was the Eagles last ever home league game at Don Valley Stadium where they had played since 1991. The tie represented their 335th first team game to be played there. Of those games, 200 had been won, 126 lost and 9 drawn, with the club scoring a total of 8,921 points and conceding 6,785.

They faced Hunslet Hawks on a Thursday night, who proved to be a spirited side scoring in the second minute and then doubling their lead after 18 minutes.

Menzie Yere got Sheffield back in the game minutes later, powering over for his 40thscore of the season. Four minutes before half time, the hosts gained an unlikely interval lead. Firstly Michael Knowles climbed highest to touch down Pat Walker’s kick then James Davey used a quick tap to jink over on the right hand side. Dominic Brambani added two from three conversions to ensure a narrow 16-12 Eagles lead as the half ended.

Hunslet were back level four minutes after the restart, but with 52 minutes gone, Davey shot out from dummy half, evading several Hunslet players to regain the lead for the hosts. Three minutes later that lead was extended as Yere offloaded to Vinny Finigan, who dashed down the wing to give Sheffield some breathing space. Brambani goaled the first but missed the second, the Eagles led 26-16 with 25 minutes left on the clock. Yet just before the hour, Hunslet reduced that lead to four points. With 13 minutes left QLT ghosted through the Hunslet defence to score his 30th try of the season, and then Finigan secured his second after good work from Walker and Knowles. Brambani converted QLT’s try and in doing so broke Mark Aston’s record for goals scored in a season. Hunslet managed a late try to secure the bonus point, but it was the Eagles who, with their 15th consecutive win, went into the potential Championship decider against Featherstone, with a three point cushion. The win also meant that Sheffield had won all their home Championship games for the season.

The following Wednesday the Eagles travelled to Featherstone Rovers. They had to win to ensure that they would go into the Play-offs as holders of the Championship Leader’s Shield. If they lost, then Featherstone superior points difference, 524 to 362 would mean they would once again retain the Shield, unless they lost their last game of the season away to Hunslet and Sheffield won their away fixture against South Yorkshire rivals Doncaster.

Featherstone took an early lead 90 seconds after the kick-off. An Eagles penalty kick and tries from Michael Knowles and QLT gave the visitors the lead, 12-6 just before the half-hour. However Featherstone came back into the game scoring one minute from the interval to level the scores 12 all. On the resumption the hosts started to build up a significant lead, scoring in the 46th, 53rd, 60th and 64th minutes after which they led 34-12. Sheffield were the next to score through QLT four minutes later and then Matt Garside went over five minutes from time, reducing Featherstone’s lead to 10 points, putting Sheffield in with a chance of a bonus point. Yet that was not to be, as Featherstone scored on the hooter to take the tie, and potentially the leader’s Shield, 40-24. If the Eagles had secured that bonus point, they would have gone into the final week still on top by one point, just needing to match Featherstone’s performance at Hunslet. 

Mark Aston was unhappy with a number of decisions made by the officials that went against his side, notably when a knock on wasn’t given in a move from which Rovers scored. 

Sheffield entered their final away game against Doncaster with a very slim outside chance of still overhauling Featherstone, if they lost their final game. They were quick out of the blocs, nearly scoring, but Mitch Stringer dropped the ball. Doncaster, however were the first to score on 11 minutes, extending their lead three minutes later to go 10-0 ahead. The visitors finally got a foothold in the game, when a mazy run from Misi Tualapapa had the Dons at sixes and sevens and good hands from Andrew Henderson paved the way for Menzie Yere to bulldoze over the line, despite a number of last ditch tackles. Minutes after Dominic Brambani broke through, but was halted near the line. Yet the Eagles did not have to wait long to secure parity as Yere sprinted through the Doncaster defence, passing inside to Vinny Finigan, who crossed the whitewash to score. With Brambani’s kick, the game was well poised 10 points each. However

Doncaster scored twice around the half hour mark to retake the lead 22-10. 

With minutes to go to the break, the hosts were penalised twice in succession. James Davey and Joe Hirst where held on the line, before good hands from Michael Knowles and Tualapapa sent in Yere for his second of the game, to reduce the lead to 22-14 at half time. Featherstone were 24-0 ahead at Hunslet at half-time.

Following the restart the Eagles wasted a good attacking move as Brambani errant pass saw the hosts snatch the ball, then Yere was held on the line. The Dons managed to extend their lead just after the hour and then put the game to bed four minutes later, leading 34-14. Minutes to go and QLT spotted a gap before racing over the line, Brambani converting. The Eagles had lost 34-20, remaining second in the league as Featherstone took the League Leaders Shield with their 46-8 victory over the Hawks.

As part of the reorganisation the play offs involved the top eight teams. Featherstone would play Leigh, Sheffield Halifax, Batley Workington, and Doncaster Dewsbury.

The Qualifying Play Off against Halifax took place on Friday night, the 6th of September. In a low scoring game, neither side managed to register a point in the first half. Constant rain had fallen throughout the day which had made the pitch very slippery and not conducive to free flowing rugby. There was plenty of spilled ball by both sides and a number of chances went a begging before the interval.

