Bradford Outmuscle Huddersfield In Epic At Odsal

ByJay Freeman
BBC Sport England


71 Comments


Bradford (4) 26


Tries: Ruan, Nikorima 2, Hooley Goals: Hooley 3, Atkin 2


Huddersfield (2) 14


Tries: Powell, Gagai Goals: 3


Bradford Bulls earned a 3rd succeeding home Super League win, emerging victorious from an impressive encounter against winless Huddersfield Giants.


In a cagey very first half, Olly Russell and Luke Hooley exchanged kicks, with the latter successful to offer Bradford a narrow half-time lead.


Tristan Powell struck for Huddersfield after the break but Leon Ruan and Jayden Nikorima struck back for the Bulls.


Jacob Gagai dragged Huddersfield back into the game but Bradford managed the win courtesy of Hooley's late shot and Nikorima's 2nd.


It was a chastening night for Huddersfield, who dropped to a 5th successive league defeat, yet the injury-hit Giants installed an admirable resurgence in a thrilling second half at Odsal.


Russell's early objective had actually nudged them ahead and, in an attritional first half, his kick was matched by Hooley later.


The game sprung into life as half-time approached, with Zac Woolford penalised for a high arm on Hooley, who properly sent out over another 2 points right in front of the posts.


Bradford sent Connor Wynne through for what they thought was the game's opening try however, after a prolonged evaluation by video referee James Vella, his rating was chalked off when it was judged Ed Chamberlain was passively offside at the point the kick was made before he ended up being active when in belongings.


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Wynne was later at fault when he spilled Russell's high ball, causing Powell thinking quickly to take ownership and after that review for the very first shot of the night.


Yet it was some quick thinking from Bradford that helped them react, as they worked the ball from their own goalline into Ruan's try within 60 seconds and then Nikorima powered over under the sticks on his launching to extend the hosts' lead.


Huddersfield then scored among the more audacious shots of the night, as Gagai snuck up on Bradford's Esan Marsters - who had actually been anticipating it to bounce dead - and dotted down with inches to spare to put the visitors within 2.


Bradford polished off the win in fine fettle with Nikorima initially offloading to Hooley, who perfectly sold a dummy before entering at the corner, before the former Salford male battered his way over for a 2nd.


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'Jayden was the video game's best player' - reaction


Bradford head coach Kurt Haggerty told BBC Radio Leeds:


"Huddersfield were actually excellent, they showed a desire and we didn't deal with their huge bodies (well) at times in the very first half, they got a roll on and we had problem with it.


"Ultimately, when we entered the video game we started playing our style - it took us too long to do that however when we turned into the game and started enhancing our line speed, I thought that started to turn the game.


"I believed Jayden was comfortably the very best player on the field. I didn't anticipate much magic from him, I simply wanted him to defend well and take the line on, however he's a superior gamer, he's been chomping at the bit to play.


"He was the distinction, wasn't he? He just requires to keep improving, keep concentrating on his defence initially and then the rest of his game will come."


Huddersfield employer Luke Robinson informed BBC Radio Leeds:


"First half we were dominant, we had the majority of the ball. But it makes it really tough to assault on this field, it's tiny.


"Very rarely will you go round people but I felt we must have made a bit more of the field positions, in attack we were a bit blunt and didn't provide enough with the ball.


"Second half we offered a seven-tackle set away, they scored, we got back into it, we gave a seven-tackle set away once again, they scored, we kicked one out on the full and it just loads so much pressure on us.


"If you do put a seven-tackle set in, we need to still have the resilience to safeguard that set. Work for your mate, for the club, for the badge, for the t-shirt. At the minute, things are simply slightly off."


Bradford: Aekins; Wynne, Marsters, Armitage, Ryan; Nikorima, Hooley; Sutton, Ackers, Ormondroyd, Chamberlain, Ruan, Mellor.


Interchanges: Atkin, Lolesio, Hallas, Souter.


Huddersfield: King; Woolford, Burgess, O'Donnell, Patolo; Powell, Russell; Lolohea, Gagai, Milne, McCormack, Lumb, Zenon.


Interchanges: Rogers, Rush, Cozza, Cassell.


Referee: Aaron Moore.


Huddersfield Giants