THERE had already been a mini-reveal on Saturday lunchtime, but now Bulls and Cougars know their full Championship schedule for 2023.
Bradford knew they were starting at home to Whitehaven on Sunday, February 5, while Keighley had the first TV fixture of the season, hosting Featherstone Rovers on Monday, February 6 on Viaplay Sports (formerly Premier Sports).
The roles are reversed the following weekend, with Cougars at Widnes on Sunday, February 12, and Bulls on Viaplay away to York on Monday, February 13.
The derbies between Bradford and Keighley take place on Sunday, March 26 at Cougar Park, and on Sunday, July 2 at Odsal.
Three of Bulls' first four games are at home, with that trip to York followed by the visit of Widnes and Toulouse to BD6.
Other notable fixtures for Bradford see their game at Halifax televised on Easter Monday, April 10, with the reverse fixture on Sunday, June 18.
They travel to France six days after that game at Odsal to face Toulouse, with the Summer Bash taking place a few weeks earlier in its traditional late-May slot, with the venue and timings yet to be confirmed.
Bradford's season concludes with a Friday night trip to face the Sheffield Eagles in South Yorkshire on September 22.
Batley only missed out on promotion to Super League after losing the Million Pound Game to Leigh, and their head coach is former Cougars boss Craig Lingard.
Keighley visit the Bulldogs early, on Sunday, February 26, with the reverse fixture a whole six months later, on Sunday, August 20.
Cougars' head of rugby in 2022, Andrew Henderson, was instrumental in them winning League 1, but he has left to become York's head coach.
Keighley visit them at the LNER Community Stadium for a Friday evening clash on April 7, with the clash between the two sides at Cougar Park taking place on Sunday, July 9.
Cougars end their season with a long trek down to London Broncos, with that game in the capital taking place on Sunday, September 24.
BULLS' 2023 CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES:
FEBRUARY
H 5/2/23 - WHITEHAVEN RLFC
A 13/2/23 - YORK RLFC KNIGHTS (7:45PM)
H 19/2/23 - WIDNES VIKINGS
H 25/2/23 - TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE (1:00PM)
MARCH
A 6/3/23 - FEATHERSTONE ROVERS (7:45PM)
H 19/3/23 - SHEFFIELD EAGLES
A 26/3/23 - KEIGHLEY COUGARS
APRIL
A 10/4/23 - HALIFAX PANTHERS (7:45PM)
H 16/4/23 - BATLEY BULLDOGS
MAY
A 7/5/23 - BARROW RAIDERS
H 14/5/23 - SWINTON LIONS
SUMMER BASH TBC
JUNE
A 2/6/23 - NEWCASTLE THUNDER (7:45PM)
H 11/6/23 - LONDON BRONCOS
H 18/6/23 - HALIFAX PANTHERS
A 24/6/23 - TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE (6:00PM)
JULY
H 2/7/23 - KEIGHLEY COUGARS
A 9/7/23 - WIDNES VIKINGS
A 16/7/23 - WHITEHAVEN RLFC
H 23/7/23 - BARROW RAIDERS
AUGUST
A 6/8/23 - BATLEY BULLDOGS
H 20/8/23 - NEWCASTLE THUNDER
A 27/8/23 - SWINTON LIONS
SEPTEMBER
H 3/9/23 - FEATHERSTONE ROVERS
H 10/9/23 - YORK CITY KNIGHTS
A 17/9/23 - LONDON BRONCOS
A 22/9/23 - SHEFFIELD EAGLES (7:30PM)
COUGARS' 2023 CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES:
Round 1 | FEATHERSTONE ROVERS
Monday 6th February | Venue: Cougar Park |
Round 2 | WIDNES VIKINGS
Sunday 12th February | Venue: DCBL Stadium |
Round 3 | NEWCASTLE THUNDER
Sunday 19th February | Venue: Cougar Park |
Round 4 | BATLEY BULLDOGS
Sunday 26th February | Venue: Fox’s Biscuits Stadium |
Round 5 | LONDON BRONCOS
Sunday 5th March | Venue: Cougar Park |
Round 6 | HALIFAX PANTHERS
Sunday 19th March | Venue: The Shay |
Round 7 | BRADFORD BULLS
Sunday 26th March | Venue: Cougar Park |
Round 8 | YORK CITY KNIGHTS
Friday 7th April | Venue: LNER Community Stadium |
Round 9 | TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE
Saturday 15th April | Venue: Cougar Park |
Round 10 | WHITEHAVEN
Sunday 7th May | Venue: LEL Arena |
Round 11 | SHEFFIELD EAGLES
Sunday 14th May | Venue: Cougar Park |
Round 12 | SUMMER BASH (OPPONENT TBC)
27-28 May | Venue: TBC | Kick Off: TBC
Round 13 | SWINTON LIONS
Sunday 4th June | Venue: Cougar Park |
Round 14 | BARROW RAIDERS
Sunday 11th June | Venue: Matt Johnson Prestige Stadium |
Round 15 | NEWCASTLE THUNDER
Sunday 18th June | Venue: Kingston Park |
Round 16 | WHITEHAVEN
Sunday 25th June | Venue: Cougar Park |
Round 17 | BRADFORD BULLS
Sunday 2nd July | Venue: Odsal Stadium |
Round 18 | YORK CITY KNIGHTS
Sunday 9th July | Venue: Cougar Park |
Round 19 | WIDNES VIKINGS
Sunday 16th July | Venue: Cougar Park |
Round 20 | TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE
Saturday 29th July | Venue: Stade Ernest-Wallon |
Round 21 | SWINTON LIONS
Sunday 6th August | Venue: Heywood Road |
Round 22 | BATLEY BULLDOGS
Sunday 20th August | Venue: Cougar Park |
Round 23 | FEATHERSTONE ROVERS
Sunday 27th August | Venue: Millenium Stadium |
Round 24 | BARROW RAIDERS
Sunday 3rd September | Venue: Cougar Park |
Round 25 | SHEFFIELD EAGLES
Friday 8th September | Venue: Olympic Legacy Park |
Round 26 | HALIFAX PANTHERS
Sunday 17th September | Venue: Cougar Park |
Round 27 | LONDON BRONCOS
Sunday 24th September | Venue: Cherry Red Records Stadium |
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