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 included to by three charge objectives by Rowan Milnes for a 24-0 lead at half-time.


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


But Blake scored again to protect 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 variety after Joe Mellor kept the move alive.


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


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


It proved to be a crucial minute as Milnes included a 3rd penalty objective before Blake raced away after a swift team relocation from right to left to 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 provided a present when Ethan Ryan's loose pass was struck on by Faataape, who might not think his luck as he ran in to score.


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


Ryan almost apologized for his error by capturing a long Milnes kick inside the Catalans' half before setting Esan Marsters away, but the video referee prohibited the try, ruling that Ryan had been tackled during the play.


Blake added his 2nd shot minutes later after Ryan combined with Milnes to cap an impressive triumph.


Bradford progress pleases Haggerty - reaction


Bradford Bulls head coach Kurt Haggerty informed BBC Radio Leeds:


"I really enjoyed the very first half. I really enjoyed parts of the second half, especially defensively.


"We were truly sloppy with the ball in the second half, but I liked how we turned Catalans away. We demonstrated how fit we are ... and how far we have can be found in a short space of time.


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


"We'll definitely will not enjoy, we'll attend to the second 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