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 made a 3rd successive home Super League win, emerging victorious from a legendary encounter against winless Huddersfield Giants.
In a cagey first half, Olly Russell and Luke Hooley exchanged kicks, with the latter effective to offer Bradford a narrow half-time lead.
Tristan Powell struck for Huddersfield after the break however and Jayden Nikorima countered for the Bulls.
Jacob Gagai dragged Huddersfield back into the game but Bradford pulled off the win thanks to Hooley's late try and Nikorima's second.
It was a chastening night for Huddersfield, who dropped to a 5th successive league defeat, yet the injury-hit Giants mounted an exceptional resurgence in a thrilling second half at Odsal.
Russell's early objective had pushed them ahead and, in an attritional very first half, his kick was matched by Hooley in the future.
The video game sprung into life as half-time approached, with Zac Woolford punished for a high arm on Hooley, who properly sent out over another two points right in front of the posts.
Bradford sent out Connor Wynne through for what they believed was the game's opening shot but, after a lengthy 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 possession.
Super League
Warrington Wolves v Castleford Tigers
15:00 GMT on Saturday, 21 March
Wynne was later on at fault when he spilled Russell's high ball, leading to Powell believing quickly to take ownership and after that review 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 shot 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 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 wonderfully sold a dummy before entering at the corner, before the former Salford guy battered his way over for a second.
Five first-half shots help St Helens past Toulouse
'Jayden was the game's finest player' - response
Bradford head coach Kurt Haggerty told BBC Radio Leeds:
"Huddersfield were actually great, they showed a determination and we didn't handle their big bodies (well) at times in the first half, they got a roll on and we dealt with it.
"Ultimately, when we got into the video game we began playing our design - it took us too long to do that however as soon as we became the video game and began improving our line speed, I thought that begun to turn the video game.
"I believed Jayden was easily the very best player on the field. I didn't expect much magic from him, I simply wanted him to safeguard well and take the line on, however he's a superior gamer, he's been chomping at the bit to play.
"He was the difference, wasn't he? He just requires to keep improving, keep focusing on his defence first and then the rest of his video game will come."
Huddersfield manager Luke Robinson informed BBC Radio Leeds:
"First half we were dominant, we had most of the ball. But it makes it really hard to assault on this field, it's small.
"Very seldom will you go round people but I felt we ought to have made a little bit more of the field positions, in attack we were a bit blunt and didn't offer enough with the ball.
"Second half we provided a seven-tackle set away, they scored, we got back into it, we provided a seven-tackle set away 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 must still have the resilience to safeguard that set. Work for your mate, for the club, for the badge, for the shirt. At the minute, things are just 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