Round 3
Bradford Bulls 32 d. Wigan Warriors 28

2007 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: United Kingdom > National > First Grade Competition: engage English Super League

Volcano erupts as Bulls power past Warriors
Sun February 25, 2007
Source: www.bradfordbulls.co.uk

Prolific tryscorer Lesley Vainikolo grabbed a glorious engage Super League hat-trick to make it a miserable homecoming for former Bradford Bulls boss Brian Noble.

Wigan Warriors coach Noble, returning to the Grattan Stadium, Odsal for the first time since his departure last April, watched his side race into a 10-0 lead inside 13 minutes only to fade in the face of a terrific Bulls onslaught.

Vainikolo took his remarkable try tally to 134 in 135 appearances and captain Paul Deacon scored his 2,000th point as the Bulls made it three wins out of three to top the table.

Great Britain prop Stuart Fielden, who like his boss was making his first return to Bradford, while Bradford hooker Terry Newton also scored against his old club.

Noble had expected to be nervous on his nostalgic return but any anxiety would have been removed by a whirlwind start from the visitors.

Second rower Bryan Fletcher pounced on Thomas Leuluai's grubber kick for the game's first try on three minutes and Pat Richards added the conversion.

Chris Ashton, switched from full-back to the wing following the late withdrawal of Mark Calderwood, then added a second, supporting a clean break by skipper Sean O'Loughlin to touch down at the corner despite a hint of obstruction early in the move.

But Bradford, the only team to have won 3 from 3 with Hull KR to playon Sunday, hit back with devastating effect.

Brilliant handling from David Solomona and Shontayne Hape got Vainikolo romping in for a try 18 minutes in and two minutes later he brushed off the attempted tackle of Ashton to grab his second.

Deacon added both conversions, the second from the touchline, to edge the Bulls in front and he was on target again to supplement Glenn Morrison's try on 69 minutes after the loose forward successfully pursued Ben Harris' speculative kick to the line.

Bradford, who had prop Andy Lynch making an impressive comeback from a broken ankle, extended their lead within three minutes when Deacon got Ben Harris through a gap and Newton was on his shoulder to touch down.

Vainikolo then raced onto Solomona's well-judged kick to the corner to complete his hat-trick and Deacon kicked his fifth goal, and with it went through the 2,000-point barrier, putting the result apparently beyond doubt.

Fielden still had his say, demonstrating neat footwork to open his try account for the Warriors and then taking Fletcher's pass to double it.

But there was no doubting Bradford's superiority and any Wigan hopes of a comeback were snuffed out by the 70th-minute sin-binning of Ashton for holding down Vainikolo in the tackle.

The Bulls ought to have made more of a clean break from full-back Michael Platt, while prop Joe Vagana reached the line only to be turned on his back by former team-mate Michael Withers.

Leuluai jinked his way over for a fifth Wigan try three minutes from the end and Richards kicked his fourth goal but it was perhaps a score that flattered the visitors and Deacon had the final say with a late penalty goal just before the hooter.

Bradford Bulls (18) 32
Tries: Vainikolo 3, Morrison, Newton
Goals: Deacon 6

Wigan Warriors (10) 28
Tries: Fletcher, Ashton, Fielden 2, Leuluai
Goals: Richards 4

Bradford Bulls: Platt, St Hilaire, B. Harris, Hape, Vainikolo, I. Harris, Deacon, Vagana, Newton, Feather, Burgess, Solomona, Morrison.
Replacements: Cook, Henderson, Evans, Lynch.

Wigan Warriors: Withers, Ashton, Bailey, Vaealiki, Richards, Barrett, Leuluai, Fielden, Higham, Paleaaesina, Hock, Fletcher, O'Loughlin.
Replacements: Millard, Prescott, Hansen, O'Carroll.

Referee: A Klein

Att: 12,798

Report source: www.bradfordbulls.co.uk


Bulls Eye: Bradford v Wigan
Fri February 23, 2007
Source: www.bradfordbulls.co.uk

In Bulls Eye this week, Bradford coach Steve McNamara and prop forward Joe Vagana look ahead to Saturday's engage Super League Round 3 game at Grattan Stadium when former coach Brian Noble makes his return to Bradford when the Bulls take on Wigan Warriors.

