So another season over, and for the first time in the history of summer rugby the Bradford Bulls will not be contesting the play-offs.
A poor start to the season has ultimately contributed to the Bulls' failure to make the top eight, regardless of the controversy over the last day of the season, but Bradford's excellent run of form in the final weeks of Super League XIV at least bodes well for the 2010 campaign.
In my last column I said that the side's chances of reaching the play-offs were a long shot, and it proved so up until the last day, but for a while fortune seemed to be swinging in their favour.
After a comfortable home victory against Catalans Dragons on August 23rd, Bradford welcomed Salford to the Grattan Stadium on September 6th and continued their impressive run with a convincing home win.
The red of the Salford shirts was seemingly a rag to the Bulls, whose forwards destroyed the Lancashire outfit with some punishing runs.
Jamie Langley and Semi Tadulala both managed braces and Andy Lynch touched down once, but it was Chris Nero who was emperor for the day after scoring a hat-trick of tries.
His fancy footwork bamboozled Salford's defence and, thanks to the accurate boot of Paul Deacon, the Odsal outfit notched up a 44-18 win, their fourth victory on the bounce.
Hopes of a quintet of victories and a once-unlikely place in the play-offs must have filled Bradford hearts as the players made the trip to face Hull FC at the KC Stadium on September 11th.