Bradford will have to contend with reigning Betfred Super League Man of Steel Jake Connor if they are to mark their return to Magic Weekend with a long-awaited top-flight away win in Liverpool next Sunday.
Leeds head coach Brad Arthur has moved to quash fears that Connor could miss out on the big West Yorkshire derby after he was taken off with 10 minutes remaining in Friday night’s thumping win over Hull KR at Headingley.
Connor scored one try, assisted in four others and kicked seven goals out of seven to maintain his extraordinary form, and Arthur indicated straight after the game that he hoped his withdrawal would be a precautionary measure.
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Highlights of the Super League match between Leeds Rhinos and Hull KR.
Arthur confirmed on Monday: “Jake was a little bit busted up going into the game so we got in a position with 10 minutes to go where we had the luxury.
“It was nothing to do with disrespect to the opposition. Jake’s been picking up a few bumps and bruises and he is really important to us. The result was locked away, and we had to look to next week.”
Sunday’s clash at the Hill Dickinson Stadium will represent Bradford’s first Magic Weekend clash since they completed their final season in the top flight in 2014, before plunging into a decade of financial strife.
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Highlights of the Super League match between Warrington Wolves and Leeds Rhinos.
But the history of such big occasions – not least the infamous 2007 Magic Weekend clash with Leeds that saw referee Steve Ganson award Leeds a controversial, match-winning penalty for which he subsequently apologised – still weighs heavily at Odsal.
Add the extra incentive for the Bulls of recording their first away win in the top flight in more than 4,000 days, victory at London on the day they bade farewell to Super League in September 2014, and Bulls head coach Kurt Haggerty acknowledged the importance of the occasion.
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Highlights of the Super League match between Bradford Bulls and York Knights.
“My biggest bugbear within the club is that we’ve not got that win on the road yet, and it’s really starting to irritate me,” Haggerty said.
“I think we’ve added to the competition this season and we’ve shown that on our day we can turn pretty much any team over. So it’s great to see the Bulls back in on the big stage.
“We’d love to get our first away win against Leeds, if not this weekend, then later at Headingley. But it would resonate pretty well with most fans if we won this weekend.”
Super League 2026 – upcoming key dates
- Magic Weekend: July 4-July 5
- Rivals Round reversed: July 23-July 26
- Elimination Play-offs: September 19-September 20
- Play-off semi-finals: September 26-September 27
- Grand Final: October 3
Sky Sports will show every game of the Super League live this season, including two matches each round exclusively live. The remaining five matches will be broadcast on Sky Sports+