Early in the second half the visitors were the first to score some points with a converted try after 44 minutes, to lead 6-0. Sheffield went close to responding through Menzie Yere, but he was bundled into touch. Midway through the half both sides were reduced to 12 men, Halifax losing a player for holding down and then Matt Garside for a late shot. Halifax decided to take the penalty kick to increase their lead to 8 points. This was followed by a successful drop goal to extend the lead to 9-0. With six minutes left, Vinny Finigan picked up a dropped ball to score, with Brambani converting. The lead had been reduced to 9-6 and a grandstand finish was threatened. But this was not to be as Halifax scored two late converted tries to take the tie 21-6. Halifax progressed to the Qualifying Semi-Finals whilst the Eagles had a second chance to progress in the Preliminary Semi-Finals.

Their opponents were Dewsbury Rams in the last ever game to be played at Don Valley. Dewsbury had beaten Doncaster in the previous round to qualify for the match. Although uncertainty surrounded the future of the Eagles continuing to play in Sheffield, that did not seem to trouble the players. The club had encouraged their supporters to turn up at the game in large numbers, yet only 839 turned up on the day. Those that did not attend missed the Eagles bringing the curtain down on the Stadium in style, the highlight of which was Menzie Yere overtaking Daryll Powell’s career record of 114 tries in Sheffield colours.

Scott Turner opened the scoring after seven minutes, collecting Dominic Brambani’s kick to the corner and scoring , but the scrum half missed the conversion, A 4-0 lead soon became 10-0 three minutes later, as Rams’ indiscipline led to two penalties, which gave Yere the field position to strike. He charged onto a Pat Walker pass, taking three Dewsbury players over the line with him. Brambani was successful with the kick on this occasion. Dewsbury had a chance, but it was Mitch Stringer who was next to score on 13 minutes, marking his 250th appearance with a try. Michael Knowles had a try disallowed, but on the half hour Tom Armstrong stepped around a defender to touchdown, Brambani notching the extras. QLT sent Yere through for his second before the break, Brambani’s conversion gave the hosts a 28-0 lead at the interval.

Service continued as normal after the break with Knowles taking Walker’s long pass to score, Brambani again converting, to increase the lead to 34 points. 

Dewsbury broke their duck on 55 minutes with a converted try, but on the hour Yere claimed his hat-trick, latching onto a perfectly placed Walker banana kick and touching down on the left hand side. Brambani was successful once more, taking the score to 40-6. He then had a hand in the next two tries, first as provider with a short pass to Armstrong who scored. Then as support to Alex Szostack, who charged through the Dewsbury defence and passed inside for him to bring up the 50 points. Two late Rams’ tries added a bit of respectability to the scoreline, but it was the Eagles who went through to the Qualifying Semi Final at Halifax.

The game saw a completely different Eagles team than that that had lost their previous meeting. Stellar performances from Dominic Brambani and QLT ensured a memorable victory as Sheffield again progressed to the Grand Final.

Much of the early pressure was created by the home side but the visitors defence held firm. Yet an error created an opening for Halifax, who then exploited it to take a 6-0 lead, after 13 minutes. However that was the last time that the hosts led in the semi-final. The Eagles desperately needed to get a toe hold in the game. A penalty gave them the field position and from the next move Pat Walker went over the line and, after the video referee had scrutinised the grounding, was awarded a try, Brambani nailing the conversion to tie the scores. Two minutes on QLT, who received an inside pass from Walker, then shot 40 metres to score, Brambani’s kick putting Sheffield 12-6 ahead. They were now in the ascendancy and a third try from Misi Tualapapa ,on his return to the side, finished off a sensational Sheffield handling move on 36 minutes. Brambani missed with the kick, but the visitors had gone 16-6 in front and that’s how it remained until half time.

Halifax desperately needed a response, and they secured it just five minutes into the second half. Most of the half was a tense affair, with the Eagles leading by only 6 points. With ten minutes left, the hosts dropped the ball, which Walker dispatched for a field goal, Halifax now needing two scores to win. However it was Sheffield who got those two tries, as Halifax were taking chances to gain the initiative. A magnificent catch by Scott Turner from Walker’s kick, coupled with a last ditch grounding, killed the game off with seven minutes to go. The final try came with minutes left. A Michael Knowles chip was hacked on by Menzie Yere who over-run the ball, then kicked it back to Turner, whose superb one handed back pass allowed Walker to race over the line to touchdown. Brambani goaled the conversion and the Eagles were through to the Grand Final for the third year on the trot.

In the other Qualifying Semi Final Batley surprisingly beat favourites Featherstone Rovers by a Golden Point 21-20.

The Grand Final against Batley Bulldogs was held on 29th September at the Leigh Sports Village. Batley’s coach was John Kear. Sheffield created history by being the first team to retain the Championship title, coming from behind to triumph in the ultimate game of two halves.

