Huddersfield Giants 28 Bradford Bulls 10

SOME feared they had seen the last of the Bradford Bulls.

The former World Club and Super League champions had gone into administration for the third time in five years and ceased trading at the start of the month.

However, the story is far from over yet.

Just days after New Zealanders Graham Lowe and Andrew Chalmers had been unveiled as the club's new owners and Australian Geoff Toovey installed as coach, the team was back out on the field today playing West Yorkshire neighbours Huddersfield Giants in a testimonial for former England hooker Luke Robinson at the John Smith's Stadium.

It may have been a vastly changed side, and one that has been virtually thrown together amid the chaos of wholesale departures, but that doesn't matter to Bulls supporters.

The only thing that really matters is that they still have a team, albeit one that will start the season on minus 12 points in two weeks' time.

With Toovey not due to arrive in Bradford until later this week, academy coach Leigh Beattie took charge for the afternoon.

Captain Leon Pryce was not involved due to a knee injury but the starting 13 still featured eight players with previous first-team experience.

Winter signings Illies Macanai, Ross Peltier and Colton Roche made their first appearances along with junior player Brandan Wilkinson. Five of the seven players on the Bulls' bench were juniors with no previous first-team experience. James Mendeika was given the captaincy.

Former Bulls centre Alex Mellor made his debut for the Giants and hooker Adam O'Brien, who also quit Odsal this winter, started on the bench. There were eight Super League regulars in the Giants side.

Prior to kick-off, both teams formed a guard of honour for Giants assistant coach Robinson, who was forced to quit playing before the start of last season due to a long-standing hip injury.

The former England hooker, who expressed his delight at Bradford's salvation, had been looking forward to playing some part in the game but was denied the opportunity by insurance complications.

Although the Bulls made a promising start, the Giants took the lead in the 12th minute when prop Sebastine Ikahihifo went over the line and Danny Brough converted.

There was then a setback for the Bulls on 19 minutes when wing Omari Caro limped out of the action.

Liam Kirk could have reduced the deficit but was adjudged to have lost the ball when scrambling over the Giants line.

The Bulls came under increasing pressure as the first half wore on yet managed to keep the home side at bay for long periods.

Tempers flared when Oliver Roberts committed an off the ball foul – prompting a melee among the majority of players. The Bulls failed to take advantage of the subsequent penalty and the game now became less of a 'friendly'.

When Brough grabbed the throat of Bulls substitute Evan Hodgson, it prompted a second round of pushing and shoving.

Fullback Johnny Campbell became the second Bulls player to leave the field due to injury shortly before the interval.

Ikahihifo then took advantage of weak defending under the posts to score his second try of the afternoon. The New Zealand-born prop charged through one tackle and twisted out of an attempted block to carry the ball over. Brough duly converted.

Things were starting to get away from the Bulls as Giants wing Jared Simpson crashed over on the right after a long pass from O'Brien just as the half-time hooter sounded. Brough missed the kick.

Shortly after the interval, Bulls supporters were finally given reason to cheer.

The sense of relief was palpable as scrum half Joe Keyes dummied his way over the line before converting his own try to make it 16-6.

It may only have been a warm-up game and the preparation had been far from ideal but the Bulls would still not have wanted to go away without points on the board.

Giants ace Brough was given a firm talking to by referee Woodward after again sparking anger.

The Bulls fell further behind on the hour mark when they failed to deal with a Giants' bomb to the left and Roberts went over for a try. With Brough now off the field, Ryan Brierley kicked the conversion to put the hosts 22-6 up.

Bradford, however, refused to give up the fight and when Ross Oakes went over near the corner with ten minutes to go, it set up an exciting finale, although Keyes missed the conversion.

There were just a few minutes remaining when Roberts went over for Giants' fifth try of the game to put the result in no doubt. Izaac Farrell added the extras.

Prop Ross Peltier was awarded the Bulls' man of the match.

Huddersfield Giants: McIntosh, Ormsby, Mellor, Wood, Simpson, Brough, Brierley, Ikahihifo, Leeming, Mason, Roberts, Johnson, Smith. Replacements: Dickinson, English, Woollard, O'Brien, Farrell, Hayes, Kirby, Pinder, Mellor, Hewitt.

Bradford Bulls: Campbell, Caro, Mendieka, Oakes, Macani, Pickersgill, Keyes, Kirk, Lumb, Peltier, Roche, Bentley, Wilkinson. Replacements: Rickett, Hodgson, Halafihi, Tomlinson, Butterworth, Vaznys, Magrin.

Referee: N Woodward.

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