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: Russell 3


Bradford Bulls earned a third successive home Super League win, emerging victorious from a legendary encounter against winless Huddersfield Giants.


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


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


Jacob Gagai dragged Huddersfield back into the video game however Bradford pulled off the win courtesy of Hooley's late shot and Nikorima's second.


It was a chastening night for Huddersfield, who dropped to a fifth succeeding league defeat, yet the injury-hit Giants mounted an admirable resurgence in a thrilling 2nd half at Odsal.


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


The video 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 out Connor Wynne through for what they thought was the game's opening try however, after a lengthy review by video referee James Vella, his score was chalked off when it was judged Ed Chamberlain was passively offside at the point the kick was made before he became active when in belongings.


Super League


Warrington Wolves v Castleford Tigers


15:00 GMT on Saturday, 21 March


Wynne was later at fault when he spilled Russell's high ball, causing Powell believing quickly to take belongings and then go over for the very first shot of the night.


Yet it was some fast thinking from Bradford that assisted them respond, as they worked the ball from their own goalline into Ruan's try within one minute and after that Nikorima powered over under the sticks on his launching to extend the hosts' lead.


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


Bradford polished off the win in great fettle with Nikorima initially offloading to Hooley, who perfectly offered a dummy before going in at the corner, before the previous Salford man battered his way over for a second.


Five first-half shots assist St Helens past Toulouse


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


Bradford head coach Kurt Haggerty told BBC Radio Leeds:


"Huddersfield were really good, they showed a determination and we didn't handle their huge bodies (well) sometimes in the very first half, they got a roll on and we fought with it.


"Ultimately, when we entered the video game we began playing our style - it took us too long to do that once we turned into the video game and started improving our line speed, I believed that begun to turn the game.


"I thought Jayden was conveniently the best player on the field. I didn't anticipate much magic from him, I simply wanted him to protect well and take the line on, however he's a top-notch gamer, he's been chomping at the bit to play.


"He was the distinction, wasn't he? He simply needs to keep enhancing, keep focusing on his defence first and after that the rest of his game will come."


Huddersfield boss Luke Robinson told BBC Radio Leeds:


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


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


"Second half we gave 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 complete and it simply heaps a lot pressure on us.


"If you do put a seven-tackle set in, we need to still have the strength to defend that set. Work for your mate, for the club, for the badge, for the t-shirt. At the moment, 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