This article details the Bradford Bulls rugby league football club's 2016 season. This was the Bulls' second season in the Championship, after narrowly missing out on promotion in the previous season's £1 Million Game which they lost 24-16 to the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.
Season Review
July 2015
Bradford started their preparations for the 2016 season by announcing several departures from the club. The first of these were youngster Sam Bates who left to search for another club. Young hooker Nathan Conroy also moved to Championship side Dewsbury Rams whilst scrum half Adam Brook made his loan move to Keighley Cougars, a permanent one. Due to injuries prop Karl Davies retired from the sport and Dave Petersen signed for Sheffield Eagles without even playing a game for the Bulls.
August 2015
The first signing of the new season came in the form of fullback or halfback Oscar Thomas from RFL Championship side London Broncos on a two-year deal.
September 2015
Veteran second-row Chev Walker announced his retirement and took up a position as assistant coach under James Lowes. Furthermore centre Adam Henry was released at the end of the 2015 season after he refused a new contract. Top point scorer Ryan Shaw also left the club after signing a deal with Super League side Hull Kingston Rovers.
October 2015
Algerian prop Samir Tahraoui signed for League 1 side Rochdale Hornets.
November 2015
Scrum half Harry Seijka was released from his contract at the end of the season following some poor performances. Centre Chris Ulugia also signed for RFL Championship side Batley Bulldogs on loan because he could not join permanently due to visa issues. Australian prop forward Mitch Clark followed in his fathers footsteps and joined the Bulls from Doncaster. Fullback Johnny Campbell signed a two-year deal from Batley Bulldogs whilst prop forward Jonathan Walker and second row Kurt Haggerty both signed from Leigh Centurions.
December 2015
Due to the departure of Harry Seijka, injury prone fullback Jake Mullaney also left the Bulls by mutual consent. Following this Australian second row Matt Ryan who was brought in for the Super 8's was released without being offered a new contract. Prop forward Ben Kavanagh joined on a two-year deal from Super League side Widnes Vikings.
Milestones
Round 1: Richie Mathers, Kris Welham, Ben Kavanagh, Kurt Haggerty and Johnny Walker made their debuts for the Bulls. Round 1: Omari Caro scored his 2nd hat-trick for the Bulls. Round 2: Mitch Clark and Rhys Lovegrove made their debuts for the Bulls. Round 2: Matty Blythe made his 50th appearance for the Bulls. Round 2: Lee Gaskell scored his 5th hat-trick for the Bulls. Round 3: Oscar Thomas and Joe Lumb made their debuts for the Bulls. Round 3: Kris Welham scored his 1st try and his 1st hat-trick for the Bulls. CCR4: Lee Gaskell made his 50th appearance for the Bulls. CCR4: Danny Addy scored his 25th try for the Bulls. CCR4: Joe Lumb scored his 1st try for the Bulls. Round 7: Ethan Ryan made his debut for the Bulls. Round 7: Kurt Haggerty and Ethan Ryan scored their 1st try for the Bulls. Round 8: Johnny Campbell made his debut for the Bulls. Round 10: Ross Oakes made his debut for the Bulls. Round 10: Kris Welham scored his 1st five-try haul, 1st four-try haul and 2nd hat-trick for the Bulls. Round 10: Alex Mellor scored his 1st try for the Bulls. Round 10: Omari Caro kicked his 1st goal for the Bulls. Round 11: Danny Addy kicked his 100th goal and reached 300 points for the Bulls. Round 11: Oscar Thomas and Mitch Clark scored their 1st try for the Bulls. Round 13: Jacob Trueman made his debut for the Bulls. Round 13: Oscar Thomas kicked his 1st goal for the Bulls. Round 14: Oscar Thomas kicked his 1st drop goal for the Bulls. Round 17: Kieren Moss and Lewis Charnock made their debuts for the Bulls. Round 17: Lewis Charnock scored his 1st try for the Bulls. Round 17: Danny Addy kicked his 1st drop goal for the Bulls. Round 5: Johnny Campbell scored