Swinton Lions condemned to relegation playoff following 50-0 loss to Bradford Bulls

Swinton Lions will have to play in the Betfred Championship relegation playoff following a heavy defeat away at Bradford Bulls.

The Lions were charged by the Bulls, suffering from a rampant performance from the home side as they were beaten 50-0.

The fixture began with Swinton immediately being thrust into a difficult position, conceding early with Bradford taking a 6-0 lead inside 10 minutes.

And despite the early set back the Lions continued to fight back in the fixture, however, it wasn’t until the 25th minute that the floodgates began to open.

Alan Kilshaw’s side found themselves 28-0 down before the half-time break following a quick succession of tries from the Bulls.

The Lions walked in at half time with their heads down, almost accepting the fate of the relegation playoffs, but the misery continued into the second half.

The Bradford Bulls continued to bulldoze their way through the Lions in the second half, with Franklin Pele sealing his hattrick in the 75th minute.

Following the disappointing defeat, many Lions fans voiced their frustrations on X, describing the game as the “worst performance of the season.”

Full Time
A tough afternoon for the Lions as our spot in the playoff against the League 1 final winners is confirmed.
Thank you to all Lions fans for your support this afternoon, remaining loud and proud throughout. #COYL #OriginalLions
Bradford Bulls 50-0 Swinton Lions

— Swinton Lions RLFC (@Swinton_Lions) September 29, 2024

The defeat was held away in Bradford will mean that Alan Kilshaw’s side will face either Keighley Cougars or Hunslet RLFC in the Betfred League One Play-Off Final.

The next fixture will be held on October 6, and will be the last opportunity for the Lions to keep a place in the championship that will put an end to their two season spell in the league.

The Lions were promoted from the third division in 2022, after the successful win in the promotion final, and in their first campaign securing survival with a 10th place finish last season.

This season however is a different story, with Swinton at risk of once again joining the teams in the League One after facing nine defeats throughout the campaign.

The number of losses this season has seen the Lions fall to 12th in the league, with their fate being decided against either Keighley Cougars or Hunslet RLFC.