BULLieve
15TH April 2013
Hi everyone,
a quick apology about last week’s edition. My laptop had given up the ghost so
I had to repair it but, with huge thanks to Gareth Summers my laptop is now
fully working.
Well, after Easter
we sat pretty in 3rd with the draw against Leeds and the great game
against the London Bronco’s in which, Jarrod Sammut scored 4 tries and a
personal haul of 30 points. The final score London 20 Bradford 46.
The club is
now pleased to announce that fans can now purchase tickets for away games,
travel and events online via http://tickets.bradfordbulls.co.uk if you have any problems in
purchasing please ring the ticket office on 08448 711 490 and we will guide you
through the process.
The draw for
the challenge cup has come around thick and fast. Bradford who was ball number
3, have been drawn away to ball number 21, Rochdale Hornets. This game will
take place on Sunday April 21st and is a 3pm kick off. Tickets are
on sale now and can be purchased online at http://tickets.bradfordbulls.co.uk Coach Travel is available priced at
£11. Book now to avoid disappointment as places will go fast.
The Bulls
are now offering the 2013 half season ticket. For only £99 you could be
standing on the terraces for the remainder of the home fixtures. This is great
value for money and can be purchased online via the ticket section which is http://tickets.bradfordbulls.co.uk
It has been
announced that club stalwart Jamie Langley wants to stay at Bradford. Currently
the longest serving player, Langley is out of contract at the end of the
season. When asked about what the future holds Langley said “I’m not sure, I
have not had a chance to sit down and talk contracts. I would love to finish my
career at Odsal and hopefully, we will sit down and move forward with contract
talks within the next few weeks.”
This week
both the Bulls under 19’s and first team took on the inform Wigan Warriors.
Firstly, on
Thursday night at the Provident Stadium it was the turn of the under 19’s squad
Kick off was at 7:30pm.
The match
got off to a good start with the scores level at 6 all after 20 minutes with
the bulls own Josh Casey's try and Curtis Naughton's goal. Then things just didn’t
work for the youngsters. Going into the break the Warriors led 6-36. The second
half was completely one sided with Wigan scoring 42 unanswered points to win
the game with an impressive score line. Full time score at the Provident
Stadium, Bradford 6 Wigan 78.
Friday night
was the Northern Soul night. This event was a complete success and, the club is
going to speak to the organizers and try holding the night again in the future.
The club would like to thank everyone who attended and made the night the
success that it was.
Saturday
night was the Fans forum night.
The main
question on everyone’s lips was, will we have a super league license next
season? Well the answer is, the board has sat down and held extensive talks
with the RFL on the Friday and Blake Solly will recommend to the board that the
Bulls be given a full license until the end of 2014.
Another issue
raised was the proposal for the club to buy the lease back from the RFL. The
club has voiced their intention and this will be an on-going process.
It was
announced that Jay Willey’s proposed purchase of a significant shareholding in
the Bulls is in the final stages of being completed and that the proposed share
issue to fans should be available within the next four weeks. The solicitors
and accountants are still finalizing details.
Sky monies
for the Bulls will still be at 50% for next season as set out in the takeover
by Omar Khan.
The concerts
in May are now cut to just the 80’s concert on Saturday 25th May and
instead, there would be events on the Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday is
involving local acts and including an Asian Mela.
So far only
around 150 half season tickets had been sold and Omar Khan has urged supporters
to back the club and take advantage of the special offer.
Francis
Cummins has said that, while results this season have been disappointing for
the Academy side, emphasis was firmly on producing players for the first-team.
Bateman, Blythe and Foster could all be available for Sunday’s challenge cup
game with Rochdale Hornets.
After the
forum, Omar Khan announced that alcohol sales will go down by 50p. So now pints
will be £2.50 and not £3.00.
Along came
game day. It was the turn of the inform Wigan Warriors to descend on the
Provident Stadium.
The Wigan
fans turned up in their numbers, 25 coaches to be precise and their team did
not disappoint.
Five tries
in the first half helped the league leaders onto a Wigan win and the Bulls
learning a lesson.
Inform second
rower Liam Farrell scored a first half hat-trick along with tries for Blake Green
and Jack Hughes. Pat Richards kicked all the 5 conversions and the Warriors
went in at half time with a 30-0 lead. The Bulls, not helped by ref Tim Roby
were disappointed and looked tired as the warrior’s pure dominance took its
toll.
In the
second half things looked better for the Bulls as, the Warriors score almost
instantly through man of the moment, Sam Tomkins with Pat Richards once again
converts.
The Bulls
finally opened their account after 52 minutes when half-back Jarrod Sammut
collected Gale's lofted kick to register his 14th try of the season to draw
level with Tomkins and also kicked the conversion. The Bulls had believed and
produced their best rugby of the match, but the uphill climb was too much and
the tank running on empty saw Elliot Whitehead sin binned after the team was on
a caution.
Final score
at the Provident Stadium, Bradford 6 Wigan 36, and Attendance 9,899 Penalty
count Bradford 8 Wigan 16.
After the
match Francis Cummins had this to say,
“Unfortunately
we couldn’t get the performance but there is still a good feeling around the
place. All credit to Wigan – they got some repeat sets and we came up with some
yardage errors. When you give all that field position to Wigan, they are very
ruthless.
It was going to be tough from there and we had
a handful of people out there who were quite flat, although I don’t think it
was a problem getting up for the game.
I’ve said this before but we probably showed bits
of naivety in our play in that Wigan are probably four years down the line from
where we are.
They are quite ruthless in what they do. You
could say it’s mechanical but it’s very effective and their discipline is very
good.”
The feeling
in and around the club is still one of excitement and anticipation. The club
and team are well ahead of all previous expectations and can only continue to
get better day by day. To see near on 10,000 fans in the Provident Stadium is
great but, the club would like to see a few more fans through the gates.
Clearing up an issue.
The club
recently had a complaint sent to them regarding myself. To clear things up
please read my statement.
Like all
people in life I have a past, it is not something I am not proud of but it has
happened. My past in no way affects the club or anybody else. I have done what I
have done, served my time and now become a far better person than I ever was
and sorted myself out. Life is very good and that good, me and my partner are
planning on getting married next year.
Also some
readers/fans think I am in a paid position at the club, this is not true. All
work I do for and with the club including this article is on a voluntary basis.
I am just a normal passionate fan like everyone else. My past should not have a
bearing on the article as; this article is for you the fans and does not
reflect me or my past. My past is my past and will never stop my passion for
the club I love nor will it hinder me in the future trying to help take the
club forward.
Well that is
it for this week’s edition of BULLieve. I hope that you will continue to read
BULLieve each and every week, keeping you informed of all things Bradford
Bulls.
Special
thanks go out to the Board of Directors and Gareth Summers who, without these people
the article wouldn’t be what it is today, Thank you all.
Until next
week, don’t stop BULLiving and please share this article with friends, family
and all other Bulls fans.
Have a great
week.
Article
written by Jay Leeming
