Castleford Tigers kicked off Super League’s 30th anniversary weekend with a much-needed victory against promoted Bradford Bulls that perhaps said as much about the frailties of both sides as it did their strengths.

The Bulls have been one of the stories of Super League in 2026 since returning to the top flight over the winter, with the four-time champions who dominated the early years of the competition providing plenty of entertainment and three wins from three at home to sit inside the playoffs after the opening five rounds.

In contrast, the Tigers had won just once under new coach Ryan Carr and after suffering one of their heaviest-ever defeats last week when they were beaten 72-6 at Warrington, a loss against a second promoted side inside the opening six matches would have piled the pressure on Carr and Castleford.

However, they were able to come through a supremely entertaining game on a night which attack was very much on top and defence was somewhat of an afterthought, hinting neither will be able to go toe-to-toe with Super League’s elite sides. Ultimately, a run of 28 unanswered points in the 10 minutes either side of half-time decided this thrilling game Castleford’s way.

Bradford led 16-12 after half an hour thanks to tries from Esan Marsters and Joe Mellor, with the Tigers responding through two tries for winger Jason Qareqare. Four goals from Luke Hooley, two of them penalties, gave the visitors a slender lead and you could feel the tension rising inside Wheldon Road as the Tigers stared down the barrel of a fifth loss in six league games.

Then the momentum swung in a dramatic 90 seconds before half-time, during which the hosts transformed a four-point deficit into a six-point advantage. A wonderful pass from Tom Weaver put Darnell McIntosh over in the corner before, from the resulting kick-off, the Tigers went the length of the field with Qareqare completing his hat-trick in sensational fashion.

George Lawler and Weaver then scored inside the first five minutes of the second half and when McIntosh claimed his second to make it 40-16, any notion of a damaging defeat for Castleford was quickly being dispelled in thoroughly entertaining fashion.

Hooley and Marsters scored consolations in the final quarter but the Bulls never threatened seriously enough to mount a proper comeback.