BRADFORD BULLS’ captain Richard Wright is looking forward to his club’s first-ever season in the Wheelchair Super League.

The newcomers have a baptism of fire on Saturday, 11th April when they host champions Halifax Panthers at Sebergh Sports Centre.

“It’ll be a tough first match,” he admits. “A few of us have trained with Halifax before and our head coach Kieron Johnson played for them for a couple of seasons, plus my son Nathaniel played there in his second season.

“We trained with them just to get an idea of the speed and to help us in the Championship last season.

“Being in Super League will be a massive step up because aside from myself and Kieron, everybody else is aged 20 or under.

“Kieron chose to drop down to Bradford to help push us into Super League because of his experience and his skill level.

“He pulled us all up and we had a very competitive season in 2025, even with the kids who were learning, and we reached the play-off semi-finals.

“It’s going to be a massive learning curve and we’re probably going to build as the season goes.”

Wright, like many people in the wheelchair game, has most of his family involved.

In addition to his son Nathaniel, his daughter Isabel will also be in Bradford’s Super League squad.

“She’s definitely good enough to play in Super League,” Wright confirms. “She’s been in the RFL women’s pathway and she’s thriving in the main game.

“She’s only 17 and she will be smashing against the big boys this year.”

Wright admits that their promotion has probably come a year sooner than they expected, but they’re going to embrace it.

“It was always a plan for us to apply for Super League eventually,” he said. “Warrington were meant to go up, but they declined, so teams who were interested were asked to apply.

“It was a very detailed application process, not dissimilar to IMG for the running game.

“They judged your facilities, your backroom staff, your accounting, your ability to put games on and your ability to host cameras if needed.

“It was basically finding out if we could create a spectacle to support the team and bring Super League to the level they want it to be.”

With the Bulls’ men’s side back in the big time too, and having a good start to the season, Wright knows that having two sides in Super League can only be good for the club.

“There’s a good feeling around the club right now,” Wright said. “Obviously the men’s team got their promotion and we’ve always sat there a little bit in the shadows, I think because we’re foundation rather than run by the main club.

“But when we got Super League, the main club stepped up.

“They allowed us to have our shirt presentation in the South Bank Stand. A couple of the men’s players came and some of the owners came.

“In the wheelchair side, we have spent the last three years putting the management team in place, taking it seriously and pushing it forward. It’s made the main club realise we’re really on board with this.”

Like most people in wheelchair rugby league, Wright gets involved in many aspects of the game.

“I’m also a qualified referee in the game as well, which gives me a view from both sides of the court,” he said.

“And I’m also probably chief mechanic and dog’s body. Anything that needs doing I’ll run around and do.

“A lot of people don’t realise that the chairs are vehicles we have to look after, so I carry a toolbox around.

“I’m pretty much known for having most pieces and parts.

“I think in one final you can see me on the cameras helping to fix Jérémy Bourson’s chair and then last year I was helping Joe Calcott fix his, and they’re not even my team.

“I just happened to have my toolbox in the car.

“I’ve learned that over the last three or four years because a team needs somebody who can do that kind of thing.”

So what is Bradford Bulls’ target for the Wheelchair Super League this season?

“Not to get the wooden spoon,” Wright realistically says.

“I think we might surprise a couple of people and, come the end of the season, we hope that we’ve been competitive and have a couple of wins on the board.

“We were mid-table for the two or three seasons in the Championship and then last year we hit the ground flying.

“We were the only team that beat Castleford last year and they won’t like me saying that.

“We just like to play with a smile on our face, so we’re going to try and do that all year.”

First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 519 (April 2026)