7 Apr 2025

MATCH PREVIEW | Bulls and Rhinos face off in Reserves grade

Thursday night sees derby rivals Leeds Rhinos and Bradford Bulls go head to head in round four of the Reserves competition as the two sides meet at Bartercard Odsal Stadium, kick off 7pm.

Chev Walker's side continued their strong start to the campaign as they posted 48 points, consisting of nine tries, on St Helens last time out at Stanningley thanks to two tries from both Ethan Clark-Wood and George Brown. Walker's trust in his Under-18s Academy players coupled with the performances of the senior first team players who have come into the Reserves this season, has seen the side build on their opening win over Leigh to secure back-to-back wins on home soil and be one of only two unbeaten Reserves teams to start 2025. Only Warrington Wolves can better the Rhinos' start to the 2025 campaign as the Wolves sit top of the Reserves league table on points difference, despite edging passed Bradford last time out.

Out of 23 players used this year, 15 of them are also eligible for the Under-18s who have also opened 2025 in a winning fashion. Off the back of the club signing a core group of 15 players to long term deals midway through 2025, the likes of Presley Cassell, Joe Diskin, Harley Thomas and Marcus Qareqare have carried their form into 2025 across both the Academy and Reserves competitions, whilst there has also been impressive performances from the likes of Lore Jones-Buchanan, Zak Lloyd and Noah Whittingham who haven't missed a Leeds youth game in 2025 yet.

Previous form against this week's opponents Bradford Bulls weighs heavily in favour of the Rhinos, who have won all three Reserves meetings against the Bulls since 2022 (when the competition returned). Leeds were 52-8 victors at Horsfall Stadium in their first Reserves game of the 2022 season before keeping the Bulls scoreless at Stanningley in 2023 with a 48-0 scoreline. Last year's outing at Odsal also went the way of the Rhinos too as they won 40-0.

Despite form versus Leeds being against them, the Bulls enter Thursday's game on a high after pushing Warrington close at the end of March. Bradford opened their 2025 season in style as a strong first half against Hull FC saw the side hold on to win 24-20, but the same couldn't be said for their test against Salford a week later as they lost out 40-16 on the road.

Now looking to get back to winning ways against the Rhinos, Bradford look to get back to winning ways ahead of a test against Wigan Warriors at the end of the month.