his 1st try for the Bulls. Round 18: Kurt Haggerty kicked his 1st goal and 1st drop goal for the Bulls. Round 19: Joe Philbin and Stuart Howarth made their debuts for the Bulls. Round 19: Kieren Moss scored his 1st try for the Bulls. Round 21: Dane Chisholm made his debut for the Bulls. Round 21: Dane Chisholm scored his 1st try and kicked his 1st goal for the Bulls. Round 21: Ethan Ryan scored his 1st hat-trick for the Bulls. Round 21: Joe Philbin scored his 1st try for the Bulls. Round 21: Lewis Charnock kicked his 1st goal for the Bulls. Round 22: Adam O'Brien made his 100th appearance for the Bulls. Round 22: Omari Caro scored his 1st five-try haul, 1st four-try haul and 3rd hat-trick for the Bulls. Round 22: Omari Caro scored his 25th try and reached 100 points for the Bulls. Championship Shield 1: Alex Mellor scored his 1st hat-trick for the Bulls. Championship Shield 2: Danny Addy made his 150th appearance for the Bulls. Championship Shield 3: Steve Crossley made his 50th appearance for the Bulls. Championship Shield 3: Joe Keyes and James Bentley made their debuts for the Bulls. Championship Shield 3: Kris Welham scored his 2nd five-try haul, 2nd four-try haul and 3rd hat-trick for the Bulls. Championship Shield 3: Kris Welham scored his 25th try and reached 100 points for the Bulls. Championship Shield 3: Jay Pitts scored his 1st hat-trick for the Bulls. Championship Shield 3: Jay Pitts scored his 25th try and reached 100 points for the Bulls. Championship Shield 3: Steve Crossley kicked his 1st goal for the Bulls. Championship Shield 3: Joe Keyes scored his 1st try and kicked his 1st goal for the Bulls. Championship Shield 4: Danny Addy reached 400 points for the Bulls. Championship Shield 5: Ben Kavanagh scored his 1st try for the Bulls. Championship Shield 5: Ethan Ryan scored his 2nd hat-trick for the Bulls. Championship Shield 6: Josh Rickett and Liam Kirk made their debuts for the Bulls. Championship Shield 6: Ross Oakes scored his 1st try for the Bulls. Championship Shield 7: Adam Sidlow made his 100th appearance for the Bulls. Championship Shield 7: Dale Ferguson made his 50th appearance for the Bulls. Championship Shield 7: Ross Oakes scored his 1st hat-trick for the Bulls. Championship Shield 7: Kieren Moss scored his 1st four-try haul and 1st hat-trick for the Bulls. Championship Shield 7: Adam Sidlow kicked his 1st goal for the Bulls. Championship Shield SF: Alex Mellor made his 50th appearance for the Bulls. Championship Shield F: Adam O'Brien scored his 25th try and reached 100 points for the Bulls. Championship Shield F: Dane Chisholm kicked his 1st drop goal for the Bulls.
Pre-season friendlies LEGEND Win Draw Loss
Bulls score is first. DateCompetitionVrsH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttReport24 January 2016Pre SeasonLeeds RhinosAHeadingley StadiumL12-26Welham, O'BrienAddy 2/25,896Report29 January 2016Pre SeasonCastleford TigersHOdsal StadiumW26-8Clare, Caro, Mellor, Hooley, KirkAddy 3/51,366Report
Player appearances Friendly Games Only
FB=FullbackC=CentreW=WingerSO=Stand OffSH=Scrum halfP=PropH=HookerSR=Second RowLF=Loose forwardB=Bench NoPlayer121Oscar ThomasFBFB2Omari CaroWW 3Adrian Purtellxx 4Kris WelhamCx 5Danny WilliamsWx 6Lee GaskellSOx 8Paul Cloughxx 9Adam O'BrienHH 10Adam SidlowPx 11Tom OlbisonSRSR12Dale FergusonBSR13Danny AddySHSH14Jay PittsBL 15Matty BlytheCC 16Dan FlemingBB 17Jean-Philippe Bailexx 19Steve Crossleyxx 20Mitch Clarkxx21Epalahame LauakiBB 22James ClareBW 23Alex MellorLB24Lucas WalshawBB 25Ben KavanaghPP26Vila HalafihiBB 27Johnny WalkerBB 28Kurt HaggertySRP 29Ethan RyanBC 30Joe LumbBB31James Mendeikaxx32Johnny Campbellxx33Etu Uaiselexxn/aRhys JacksBSOn/aBrandon PickersgillxBn/aDan CapricexB n/aLuke HooleyxB n/aJames BentleyxBn/aOllie BartlexBn/aLiam KirkxB
= Injured
= Suspended
