MATCH REPORT: Bradford Bulls 20-6 London Broncos

MATCH REPORT: Bradford Bulls 20-6 London Broncos

The 2025 Betfred Championship season kicked off for London Broncos at Bradford Bulls Odsal Stadium.

In what was a typically chilly February afternoon there were contrasting expectations on the respective teams seasons. For Mike Eccles’ Broncos there were just five players in the matchday squad who had featured in the 2024 season and only 4 who had played a league game. Whilst for Brian Noble’s hosts they had recruited heavily and their plan is to be in Super League as soon as 2025.

Despite Jake Thewlis and Zac Bardsley-Rowe only joining up with the Broncos squad this week the pair went straight into the starting line-up alongside fellow teenager and loan player Kian McDermott. Meanwhile Lukas Mason was named as interchange. 

Alex Walker got things underway as he kicked things off and it quickly became apparent that this Broncos side were not intimidated by the task in front of them and matched the Bulls set for set.

Connor O’Beirne and Luke Polselli were playing in the halves alongside one another for the first time but the Aussie connection was clear from the off as they carried a constant threat with the ball in hand. Polselli with his pace and O’Beirne’s kicking game gave plenty to think about for the Bulls defence.

13 minutes in and it was Broncos first to threaten the scoreboard as Luke Polselli tried the grubber but that nearly backfired as it was collected by Taufusi who then released Holmes who was inches away from racing the full length but a desperate Broncos tackle prevented the certain score.

Just a couple of minutes later Chris Hellec - who was celebrating making his debut on his birthday - intercepted a Bulls attack 10 metres out and raced away. It always appeared he would likely be caught but he managed to get halfway before he was illegally stopped with a high tackle.

Broncos were growing in confidence and defending well which made it almost predictable that the Bulls would at that point open the scoring. Meadows with the high kick to the left hand side seeking out Armitage - both former Broncos of course. Thewlis had perfect sight of it and no doubt defends it perfectly on any other occasion that the player challenging for the ball with him isn’t a number of inches taller! Lilley misses the kick from the touchline and Bulls lead by 4.

28 minutes in and Broncos enjoyed a great spell of pressure. O’Beirne was stopped just a metre away from the line and then Aaron Small made a dive for the line from acting dummy half but was held up. The pressure would eventually tell as Jensen Monk went over to score his first London Broncos try.

It’s a big year for the Bromley born loose forward who is expected to feature heavily this season and will no doubt be delighted to open his account on the opening day. Hellec was the man tasked with the conversion and he made no mistake to put the Broncos in the lead at the break.

In the second half the passages of play took a far more dominant direction as the home side began with a much higher intensity. The depth within the Bulls squad was used to its full effect with the likes of Franklin Pele, Emmanuel Waine and Ronan Michel all huge bodies that are ideal to run at tiring defenders.

In the 48th minute Bradford broke through the Broncos defence to score. Ebon Scurr spotted a hole in the back line from around 5 metres out and at that speed he wasn’t going to be stopped. Lilley added the extras and Bradford were back in front and momentum was firmly with the Bulls.

In the 60th minute Bradford extended the lead in almost identical circumstances as Sam Hallas managed to shake off a couple of Broncos tackles to score. Lilley from a very similar spot added the extras. 16-6.

By this stage it felt as if the chance for the Broncos win had slipped away with very few good ball sets and lots of rotation in the middles who had gone through huge amounts of work. Keeping the score close was now the aim of the game.

In the 65th minute Jorge Taufua scored his first of the season as Bradford moved the ball quickly to the right hand side and with pitch running out, the winger just kept in play to get the ball down and creep the scoreboard up further. The conversion attempt from the touchline was difficult and was duly missed.

Late on Broncos almost reduced the deficit as O’Beirne’s high kick caused some panic in the Bradford defence. Gill tried to swat the ball dead but it didn’t go out and both Polselli and Small scrambled to get a hand on it but were a fingernail short of getting the required pressure on the ball.

The game ended with the Bulls taking the two points and whilst Mike Eccles will never be happy with a defeat, they were huge positives to take away from a London Broncos side who will only get better from this point.