The problem the Bulls have compared to say Rangers, is that they aren't even attractive to someone wanting to strip the assets and get their money back. I'm struggling to see a way out of this that doesn't involve liquidation and potentially starting again in Championship One.

The RFL stand to take a financial hit on this, as there is no way a reformed club outside SL could afford to pay market rent for Odsal.

Surely they would have been aware of the possibility of this happening when they bought it

...and it's not as if the RFL have a record of backing doomed ventures. I mean you only have to look at the way they have invested wisely to promote the game in Paris, South Wales or North Wales.

Wouldn't you say the four points we'd gain if Bradford enter liquidation are money can't buy? Not that I want that to happen!

Four?

We lost to them earlier in the season, and still have to play them.

THe game still to play isn't really a gain though, since everyone would get those points. The only people who really gain are teams who have lost to the Bulls, who effectively gain 2 points (either by being given them by walkover or by all points from Bulls games being expunged). The big headache for the RFL would be what to do with our Magic weekend fixture against them. I would struggle to see a fair way to handle that.

I think the fairest way to deal with it would be to let results and points so far in fulfilled fixtures vs the liquidated club stand, with future matches being a 2-point bye if they can't fulfil that fixture.

I'm sure the RFL will think of something more complicated though.

That isn't entirely fair though is it? At this stage in the season several teams would get byes. It is likely that some of them would have lost that match, given that the Bulls haven't been total whipping boys this year.

Hopefully it won't come to that anyway.

No, it's not entirely fair, but it's less obviously unfair than giving two points for every single Bradford game (obviously favours Leeds with 6 points, and also rewards teams who've already lost to Bradford), or expunging all games (goes against Leeds, who would end the season having "played" one game less than everyone else). At least if they keep the current results then as many points as possible have actually been decided on the pitch.

As you say, hopefully it won't come to that.

Indeed. I think the fair way would have been for the RFL to have announced before Magic Weekend (when the Bulls problems were well known) that, as far as Leeds were concerned, that result would stand even if all the other Bulls results were to be expunged. Its a lot more difficult to deal with after the event.

Some have suggested that the entire Magic Weekend results would need to be expunged but that would severely damage the credibility of the event, especially as other clubs may be struggling when its played next season. And the 7 clubs that won their fixtures would have something to say.

Would be easy to cancel results, only one club with an issue then. Possibly give one point.

Expunging the result is better because it eliminates the need to take points difference into consideration.

As far as I can see, the only realistic survival option for Bradford atm is a move away from Odsal to Valley Parade. The RFL can then sell Odsal off to whatever development its best suited for, and use the money raised as an interest-free loan to Bradford. This should be enough to keep them afloat. However, at the same time they are going to have to cancel a huge number of contracts to reduce players wages. I think Bradford will be saying bye-bye to Kearney, Kear, Platt, Sykes, Pryce, Jeffries, Gale, Sammut, Diskin, L'Estrange, Kopczak, Burgess, Scruton, Hargeaves, Elima, Langley, Whitehead & Bateman i.e. anyone who can get a first team gig somewhere else.

The RFL have the lease on Odsal but they don't own it. The Council owns it.

If there's no RL to be played on it the RFL may wish to sell the lease. But any buyer would have to do a deal with the Council. Any development would have to go through planning procedures. Is it really that attractive a proposition?