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2026 Season Review: Bradford Bulls

79 mins

Rebuilding the Bulls. Bradford Bulls are ready to kick on from their tough top flight return.

Bradford Bulls’ long-awaited return to Betfred Super League ended at the bottom of the table, but that doesn’t tell the full story of their 2026 campaign.

The Bulls will justifiably point to a lengthy injury list that robbed them of integral players throughout the campaign, especially in key positions.

But they were competitive for the majority of their games and even sat in fifth place after the opening five rounds courtesy of three early victories.

Kurt Haggerty’s side marked their return to the top flight with wins over French duo Catalans Dragons and Toulouse Olympique and then made it three home wins in a row over Huddersfield.

A more difficult run followed against some of the competition’s premier sides, before early summer wins against Hull FC and York re-ignited hopes of climbing the table.

But just two more wins followed in the second half of the season as the Bulls’ resources were stretched to their absolute limits. In their final 14 league games they conceded over 30 points on 10 occasions.

While the squad list was changing from week-to-week and included a number of mid-season additions, there were a handful of players who helped hold Haggerty’s side together on a constant basis.

The likes of Caleb Aekins, Ethan Ryan, Andy Ackers, Joe Mellor and Ryan Sutton all stood tall alongside one of those incoming signings in Chris Atkin.

Ryan topped the Bulls’ try scoring chart with powerful centre Waqa Blake not far behind, while half-back Jayden Nikorima looked a class act before injury scuppered his campaign.

At the younger end of the squad, forwards Jamie Gill and Eliot Peposhi both stepped up on their introduction to the to flight and took their chances with both hands, and will now be joined by a host of experienced figures in 2027.

The Bulls have pursued a theme of bringing back former Bradford products to the club, with John Bateman, James Bentley and Cameron Scott heading home alongside the likes of Sam Eseh and Ligi Sao.

That should add further top flight know-how to Haggerty’s disposal as he aims to build on the undoubted positives of this year despite their 14th place finish.

“It’s been a rollercoaster,” was Haggerty’s telling assessment after the Bulls’ final day defeat at York.

“We knew exactly what it was going to look like. We’ve had some great days and some tough days.

“I want finishing bottom to sting a bit and for it to drive pre-season. We’ll have a new group of people coming in who are elite Super League players, which will drive standards.

“The environment will change, the whole club will change and things will get bigger and better.”

TOP TEAM-MATE

In an injury-hit season for Kurt Haggerty’s squad, Aussie Caleb Aekins was an ever present and regularly put his body on the line from fullback in attack and defence.

YOUNG GUN

The young front rower coped superbly well with his first season in the top flight, with the highlight being his maiden Super League try at Warrington in May.

SEASON HIGHLIGHT

The Bulls were up to fifth in Betfred Super League after an accomplished home win over Huddersfield Giants in mid-March, a third victory in their opening five games.