STEVE McNAMARA
YOU MUST BE PLEASED WITH THE WAY YOU HAVE STARTED THE SEASON?
We are in as much as it's good to have two wins against our name when some sides haven't got any but we are realistic and know that it is a long hard season and it's only just begun. We know what we have to do and that is to keep improving week by week. That is what we are looking to do and we are certainly not getting carried away because we have managed to win our first two games.

WIGAN PLAYED VERY WELL AGAINST YOU LAST SEASON?
They did. They found some areas to exploit us in and it worked for them. Hopefully we have worked on those areas and we will be looking for more consistency throughout our side.

THEY HAVE HAD A MIXED START TO THE SEASON?
I don't really buy into that theory. They lost their first game, in appalling conditions, to Warrington and that is certainly no disgrace. What they did do, in both that game and at Catalans last week, was finish very strongly. That tells you they are a very fit side and play to the end of each game. They found a way to win in France and they will be difficult opponents for us. They have strengthened well this season, particularly in the halves and that side has had a full pre season together, so they will also be looking to improve every week.

IT IS ALSO AN ISSUE THIS WEEK WITH BRIAN NOBLE, STUART FIELDEN AND MICK WITHERS RETURNING TO THE GRATTAN STADIUM FOR THE FIRST TIME AS WIGAN PLAYERS?
Yes. Those three and Phil Veivers made a big contribution to this club over a number of years and they will be looking to come back here and put one over us. But we are a different team and have some players here who are new. Their focus and ours is to go out and play well whoever is in the opposing team

JOE VAGANA
THERE WILL BE SOME EMOTIONS RUNNING FOR A FEW PEOPLE THIS WEEKEND?
It's the return of the prodigal sons, Nobby, Stu and Witho!!. There is a massive amount of games for Bradford between those guys and they are legends for what they have done for Bradford, both as a club and as a city. They have been a major part of this club's success and it will be strange for them coming back here for the first time as opponents. It will be strange for us too to have them plotting and playing against us. We have already played against Stu Fielden and Nobby last year but it will be very strange for Mick Withers. We have been talking it up this week because he lives in the same street as me, Les and Glenn Morrison. He has been coming down in his club car with Wigan stickers all over it and we have been ribbing him but I am sure there will be some emotions flying around come Saturday night.

WIGAN LOOK A MUCH BETTER SIDE THIS YEAR?
Wigan have strengthened well, particularly in the halves. Trent Barrett has played for Australia and New South Wales many times and is very experienced and Thomas Leuluai is a New Zealand test player. They have some quality halves and they have also got Phil Bailey who has played for his country. I think Gareth Hock is going well for them and he was one of the stand out players in the Tri Nations. It's going to be another very hard game for us this week but we are all looking forward to it.

SQUAD
Steve McNamara has named the following 20 man squad for the game. Chris McKenna, Andy Lynch and Ian Henderson all return to the squad.

The Squad is: I Harris, Newton, Platt, McAvoy, Evans, Feather, St Hilaire, Vagana, Hape, Henderson, Solomona, McKenna, Deacon, Burgess, B Harris, Vainikolo, Morrison, Cook, Lynch, Langley.

MILESTONES
PAUL DEACON needs nine points for a club record extending 2,000. Scrum half Deacon's 1,991 points consist of 64 tries and a club record 878 goals, including 21 drop goals, in 259 matches.

Deacon's best match total was 28 points with 12 goals and a try in the 92-0 RL Challenge Cup fourth round home defeat of Workington Town on 14 February 1999. He has kicked 10 goals or more in a match for Bradford on nine occasions

LESLEY VAINIKOLO has scored 131 tries in 134 games.

IESTYN HARRIS needs 10 points for a total of 200 for the Bulls. He has scored 29 tries, 36 goals and 2 Drop Goals.

SHONTAYNE HAPE needs 4 points for a total of 300 in the British game. He has scored 74 tries.

News sent by: www.bradfordbulls.co.uk

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