91Èȱ¬

No club is "too big to fail", but loosing Bulls would not only be a hammer-blow to the SL, but the non-league (or rather the league-bashing) press would have a field day.
The game as a whole can't go on with this financial mismanagement or (by all accounts) drug cover-ups by Hull FC and all the other nonsense that's gone on the last few years without someone at the RFL taking ultimate responsibility.

How many more Crusaders debacles or London (Fulham/Crusaders/Broncos/Quins - delete as appropriate) going bust for the umpteenth time are we going to put up with before there's a coup at Red Hall?

George

serious question - why ask players what they think- isnt it obvious what theyre going to say- if the worst happened most, as we saw with Crusaders will get signed by other clubs.

i dont want to sound unsympathetic but my mrs was made redundant 16 months ago and despite numerous interviews hasnt been able to find work - there are plenty worse off than "reasonably" well paid sportsmen who dont merit special attention from the media simply because of what they do

Maybe if the media hadn't fallen hook, line and sinker when the Bulls got the begging bowls out, this subject could have been discussed a lot more objectively.

Any fool knows that professional rugby league in Bradford would continue were the Bulls to have fallen into administration. If Wakefield can survive it, any 'big' club can do.

The myth being perpetuated that suddenly there'd be no rugby and the panic amongst gullible fans caused this situation now.

The departure of Peter Hood is a step in the right direction, I hope that the fans who donated to Bradford are entitled to a fair and reasonable share of the club.

Fingers crossed the Bulls will keep going. Mind you, franchising was meant to stop this sort of thing from happening, right??

The way forward for Bradford would be to spend sensibly and develop the squad around Bateman, Whitehead, Burgess, O'Brien, Crookes and the other youngsters coming through.

Since 2006 there has been an incredible turn over of players with the standard falling year by year, in hindsight probably because of the financial problems. They need to try and balance the books and keep the players that are performing. If players aren't performing and theyre coming out of contract look internally to promote young players or target young players at other clubs that aren't getting much game time and want to prove they are super league caliber.

Personally I would question why a club that is struggling would spend so much on one position, e.g. hooker, to have Diskin and Le'strange in the squad. I would suspect they are both high earners at the club and yet week to week we only get 40mins out of them because of sub rotation.
I would also stress the next board should not be so quick to offer lengthy contracts to players based on short term form. In recent years Sykes, Platt, Scruton have been offered long extensions to contracts based on some decent games but once injuries and poor form set in the club is lubbered with players on high salaries that can barely command a starting position in the top 13 or 17.
I hope the recent crisis has in a way made the club sit up and realise how poorly run it had been for a number of years and they follow a more conservative approach with long term plans in place to develop young players and greater emphasise on promoting youth and keeping hold of them i.e. the model Daryl Powell first used at Leeds and now similarly Wigan and St Helens are using. I personally think the man to do this is Mick Potter and hope we dont lose him at the end of the year.

COYB

Surprised Caisley seems to be coming out of this smelling of roses. Wasn't he the man who affixed the heavy load upon which Hood placed the straw that broke the camel's back?

With £500k plus already in the survival fund, between potential investors, the continued charity of Ìýfans, and the RFL, I can't see Bradford going out of business, especially as the latter would loose their key tenant in paying rent at Odsal (conflict of interest there at next round of licensing?).

Could one positive of this episode be the RFL now own a stadium with great transport links in the middle of the rugby league heartland? A national rugby league stadium a medium-term ambition of the RFL?

ÌýObviously Challenge Cup and Grand Final have established homes that the RFL wouldn't want to give up. But a 40k stadium for Magic, challenge cup semis, an expanded world club challenge and England games, with maybe just lower tier used when lower attendances anticipated and for Bulls games, Ìýis potentially cost-effective usage?

Would increase our sports profile, something the RFL are always keen to do. What do you think George?

George, yet again you have singled out the 'the remarkable efforts and generosity of their own fans'. May I remind you that there were fans of other clubs (myself included) that have such a love of the game that we also dug into our pockets to help such a historic team when they needed it.

Whilst I didn't do it for the plaudits I would like it if it was recognised that it wasn't only the Bradford fans that donated money.

Also, Caisley seems to be seeling himself as the saviour of Bradford, but didn't most of the problems (that may have been poorly managed by Hood) stem from his tenure in the first place? Frying pan and fire spring to mind.

I'm disappointed that it seems so many people are being negative...this isn't football we're talking about, this is Rugby League (capitals intentional). It's not individual teams we should be proud of, but the sport as a whole.

As a Rhinos fan (and consequently, dire adversary of the Bulls), I wholeheartedly wish Bradford the best in their current problems, for the betterment of the sport. I'd even go so far as to say I'd gladly see Leeds lose to Bradford all season if it meant Bradford survived as a top-flight club...and that's really saying something.

The fans of all clubs have done their bit (and will continue to), the last mile is down to leadership from the club, the RFL and investors to build on the generosity of the fans to ensure Bradford don't fail...because failure of an historically illustrious club in the heartland of British RL just isn't right.

Crusaders was a tragedy, but ultimately a failed experiment; Broncos/Harlequins is always going to be an uphill struggle so kudos to them for keeping going. I know it's not practical for fans, but I know I always get a buzz out of playing Catalans...it's an international match; perhaps more diversity in the opponents is the key to raising more interest in the game?

I know the rest of the world is not to the standard of Superleague, but maybe some more showcase matches with Aussie, NZ and maybe PNG teams would be a good thing? Just chucking out ideas.

When Hull fc nearly went out of existence i never saw any support from the rfl why should Bradford be treat differently.