John Kear makes Bradford Bulls admission after Sheffield Eagles thrashing

The Eagles scored no fewer than 10 tries to get their Championship season off to a flyer with a 50-12 win on Sunday.

Aston said: “I saw enough in the York game to know that we can play. It didn’t shock me, I know we were capable of that and now the challenge for us is to reproduce it.

"We have got a real tough bunch in the dressing room that are all really fighting to get in the team and competition for places fetches the best out of them.”

Bradford Bulls head coach John Kear admitted post-match his team was “absolutely mullered” by the home side, who restricted them to just two tries.

He said: “We met a team that are very enthusiastic, very hard-working.

"They absolutely mullered us with effort levels, with desire.”

Six first-half tries, including two each for Aaron Brown and James Glover, as well as scores for Josh Guzdeck and Joel Farrell, meant Eagles went in 28-0 ahead at half-time.

Izaac Farrell, Anthony Thackeray (x2) and Ryan Miller crossed the line after the break to stave off a short-lived Bulls fightback and seal the win.

Farrell also completed four conversions, while James Glover added the extras for Miller’s late try after the former was yellow-carded.

Asked to rate the performance out of 10, Aston replied: “Eight to nine. To put 50 points on any team that are competing up there, it’s a massive achievement for us.

"It’s one we will enjoy but we have got to improve again and be challenging ourselves to be a little bit better.”

The Eagles’s next match is away to York City Knights on April 18 and presents an early opportunity to avenge last month’s 6-30 Challenge Cup defeat.

Aston said: “You look at the fixtures and people will say Sheffield’s got a tough start but people don’t know what I know.

"We have had a real tough pre-season and the boys have bought in and really taken ownership of what we are about and that doesn’t surprise me.

"The boys are asking for a couple of days off, I think we have got to work a little bit harder and be a little better for the next game.”