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It talks a good game in my opinion...... The Case Against Bradford Bulls Entering Super League (Again): Ladies and gentlemen of the tribunal, let us be absolutely clear: including Bradford Bulls in the new 14-team Super League would be like inviting your mate to a house party, only to remember halfway through that the last time they came over, they left with half your fridge and set fire to the curtains. Odsal Stadium: A Bermuda Triangle of Joy Odsal isn’t a stadium. It’s a geological formation. If you’ve ever been there, you’ll know it’s less “fortress of rugby” and more “cold crater where optimism goes to die.” Scientists say you can measure the drop in temperature, atmosphere, and hope the moment you descend into it. Even pigeons won’t fly across. The Yo-Yo Olympics Bradford have spent more time going up and down between divisions than a malfunctioning lift. Promotion, relegation, liquidation, repeat. At this point, they don’t need a coach, they need an elevator operator. Financial Sorcery The Bulls’ accountants must’ve studied at Hogwarts, because only magic explains how they’ve been “saved” from administration more times than Doctor Who has regenerated. If we let them in again, we may as well rename the league Super Bailout. Mascot Mayhem Have you seen their mascot? Bradford’s poor “Bullman” looks like a GCSE art project crossed with a fever dream. How can we entrust Super League’s global image to a creature that looks like it escaped from a dodgy kebab shop mural? Living in the Past Every Bradford argument begins with, “But in the early 2000s…” Yes, congratulations, you were good when Shrek was still in cinemas and everyone had polyphonic ringtones. It’s 2025 now, and nobody wants to see Lesley Vainikolo highlights set to Linkin Park music anymore. The Moral Hazard Letting Bradford in again teaches the kids the wrong lesson: that no matter how many times you mess it up, cry bankruptcy, or build a stadium that doubles as a sinkhole, you’ll always get another shot. What’s next? Featherstone applying to join the Premier League because they once won a Challenge Cup in black-and-white photographs? Conclusion: Adding Bradford Bulls to the Super League is like giving your ex “one more chance” for the seventh time. You know exactly how it ends: you’re broke, embarrassed, and explaining to your mates why you thought it would be different this time. So please, for the love of rugby, expansion, and humanity itself—anyone but Bradford.

If Bradford stay behind York on IMG points I am going to laugh so hard.

I'm struggling to decide whether I'd get most pleasure out of knowing I'd (likely) not have to visit Odsal again if Bradford go up or the fallout of them missing out if they're not 'promoted'?

Can you explain why it's farcical that a team wanting to be in Super League has to meet the standards required by the principal broadcaster and major funder of the sport? The only farcical bit I can see is that it's in the gradings rather than the minimum standards.

Pretty amazing season for Fax going from nearly relegated and out of existence to getting 5th in the table with one of the lowest budgets in the league. My view at the start of the season was that we had a team with enough quality to make the playoffs if we got lucky with injuries, as it were we had a spell where we had a number of injuries and our form dipped but that superb start helped keep us in the mix. We now get to the business end of the season with a pretty healthy squad, with the added bonus of been able to rest players yesterday, and I don't think there any teams above us that we are not capable of beating. The mid season signing of Nofoaluma was a game changer for us and it would be ironic if he were to have a worldy against Oldham on Friday after his first appearance against Oldham where people tried to call him out like he was one of the worst players ever to grace the Championship. For all the terrible imports we have had over the years its always nice when you get a player with the ability to get the crowd on their feet.

Felt like the York game away in the league - close for long periods then dropped off at the end and they wracked up the points. To be honest I think we can go in on Friday with no pressure, throw it about and cause them problems. We've been unfortunate with injuries this season in parts and done very well to get into the play offs with games to spare. I think Paul Cooke has done a good job this year and I hope he can continue next season and we have a settled squad.

Signed another 2 years

Their owners too busy planning to buy the whole league.

