Bradford coach confirms double injury blow following Wigan cup defeat

Bradford Bulls have lost both Brandon Douglas and Eribe Doro to injury, and the latter could be set for a lengthy stint on the sidelines.

The Bulls were beaten 30-6 at Wigan Warriors on Friday night and exited the Challenge Cup at the Fourth Round, with their only try a consolation from Ethan Ryan.

That try sandwiched the exits from the field of forwards Douglas and Doro, whose losses will be felt even harder in an already paper-thin squad.

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Bradford Bulls coach confirms double injury blow following Wigan Warriors cup defeat

Forwards Loghan Lewis and Eliot Peposhi were already absent after picking up bans on the back of last weekend’s narrow defeat at St Helens.

Douglas should miss just next week’s Super League game at home against Huddersfield Giants, all being well, having failed his Head Injury Assessment (HIA).

But the news on Doro is ominous after he had to be helped from the field with two minutes remaining after holding Sam Walters up just short of the line.

Bulls head coach Kurt Haggerty explained post-match: “We’ve lost (Brandon) Douglas and we’ve potentially lost Eribe. Dougie has failed his HIA and Eribe doesn’t look good.

“It’s his ankle, it’s ballooned up already. You’ll have to ask me on Monday (about his prognosis).

“I thought he was our best today. Eribe’s still a young forward learning his game, and he’s having to convince me when he’s telling me he’s not tired, because I’m looking at him and thinking he is.

“He showed that tonight. He gets there when you don’t think he’ll get there.

“We’ve lost Loghan (Lewis to suspension), so we’re short on bodies as it is, but we’re cool on it. Sam Hallas got some minutes today.”

Haggerty has already admitted he’s open to mid-season recruitment, but his stance hasn’t changed on needing whoever comes in to be the right fit despite losing two more players against Wigan.

He said: “I’m not sure yet (if anyone will come in this week), I’ll re-assess it. I’ll sit down with the coaching staff, Brian Noble and Jason Hirst, but I won’t rush.”