Bradford outmuscle Huddersfield in epic at Odsal
Bradford Bulls have won three of their five Super League games since returning to the top flight at the start of the season Tries: Ruan, Nikorima 2, Hooley Goals: Hooley 3, Atkin 2 Bradford Bulls earned a third successive home Super League win, emerging victorious from an epic encounter against winless Huddersfield Giants. In a cagey first half, Olly Russell and Luke Hooley exchanged kicks, with the latter successful to give Bradford a narrow half-time lead. Tristan Powell struck for Huddersfield after the break but Leon Ruan and Jayden Nikorima hit back for the Bulls.
Jacob Gagai dragged Huddersfield back into the game but Bradford pulled off the win courtesy of Hooley's late try and Nikorima's second. It was a chastening night for Huddersfield, who slumped to a fifth successive league defeat, yet the injury-hit Giants mounted an admirable comeback in a thrilling second half at Odsal. Russell's early goal had nudged them ahead and, in an attritional first half, his kick was matched by Hooley later on.
The game sprung into life as half-time approached, with Zac Woolford penalised for a high arm on Hooley, who duly sent over another two points right in front of the posts. Bradford sent Connor Wynne through for what they thought was the game's opening try but, 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 possession. Wynne was later at fault when he spilled Russell's high ball, leading to Powell thinking quickly to take possession and then go over for the first try of the night.
Yet it was some quick thinking from Bradford that helped them respond, 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 debut to extend the hosts' lead. Huddersfield then scored one of the more audacious tries of the evening, as Gagai snuck up on Bradford's Esan Marsters - who had been expecting it to bounce dead - and dotted down with inches to spare to put the visitors within two. Bradford polished off the win in fine fettle with Nikorima first offloading to Hooley, who beautifully sold a dummy before going in at the corner, before the former Salford man battered his way over for a second.
Five first-half tries help St Helens past Toulouse Bradford: Aekins; Wynne, Marsters, Armitage, Ryan; Nikorima, Hooley; Sutton, Ackers, Ormondroyd, Chamberlain, Ruan, Mellor. Huddersfield: King; Woolford, Burgess, O'Donnell, Patolo; Powell, Russell; Lolohea, Gagai, Milne, McCormack, Lumb, Zenon.