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


The lead changed hands four times in a frantic very 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 tracked by four points with two minutes of the first half left, rapid scores from George Lawler, Tom Weaver and McIntosh's second 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' comeback hopes failed as Waqa Blake's rating was ruled out before Marsters grabbed a late 2nd.


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In a rematch of both sides' first-ever Super League clash - to open the league's 30-year anniversary celebrations - Castleford avenged that 30-18 defeat to claim succeeding 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 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 belongings, 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 2 fast penalties before the Tigers hit the front for the very first time with a nearly similar score as fast hands created an overlap on the left edge for Qareqare to tear in once again.


The Cas lead lasted simply seven minutes as Jayden Nikorima and Ed Chamberlain gave Mellor a simple run in, but the Bulls were stunned by two shots 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 first period from deep inside their own half, Krystian Mapapalangi this time provided Qareqare a longer run down the left touchline to complete his hat-trick.


Yet this was simply a taster of the havoc to come as Qareqare caused 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 tackle and stretching for the line.


The chastened Bulls continued to diminish as Weaver's show-and-go took him through two takes on and under the posts before Zac Cini gave McIntosh a walk-in at the ideal corner.


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


Nerves looked set to jangle as Blake completed 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, ultimately 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 misfortune early, yielding a try off a bomb, then we lose Semi Valemei to another head knock - that's our fifth in three weeks.


"We had to reshuffle the whole right edge for the whole of the 2nd half and I believed they did a wonderful task.


"We didn't let the problems get to us this week, which is something we spoke about a lot. If we didn't review the game effectively and go severe on ourselves from recently we wouldn't most likely have actually responded in that method.


"I'm truly proud and happy for the gamers. We have actually all had a tough week and I'm simply delighted to see them smiling and proud of their efficiency."


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


Bradford Bulls head coach Kurt Haggerty told BBC Radio Leeds:


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


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


"It will be a big knowing curve for us since we have actually not actually faced that yet, however we'll fix it up and we'll improve.


"I've got a really studious bunch of guys so we'll take a look at it, we'll fix 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.


Related subjects


Castleford Tigers


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