Dewsbury Rams 16 Bradford Bulls 42

Now this was a bit more like it.

A first-half performance overflowing with energy, skill and creativity saw the Bulls utterly outclass their hosts and provide much cause for optimism with the new season less than a fortnight away.

Mick Potter’s men were 30-0 up and in total control at the break after running in five tries in an exhilaratingly high-tempo display.

Nobody impressed more than debutant Luke Gale, who claimed two of those five first-half scores, converted them all and had a hand in just about everything that was good about Bradford.

The England Knights scrum half was pivotal throughout, dovetailing effectively with Matt Diskin and Ben Jeffries to suggest he could emerge as the Bulls’ creative fulcrum this year.

Adrian Purtell, another debutant, marked his bow with a try inside the fourth minute.

Prop Phil Joseph was introduced during the first half, never took a backward step and went on to claim the try his efforts richly deserved.

Gale and Joseph were undoubtedly the Bulls’ star performers.

The former is full of ideas and has an excellent kicking game; the latter is a human wrecking-ball who looks certain to be rewarded with a permanent deal following his successful trial spell.

Joseph was even named over the tannoy as Bradford’s man-of-the-match, although that was harsh on Gale.

While those two men stood out, several other players staked their claim for a place in Potter’s plans.

James Donaldson, in particular, looked like a man determined to make up for lost time after his injury woes of last year and Shaun Ainscough, on target at Castleford on Boxing Day, produced another sharp finish.

Diskin and Nick Scruton made successful comebacks from injury and Brett Kearney cut an assured figure at full back.

When you consider that the likes of Heath L’Estrange, Karl Pryce, Elliott White-head, Jamie Langley, Olivier Elima, Elliot Kear, Manase Manuokafoa, Jarrod Sammut and Keith Lulia were all sat in the stands, the depth of the Bulls’ squad became apparent.

Yes, the Bulls were outscored by three tries to two and were less cohesive after the break.

Overall, though, this was a major step forward from the defeat at Castleford.

There will be far greater challenges for the Bulls when the serious business gets underway.

There has to be. It cannot be this easy.

Yet there were positives to emerge pretty much everywhere you looked yesterday at the Tetley’s Stadium, especially during the first half.

The outcome never looked in doubt from the moment Purtell grounded the ball after good work from Diskin and Gale.

Moments later, Craig Kopczak was shown a yellow card for a cynical late hit on Dewsbury scrum half Scott Spaven.

It mattered little as the 12-man Bulls soon stretched their lead when Gale sold a Dewsbury defender a delightful dummy to plunge over from close range.

Their third try arrived in the 23rd minute when Donaldson drove at the heart of the Dewsbury defence and showed intelligence to send Ainscough clear.

Ainscough still had plenty to do but his desire took him past three tackles and over the line.

Five minutes later, Gale danced over again from acting half and in the 33rd minute try number five arrived.

Replacement hooker Adam O’Brien did super-bly well to surge past several Dewsbury defenders and his pass found Chev Walker, who sent Paul Sykes scampering clear.

Gale landed his fifth goal and the game as a contest was effectively over.

Nine minutes after the restart, Joseph’s brute force took him over and Gale added a simple conversion.

Dewsbury, to their credit, could easily have thrown in the towel at that point.

But they hit back with tries from Ryan Esders and Adyn Faal to give the home fans something to cheer.

Yet the Bulls soon replied with their seventh try when Tom Burgess powered over from close range and Gale converted again before Dewsbury had the final say when George Flanagan went over.

Plenty still to work on, then, for the Bulls, but also plenty to feel pleased about.

Bulls: Kearney 7, Ainscough 7, Purtell 6, Walker 6, Crookes 6, Jeffries 6, Gale 9, Kopczak 6, Diskin 8, Burgess 6, Sibbit 6, Bateman 7, Addy 7. Replacements: Platt 6, Briggs 6, O’Brien 7, McAvoy 6, Joseph 8, Sykes 7, Donaldson 7, Scruton 7, Murphy 6, Hawthorne 6, Rossi 6, Payne 6 Referee: James Child.

Attendance: 1,402