The first half was all Batley as they put on their best 40 minutes performance all season to lead 12-0 at the interval. Their stern and resolute defence kept the Eagles at bay. That continued into the second half as the Bulldogs held on, denying their opponents any opportunity to get on the scoreboard. It was not until 55 minutes had elapsed that their defence was breached. A Dominic Brambani 40/20 put Sheffield in good field position. On the second tackle QLT sent Scott Turner, after some smart play at dummy half, to touchdown, but Brambani missed the conversion. All the momentum was now with the Eagles. Batley spilled the ball near their line and in the following play Andrew Henderson was held up. Then a clever cross field kick from Brambani was worked through to Menzie Yere who crashed over for his 46th try of the season, but again the scrum half was not on target with the conversion.

Sheffield still trailed by four points, with 18 minutes left on the clock. The Eagles were sensing blood when Michael Knowles came agonisingly close to scoring. However on the next set, Walker kicked an inch perfect ball that was caught by Turner who raced over to claim his second. Brambani failed again, but the game was now tied. Batley’s discipline had deteriorated as the half progressed, losing the ball in crucial positions. Their sixth penalty of the game gave possession to Sheffield. In the ensuing set Mitch Stringer managed to offload in the tackle, QLT in position to run round the defender to score the crucial try that put them in front. Brambani was successful this time and the Eagles led by 6, with ten minutes left. As the game reached its final stages, 6 became 7 as Walker landed a field goal. Batley had one last chance to get back in the game, but Misi Tualapapa managed to get the ball dead. Then, with seconds left Sheffield were awarded a kickable penalty, but Brambani failed to score. Sheffield had won 19-12, retaining their title. Although not happy with the first half performance, Mark Aston acknowledged that choice words had been spoken during the half time break. He was pleased at the final outcome.

The club’s work with schools and in the community continued apace. In 2013 they ran an Academy, Scholarship and Hallam Eagles teams, the latter winning their competition. It was also highly recognised as an asset for all the grassroots development work. Money for this work from Sport England had been reduced and so the Eagles relaunched their charitable trust to plug any funding gaps in their development work. Renamed the Include foundation they were looking to encourage at least 250 companies to donate £250 each per year to continue and expand their development activities.

In April the club had also decided to treble the number of shares it could issue, from £200k to £750k . The maximum sharehoilding was raised from 15 to 30%. Ian Swire advised that the club had been approached by a number of interested parties who were interested in putting money into the club. At the AGM club made a small loss in 2012, £4,896 compared with aprofit the year before £9,852 but with winning the Grand Finals in consecutive seasons, there was that prize money to come into the club’s coffers.

With their future in Sheffield secured for at least another two seasons and the potential for longer term tenure on the horizon, the Eagles moved towards their next Championship season with a view to progressing both on the field and off.

• Player of the Year: Mitch Stringer
• Supporter’s Player of the Year : Menzie Yere
• Players Player of the Year: Misi Tualapapa
• Website’s Reader Player of the Year: Mitch Stringer
• Shooting Star: Cory Aston
• Chairman’s Champagne Moment: Pat Walker’s ball steal and try at Batley in the league.
• International Appearances
• Menzie Yere PNG World Cup squad
• Mitch Stringer, Alex Szostack, Andrew Henderson and Duane Straugheir Scotland WC squad.
• Colton Roche – Ireland Mark Aston was the Irish coach

2013 was also a season of club records- eight were broken or equalled during the course of the season.

• Menzie Yere’s 46 tries in a season set a new mark and he passed Daryl Powell’s Sheffield careers total and equalled the tries in a game record of 5 against Leigh East. 
• In the same match Dominic Brambani set a new points and goal scoring record , 28 and 14 respectively, while he also eclipsed Aston’s record for season totals in the same categories, 168 and 361.
• The team set a new benchmark of 15 wins straight midway through the campaign and won all their 13 League home games. 
• They recorded their highest ever score in any competitions when they beat amateurs Leigh East 112-6
• They were the first team to win back to back Championship Grand Finals. 

Menzie Yere was top of the Championship try scorers list with 34 (43 if tries in the play offs were included)), whilst QLT was second with 27 (29) and Tom Armstrong 8th equal with 16 (18)

Dominic Brambani was 2nd in Championship goals scored 122 (126) and 2nd for total points scored 269(301) Menzie Yere was 7th with 136(152)

Ave Attendances fell once more from 1,003 to 928 (7.5%) compared to a Championship average decline from 1,085 to 1,065 (6%)

Mitch Stringer was crowned Championship Player of the year, as well as scooping the Rugby League Weekly’s Iron Man Award.

QLT, Menzie Yere and Stringer were in the Championship all-stars team, whilst the same three were in the Rugby League Monthly’s Team of the Year, along with Misi Tualapapa, Dominic Brambani and Andrew Henderson although the editor of the 2013-14Rugby League Yearbook believed that “in truth you could virtually list their whole squad, such was the consistency of the team”.

Menzie Yere was RL Yearbook Championship Personality of the Year.