2017 Bradford Bulls season

This article details the Bradford Bulls rugby league football club's 2017 season. This is the Bulls 3rd season in the Championship. They come into this season as Championship Shield winners after defeating the Sheffield Eagles 27-16 in the Championship Shield Final.

Season Review

August 2016

It was announced that French international Jean-Philippe Baile left the Bulls by mutual consent after playing just one game in the 2016 season. During the same week, newly formed League 1 side Toronto Wolfpack signed Bulls prop forward Dan Fleming on a one-year contract. Tongan winger Etu Uaisele also left Bradford after being sent on loan to Dewsbury Rams, he returned home to Australia following his release. Fullback Richie Mathers announced his retirement shortly after the defeat to Dewsbury. Super League side Warrington Wolves signed Bradford centre and former player Matty Blythe on a one-year deal. Captain Adrian Purtell announced that he would join the London Broncos on a two-year deal, shortly after second rower Jay Pitts joined the departing Purtell to join London. Veteran prop forward Rhys Lovegrove announced his retirement from the sport after suffering from a recurring head injury, he joined the backroom staff and is expected to join Rohan Smith on the coaching team for the 2017 season. Rohan Smith's first signings for the 2017 season came in the form of London trio; winger Ilies Macani, centre Alex Foster and prop forward Jon Magrin all on two year deals. Towards the end of the month the Bulls announced that former academy graduate and club legend Leon Pryce would be returning on a one-year deal in order to finish his career at the Bulls.

September 2016

Lucas Walshaw made his loan deal at Dewsbury Rams into a permanent one by signing a two-year contract. Wakefield Wildcats centre/second row Jason Walton became the 5th signing for the 2017 season by putting pen to paper on a two-year deal at the Bulls. Bradford born prop forward Ross Peltier signed a two-year deal with the Bulls from local side Keighley Cougars.

October 2016

Long serving academy loose forward Danny Addy and New Zealand prop forward Mitch Clark both signed one year deals at Hull Kingston Rovers. Due to Hull KR's relegation both of their contracts were voided and had the option to re-sign for the Bulls, however both decided to honor their contracts with the Hull side. Ex Bradford player Phil Joseph signed a two-year deal to rejoin the club after suffering from lack of game time at Salford Red Devils, shortly after the Bulls announced the signing of Australian loose forward Lachlan Burr from the Gold Coast Titans on a one-year deal. Bradford were due to sign Manly Sea Eagles forward Blake Leary however negotiations fell through at the vital point of talks.

November 2016

Second-row forward Kurt Haggerty retired from playing rugby league to further his coaching career, he signed on the backroom staff for new Canadian side Toronto Wolfpack. Second rower Tom Olbison also signed a one-year extension to his contract after months of speculation about his potential departure. Prop forward Steve Crossley announced that he had signed for Toronto for the upcoming season. Huddersfield Giants announced the signing of prop Paul Clough from the Bulls, in addition to this stand off Lee Gaskell signed a 4-year deal with the Giants. During this month owner Marc Green placed the club in administration for the third time in 4 years due to outstanding tax owed to HMRC. Meanwhile, Huddersfield announced the signing of Dale Ferguson from the Bulls on a two-year deal.

Pre season friendlies

Bulls score is first.

Date	Competition	Vrs	H/A	Venue	Result	Score	Tries	Goals	Att	Report
15/1/17	Pre Season	Batley	A	Mount Pleasant	W/D/L	Score	Try Scorers	Goal Scorers	Attendance	Report
29/1/17	Pre Season	Keighley	A	Cougar Park	W/D/L	Score	Try Scorers	Goal Scorers	Attendance	Report

