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 turnaround as Castleford beat Bradford 40-28 at the OneBore Stadium to secure a second Super League win of the season.


The lead altered hands 4 times in a frenzied 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 4 points with two minutes of the very first half left, quick 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 ended up with 16 points, but Bulls' return hopes fell short as Waqa Blake's rating was dismissed before Marsters grabbed 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 claim successive home league wins for the very first time given that 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 responded in kind with their first ownership, working the ball rapidly out to the left touchline for Qareqare to sprint in from close quarters.


Ill discipline allowed Hooley to boot the Bulls back ahead with two fast penalties before the Tigers struck the front for the first time with a practically identical rating as fast hands produced an overlap on the left edge for Qareqare to tear in once again.


The Cas lead lasted simply 7 minutes as Jayden Nikorima and Ed Chamberlain offered Mellor an easy run in, but the Bulls were stunned by two tries in as many minutes on the stroke of half-time.


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


Yet this was simply a cup of the havoc to come as Qareqare triggered more carnage directly after the break.


The winger's run required a penalty from which Lawler would include a 3rd 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 takes on and under the posts before Zac Cini gave a walk-in at the best corner.


Bulls worked the ball through the hands to offer Hooley an overlap on the right before stubborn defence saw Castleford fend off 3 succeeding repeat sets as the visitors defended a method 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 identified an offside, eventually making Marsters' 2nd score an alleviation and consigning fifth-placed Bradford to a third 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 misfortune early, conceding a shot off a bomb, then we lose Semi Valemei to another head knock - that's our 5th in three weeks.


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


"We didn't let the obstacles get to us today, which is something we spoke about a lot. If we didn't review the game effectively and go severe on ourselves from last week we would not most likely have actually reacted in that way.


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


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


Bradford Bulls head coach Kurt Haggerty informed BBC Radio Leeds:


"We have a very dissatisfied lot of men in the dressing space, however we're a brand new group and we'll carry on.


"If you score 28 points in a Super League game, you must win the game, however ultimately we simply didn't get it right methodically on edges.


"It will be a huge learning curve for us since we have actually not really faced that yet, however we'll repair it up and we'll enhance.


"I've got a very academic lot of males so we'll take a look at it, we'll repair it, we'll issue solve 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 subjects


Castleford Tigers


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