Match Preview: Bradford vs Oldham

Bradford's Bartercard Odsal Stadium is the venue for a huge battle with the Bulls on Friday night, as Oldham take their three-match winning run to West Yorkshire for a crunch clash in the top four.

The Roughyeds have beaten Halifax, Widnes and Sheffield since defeat in Toulouse, and travel to a Bradford side beaten away at York last weekend.

Oldham remain 4th in the table, but are now level on points with the Bulls above them and only two points off the title pace being set by York and Toulouse.

Team News

Head coach Long welcomes captain Jordan Turner back to the squad for the first time since the 1895 Cup semi-final in May.

Forward Ryan Lannon is fit to return from the rib injury that kept him out last week, while prop Gil Dudson retains his place in the squad after being ruled out late on through illness at the weekend.

Mathieu Pons and Bailey Aldridge are the two men to drop out of the 21-man squad as Turner and Lannon return.

George Hirst is again ruled out through head injury protocols, while Zane Musgrove serves the 4th of an 8-match ban.

Riley Dean remains out long-term along with centres Iain Thornley and Jumah Sambou.

Squad in full: 2. Kieran Dixon, 3. Jordan Turner, 5. Mo Agoro, 8. Gil Dudson, 9. Matty Wildie, 10. Owen Farnworth, 11. Matty Ashurst, 13. Adam Milner, 15. Jay Chapelhow, 17. Elijah Taylor, 19. Ted Chapelhow, 20. Jack Johnson, 21. Lewis Baxter, 23. Josh Drinkwater, 24. Ben O'Keefe, 27. Ben Forster, 31. Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e, 37. Ryan Lannon, 38. Ben Davies, 40. Eloi Pelissier, 42. Morgan Smith.

The Opposition

Bradford lie third in the Championship table, level on 22 points with Oldham, two points behind the joint leaders York and Toulouse.

The Bulls were beaten at York last week 16-14, with Jayden Okunbor and Sam Hallas grabbing the Bradford tries.

Brian Noble's men share Oldham's own Super League aspirations, and this game is a good opportunity to see how the two sides match up.

The reverse fixture at Boundary Park at the end of April was badly timed for Sean Long's side, who were ravaged by injuries and ended up losing out 42-12. Danny Craven and George Hirst ended up playing as a makeshift winger and centre that day with local teenager Marcus Geener making his debut off the bench.

Bradford come into this game having lost two of their last three games - at York on Sunday and surprisingly at Barrow at the end of June. In between those two fixtures came a comfortable 34-0 win over Hunslet.

Star men include former NRL man Okunbor and former St Helens flyer Waqa Blake, who ran in a hat-trick at Boundary Park.

Tickets and access

All the details you need to grab your tickets for Friday are here.

Seats are £23 for adults, £21 concessions, £17 students and £5 for under 17s.
Standing tickets are £21 for adults, £18 concessions, £15 students and £3 for under 17s.

For those driving, car parking is £5 and available as long as there is space - you can book it here.

Bartercard Odsal Stadium
Stadium Road
Bradford
BD6 1BS

Media coverage

We hope to see as many Oldham shirts as possible in the stands at Odsal on Friday night, but if you are unable to make the trip to West Yorkshire we will do our best to bring you the best possible coverage from our top team.

George will bring you live audio commentary on our Roughyeds TV YouTube page from 7:45pm, and make sure you are following all of our social channels, on Facebook, X and Instagram, the only place to hear the first thoughts from head coach Sean Long before and after kick off, see exclusive on-the-hooter interviews with our players at the end of the game, watch try clips during matches and even hear from the players direct from the team coach on the journey home after the game.

Please subscribe, follow, like, comment, share and engage with our media content that we are so proud to have to rival any throughout rugby league - it all helps with our IMG score too.

We can't wait to see you with us in Bradford on Friday night - Let’s hear the Roughyed Roar!