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 included 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 stunning Dragons return in the second 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 after Joe Mellor kept the relocation alive.


Milnes kicked 2 charges from under the sticks inside 22 minutes, punishing a string of errors by the Dragons.


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


It proved to be a key minute as Milnes added a 3rd penalty objective before Blake raced away after a swift group 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 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 score.


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


Ryan practically made amends 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 second try minutes later after Ryan combined with Milnes to top an impressive success.


Bradford progress pleases Haggerty - response


Bradford Bulls head coach Kurt Haggerty informed BBC Radio Leeds:


"I truly enjoyed the very first half. I truly took pleasure in parts of the second half, particularly defensively.


"We were really careless with the ball in the second half, however I liked how we turned Catalans away. We showed how fit we are ... and how far we have can be found in a short area of time.


"The belief of the group is really important, we have actually got another hard video game [coming up versus Toulouse], it's week to week this. You can't just peak due to the fact that we have actually got a great crowd at Odsal.


"We'll certainly won't more than happy, we'll address 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