BRADFORD BULLS’ 11-year exile from Super League has ended after they placed in the top 12 of this year’s club gradings.

The club have come 10th in the grading table, meaning they will be in the top flight next season for the first time since 2014.

They will replace Salford Red Devils who, as expected, have missed the cut after a year of crisis.

Having not applied to the independent panel who will determine two further sides to join an expanded Super League, Salford are out after 17 years.

The additional places are likely to go to two of three from London Broncos, Toulouse Olympique and York Knights.

Bids have also been submitted to the panel, whose decisions will be announced at 10am on Friday, by fellow second-tier sides Doncaster, Oldham and Widnes Vikings.

Huddersfield Giants and Hull FC also applied but have retained Super League places through their grading score.

Bradford climbed an impressive six places from 16th last time, improving their score from 12.15 to 14.81.

A laser focus on gaining points, particularly in the facilities and finance categories, has helped them rise back to the top flight.

They increased their finance score by 1.5 points, and their facilities score by 1.1181 points.

A decrease in the fandom category was cancelled out by an improved performance score.

The Bulls are four-time Super League winners, lifting the title in 1997, 2001, 2003 and 2005. They also won two Challenge Cups and three World Club Challenges in that golden era.

Financial issues brought their downfall and they were relegated in 2014, sinking as low as League One where they spent the 2018 campaign.

In the six seasons since they haven’t reached a Championship Grand Final, finishing third in each of the past three and losing in the play-off semi-finals every time.

But they have earned their way up to the top via the grading system and can start preparing for a Super League season under new head coach Kurt Haggerty.