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 very 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 charge goals by Rowan Milnes for a 24-0 lead at half-time.


Quickfire ratings from Solomona Faataape and Toby Sexton threatened a spectacular Dragons comeback in the 2nd half.


But Blake scored again to protect a famous win for the Bulls at Odsal Stadium.


Bradford took an early lead through Ackers, who weaved before powering over the line from close range after Joe Mellor kept the move alive.


2 penalties from under the sticks inside 22 minutes, penalizing a string of mistakes by the Dragons.


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


It proved to be a key minute as Milnes included a 3rd charge goal before Blake raced away after a quick team relocation from right to delegated score the Bulls' second try.


Aekins then darted through a space left by the Catalans' front row for a third try.


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


The momentum was with the visitors, and another Bradford mistake, this time from Aekins, was penalized as Sexton reviewed, however his conversion effort went broad to leave the deficit at 14 points.


Ryan nearly made amends for his error by capturing a long Milnes kick inside the Catalans' half before setting Esan Marsters away, however the video referee disallowed the try, ruling that Ryan had actually been dealt with during the play.


Blake included his second try moments later after Ryan integrated with Milnes to top an impressive victory.


Bradford development pleases Haggerty - reaction


Bradford Bulls head coach Kurt Haggerty informed BBC Radio Leeds:


"I actually delighted in the first half. I truly enjoyed parts of the 2nd half, particularly defensively.


"We were actually sloppy with the ball in the second half, however I liked how we turned Catalans away. We revealed how fit we are ... and how far we have can be found in a brief area of time.


"The belief of the group is truly crucial, we have actually got another hard game [meeting Toulouse], it's week to week this. You can't just peak due to the fact that we have actually got a good crowd at Odsal.


"We'll certainly will not more than happy, we'll deal with 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