Qareqare Hat-trick Fires Castleford Past Bradford

ByChris Harby
BBC Sport England


26 March 2026


17 Comments


Betfred Super League


Castleford (22) 40


Tries: Qareqare 3, McIntosh 2, Lawler, Weaver Goals: Weaver 6


Bradford (16) 28


Tries: Marsters 2, Mellor, Hooley Goals: Hooley 6


Jason Qareqare's hat-trick motivated a mind-blowing turn-around as Castleford beat Bradford 40-28 at the OneBore Stadium to secure a 2nd Super League win of the season.


The lead changed hands four times in a frantic first half as Qareqare's treble and Darnell McIntosh's score, responding to attempts from Esan Marsters and Joe Mellor, edged Cas 22-16 ahead at the break.


Having routed by 4 points with 2 minutes of the very first half left, fast ratings from George Lawler, Tom Weaver and McIntosh's 2nd took the hosts 24 points clear within 10 minutes of the reboot.


Luke Hooley crossed on the hour as he finished with 16 points, but Bulls' return hopes failed as Waqa Blake's score was dismissed before Marsters got a late second.


Super League at 30: What altered - and what's next?


11 hours ago


Wood appointed new RFL chairman


Published


2 days back


In a rematch of both sides' first-ever Super League clash - to open the league's 30-year anniversary events - Castleford avenged that 30-18 defeat to claim successive home league wins for the very first time since April 2024 and climb to 11th.


Smarting from a humbling 72-6 defeat at Warrington, Cas fell behind within 100 seconds as Marsters pinched a crossfield kick from McIntosh's grasp and dropped over the line.


The hosts reacted in kind with their first belongings, working the ball rapidly out to the left touchline for Qareqare to run in from close quarters.


Ill Hooley to boot the Bulls back ahead with 2 quick penalties before the Tigers struck the front for the very first time with an almost identical rating as fast hands created an overlap on the left edge for Qareqare to tear in once again.


The Cas lead lasted just 7 minutes as Jayden Nikorima and Ed Chamberlain offered Mellor a basic run in, but the Bulls were stunned by 2 shots in as numerous minutes on the stroke of half-time.


McIntosh went in at the best corner to level, and running the last play of the very first duration from deep inside their own half, Krystian Mapapalangi this time offered Qareqare a longer run down the left touchline to complete his hat-trick.


Yet this was just a taster of the havoc to come as Qareqare caused more carnage straight after the break.


The winger's run forced a charge from which Lawler would add a 3rd Cas try in 5 minutes, twisting in the tackle and extending for the line.


The chastened Bulls continued to decrease as Weaver's show-and-go took him through two deals with and under the posts before Zac Cini gave McIntosh a walk-in at the best corner.


Bulls worked the ball through the hands to give Hooley an overlap on the right before persistent defence saw Castleford fend off 3 succeeding repeat sets as the visitors battled for a method back.


Nerves looked set to jangle as Blake ended up another slick Bradford attack which would have cut the lead to 14 points with 12 minutes left.


But video referee Liam Rush found an offside, eventually making Marsters' 2nd score an alleviation and consigning fifth-placed Bradford to a 3rd away Super League defeat.


'We didn't let problems get to us' - Castleford reaction


Castleford Tigers head coach Ryan Carr told BBC Radio Leeds:


"It was another night where we had hardship early, conceding a shot off a bomb, then we lose Semi Valemei to another head knock - that's our fifth in three weeks.


"We had to reshuffle the entire right edge for the entire of the second half and I thought they did a fantastic job.


"We didn't let the problems get to us this week, which is something we discussed a lot. If we didn't evaluate the video game correctly and go severe on ourselves from last week we would not probably have responded because way.


"I'm actually proud and delighted for the players. We've all had a tough week and I'm simply pleased to see them smiling and happy with their performance."


'It will be a huge learning curve' - Bradford reaction


Bradford Bulls head coach Kurt Haggerty told BBC Radio Leeds:


"We have a really dissatisfied bunch of males in the dressing room, but we're a brand name brand-new group and we'll move on.


"If you score 28 points in a Super League video game, you must win the game, however eventually we just didn't get it right systematically on edges.


"It will be a big learning curve for us because we've not truly dealt with that yet, however we'll repair it up and we'll enhance.


"I have actually got a really academic lot of men so we'll take a look at it, we'll fix it, we'll problem fix and proceed from it."


Castleford: Cini, Valemei, McIntosh, Mapapalangi, Qareqare, Asi, Weaver, Atoni, Forber, Westerman, Lane, Hirst, Lawler.


Interchanges: Greacen, Doolan, Hall, Beckett.


Bradford: Aekins, Hooley, Marsters, Blake, Ryan, Nikorima, Milnes, Sutton, Ackers, Lewis, Chamberlain, Ruan, Mellor.


Interchanges: Atkin, Ormondroyd, Hallas, Steinwede.


Referee: J. Vella.


Related topics


Castleford Tigers


Rugby League