With hindsight I don't think it's an exaggeration to say the two HIAs might have cost us the game. Not in terms of the personnel who we ended up with in those positions - Glover played very well when he eventually replaced Jones (who had replaced Hardcastle) - but you don't get those HIA interchanges back unless the player returns to the field within 15 minutes, and therefore I think our coaching staff's plans would have been completely thrown off kilter in terms of swapping our middles. Both Beckett and Wilde had to play into the second half - Beckett only lasted a couple of minutes into the 2nd half, not sure if he was simply fatigued or if he had picked up a knock, and Wilde ended up playing about 65 of the 80 minutes (and Jubb of course played the full 80). I think Springer had to come back on earlier than Cooke would have liked - he had been very involved in his first stint and he was visibly out on his feet in the last 10 minutes, and both Keyes for his try and later Hooley waltzed past him, I wouldn't blame Springer for that, he had had a lot of involvement for someone his size in attritional conditions, you'd normally expect him to play 30-35 minutes these days but he ended up playing nearly 50 which for a big man in those conditions is far from ideal. The gaps that opened up in the last 10 minutes just hadn't been there in the first 70, they might have still happened of course but losing two interchanges inside the first 25 minutes that weren't middles caused us a lot of issues beyond the position they occurred in.

The actual attendance at Odslum was announced as 3600 and some, but he increases it to 4k to make it sound better than it was. He exaggerates everything to suit Northerns' story. If he said it was raining, I'd go out to check myself.

Of course not, but did of course mention they attracted 5000 plus fans allegedly plus more on social media just to maybe push their agenda I don’t really take any notice of his one eyed ramblings anymore. It is all Bull!!

I think if you've a 6 team play-off in a 12 team league then no matter how much you might want to argue "6th has to really earn it with 2 away wins against higher sides", the low win % massively undermines it. Personally I prefer a Top 5 system for a league of this size, with qualification final (2v3) and elmination final (4v5) in week one, major and minor semi finals in week two, and a preliminary final week three. Gives a clear advantage to the league winner vs the 2nd placed side (bye from the first week, plus a 2nd chance if you then lose), and it's really, really hard to win it from 5th. That's also why I fervently believe that if we go to 14 sides, we should keep a 6 team play off at most. Making it the Top 8 from 14 teams would make an already weak concept much worse.

Business jargon aside, that statement looks very positive.

I think it should and will go to Applegarth. But Toulouse are full time and finished second. Bradford were tipped higher. Oldham have probably spent not far the most in the league. Eastmond had about 20 players and most tipped way down the league. Coaching Fax to 5th is harder than coaching Bradford & Toulouse to 2nd and 3rd IMO.

https://www.londonbroncosrl.com/london-broncos-announce-super-league-ambitions-and-new-ownership Official application for Super League submitted. Along with the the pre-commitment announcement of Jason Demetriou on a 3 year deal. Along with various NRL stars/internationals too. Looks good!

Wait till you hear about promoted for finishing 10th

Great, it's just a pity that there are no IMG points for ensuring that more than half the sinks in the gents' toilets have running water .....

I like how he claims to be the only journalist with access to all clubs attendances, which he subsequently posted on social media and all the Bradford lapdogs took it as gospel. The guy is a liar and is detrimental to the image of Bradford Bulls, they’d do much better distancing themselves from him rather than him acting as a mouthpiece for the club.

But remember, none of the things Grading etc is making/encouraging the clubs do to modernise the sport and make it more attractive is having any effect at all there are no positives, remember.

This is what I don’t get. The fans group should have been all over this months ago. It’s probably too late for them to do anything other than have some marches which won’t make any difference.

None of the things mentioned in the quoted “tweet” are new or have been hidden. They have been discussed for many months on this forum for a start

I would think anyone who can't understand a play off system in the modern day would be rather odd themselves.

Is Owen Farnworth not on board yet? I’d get him signed up asap.