2017 Fixtures and results

2016 Championship Fixtures

Date	Competition	Rnd	Vrs	H/A	Venue	Result	Score	Tries	Goals	Att	Live on TV	Report
5/2/17	Championship	1	Hull KR	A	Craven Park	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	TV	Report
12/2/17	Championship	2	Rochdale	H	Odsal Stadium	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	TV	Report
19/2/17	Championship	3	Swinton	A	Heywood Road	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	TV	Report
26/2/17	Championship	4	Toulouse	H	Odsal Stadium	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	TV	Report
5/3/17	Championship	5	London	A	Trailfinders Sports Ground	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	TV	Report
12/3/17	Championship	6	Batley	H	Odsal Stadium	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	TV	Report
26/3/17	Championship	7	Dewsbury	H	Odsal Stadium	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	TV	Report
2/4/17	Championship	8	Oldham	A	Whitebank Stadium	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	TV	Report
9/4/17	Championship	9	Sheffield	H	Odsal Stadium	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	TV	Report
14/4/17	Championship	10	Halifax	H	Odsal Stadium	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	TV	Report
17/4/17	Championship	11	Featherstone	A	Post Office Road	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	TV	Report
29/4/17	Championship	12	Toulouse	A	Stade Ernest-Argeles	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	TV	Report
7/5/17	Championship	13	Sheffield	A	Sheffield Hallam University	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	TV	Report
21/5/17	Championship	14	London	H	Odsal Stadium	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	TV	Report
27/5/17	Summer Bash	15	Hull KR	N	Bloomfield Road	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	Sky Sports	Report
4/6/17	Championship	16	Dewsbury	A	Rams Stadium	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	TV	Report
11/6/17	Championship	17	Featherstone	H	Odsal Stadium	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	TV	Report
18/6/17	Championship	18	Rochdale	A	Spotland Stadium	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	TV	Report
25/6/17	Championship	19	Oldham	H	Odsal Stadium	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	TV	Report
2/7/17	Championship	20	Halifax	A	Shay Stadium	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	TV	Report
9/7/17	Championship	21	Hull KR	H	Odsal Stadium	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	TV	Report
16/7/17	Championship	22	Batley	A	Mount Pleasant	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	TV	Report
23/7/17	Championship	23	Swinton	H	Odsal Stadium	W/D/L	Score	Try Scores	Goal Scorers	Attendance	TV	Report

2017 transfers in/out

In

	Name	Position	Signed from	Date
	Ilies Macani	Wing	London Broncos	August 2016
	Alex Foster	Centre	London Broncos	August 2016
	Jon Magrin	Prop	London Broncos	August 2016
	Leon Pryce	Stand Off	Hull FC	August 2016
	Jason Walton	Centre	Wakefield Wildcats	September 2016
	Ross Peltier	Prop	Keighley Cougars	September 2016
	Phil Joseph	Prop	Salford Red Devils	October 2016
	Lachlan Burr	Second Row	Gold Coast Titans	October 2016
	Name	Scrum Half	London Broncos	Date

Out

	Name	Position	Club Signed	Date
	Jean-Philippe Baile	Centre	France	August 2016
	Dan Fleming	Prop	Toronto Wolfpack	August 2016
	Etu Uaisele	Wing	Australia	August 2016
	Richie Mathers	Fullback	Retirement	August 2016
	Matty Blythe	Centre	Warrington Wolves	August 2016
	Adrian Purtell	Centre	London Broncos	August 2016
	Jay Pitts	Second Row	London Broncos	August 2016
	Rhys Lovegrove	Prop	Retirement	August 2016
	Lucas Walshaw	Second Row	Dewsbury Rams	September 2016
	Danny Addy	Loose Forward	Hull Kingston Rovers	October 2016
	Mitch Clark	Prop	Hull Kingston Rovers	October 2016
	Kurt Haggerty	Second Row	Retirement	November 2016
	Steve Crossley	Prop	Toronto Wolfpack	November 2016
	Paul Clough	Prop	Huddersfield Giants	November 2016
	Lee Gaskell	Stand Off	Huddersfield Giants	November 2016
	Dale Ferguson	Second Row	Huddersfield Giants	November 2016
	Name	Prop	Dewsbury Rams	Date

References

External links

• Bradford Bulls Website
• Bradford Bulls in T&A
• Bradford Bulls on Sky Sports
• Red,Black And Amber
• BBC Sport-Rugby League