A season that has lurched from crisis to catastrophe could yet culminate in the Bradford Bulls earning an unlikely place in the engage Super League play-offs after this eight-try demolition of lowly Salford City Reds.
Having spent much of the summer in twelfth place, the Bulls have somehow engineered five wins from their past six fixtures to leave them tantalisingly close to a top-eight berth that has at times looked beyond their capabilities. Victory at Hull this week, combined with a St Helens triumph over Catalans Dragons, would mean Steve McNamara’s side completing a remarkable turnaround and help him to avoid the ignominy of becoming the first Bradford coach to miss out on Super League’s knockout stages.
“It’s still too far out of our hands for my liking,” McNamara said, “but we’ve given ourselves a fighting chance. We’re enjoying what we’re doing at the moment.”
Things are less buoyant at Salford, who confirmed seven minutes before kick-off the departure of Richard Myler, the England scrum half, to Warrington Wolves next season. The Wolves will unveil Myler, who last played for Salford on July 31, at a press conference this afternoon. “I’m disappointed that Richard has chosen to leave the club, but that’s business,” Shaun McRae, the Salford coach, said.
Chris Nero was Bradford’s unlikely hero yesterday, registering a clinical hat-trick with three cool finishes that included a first score less than two minutes into proceedings. His plundered effort set the tone from the off, with the Bulls’ power and strength being demonstrated to their best.
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Semi Tadulala followed Nero’s first effort before Jamie Langley carried two Salford defenders with him as Bradford stretched their advantage to 18 points within 12 minutes. Stefan Ratchford then worked John Wilshere over. But Bradford maintained their authority with a second try for Langley, before Nero crossed twice in three minutes after the break to put the result beyond doubt.
Tadulala claimed his double and, while Salford hit back with late scores from Wilshere and Mark Henry, it was Andy Lynch, the Bradford prop, who had the final say, flopping over just before the hooter.
Six weeks ago there were calls from the Bulls’ faithful for McNamara’s head, but he has earned a reprieve over the last month. “The players and staff here work extremely hard,” McNamara said. “Sometimes you cop a little bit [of negative press] and sometimes you get some praise. You’ve got to take the rough with the smooth.”
Scorers: Bradford Bulls: Tries: Nero 3, Tadulala 2, Langley 2, Lynch. Goals: Deacon 6. Salford City Reds: Tries: Wilshere 2, Henry. Goals: Ratchford 3.
Bradford Bulls: D Halley; R Sheriffe, M Platt, C Nero, S Tadulala; P Sykes, P Deacon; A Lynch, W Godwin, N Scruton, J Langley, G Morrison, S Menzies. Interchange: S Burgess, B Jeffries, M Worrincy, C Kopczak.
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Salford City Reds: K Fitzpatrick; J Wilshere, M Henry, S Littler, D McGilvray; J Smith, S Ratchford; R Cashmere, M Alker, C Stapleton, I Sibbit, L Adamson, L Swain. Interchange: P Leuluai, A Sidlow, S Nash, R Paul.
Referee: J Child.