Blake Scores Twice As Bradford Beat Catalans

20 February 2026


Bradford (24) 28


Tries: Ackers, Blake (2 ), Aekins Goals: Milnes (6 )


Catalans (0) 10


Tries: Faataape, Sexton Goals: Sexton


Bradford Bulls marked their first Super League home match for 12 years with an emphatic 28-10 win over Catalans Dragons.


Converted tries from Andy Ackers, Waqa Blake and Caleb Aekins were added to by three penalty goals by Rowan Milnes for a 24-0 lead at half-time.


Quickfire scores from Solomona Faataape and Toby Sexton threatened a spectacular Dragons comeback in the second half.


But Blake scored again to secure a well-known win for the Bulls at Odsal Stadium.


Bradford took an early lead through Ackers, who twisted and turned previously powering over the line from close quarters after Joe Mellor kept the move alive.


Milnes kicked 2 charges from under the sticks inside 22 minutes, penalizing a string of errors by the Dragons.


The visitors were rejected by a no-try call when Iszac Fa'asuamaleaui thought he had scored on the line, however the video referee maintained the choice, ruling that he had actually not touched the ball down.


It showed to be an essential minute as Milnes included a 3rd charge goal before Blake raced away after a speedy team move from right to delegated score the Bulls' 2nd shot.


Aekins then darted through a gap left by the Catalans' front row for a third shot.


Three minutes after the break, the Dragons were offered a gift when Ethan Ryan's loose pass was caught by Faataape, who could not believe his luck as he ran in to score.


The momentum was with the visitors, and another Bradford error, this time from Aekins, was punished as Sexton discussed, but his went wide to leave the deficit at 14 points.


Ryan practically made amends for his mistake by capturing a long Milnes kick inside the Catalans' half before setting Esan Marsters away, but the video referee prohibited the shot, ruling that Ryan had actually been tackled during the play.


Blake included his second try minutes later after Ryan combined with Milnes to cap an outstanding triumph.


Bradford development pleases Haggerty - response


Bradford Bulls head coach Kurt Haggerty informed BBC Radio Leeds:


"I truly enjoyed the first half. I truly enjoyed parts of the second half, particularly defensively.


"We were really careless with the ball in the second half, however I liked how we turned Catalans away. We demonstrated how fit we are ... and how far we have actually come in a brief area of time.


"The belief of the group is truly crucial, we have actually got another tough video game [coming up versus Toulouse], it's week to week this. You can't just peak because we have actually got a good crowd at Odsal.


"We'll certainly won't be pleased, we'll resolve the 2nd half, we'll repair it."


Bradford: Aekins; Wynne, Marsters, Blake, Ryan; Hooley, Milnes; Sutton, Ackers, Lewis, Chamberlain, Fulton, Mellor.


Interchanges: Souter, Scurr, Doro, Peposhi.


Catalans: Staines; Makinson, Cotric, Faataape, Simm; Sexton, Dodd; Satae, Da Costa, Navarrete, Lipowicz, Condon, Leeming.


Interchanges: Fa'asuamaleaui, Allen, Lis, Chan.


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20 February