Leigh thump Bradford to move closer to play-offs
Leigh thump Bradford to move closer to play-offs
Matthew Cresswell - BBC Sport England Fri, August 21, 2026 at 9:16 PM UTC
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Betfred Super League
Leigh (14) 62
Tries: Mulhern, Brogan, Senior 2, Lam 2, Cook 2, Hanley, Ofahengaue Goals: Cook 11
Bradford (4) 10
Tries: Blake, Peposhi Goals: Atkin
Leigh Leopards took a step closer to securing a place in the play-offs for a fourth consecutive Super League season by comfortably sweeping aside rock-bottom Bradford Bulls.
The Leopards ran in 10 tries to move up to fifth in the standings and above Hull KR, who host out-of-form Toulouse Olympique tomorrow evening, with just one more win almost certainly guaranteeing them a spot in the top six once more.
The victory also takes them level on points with fourth-placed Wakefield Trinity, who lost at Wigan Warriors, with the Leopards set to host Wakefield on the final round of the regular season on Friday, 11 September in a potential shootout for a home play-off tie.
Bradford, meanwhile, slump to their tenth defeat from their past 11 matches in their first season back in Super League since 2014.
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Robbie Mulhern barged over from close range to break the deadlock in the 12th minute as Cook slotted the extras and added a penalty soon afterwards as the Leopards took control early on.
But the Bulls were back in it when former St Helens centre Waqa Blake touched down on the right edge for his 100th career try after Leigh knocked on. Louis Brogan then restored Leigh's two score advantage moments after coming on, crashing over after collecting a short pass.
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After Bradford full-back Caleb Aekins knocked on straight from the second-half kick-off, Innes Senior went over in the left corner in trademark fashion less than a minute after half-time.
Leigh's Jacob Alick-Wiencke then played his part in a fabulous score, breaking the lines of the Bradford defence before finding Lachlan Lam on his inside with a diving offload as the supporting half-back scored at ease.
At that stage, Leigh were beginning to enjoy themselves and Lam found Adam Cook, who showed exceptional footwork to kick the ball in behind and take a second touch with the boot before diving over with style.
Senior then had a walk in for his second try, Leigh's fourth in 16 second-half minutes, after combining with Lam to dot down in the corner as Cook maintained his perfect record with the boot from touch.
Lam's fabulous cut-out pass found Umyla Hanley, who dived over spectacularly in the corner, and Joe Ofahengaue helped take Leigh to 50 points, supporting Owen Trout on his inside to score. Cook dived over moments afterwards as Bradford's defence wilted during the second half.
Lam scored Leigh's 10th try, latching on to good wing play from Senior as Cook made it an outstanding 11 from 11 on the night with the boot before Bradford second-rower Eliot Peposhi scored a late consolation try for the Bulls with a minute remaining.
Leigh: Armstrong; Senior, Badrock, Hanley, Charnley; Cook, Lam; Liu, Horne, Mulhern, Alick-Wiencke, Trout, Ofahengaue.
Interchanges: Brogan, Ashworth, Ipape, Davis.
Bradford: Aekins; Okunbor, Blake, Hooley, Ryan; Keyes, Atkin; Gardiner, Ackers, Lewis, Russell, Peposhi, Mellor.
Interchanges: Gill, Scurr, Dean, Ruan.
Referee: Liam Rush.
Source: “AOL Sports”
