Hope extinguished as Catalan Dragons crush Bradford Bulls (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Early signs suggest another season of struggle, not one to lift Bradford Bulls fans’ spirits

6:40am Monday 6th February 2012 in Bulls By Ross Heppenstall

Bradford Bulls 12, Catalan Dragons 34

It’s the hope that kills you – all that hype, expectation and bold rhetoric about Bradford re-establishing themselves at the right end of the table.

This was supposed to be the year that the Bulls stopped the rot and demanded to be taken seriously as a respected force again.

Get off to a winning start, get the fans onside and build some momentum on the opening round of the season after three years of failure.

Oh dear. Yesterday’s match was effectively over at half-time, with Catalan Dragons – missing a handful of players – 20-0 up and in total control.

The Bulls, beaten up by Hull in last week’s pre-season friendly, again came off second best up front and the defensive frailties which undermined them so often last season were brutally exposed once more.

The stands began emptying long before the final whistle as Bulls supporters voted with their feet. They had seen enough – and who could blame them?

It is to be hoped that Mick Potter can engineer a major improvement ahead of next Sunday’s trip to Castleford Tigers, with visit of Wigan in a fortnight’s time sure to provide another stern test.

At least there were a few crumbs of comfort yesterday. The Bulls never threw in the towel, scoring through Jamie Langley and Elliot Kear in the final quarter, while Luke Gale showed some promising touches at scrum half.

It was also heartening to see fit-again hooker Matt Diskin and Heath L’Estrange back in action after they were ravaged by injury last term.

Overall though, it was difficult to make excuses for Potter’s side. They had four of their new signings on show but, quite simply, Bradford were second-best throughout.

Adrian Purtell, Jarrod Sammut, Kear and Gale all made the starting line-up, while Potter’s old club Catalan – where he made such an impression before leaving for St Helens – were severely understrength.

They did not even have a recognised winger in their side and were dealt a further blow before kick-off when former Bulls stand-off Leon Pryce was ruled out through a hamstring injury.

Yet the Bulls were so slow out of the blocks that it came as little surprise when the Dragons forged ahead in the sixth minute as Jason Baitieri collected a short pass from Setaimata Sa to go over from close range.

Australian scrum half Scott Dureau, who bubbled with creativity throughout, added the extras and the Bulls then fashioned their first, and only real, noteworthy opening of the first half with 14 minutes played.

Diskin found Gale and his neat short offload found Sammut advancing forward at pace just yards from the Dragons’ line.

The Australian, handed the stand-off role ahead of Ben Jeffries, could not control the ball and the opportunity was lost.

Gale’s kicking game gave the Bulls some vital breathing space at times but the Dragons always looked quicker and more assured in possession.

With Lopini Paea and Remi Casty punching holes up front, and David Ferriol and Jamal Fakir doing likewise when they were introduced, the Bulls struggled badly at times through the middle.

In the 17th minute, Bradford were dealt a heavy blow when John Bateman contested a high ball and picked up an elbow injury, with Ian Sibbit coming on in his place.

Midway through the opening period, former Bradford hooker Ian Henderson produced a piece of magic to glide past several home defenders before showing intelligence to send the supporting Clint Greenshields racing clear. It was all far too easy for the French side.

Ten minutes later it got worse for Bradford when Thomas Bosc took a clever pass from Dureau to power clear and Dureau again added the extras.

Dureau added a penalty on the stroke of half-time and three minutes after the restart Sa dummied his way past Sibbit to cross in the right corner.

That was the worst possible start to the second period for the Bulls, who presumably were given a kick up the backside by Potter for their first-half display.

Dureau’s conversion attempt rebounded off a post but Bradford gradually steadied themselves and began to enjoy a period of sustained pressure.

They enjoyed several sets deep in French territory and pushed hard for a try that, at that point in the game, may have given them a glimmer of hope.

Instead, the defending from the Dragons was to be admired as they tackled like demons to protect their line, suggesting Trent Robinson’s side can match their fluency in attack with doggedness at the back.

Having survived the pressure, Catalan hit Bradford with a vicious sucker punch in the 55th minute. Dureau, never short of ideas, chipped a delightful kick into the right corner and Daryl Millard touched down. Cue more anguish for Bulls supporters.

Dureau’s conversion made it an afternoon to remember for ex-Bulls stars Henderson and Steve Menzies, both of whom made telling contributions.

Bradford replied in the 64th minute when Langley showed impressive determination to burst through the Catalan defence and touch down in the right corner.

Gale converted but Sebastien Raguin crossed in the left corner for a sixth Catalan try with four minutes remaining after more poor defending from the home side.

To their credit, the Bulls came back once more as Kear illustrated his predatory instincts and dexterity to plunge over the line in the right corner in the dying embers.

Gale added another fine touchline conversion right on the hooter but many fans were not there to see it, having departed in their droves minutes earlier.

Spare a though for the volunteers who helped to clear the pitch of snow and ensure the game went ahead.

Potter, several first-team players and chief executive Ryan Duckett joined fans in clearing the snow from the pitch and terraces. Looking back, they may have wished they had not bothered.

Attendance: 10,610