Earning a chance to repay the fans’ faith made the Bulls’ first victory of the season that much sweeter for Matt Orford.

Victory against Castleford was vital in getting the campaign up and running but the Aussie scrum half insists it was equally important to prove a point to the club’s support.

The players had left the field to a chorus of boos during the previous week’s collapse at home to St Helens but it did not stop the Bradford faithful getting behind their team on Friday.

Almost 9,000 fans were in fine voice on a freezing night at Grattan Stadium and Orford was glad to give them something to cheer about.

He said: “It was the response we wanted. Everyone went out there and stuck to their word and everyone put in a way better performance.

“Obviously there’s still areas we need to work on but it was a huge step forward and there were some positive signs there. We can build on that.

“There were some really good signs and it was good to just repay the faith the fans showed in us. We were keen to do that.

“To play some good football like that just goes to show there’s no doubt in this camp about what we can do, we just need to keep working hard.”

Orford dazzled against Cas, his creativity, range of passing and short-kicking game meshing well with the pace and elusiveness of fellow half Brett Kearney.

But the 31-year-old former Manly star insists it was a case of patience paying off, the Bulls’ considered set-building allowing them to play football at the right times.

Orford said: “We can get better and better at playing patient footy. The more we starve teams of the ball, play the percentage game and pick our times to play football, I think we’re a pretty hard team to beat.

“We showed we can do that in different periods and we’ll only get better.

“We did find gaps but I pay a lot of credit to the forwards. They laid a great platform and we can’t play football unless they go forward.

“They really did their job and so did the outside backs. It’s easy to play on the front foot.”

Orford also admits the firm pitch – a result of sub-zero temperatures – worked in the Bulls’ favour.

He said: “It was a huge contrast to the previous week. Against Saints it was really sluggy but against Castleford it was really hard. Maybe we’re a fast-pitch team, who knows?

“It’s just great just to get that winning feeling. We know we can win and we know we have ability but just to actually get those two points and get off the mark makes a big difference.”