ESL Bradford Bulls Relegated

[Mr. Sharky]

Bradford Bulls relegated from Super League after Huddersfield defeat

Gareth Walker at John Smith's Stadium

Monday 21 July 2014 02.04 AEST

Bradford Bulls will start next season outside rugby league’s elite for the first time in over four decades, after stuttering Huddersfield condemned them to life in the Championship when the sport restructures in 2015.

For a club that has won four Super League titles alongside two Challenge Cup triumphs and three World Club Challenge wins during the summer era, that constitutes a significant fall from grace. But such has been the mismanagement of the Bulls under a number of regimes in recent years, they may yet look back on their relegation as a major turning point in their history.

Their coach James Lowes, in just his fourth game in charge, saw many of those glory days first hand as the club’s long-serving hooker, including Challenge Cup semi-final and World Club Challenge wins on the same ground. “I’ve been in this stadium a few times, popping champagne and soaked in beer, but it wasn’t like that in there today,” Lowes said when asked about the mood in the changing room.

“As you can imagine it was quite a sad place to be. But let’s be right, it’s a game of rugby, a sport. We want to finish off the season in the right manner and prepare the right way for a tough year in the Championship. That’s our challenge and I’m certainly up for it.” Lowes will have to reshape his squad significantly for life at the lower level, with Salford’s Australian fullback Jake Mullaney understood to be among a host of targets. “Hopefully we can get the ball rolling now,” Lowes added. “That mysterious Plan B I’ve been talking about has rapidly become Plan A.”

His side lacked little in spirit throughout an error-strewn game, but Huddersfield’s quality eventually shone through as they recovered from consecutive defeats. Bradford actually led on three occasions as the teams traded tries in the opening half-hour. Bulls winger Luke George crossed twice and Adam O’Brien once, with the Giants’ Jake Connor and Ukuma Ta’ai responding. When Luke Robinson finished the best move of the game, a 16-all scoreline would probably have been a fair reflection of a largely forgettable first half.

But instead, Huddersfield scored twice more in the four minutes before the break through Chris Bailey and Jermaine McGilvary, who would finish with a hat-trick after an improved second half from the home side. The Bulls rarely wavered in their effort and their full-back Brett Kearney scored at either end of the second half. But their defence could not contain Huddersfield after the break, with McGilvary completing his treble alongside efforts from Brett Ferres, Joe Wardle and Ta’ai again.

Bradford earned a standing ovation from their travelling support at the end, and further words of encouragement from the Giants coach Paul Anderson, himself a former Bull and teammate of Lowes from the club’s heydays. “I spoke to their chairman and he was saying it’s a sad day,” Anderson reflected. “But one thing we can say is that there was a landmark day for this club many years ago when it went down. The club regrouped and came back stronger to be in the position that we’re in now.”

Bradford, for so long a powerhouse of Super League, will hope they can follow suit.

Huddersfield Giants Connor; McGilvary, Cudjoe, Wardle, Broughton; Brough, Robinson; Crabtree, Wood, Kaufusi, Ferres, Ta’ai, Lawrence. Interchange: Kopczak, Bailey, Patrick, Mullally Tries Connor, Ta’ai 2, Robinson, Bailey, McGilvary 3, Ferres, Wardle Goals Cudjoe 6

Bradford Bulls Kearney; Foster, Arundel, Purtell, George; Gaskell, Gale; Manuokafoa, O’Brien, Fakir, Olbison, Walker, Donaldson. Interchange Sidlow, Mellor, Pitts, Addy. Tries George 2, O’Brien, Kearney 2 Goals Foster 3.

Referee C Leatherbarrow (Warrington) Attendance 6,145.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/jul/20/bradford-bulls-relegated-super-league-huddersfield

 

[Mr. Sharky]

Bradford Bulls relegation a disgrace, says James Lowes

21 July 2014 Last updated at 16:23 GMT

Bradford Bulls coach James Lowes has called the circumstances that have led to the club's relegation "a disgrace".

The Bulls were relegated from Super League for the first time in their history after losing at Huddersfield.

Having been deducted six points in February after entering administration for the second time in two years they have dropped their High Court appeal.

