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


Quickfire scores from Solomona Faataape and Toby Sexton threatened a spectacular Dragons in the 2nd half.


But Blake scored once again to secure a famous win for the Bulls at Odsal Stadium.


Bradford took an early lead through Ackers, who twisted and turned in the past powering over the line from close quarters after Joe Mellor kept the move alive.


Milnes kicked two charges from under the sticks inside 22 minutes, penalizing 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, however the video referee upheld the decision, ruling that he had not touched the ball down.


It proved to be a key minute as Milnes included a third penalty objective before Blake raced away after a quick team move from right to left to 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 provided a gift when Ethan Ryan's loose pass was attacked on by Faataape, who might 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 reviewed, however his conversion attempt went broad to leave the deficit at 14 points.


Ryan almost apologized for his error by catching a long Milnes kick inside the Catalans' half before setting Esan Marsters away, however the video referee prohibited the try, ruling that Ryan had actually been dealt with during the play.


Blake included his second shot moments later on after Ryan integrated with Milnes to cap an outstanding victory.


Bradford progress pleases Haggerty - response


Bradford Bulls head coach Kurt Haggerty told BBC Radio Leeds:


"I really delighted in the very first half. I actually delighted in parts of the second half, particularly defensively.


"We were truly sloppy with the ball in the second half, however I liked how we turned Catalans away. We revealed how fit we are ... and how far we have come in a brief space of time.


"The belief of the group is truly essential, we've got another tough video game [meeting Toulouse], it's week to week this. You can't simply peak since we've got a good crowd at Odsal.


"We'll definitely 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