Bradford suffer four fresh injury blows in Leigh defeat as grim prognoses delivered

Bradford Bulls’ injury crisis deepened four-fold during Friday night’s thumping 62-10 defeat at Leigh Leopards, and the bad news might not end there.

Sat bottom of Super League, Bradford have now lost their last six games – winning only one of their last 11 dating back to Leigh’s win at Odsal in mid-June.

The Bulls’ slump has come amid a build-up of injuries, with their absentee list for the trip to the Leopards’ Den sitting in the high teens.

And that list has only grown after an evening which saw 48 unanswered second half points conceded before a late consolation for Elliot Peposhi.

Bradford suffer four fresh injury blows in Leigh defeat

Post-match, head coach Kurt Haggerty – who spent time as both a player and coach at Leigh earlier in his career – painted a pretty grim picture of the injury blows.

He explained: “Ethan Ryan has broken his thumb, Joe Keyes (was withdrawn due to) his same recurring back injury.

“Dan Russell failed his HIA and Loghan Lewis has potentially done his knee again.

“Zac (Fulton) pulled out with a recurring neck injury, he’s been sent for a scan and they found more bulging discs in his neck. He’d be lucky to play again this season.

“Phoenix (Steinwede) is a tricky one, he’s had to see a certain specialist because he’s had so many head injuries. If he doesn’t pass through this other specialist, he could be out for the season, so we’re hoping he can play.

“Ryan Sutton probably shouldn’t play against Toulouse, but I’m pretty sure tomorrow morning when I turn in for review (of the Leigh defeat), I’ve got a bloke telling me he’s going to play (against Toulouse).”

‘I’m not sure at this moment in time I’ll have 17 for Toulouse’

Bradford head over to France next weekend, where they will face Toulouse, who were promoted up into Super League alongside them ahead of 2026.

The Bulls’ promotion came via the IMG gradings, while Olympique were selected alongside York Knights for promotion by an independent panel.

Ahead of that clash at the Stade Ernest-Wallon, Haggerty admitted: “I’m not sure at this moment in time I’ll have 17 for Toulouse.

“It would have been nice to be able to look after the likes of Loghan Lewis, Joe Mellor and Andy Ackers once the game had gone (tonight), but we’re just not in a position to.

“Joe Mellor as my captain is absolutely exhausted. I brought him off and I’ve then had to put him back on.

“I’ve had to go and speak with Loghan (Lewis) pitchside to plead with him to go back on the field, because I just can’t get him a rest.

“I’m asking far too much of them, and I’m playing blokes injured, but they’re a good group of boys.”