Bradford Bulls are still stuck at the very bottom of the Super League standings, a brutal two points adrift, after falling 28-18 to Toulouse Olympique at Stade Ernest-Wallon. It was a tough loss, but honestly, it was almost heroic given what they were up against. The Bulls showed some real grit, but they just couldn’t claw their way back, leaving fans wondering what it will take to get off the bottom.
17 Players Out And Coach Haggerty Still Had To Fight
Can you even imagine rolling into a Super League game with a roster that decimated? Head coach Kurt Haggerty had to name a squad of only 17 players, a shocking number that tells you everything about the uphill battle they’re facing. The injury list is brutal: Ethan Ryan, Dan Russell, Joe Keyes, and Zac Fulton were all out from a defeat just eight days earlier, plus Loghan Lewis was suspended. Haggerty had vowed they’d be competitive despite missing *seventeen* first-team players, and you gotta respect that fight. Vice-captain Ryan Sutton and winger Connor Wynne did return from injury, which was a small boost, and young gun Alfie Leake made his third appearance off the bench, with Harvey Ward making his debut. Talk about throwing youngsters into the deep end!
A Glimmer of Hope That Just Couldn’t Stick
Toulouse came out firing, putting Bradford behind 10-0 after just 17 minutes with tries from Paul Ulberg and Luke Polselli. It looked like another heavy defeat was on the cards, but Chris Atkin replied for Bradford after a scintillating run by Riley Dean. Still, John Toleafoa, with his first try of the season, restored Toulouse’s 10-point lead by half-time. The Bulls absolutely bossed much of the second half, though, with Andy Ackers deservedly touching down to cut the deficit to a nail-biting four points. But then, in the final seven minutes, Toulouse just poured it on. Mathieu Jussaume scored his 16th try of the season, and Romeo Tropis completed a team move to seal the win for Toulouse, who avenged their defeat at Bradford from back in March. Even Alfie Leake snagging his first senior try in the 80th minute couldn’t change the outcome.
It doesn’t get easier for the Bulls, who are set to host 10th-placed Castleford Tigers on Thursday. Then it’s a road trip to face York Knights, another team stuck near the bottom, just a week later. Can they dig themselves out of this hole? Every game is a fight, and they’ve got to find a way to get those crucial two points. Meanwhile, Toulouse, now with nine wins on the season, hosts Hull FC on Friday before finishing their season at Warrington Wolves.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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