Bradford Bulls return interests Cleckheaton player Sammut

The 37-year-old, who is keeping himself fit by playing union for Cleckheaton, left Odsal at the end of the season, but has not ruled out a return there if he is wanted.

After Cleckheaton’s 40-28 Regional One North East derby defeat at home to Ilkley, he confessed: “I haven’t heard anything yet, but I would still love a return to Bradford.

“I would love to stay for next year but at the moment I am a free agent and open to offers.

“Bulls are gearing up for Super League status or the top end of the Championship, and whether I am there or not I wish them well and all the success that they deserve.”

Explaining why he joined Cleckheaton, Sammut, who played at centre on Saturday, said: “I have a bit of free time and I am really close mates with the Pipers (a family dynasty at Cleck).

“I thought that I would put my hand in the mix and come down with the Rams and have a run.

“I have played union with the Junior Waratahs growing up through school and made the Junior Wallabies Merit side, but a lot of my senior rugby has been rugby league.

“I haven’t played union since 2008 or 2009 so it has been some time, but I don’t think that the transition from league to union is too difficult.

“You have more time in union than you do in league and I quite enjoy it. They are a really good bunch of lads at Cleck and I want to enjoy playing some rugby.”

Cleckheaton led 21-9 at half-time five minutes into the second half, but then it all went wrong.

Four yellow cards for the home side, they received five in all, gave Ilkley the opportunity that they were craving.

They scored 31 points in 28 minutes to seal victory, before Cleckheaton replied with a late converted try.

Home tries came from left winger Mikey Hayward, in the first half from a well-crafted move, right winger Jack Marshall from a 70-yard interception and, when it was too late to matter, replacement Tom Oldroyd, with fly half Dale Breakwell adding three penalties and two conversions.

Scrum half James Wilson was yellow carded for Cleckheaton in the first half, and he was followed into referee Sam Potts’ book after the break by No 8 Jack Seddon, prop Paul Turner, Marshall and centre Tom Hainsworth.

Jack Marshall had a mixed afternoon for Cleckheaton, scoring a try but picking up a costly yellow card in their defeat. (Image: Gerald Christian.)

Sammut admitted: “Ill-discipline cost us dearly and when you play a game with 12 men you don’t give yourselves a chance.

“We need to address that, but when we control the ball and retain it we are a decent, exciting outfit.

“But at the moment ill-discipline is letting us down and we are allowing too much cheap turnover.

“We went into half-time in front with momentum on our side but early in the second half we lost two players and then a further two towards the back end and it is draining when you are short-handed.

“On the back of that they retained a lot of ball, but in terms of retention and discipline we are coming up short, and that is the reason that we were on the wrong side of the scoreboard.”

Cleckheaton slipped to ninth in the table with this defeat, Ilkley moving above them as a result.

Going down a division, Regional Two North East leaders Bradford Salem stay a point clear of Rochdale at the summit, as they easily beat visiting Old Crossleyans 26-0.

Keighley got their promotion hopes back on track after three successive defeats with a 46-18 win over Wath Upon Dearne in Counties One Yorkshire.

Meanwhile, in Counties Two Yorkshire, Baildon climbed up to fifth with a points-laden 53-33 victory at rock-bottom Hemsworth.

But Bradford & Bingley remain eighth in the division after losing 36-24 at Bramley Phoenix.