Featherstone back in league action with Yorkshire derby against Bulls after Wembley success

Eight days on from winning the 1895 Cup Final at Wembley, Featherstone Rovers return to league action against Bradford Bulls at the Odsal on Sunday.

So far this season, the Rovers have been unfaltering, winning all 12 of their Betfred Championship fixtures – as well as lifting silverware last weekend – and sit second in the table, effectively joint-top with French side Toulouse who have also won all of their games.

It was a scoreline of 41-34 which won them the 1895 cup last time out against York City Knights, and a game which yielded 13 tries between the two sides. While head coach James Webster will have been disappointed to concede that many points, he will undoubtedly have been pleased with the attacking threat posed by his side, as has been the case in 2021 to date.

Meanwhile, this weekend’s hosts Bradford have enjoyed what can only be described as a mixed season up until this point with plenty of ups and downs in the 12 league fixtures which they have played. An opening day defeat away at Sheffield Eagles was followed up by an impressive seven-game winning run, before two defeats and most recently two victories.

John Kear’s Bulls sit third in the league table with a win percentage of 75%, so are some way off Featherstone and Toulouse, but will be pleased with their efforts in the last outing to secure a comfortable 22-54 victory away at Oldham. However, if they are to lose out to Featherstone, then Halifax Panthers could leapfrog Kear’s men in the process providing they win their own game respectively.

Squads

Featherstone boss Webster will be back in the dugout this weekend having been forced to miss last week’s cup final due to being in self-isolation, such has become the way of the world over the last 18 months or so.

Though while he will return, some of the Rovers’ players will not just yet, due to both COVID-19 protocols and other injuries. Six players missed last week’s trip to Wembley and will also miss this weekend’s meeting with Bradford, while the versatile Junior Moors will also miss out on Sunday.

Moors is currently in self-isolation, though teammate and fellow forward Frankie Halton does make a return to the matchday squad to face the Bulls.

In the Bradford squad, Irish international Joe Keyes is named having had his loan from Hull Kingston Rovers extended earlier this week. That comes after the 25-year-old scored a hat trick last time out at Oldham and earned a further 18 points from his boot with successful conversions.

Young prop Bradley Ho is also included by manager Kear for the visit of Featherstone having been recalled from his own respective loan spell at League 1 club Coventry Bears. Ho came through the ranks at the Bulls academy and has impressed while with the Bears.

Head-to-Head

These two clubs are no strangers to one another, and have already faced each other twice this campaign with Featherstone comfortably coming out on top on both occasions.

Back in March, Webster’s men ran out 41-16 winners in the early rounds of the Challenge Cup before nullifying Bradford completely in the league last month at the Millennium stadium and earning a 44-0 victory.

Fev are unbeaten in four against the Bulls, though you only have to look back to April 2019 for their last defeat against this weekend’s opponents. After a thrilling Challenge Cup tie which saw Bradford score three tries in the last ten minutes to level things up, Jordan Lilley’s drop goal in extra time earned the Bulls a memorable win by a scoreline of 27-26

Coincidentally, Bradford also reigned supreme in the opening game of that 2019 Championship campaign against Featherstone courtesy of a drop goal. Dane Chisholm – now a Rovers player – was the hero that day, as the Bulls secured a 17-16 triumph.

Key Quotes

Featherstone Rovers’ head coach James Webster: ” We are going to a tough place against a team that’s been good all year. It is just another test that we have to overcome.

“That’s exciting, if you ask me, but I am also realistic, and years of watching rugby league tells you that a week after a high like that [1895 cup win], it is hard to get yourself up again. It will be difficult to avoid a dip in form.

“We only had 17 players [for the final], Frankie [Halton] is available so we have got a maximum of 18.

“You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to realise if a couple pull out we won’t be playing with 17, but we will be playing.

“We will play with 15 if we have to; we will be playing the game – we won’t be giving Bradford a walkover.”

Bradford Bulls assistant coach Mark Dunning: “The lads have come back really energised and they look up for this weekend’s game, it’s a real opportunity for us. 

“We’re not expecting a cup hangover, we know it’s a massive task for us, but we’re up for it, and we know what we can do.  

“We’re looking to build on the Oldham game and iron out some things which we weren’t too pleased about. 

“The fans will be massive for us this weekend; we need them out in their numbers to roar us on.”

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