By Phil Harlow
BBC Sport at Old Trafford |
Iestyn Harris says Bradford's 15-6 win over former club Leeds in Saturday's Super League Grand Final is the highlight of his illustrious career.
"To win the Grand Final is probably the best memory I've had in the game," the Bulls stand-off told BBC Sport.
"It's something I've craved to win since Super League started. It's a really special moment for me."
Harris, whose drop-goal sealed victory at Old Trafford, spent five years with Leeds before switching codes.
The 29-year-old Welshman has been the subject of legal action from the Rhinos after opting to join Bradford on his return from a three-year stint in rugby union.
Leeds said they had a written agreement entitling them to first option on Harris' services, a verdict supported in principle by an initial court judgement that has done nothing to improve relations between the bitter rivals.
But Harris's chances of putting one over his former employers looked distant back in June when a dismal Bradford fell to a humiliating 66-4 defeat against St Helens.
The thrashing left the Bulls languishing in mid-table, with a play-off place far from certain.
 |  It's a special team and this is something we'll all remember for the rest of our lives |
Harris admitted things looked bleak, saying: "I think we all doubted.
"Sometimes it just doesn't go for you. It's not that you're not working hard as a team - you're probably trying harder if anything - but it's just not happening.
"There's no one thing you can say changed the season but we all worked hard and things got better. We got players back from injury and we slowly started to get our confidence back."
Harris said he was relieved to have finally won a Super League title after playing in losing Grand Final sides in 1998 and 2004.
"It's a special team and this is something we'll all remember for the rest of our lives," he said.
"Our defence, especially in the second half, was great. Leeds are an excellent attacking side. We had to be on the mark and it makes the victory even sweeter.
"I thought it was a scrappy affair. If you look back at last year's final, I thought this game was very similar.
"We kept them under the cosh and they were continually coming back from their own line. That's what they did to us last year."
MMIX
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