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 attempts from Andy Ackers, Waqa Blake and Caleb Aekins were added to by 3 charge objectives by Rowan Milnes for a 24-0 lead at half-time.


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


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


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


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


The visitors were rejected by a no-try call when Iszac Fa'asuamaleaui believed he had 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 added a third penalty goal before Blake raced away after a swift group relocation from right to delegated score the Bulls' 2nd shot.


Aekins then darted through a space left by the Catalans' front row for a 3rd shot.


Three minutes after the break, the Dragons were provided a gift when Ethan Ryan's loose pass was attacked on by Faataape, who might 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 punished as Sexton went over, however his conversion attempt went broad to leave the deficit at 14 points.


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


Blake added his second shot moments later on after Ryan combined with Milnes to cap an excellent triumph.


Bradford progress pleases Haggerty - response


Bradford Bulls head coach Kurt Haggerty told BBC Radio Leeds:


"I truly took pleasure in the first half. I really enjoyed parts of the 2nd half, especially defensively.


"We were truly careless with the ball in the 2nd half, but I liked how we turned Catalans away. We demonstrated how fit we are ... and how far we have actually can be found in a brief area of time.


"The belief of the group is actually essential, we've got another difficult game [coming up against Toulouse], it's week to week this. You can't simply peak since we have actually got an excellent crowd at Odsal.


"We'll certainly will not more than happy, we'll deal with the 2nd half, we'll fix 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