Bradford 12-4 Leeds

[josie andrews]

Crisis club Bradford won a gritty derby at Odsal as Super League champions Leeds endured a third straight defeat.
In front of a healthy gate of 20,851, Zak Hardaker's try was the only score before the break and it took until 65 minutes to force another breakthrough.
But loose forward Jamie Langley's try levelled it, Jarrod Sammut's conversion putting the Bulls in front.
Ben Jeffries sealed victory six minutes from time before the Bulls had Bryn Hargreaves dismissed late on.
Not even the Bradford prop's late dismissal for a spear tackle on England captain Jamie Peacock could take the shine off a tremendous performance.
Bradford were also down to 12 men earlier when Olivier Elima spent 10 minutes in the sin bin.
On a night of high emotion at Odsal, a bumper crowd of 20,821 turned out in Bradford's hour of need, ahead of Saturday's expected announcement on the club's future.
And, already without 10 members of his senior squad through injury, Bradford coach Mick Potter was forced to reshuffle his side after losing winger Karl Pryce in the opening stages.
The champions were still without their two key creative sparks, long-serving half-backs Danny McGuire and Rob Burrow, but that gave teenager Stevie Ward another chance to demonstrate his potential.
Defences were on top throughout a scrappy first half, the only score coming after 14 minutes when Leeds centre Hardaker touched down for the fifth consecutive game, taking Brent Webb's pass and stretching for the line.
Elliott Whitehead went close eight minutes into the second half when he was held up on his back over the line, while substitute prop Phil Joseph was brought back for a forward pass.
But the frustrations of such an intensely dour contest boiled over into a couple of minor skirmishes, with French forward Elima sin-binned on the hour by referee Ben Thaler for dissent.
Down to 12 men, the Bulls produced their best spell of the match as the crowd got behind them.
Winger Shaun Ainscough, on his first appearance of the season, broke clear only to fail to use his support, but Bradford maintained the pressure and, after Heath L'Estrange's bouncing kick caused havoc in the Leeds defence, Langley touched down.
With the scores tied, Sammut maintained his composure to land the angled conversion. And it was no surprise when the Bulls extended their lead, Jeffries gathering in his own kick to grab the second try, Sammut's second goal giving the home side an eight-point cushion.
Bradford ought to have added another try, Danny Addy breaking clear to get Ainscough in sight of the line, only for Leeds to scramble away the danger.
The game ended on a sour note with Hargreaves' dangerous tackle on Peacock, but the Bulls supporters were already in celebratory mood by then.
GOOD FRIDAY LINE-UPS

Bradford: Kearney; Pryce, Purtell, Lulia, Ainscough; Sammut, Jeffries; Manuokafoa, Diskin, Hargreaves, Elima, Whitehead, Langley.
Replacements: L'Estrange, Burgess, Joseph, Addy.
Sin Bin: Elima (62).
Sent Off: Hargreaves (78).
Leeds: Webb; Jones-Bishop, Watkins, Hardaker, Hall; Sinfield, Ward; Griffin, McShane, Peacock, Clarkson, Delaney, Ablett.
Replacements: Bailey, Kirke, Leuluai, L. Smith.
Attendance: 20,851.
Referee: Ben Thaler (Wakefield).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/17603140

[Kittwazzer]

I was so wrapped up in our fantastic victory that I didn't know about this until I picked up the paper this morning. Good day all round!

[TrueBlueWarrior]

I hate Leeds and love seeing them lose, not ashamed to admit it!

[josie andrews]

Bradford Bulls extend deadline as they close in on £500,000 target


Bradford Bulls have extended their fundrasing appeal until Easter Monday after falling just short of their £500,000 target.

The 105-year-old club had received £480,000 when the 1130 BST deadline passed on Saturday.

Bulls chairman Peter Hood again appealed to fans to put their hands in their pockets to help the ailing club.

"It has been a humbling experience for all of us, for which we'd like to express our gratitude," he added.
Fans have flocked to show their support after the club announced they must raise £1m to avoid financial meltdown - with the first half needed by mid-April.

An impressive crowd of 20,851 turned out at Odsal to support the Bulls on Friday night as they beat Super League champions and arch-rivals Leeds 12-4.

With the club close to hitting their initial target after only 10 days, Hood said: "I want to applaud all the fans, local businesses and the rugby league community as a whole for their thousands of pledges of support.

