Bradford Bulls under siege by bans, warnings to its players
Bradford Bulls players are under siege by a series of bans given by the Rugby Football League (RFL)’s Disciplinary committee.
The Bradford Bulls, established since 1907, calls Odsal Stadium, Bradford England, as his home. The year 2003 can be referred to as their best era, as they had won the honours of winning several tournaments. They won the Minor Premier tournament in 2003;
the Challenge Cup in 2000 and 2003, and the World Club Championship in 2002, 2004 and 2006. The Bulls also triumphed in several of the Super League tournaments, namely in the years 1997, 2001, 2003 and 2005.
The Bradford Bulls, after a slow start, have worked on their play a little more, in the Engage Super League 2011. They have wins like 28-14 against Salford City Reds as of May 29, 30-16 against Harlequins Rugby League (RL) as of June 4 and 18-12 against
Leeds Rhinos, their arch rivals, as of June 24.
The latest Super League match of the Bulls against Castleford Tigers was however a turnabout for the Bulls. The Bulls lost by 34-30 to the Castleford Tigers. This resulted in the drop of their position in the Super League Table from 10, last year, to 11,
this year. They are now under the Salford City Reds on the Table, last year having been under the July 10 winners’ Tigers position on the Table.
During this season’s Super League games, the Bulls have seen a lot of players under the eye of the RFL’s disciplinary committee. Their latest match against Castleford Tigers resulted in the latest disciplinary offence.
Previously, in the same season while playing in the Challenge Cup 2011, Gareth Raynor, the Bull’s winger, was also charged with a grade B offence. He was fined £300 and banned for two games due to his tackle on Sam Tomkins, a player of Wigan Warriors.
Amidst the Super League game on July 10, Matt Diskin, the Bull’s hooker was accused by the disciplinary committee by a grade B offence. His offence was causing possible injury in a tackle, to Richard Owen, the wringer of Castleford Tigers. The tackle on
Owen was done through the use of knees by Diskin. This tackle was caught by the referee, Richard Silverwood, during the game, and later it came under the eye of RFL's Match Review Panel, after the game. It was termed a grade B offence and Diskin, is now facing
a potential ban of two games.
In the same game, Patrick Ah Van, the Bull’s winger also came under the eye of the disciplinary committee. The review panel of RFL issued a warning to the player for his risky play against Paul Jackson of the Tigers.
This season has been a series of ups and downs for the Bradford Bulls, with several of its players facing either warning or bans for misconduct during the different games.
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