Bulls give Chambers harsh reality check
10:05pm Sunday 30th March 2008
Bulls 50, Castleford 4
If he'd have seen the way the Bulls' trampled all over his prospective team-mates, disgraced sprint star Dwain Chambers might have run a mile never mind 100 metres. In the other direction.
All the talk at Grattan Stadium and throughout the rugby league world today was of the drugs cheat athlete who will apparently and bizarrely be unveiled as a Castleford player tomorrow.
The Tigers hope to utilise his blistering pace as a winger but wing play is the least of their concerns after Bradford gave Super League's bottom club a hammering.
On this form, Chambers will never even see the ball.
At times, the rampant Bulls seemed like they were toying with their hapless opponents, blasting holes everywhere and running over defenders as if they weren't even there.
The visitors only managed to get in the Bradford 20 once in the second half and that ended with Luke Dorn embarrassingly scrambling around on all fours trying to touch down a kick.
He missed with three attempts and it summed up Cas's day. They need experienced players to fill gaping deficiencies in their thread-bare squad - Kirk Dixon and Mark Leafa were the latest to succumb to injuries - and what a soon-to-be 30-year-old, who has never even played the game, will do only the big wigs at Tigers know.
It seems even beleaguered boss Terry Matterson is in the dark. After seeing the Bulls tear through his side, he suggested he hadn't been involved in the deal when questioned about Chambers' imminent arrival.
"I don't want to talk about that," said Matterson.
"All I'm worried about is the team and, to be honest, that hasn't got a hell of a lot to do with me. I'm dealing with the footy team at the moment.
"I'll be honest with you - I don't know much about it. I haven't dealt with it at all. I know a little bit about him but I'd rather not comment on it, to be honest."
Bulls boss Steve McNamara could comment on his side though and, having seen them impressively post nine tries and, importantly, stay secure at the other end, there was plenty to be positive about.
"I'm really pleased with them," said the Odsal chief.
"They should gain a lot of confidence by scoring a lot of points like that and we possibly put four or five chances down over the line, too."
They did. Referee Ben Thaler managed to chalk off efforts from Dave Halley and Craig Kopczak in the second half when both seemed certain scores.
Kopczak bulldozed over and looked to have touched down but Thaler ruled the young prop was held up while Halley - although trying his best to spill - did eventually pick up Paul Deacon's delicate grubber and cross.
Thaler ruled a knock on and Cas were let off further damage. Simon Finnigan also bombed a chance when he somehow failed to collect another Deacon kick but none of this can take the gloss off a polished Bradford performance.
McNamara has been tearing his hair out watching his side deliver moments of magic followed by spells of sheer stupidity. But today they completed a full 80 minutes without any self-imploding and the results were clear.
Some will argue Cas posed little threat but neither did Harlequins on Easter Monday and Brad-ford still gave them a sniff of somehow winning.
There was no such generosity this time. Adam Fletcher scored at the end of the first period but that was Cas's sole venture into the Bulls' 20 and the hosts, who had earlier gone ahead through Wayne Godwin, didn't let it deter them.
Deacon, who was again outstanding directing his side, produced a rare mistake by kicking the re-start out on the full only for Cas youngster Joe Westerman to try passing while on the ground and conceding a penalty of their own.
Moments later, James Evans was diving in onto Ben Jeffries' raking kick while the Tigers' defence dozed and the rout was under way.
Semi Tadulala got the first of his hat-trick after Godwin and Finnigan teamed up to belt Michael Wainwright, dislodging the ball from the winger's grasp on his own 20.
Halley showed nimble footwork to avoid a shooter out of the line before executing a sharp pass for Paul Sykes to surge in for their fourth and a 22-4 interval lead.
The Bulls had been solid in the first half, completing their sets and methodically wearing Cas down.
But after the re-start, they opened up with some exciting stuff, none more so than Tadulala's second after a thrilling move involving Deacon, Halley, Godwin, Finnigan and Hape.
Then Jeffries, whose pace at half-back has brought a new dimension to the Bulls, sliced through before embarrassing full back Ryan McGoldrick with a big step to score.
Sam Burgess and Jamie Langley blitzed Matterson's men again with a series of thunderous breaks.
Finnigan, Halley and Kopczak all saw their chances go begging before Hape stepped through to restore order and another fine Deacon kick created Chris Nero's first try for the club.
Tadulala completed the demolition with his hat-trick off David Solomona's arrowed mis-pass.
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