"What's happened with the club over the last couple of years has been a disgrace," Lowes told BBC Radio Leeds.

Bradford had their initial appeal against their points deduction rejected by an independent panel in June and with the club now 13 points adrift of safety with six games remaining they have chosen to withdraw their challenge.

And Lowes believes his players are still struggling from the uncertainty of the last 24 months.

"It has had a massive affect on the players because they haven't known if they've been getting paid. It has mentally drained them," he added.

"With what happened this year I think it has dented their self belief and maybe made a few of them angry towards the club.

"What we have now is a chairman who is 100% committed to the club and has stabilised the club off the field. That is massively important.

"What we need to do now is prepare for pre-season and life in the Championship."

Former Bulls hooker Lowes replaced the sacked Francis Cummins in June but he has been unable to oversee a turnaround in form and the Bulls will join the winless London Broncos in the second tier next season after relegation was re-introduced to Super League this year.

With six games of the season remaining, Lowes believes it is important to pick players who are in the right frame of mind to play.

"There's personal pride to play for now and the challenge is to finish the season," he said.

"There's one or two who will find it tough and I've told the players to put their hand up if they are not right to play. I would respect them more for doing that than turning out half heartedly.

"The guys who play next week will be the ones who have said they are ready to do so."

The four-time Super League winners host last season's Grand Final winners Wigan Warriors on Sunday.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/rugby-league/28401310

 

[S J]

That will be a big blow.

I've always wondered about a two tier system here - but if you got relegated what would your sponsors do ?

How would it affect you.

Or - do the bottom 2 and top 2 just keep swapping every year or so ...

 

[Northern_Union]

Could be the best thing to happen to the Bulls. Will give them a chance to rebuild. On a side note i hear that Toulose Olympic are pushing hard for inclusion in the ESL again. From a promotional point of view having a more of a European flavor will do wonders for the ESL.

 

[S J]

Could be the best thing to happen to the Bulls. Will give them a chance to rebuild. On a side note i hear that Toulose Olympic are pushing hard for inclusion in the ESL again. From a promotional point of view having a more of a European flavor will do wonders for the ESL.

No time to lose ...

 

[moto748]

Could be the best thing to happen to the Bulls. Will give them a chance to rebuild. On a side note i hear that Toulose Olympic are pushing hard for inclusion in the ESL again. From a promotional point of view having a more of a European flavor will do wonders for the ESL.

Toulouse have a long way to go, they are not in one of the two lower leagues below Superleague from which promotion will be achievable from next season onwards; they play in the French national league. They had a brief spell in the Championship a few years ago, but without appreciable success.

2016 *will* see some new clubs in the Superleague, but it looks likely it will be one of the old historic names of the game, like Featherstone, Batley, or Leigh. And I'm absolutely fine with that.

 

[Northern_Union]

From my readings the two Wales clubs are going well. In particular the Crusaders who used to be in ESL. Also apparently apart from London being demoted things are going well in London as well. So i hope to see them back in the ESL soon. And if they know whats good for them they'll sort out a permanent home ground.

 

[S J]

Toulouse have a long way to go, they are not in one of the two lower leagues below Superleague from which promotion will be achievable from next season onwards; they play in the French national league. They had a brief spell in the Championship a few years ago, but without appreciable success.
2016 *will* see some new clubs in the Superleague, but it looks likely it will be one of the old historic names of the game, like Featherstone, Batley, or Leigh. And I'm absolutely fine with that.

From my readings the two Wales clubs are going well. In particular the Crusaders who used to be in ESL. Also apparently apart from London being demoted things are going well in London as well. So i hope to see them back in the ESL soon. And if they know whats good for them they'll sort out a permanent home ground.

Is there any talk of a Club in another country (yes yes - I know Wales is, but ...). Say Ireland ? Would need strong support but could it be done ?

 

[Northern_Union]

There was talk of Ireland starting up a club to get into the ESL but i think a lot more work needs to be done before Ireland and Scotland can start to look at a ESL side. The RFL is better off working with the Wales clubs to get them up to standard. And the last i read is that in Wales they had to split the schools comp into a north south east and west division due to the number of schools now playing league. Shame all this wasn't going on 110 years ago.