Table Championship PosClubPWDLForAgstDiffPointsQualification1 Leigh Centurions (C)23211188141047143The Qualifiers2 London Broncos (Q)231706702444258343 Batley Bulldogs (Q)231517589485104314 Featherstone Rovers (Q)231508595384211305 Bradford Bulls (F)23132871744627128Championship Shield6 Halifax (F)231319615484131277 Sheffield Eagles (F)238015583617 -34168 Dewsbury Rams (F)238015486603 -117169 Swinton Lions (F)237115449813 -3641510 Oldham R.L.F.C. (F)237016401678 -2771411 Workington Town (F)235117455756 -3011112 Whitehaven (F)235117367720 -33511
C = Champions
Q = Qualified for the qualifiers
F = Unable to qualify for the qualifiers
Championship Shield PosClubPWDLForAgstDiffPointsQualification1 Bradford Bulls (Q)30192999757050740PlayOffs2 Halifax (Q)3016113775656139333 Sheffield Eagles (Q)301201885576312244 Dewsbury Rams (Q)3012018646797 -133245 Swinton Lions (S)30101195961001 -42721Season Complete6 Oldham R.L.F.C. (S)3010020523888 -383207 Whitehaven (R)308121571945 -36517Relegation to 2017 League 18 Workington Town (R)307122541919 -39415
(Q) = Qualified for Play-offs
(S) = Secured spot in Championship
(R) = Relegated to League 1
Fixtures and results LEGEND Win Draw Loss
Championship fixtures DateCompetitionRndVrsH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttLive on TVReport7 February 2016Championship1Featherstone RoversHOdsal StadiumW22-12Caro (3), GaskellAddy 3/44,518-Report13 February 2016Championship2Whitehaven RLFCARecreation GroundW46-10Gaskell (3), Pitts (2), Clare, Ferguson, O'BrienAddy 7/8878-Report20 February 2016Championship3Swinton LionsASedgley ParkW48-16Welham (3), Olbison (2), Blythe, Caro, Clare, GaskellAddy 6/9880-Report28 February 2016Championship4Leigh CenturionsHOdsal StadiumD32-32Clare (2), Addy, Caro, Purtell, WelhamAddy 4/66,563-Report13 March 2016Championship6Batley BulldogsAMount PleasantD24-24Pitts (2), Caro, FergusonAddy 4/42,742-Report25 March 2016Championship7London BroncosHOdsal StadiumW28-20Haggerty (2), Blythe, Clare, RyanAddy 4/74,163-Report28 March 2016Championship8Halifax RLFCAThe ShayL10-14Clare, UaiseleAddy 1/24,108-Report3 April 2016Championship9Sheffield EaglesHOdsal StadiumL28-46Addy, Caro, Clare, Gaskell, WelhamAddy 4/54,234-Report10 April 2016Championship10Dewsbury RamsARams StadiumW52-18Welham (5), Caro (2), Clare, Gaskell, MellorAddy 3/5, Caro 3/4, Gaskell 0/11,954-Report24 April 2016Championship11Workington TownHOdsal StadiumW52-16Caro (2), Williams (2), Clare, Clark, Ferguson, Purtell, Thomas, WelhamAddy 6/103,467-Report1 May 2016Championship12London BroncosAEaling TrailfindersL16-30Welham (2), AddyAddy 2/41,524-Report15 May 2016Championship13Swinton LionsHOdsal StadiumW54-8Caro (2), Clare (2), Addy, Gaskell, Olbison, Sidlow, Thomas, WelhamAddy 6/9, Thomas 1/14,152-Report20 May 2016Championship14Sheffield EaglesASheffield Hallam UniversityW25-14Sidlow, Thomas, Welham, WilliamsAddy 4/4, Thomas 1 DG995-Report28 May 2016Summer Bash15Leigh CenturionsNBloomfield RoadL20-24Addy, Clark, O'Brien, WilliamsAddy 1/3, Thomas 1/19,521-Report5 June 2016Championship16Dewsbury RamsHOdsal StadiumL14-16O'Brien, PittsAddy 3/44,303-Report12 June 2016Championship17Workington TownADerwent ParkW29-22Charnock, Clare, O'Brien, Ryan, SidlowAddy 4/5, Addy 1 DG723-Report15 June 2016Championship5Oldham R.L.F.C.AWhitebank StadiumW48-4Clare (2), Campbell, Charnock, Clark, Mellor, O'Brien, Pitts, ThomasThomas 6/8, Haggerty 0/11,051-Report19 June 2016Championship18Batley BulldogsHOdsal StadiumW17-16Clare (2), PittsHaggerty 2/4, Haggerty 1 DG4,617-Report26 June 2016Championship19Halifax RLFCHOdsal StadiumL24-32Haggerty, Moss, Ryan, WelhamAddy 4/45,270-Report3 July 2016Championship20Leigh CenturionsALeigh Sports VillageL20-22Caro, Clare, Mellor, MossAddy 2/45,111-Report10 July 2016Championship21Whitehaven RLFCHOdsal StadiumW64-18Ryan (3), Chisholm (2), Moss (2), Clare, Crossley, Philbin, SidlowAddy 5/5, Charnock 3/3, Chisholm 2/34,168-Report17 July 2016Championship22Oldham R.L.F.C.HOdsal StadiumW44-12Caro (5), Haggerty, Philbin, Ryan, WelhamAddy 1/3, Charnock 3/5, Chisholm 0/14,235-Report24 July 2016Championship23Featherstone RoversAPost Office RoadL0-20--5,454-Report
Championship Shield