Not in the slightest. Jepson has hired The Game Caller as their IMG consultant, hence their sky high confidence

PLT and Sambou coming back on loan I've heard

Mike Eccles was one of the four nominees for SL coach of the year last year when London finished bottom, and there must be a good chance Paul Rowley will get nominated this year. The Championship coach of the year often goes to a guy who over-achieved, in fact I think Daryl Powell last year was the first winner from a team that finished top 2 in the regular season for seven or eight years, with Mike Eccles, Craig Lingard and Paul Crarey winning it after their teams finished 4th or 5th. That said, I think Applegarth will take it in a stroll this year, it shouldn't be close imo.

Bit of a blast from the past, but ordered a wooden 5 a side Subbuteo table. its about coffee table size, flat and handmade with a mounted green pitch and two little goals. Not a cheap nostalgia trip, but could be fun with guests after a couple of beers- loved it as a kid of the 80s.

He was involved in an attempted breakaway league/governing body called "World Rugby League"

I absolutely think kickers should be protected to stop such challenges but think its has gone too far the other way.

I think that 5 games in, if we were told this would be the outcome of the season we’d have been very happy.

I’m not!

There are also two more Welsh players signed to the Wigan scholarship for next year. Danny Jones and Morgan Jones from Torfaen Tigers. It's good to see clubs scouting Welsh talent and hopefully a few of these make it to Super League level. There's definitely untapped potential.

if we dont get the nod for super league we will make the championship+ league look very very silly onwards n upwards lovely to see browny get his try, the smile on his face when he scored is my moment of the season n its bin sum season!

He has multiple platforms including west yorkshire rugby league and never mentions any other clubs unless its negative of course , congratulations on your league win much deserved.

I genuinely believe that the result for Walsh comes from simple poor decision making by the powers that be and nothing to do with conspiracies, wanting star players to play etc. The decision makers probably need a good decision making course so that there’s greater consistency and accountability when it comes to these things. I think it’s as simple as that. It also threatens the integrity of the NRL as fans and commentators talk about favouritism etc. There’s no way the NRL would tolerate corruption, favouritism or simple ineptitude in the decision making for punishing players. It’s all about poor training and accountability for decision makers.

Clint https://t.co/gfoCeRaHCF Liam and Oli https://t.co/L9FQQuVcTA Mash https://t.co/ZpyIfgLgXM

ME confirms he’s no longer Head Coach and has new role:

I've supported York RL for over sixty odd years and during that time always had a soft spot for Batley, IMO a loveable sort of club. As above, they showed their class today by staying on the pitch for the presentations to one of the best group of players that have ever represented York. A great day for the greatest game for so many reasons

Once again CONGRATULATIONS best team came top and now should win the play off final. Hope you get in SL,certainly getting players in for it,and deserve a shot at it.

I have been entertained by the Kangaroos for 40 years. I don't want to be entertained any more, I want to beat them.

Had to narrow it again to get the boards in.

Have to share a really proud update. Two of my lads make their Origin debuts on Sunday. Just spoken with the two of them now and they are really looking forward to the challenge facing them of a rep game against players who have been playing for many years when they have so little experience. i reminded them how tough they have found things and then dealt with everything thats been thrown at them and will continue to do so. These kind of lads are the future of not just London RL but RL in this country. Hats off to them.

Mate, you don’t know how the TV works in your own house. I’d sit down on this one.

I believe it's not "that" screen that they have "sold" - it's the one designed to be a motorway-facing advertising screen. You know - the one that doesn't, and never has, existed.

Can we even call it a season? 9 home games and I missed what was probably our best win when I gave up the Swinton game to attend a wedding. So, if like me you don’t really venture away from home then the season has been and gone in a flash. The high point was probably the home win over Whitehaven when we completely turned things around after HT. The low gotta be Goole at home but there were other disappointing results at our home “fortress” for sure. After years of mismanagement from Red Hall and similar I too worry about the future and am sceptical that any new league structure will help us one bit but if we at least get more games that will be a start. Other than that I can only echo can’t add what has already been said brilliantly by WR and BSJ. Happy Christmas everyone

Now that's a proper team mate, good to see

York should've been auto promoted by merit the rest should've played it out for either additional promotion or a big cash prize to allow them to build for next season, this img /lord caine debacle is too political .