IN another edition of our Bradford sports stars questionnaires, 22-year-old rugby league prospect Ollie Bartle tells us about his love for Bulls, Carol Vorderman, lifting a trophy at West Bowling and selects his dream line-up.
Name: Ollie Bartle
Date of Birth: 05-02-1998
Area I live: BD6
Team I play for: West Bowling
School I attended: Queensbury School
Occupation: Electrician
Previous teams: Queensbury Juniors, West Bowling Juniors, Huddersfield Giants Scholarship, Bradford Bulls Academy
Honours gained: Bradford Bulls Academy Most Improved (2017), West Bowling Player of the Year (2019)
Q1: When did you first start playing rugby and what attracted you to it?
A: My dad introduced me to the game when I was about nine years old. I was a small lad but I loved the physical side of the game.
Q2: What do you enjoy most about playing rugby for your current team?
A: Playing with a bunch of lads who have all come through the West Bowling set-up, and are also good mates off the field.
Q3: What’s been the highlight of your rugby days so far?
A: Winning the National Conference League Division Two title last year with West Bowling was pretty good and being acknowledged by my coaches as a big contributor to that was nice.
Q4: Who has had the most influence on you as a rugby player and in what way?
A: Jamie Peacock. He always led from the front and had a no nonsense attitude.
Q5: What’s your aims in rugby?
A: To retire with no injuries before 30 and have won the lot.
Q6: Tell us something nice about one of your teammates (and don’t forget to tell us who it is?)
A: Danny Halmshaw. He always shares his sweets on the bus back after a game.
Q7: What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen or been involved in on a rugby field?
A: When I got sent off for booting the ball on to Manchester Road. It was pretty funny.
Q8: If you could pluck any player out of the Super League to play in your team, who would it be and why?
A: Ethan Ryan. He’s a good mate and our back line is questionable under the high ball.
Q9: Which rugby team do you support and what’s been your favourite moment watching them?
A: Bradford Bulls. There haven’t been many since I started watching, but probably the Challenge Cup win against Leeds last year.
Q10: What’s been the most memorable match you’ve played in and why was it so memorable?
A: Hard question. I’ll go with the Dudley Hill match at home last year. We won the Division Two title that day and beat them after they’d give us a lesson earlier in the year.
Q11: How would you sum up/describe the team that you play for?
A: Skilful and physical.
Q12: Tell us something about you that your teammates wouldn’t know?
A: I actually do pluck my eyebrows.
Q13: Do you have a set routine in terms of preparation on a match day?
A: I have my breakfast an hour before we meet and do a couple of weekend jobs in the morning.
Q14: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
A: Don’t drop the ball.
Q15: What would you say is the easiest position to play in rugby?
A: Wing. You catch the high ball, scoot once a set and take your chances.
Q16: If you could choose to play rugby at any venue in the world, where would it be and why?
A: Emsleys Rec, it’s the Wembley of the North!
Q17: How much of your life does rugby take up?
A: Too much.
Q18: If as a rugby player you had a celebrity fan, who would you want it to be and why?
A: Carol Vorderman. I used to love watching her on Countdown.
Q19: What or who motivates you ahead of a match?
A: My dad. He tells me I am not getting any tea if I play poorly.
Q20: Do you have a motto that you follow in rugby?
A: No, but run harder than them and you’ll go all right.
Q21: What lessons for life have you learned through rugby?
A: It’s taught a lot of self-discipline.
Q22: List your rugby dream team with you in it (any player, any team, any level, any era):
1: Brandon Pickersgill, 2: Ethan Ryan, 3: Dan Gregory, 4: Ross Oakes, 5: Andrew Bentley, 6: Harry Williams, 7: Jake Trueman, 8: Lewis Reed, 9: Dan Halmshaw, 10: Paul Anderson, 11: Richard Lumb, 12: Brad Hill, 13: Ollie Bartle, 14: Joe Lumb, 15: Max Trueman.
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