Super League: Bradford Bulls 10-40 St Helens - Saints grind out strong away win

St Helens strongly came through an attritional contest with Bradford Bulls to move back up to fourth in Super League.

They were quickly 10-2 behind after a Phoenix Steinwede try, but from there the visitors fought back to take control.

Jacob Douglas and Curtis Sironen tries had them in front by half-time, but they dominated after the restart with 28 unanswered points and further scores from Jack Welsby (2), Joe Shorrocks and Jackson Hastings, who had a 20-point haul with eight kicks too.

The victory took Saints up two places in the table, level again with Wigan Warriors but with an inferior points difference.

Having faded after a good start, this was a third straight defeat for Bradford, who stay 11th in their first year back at this level.

This was Saints' first visit to Odsal since 2014 and the home side responded to the sight of one of the great names of rugby league being back at this famous old ground.

It made for a very physical start following a hard-fought game at the Brewdog Stadium in March.

Hastings kicked an early goal for Saints, before Shane Wright was yellow-carded for a late hit on Chris Atkin.

With the Australian forward off for 10 minutes, Bradford scored 10 unanswered points, highlighted by Steinwede's hard run into the line and a smart sidestep taking him over the line.

But that was the high point for the Bulls as the visitors turned the scoreline around with two tries in the space of seven minutes.

Winger Douglas finished well in the left corner to mark his debut with a try, coming in with injuries leaving a big hole in the backline.

Then second-rower Sironen, on his 100th St Helens appearance, proved unstoppable from close range as Paul Rowley's side went in ahead at the break.

That advantage was extended within a few minutes of the restart as Welsby got his hand down to Hastings' grubber kick before the ball went dead.

Shorrocks took advantage when his own little kick bounced up kindly to dive over. Hastings then grabbed a try of his own after Harry Robertson had parried down the Australian's chipped kick to move the lead out to 20 points and effectively seal the success.

Welsby got his second and St Helens' sixth try, but the match ended on a worrying note after a very serious-looking injury for Bradford forward Will Gardiner, who needed treatment on the field from both sets of medical teams before he was carried off on a stretcher.

Bradford: Aekins; Wynne, Armitage, Blake, Ryan; Nikorima, Atkin; Sutton, Ackers, Doro, Russell, Steinwede, Mellor.

Interchanges: Scurr, Gardiner, Peposhi, Hooley.

St Helens: Welsby; Douglas, Robertson, Macdonald, Dagnall; Sailor, Hastings; Walmsley, Shorrocks, Suluka-Fifita, Sironen, Wright, Klemmer.

Interchanges: Host, Delaney, Davies, Humphreys.