"I also want to thank everyone who was at Odsal Stadium last night for their contribution to a wonderful advertisement for Super League.

Bulls' major honours

World Club Championship - 2002, 2004, 2006

Super League champions - 1997, 2001, 2003, 2005

Minor Premiers - 1999, 2001, 2003

Grand Finalists - 1999, 2002, 2004

Challenge Cup winners - 1943-44, 1946-47, 1948-49, 2000, 2003.

"With staff still processing pledges that have come in overnight, and are still coming in this morning, we are within reach of our first goal of £500,000, with the current total approaching £480,000.

"Many people have indicated they have yet to pledge. We have therefore decided to keep the pledge open until midnight on Monday."

The Super League Players' Association (1eagu3) and the All Party Parliamentary RL Group have also written to the Royal Bank of Scotland to ask them to offer Bradford assistance.
The club's troubles came to a head after a decision by RBS to reduce the club's overdraft facility because of the sale of the lease on Odsal, which had been previously used as security on the debt.

A letter to the bank made public by 1eagu3 chief executive officer Ernie Benbow said: "It was with great distress that we read of the RBS decision to reduce the Bradford Bulls' overdraft facility.

"The reduction in this facility places the club in a perilous position which has implications not only for our members but the fan base, the citizens of Bradford and the sport of rugby league.

"If the Bradford Bulls do not survive their current predicament it will affect not only the employment of our members and the other Bulls employees but the very soul of the Bradford community will be ripped out; the Bradford heartbeat will stop."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/17643833

[Sutty]

One recurring thing that I think of, whenever I read about this story,is that the Bulls owed £1m. They have done a stirling effort to raise the first half million in such a short space of time. Largely thanks to donations from fans of other clubs and personnel in the Rugby League fraternity.

However, how are they going to raise the second half million? I can't help thinking that people will not be as forthcoming in their donations, a second time round.

I'm really divided on this subject. On one hand, it's good for the league to have clubs like the Bulls and all that they have brought to Superleague over the last 15 years or so.
But, on the other hand, I also feel really sorry for teams like Halifax, who have pulled out all the stops to try and get a Superleague license but have failed.

Seeing as this situation, at Bradford, will have been ongoing for some time, the RFL must have known about it and "turned a blind eye" to the situation.

At the end of the day, the superleague is a business and clubs that are in such financial crisis should not be allowed to partake, at what is in effect, the expense of another club that is financially stable and meets all the criteria set out for the licensing.

I felt the same last year, with the whole Wakefield farce. How they were given a license is beyond me. With all their financial difficulties, the team underperforming and the very poor ground and facilities. Compared, again, to other teams in the Championship who meet all the set criteria for applying for a SL license.

It's a difficult one, and someone's always going to be left out and feel let down, but at the end of the day, that's the cold harsh reality of modern day business.

[ancientnloyal]

Would it be better to go bankrupt and form a new club (Bradford Northern)... play in League 2 and build back up? Afterall Odsal is safe isnt it?

IMO it's an easier way although a bit nasty for all involved. A brand new club on paper with a new board

they'll only be gone for 2 years if their support remains loyal like Leeds Utd or Newcastle Utd - if you get me.

[Nezza Faz]

The RFL did act positively - they purchased Odsal for them when the bank pulled their overdraft, leaving them without cash flow. This also prevented the club going into administration and therefore losing their assets, at which point the ground could and would have been sold to private developers and there'd never be rugby played on it again.

Over the last couple of years, the Bulls had gone to the RFL for loans and grants to enable them to pay their way, and the RFL had lent them huge sums to keep them alive. This time, they said there was no more money available. The Bulls also had long-term advances on their Sky moneies to keep them afloat.

There comes a time when there is no more and this is perhaps a reflection of what the League make of their Board in running their affairs.

[exile in Tiger country]

All this doesn't really stack up for me. If as Nezza says, and i'm not doubting him at all, is true then the RFL have known about Bradford's situation for a long time, then why give them a franchise and list them as grade "B"?

Also in a era of a so called "live " salary cap, how can any team get themselves into this mess in the first place?

It begs the question how many other teams are close to Bradford's situation!

I was always suspicious of Bradford in their halcyon days, as to how many of them actually paid to get through the gate, looks like tradition has continued.

I think the majority of SL clubs run at a loss.
Bradford's main issue is not having a chairman that is prepared to look upon his club as a hobby, rather than a business, and stump up loads of cash to pay any bills.