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 inspired a sensational turn-around as Castleford beat Bradford 40-28 at the OneBore Stadium to secure a 2nd Super League win of the season.


The lead altered 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 trailed by four points with two minutes of the first half left, rapid ratings from George Lawler, Tom Weaver and McIntosh's 2nd took the hosts 24 points clear within 10 minutes of the restart.


Luke Hooley crossed on the hour as he finished with 16 points, however Bulls' comeback hopes failed as Waqa Blake's rating was ruled out before Marsters got a late second.


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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 home league wins for the very first time because April 2024 and go up to 11th.


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


The hosts reacted in kind with their very first ownership, working the ball quickly out to the left touchline for Qareqare to sprint in from close range.


Ill discipline permitted Hooley to boot the Bulls back ahead with 2 fast charges before the Tigers struck the front for the very first time with a nearly similar score as fast hands produced an overlap on the left edge for Qareqare to tear in once again.


The Cas lead lasted just seven minutes as Jayden Nikorima and Ed Chamberlain provided Mellor an easy run in, but the Bulls were stunned by two tries in as lots of minutes on the stroke of half-time.


McIntosh went in at the right 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 triggered more carnage straight after the break.


The winger's run forced a penalty from which Lawler would add a third Cas attempt in five minutes, twisting in the deal with and stretching for the line.


The chastened Bulls continued to go away as Weaver's show-and-go took him through 2 tackles and under the posts before Zac Cini offered McIntosh a walk-in at the best corner.


Bulls worked the ball through the hands to offer Hooley an overlap on the right before persistent defence saw Castleford push back 3 successive repeat sets as the visitors defended a way back.


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


But video referee Liam Rush spotted 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 setbacks get to us' - Castleford response


Castleford Tigers head coach Ryan Carr told BBC Radio Leeds:


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


"We needed to reshuffle the entire right edge for the whole of the 2nd half and I thought they did a fantastic task.


"We didn't let the setbacks get to us today, which is something we spoke about a lot. If we didn't review the video game correctly and go harsh on ourselves from recently we would not most likely have reacted in that method.


"I'm truly proud and happy for the players. We have actually all had a difficult week and I'm just pleased to see them smiling and happy with their efficiency."


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


Bradford Bulls head coach Kurt Haggerty informed BBC Radio Leeds:


"We have an extremely dissatisfied bunch of guys in the dressing room, but we're a brand name new group and we'll proceed.


"If you score 28 points in a Super League video game, you ought to win the video game, but ultimately we just didn't get it best methodically on edges.


"It will be a huge learning curve for us since we have actually not actually dealt with that yet, but we'll fix it up and we'll enhance.


"I've got an extremely academic bunch of guys so we'll look at it, we'll repair it, we'll problem resolve and carry on 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.


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