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 objectives by Rowan Milnes for a 24-0 lead at half-time.


Quickfire ratings from Solomona Faataape and Toby Sexton threatened a sensational Dragons return in the 2nd 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 before powering over the line from close quarters after Joe Mellor kept the relocation alive.


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


The visitors were rejected by a no-try call when Iszac Fa'asuamaleaui believed 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 showed to be a key moment as Milnes added a 3rd charge goal before Blake raced away after a speedy group relocation from right to delegated score the Bulls' second try.


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


Three minutes after the break, the Dragons were offered a present when Ethan Ryan's loose pass was caught by Faataape, who could not think 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 reviewed, but his conversion effort went broad to leave the deficit at 14 points.


Ryan nearly apologized for his mistake by catching a long inside the Catalans' half before setting Esan Marsters away, however the video referee prohibited the shot, ruling that Ryan had actually been taken on during the play.


Blake included his 2nd try moments later after Ryan combined with Milnes to cap an excellent success.


Bradford progress pleases Haggerty - response


Bradford Bulls head coach Kurt Haggerty informed BBC Radio Leeds:


"I really enjoyed the very first half. I really delighted in parts of the 2nd half, especially defensively.


"We were truly sloppy 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 come in a short space of time.


"The belief of the group is really crucial, we've got another difficult video 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 won't enjoy, we'll resolve 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