Bulls lack a cutting edge

It had been 1969 the last time Bradford’s derby rivals won a league match at the venue but they finally brought that horrendous run to an end after the Bulls imploded for a second time this season.

Steve McNamara’s men had all the match versus Hull KR a fortnight ago but only managed a 13-13 draw after failing to create. This time they had plenty of possession and territory yet again but couldn’t do anything with it.

The Bulls are really struggling to get across the whitewash and can’t seem to deliver a cutting edge near the line. They must fix it soon if they are going to find a Super League win.

Huddersfield were strong, wrestled well in the tackle to frustrate the hosts, got some quick play-the-balls and produced some heroic defence – but there will be far better teams arriving at Grattan Stadium this season.

Granted, it has been a disrupted start for the Bulls, with just one game in three weeks ahead of tonight, but it can’t be used as an excuse much longer.

Despite a penalty count heavily in their favour at 11-4, and Huddersfield making plenty of errors themselves, the Bulls couldn’t find any breakthrough.

They were on top for the opening quarter, with Glenn Morrison and Steve Menzies deadly in defence and Sam Burgess ploughing forward with his customary zeal, but they were only 6-0 to the good courtesy of three Paul Deacon penalties.

The skipper opted for the easy points every time the ill-disciplined Giants offended and it was understandable, given their struggles in breaking Hull KR down.

The manner in which his side were bossing the contest, you could only see them eventually wearing Huddersfield down and opening up in more elaborate style. However, the visitors had other ideas.

Martin Aspinwall fell over the line with the Giants’ first real attack in the 23rd minute and their confidence soared.

The Bulls had had trouble at each of the three restarts, with Morrison having to desperately battle for possession following a short kick, Deacon then diving like a goalkeeper to get to the second and Terry Newton knocking on after racing to get to the third.

That last one bounced straight into Menzies’ hands while he was in an offside position, gifting the Giants an attacking shot from the penalty.

Bradford held their line first time around, Chris Nero forcing the ball to ground when smashing Kevin Brown as the Giants stand-off tried a pass in the corner.

Referee Steve Ganson signalled another set for the visitors and that ended with Aspinwall’s four-pointer after Brett Hodgson had combined well with Leroy Cudjoe down the right.

Stephen Wild battered Ben Jeffries off the ball as the stand-off chased Deacon’s chip to the posts at the other end but this time the captain refused the simplest of penalty attempts. Bradford ran the play and came away with nothing. It was a sign of things to come and only served to put more spring into the step of Huddersfield.

Giants scrum half Luke Robinson danced clear after finding some space behind a Bulls ruck and he fed former Bull Simon Finnigan. It was fortunate for the hosts that Menzies, who had earlier rocked Brett Hodgson and Keith Mason with massive hits, was there as ever to come up with a huge cover tackle.

Paul Whatuira then evaded Deacon to get David Hodgson in the clear and Bradford were grateful when a touch judge ruled the winger had stepped out of play down the line.

There was no let-off in the final minute of the half though when Bulls failed to wrap up Danny Kirmond and the replacement squeezed out an off-load. Soon after, Brett Hodgson hit an inside angle and his kick found Jamahl Lolesi, with Hodgson converting the try to send them in 10-6 ahead.

Finnigan’s first return to Odsal after a fine spell at Bradford last year ended in agony as he was carried off early in the second half after coming off worse in a big tackle from Burgess.

His former team-mates regained the lead after they finally produced a crisp move, Jeffries’ delayed pass opening up the Giants to allow Morrison to finish well.

Deacon’s conversion made it 12-10 but the luckless scrum half had to be helped off not long after that, having suffered another facial injury.

Huddersfield then got their all-important score following some more incisive stuff from Brett Hodgson. The former Parramatta full back delivered a great inside ball to get Brown motoring and Wild finished off between the sticks to give his captain an easy conversion.

Huddersfield led by four points but it was only the 55th minute. That should have been plenty of time for the Bulls to respond but they could only toil away in vain to get back into the match.

Menzies’ own inside pass on the last gave Michael Platt a chance but Lolesi produced a brilliant tackle to deny the Bulls No 1.

Menzies then thought he had got over when Morrison unleashed Semi Tadulala down the left and the Aussie was on his inside shoulder but Huddersfield scrambled again to force the ball clear from his grasp just as the second-rower lunged for the line.

Burgess returned to the fray and he was the next to go close after Morrison’s delicate pass on the last saw him hit a hole. But Brown came up with the last-gasp tackle again and the Bulls grew more and more frustrated.

Wingman Rikki Sheriffe chipped infield after advancing well down the right and Menzies was in support to gather the bouncing ball.

But the Aussie, with his former Manly team-mates watching on ahead of Sunday’s World Club Challenge, could not believe his luck as Luke Robinson somehow snaffled his try-making pass bound for Platt.

Morrison, who became increasingly involved as the night wore on, broke clear next but kicked for the corner instead of finding support.

The ball harmlessly found touch – one of the tireless loose forward’s few errors – and then on the Bulls’ last charge the inspirational Brett Hodgson defused a massive bomb right on his own goal line under intense pressure.

There have been some close scrapes against Huddersfield in the past to maintain that long-running record but tonight there was no ‘get out of jail’ card remaining.

Att: 10,186