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 attempts from Andy Ackers, Waqa Blake and Caleb Aekins were contributed 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 stunning Dragons comeback in the 2nd half.


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


Bradford took an early lead through Ackers, who weaved 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, punishing 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 moment as Milnes included a 3rd charge objective before Blake raced away after a speedy team move from right to the Bulls' 2nd shot.


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


Three minutes after the break, the Dragons were offered a gift when Ethan Ryan's loose pass was caught by Faataape, who could 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 reviewed, however his conversion attempt went broad to leave the deficit at 14 points.


Ryan practically apologized for his mistake by catching a long Milnes kick 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 added his 2nd try moments later on after Ryan integrated with Milnes to cap a remarkable triumph.


Bradford development pleases Haggerty - reaction


Bradford Bulls head coach Kurt Haggerty informed BBC Radio Leeds:


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


"We were really careless with the ball in the 2nd half, however I liked how we turned Catalans away. We showed how fit we are ... and how far we have come in a brief space of time.


"The belief of the group is actually important, we've got another difficult game [coming up against Toulouse], it's week to week this. You can't simply peak due to the fact that we've got a great crowd at Odsal.


"We'll certainly won't 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