I admire your optimism but we're already getting stick from oppo fans for it and it's probably not even going to happen.

I can easily seeing SL clubs voting for the weakest club to come up to safeguard their own position. If they do we're certs for SL next season.

Given that the current TV deal runs out soon all clubs are going to be out of pocket very soon anyway.

Anyone seen/heard anything from the enigmatic Mr Wood recently? He seems to have dropped off the planet. I know he said he'd be a silent partner but Mark Sawyer was due to be temporary whilst temporary Perez's replacement was found. I find it all a little too weird that the chairman of Dewsbury is suddenly our defacto chairman when we were told it too was temporary.

Something is not quite right and I can't put my finger on it.

You can’t get much more of a silent partner than Nigel Wood and seemingly the plan was to appoint a CEO but when COVID hit they decided not to appoint and add to wage bill which must have been the right decision.

I'm a Fev fan and I concur. I don't think Bradford should be anywhere near getting in right now, but if they do, it will be the fault of the governing body, and certainly not their fans, most of whom seem to feel as uncomfortable about the possibility as anyone.

one of articles over weekend quoted Sawyer as saying he expected Wood to take a much more hands on role going forward, as his commitments to International Rugby league board come to an end. Got to admit I thought he'd already left IRL but maybe I'm mixing that up with RFL.

I think you need to check Who is on the selection panel. There are no Representations from any club be it SL, Championship or league one. the panel is made up of.
Lord Jonathan Caine.
Chris Anderson. SLE General Counciland company Secretary
Dave Rotherham. RFL Chief on field officer.
Graham Odin. SLE head of finance.
Karen Moorhouse RFL. Chief Regulatory officer, RFL Director and Company Secretary.
Tony Sutton RFL Chief Operating Officer
Rhodium Jones SLE Chief Operating Commercial Officer.

You know now no blame on any club management.
But then again, there is a former Head of the RFL, with a financial interest in BBs, who might try bending a few ears.

Thanks Dunkirk, that's a really useful intervention.

Whilst I technically agree, do you honestly think the existing teams in SL will have no input?

No more input than Nigel Wood, I would guess

Of course there will be a significant amount of lobbying going on, and the existing SL clubs will no doubt be having a lot to say to the people making the final decision. This isn't a decision that will be taken in isolation either and there will be lots of other ways in which pressure is brought to bear.

The Bradford Bulls is the vehicle of Nigel Wood, no doubt about it. I'm sure if he can get the club into SL he will be doing his utmost. That £1m won't spend itself. Whether it would get spent on the Bulls is another matter. Certainly it wouldn't scratch the surface of what's needed to do Odsal up.

If the Bulls did get the nod they'd need to get the ground fixed up to a bare minimum level (certainly not cheap as it's been left to rot for 8 years). Then they'd need to recruit some players to have even the remotest chance of staying up - and most of the better players will be under contract by then.

That first season in SL in 2021 would most likely be as cannon fodder - rather like 2017 in the championship when we were told to stay up and we played kids that got battered. Certs for relegation and probable administration again.

No thanks.

Hypothetically, could you imagine a scenario where we are encouraged to apply and to accept reduced funding, because we've been given the nod and wink that at the end of 2021 SL becomes a closed shop again. It's only with some sort of back-office dealings that elevating us to the top-flight makes any logistical sense.

Then ask yourself would you be willing to be a one season cannon-fodder and the hatred from some opposition fans, if it lead to an improved Odsal and a preserved spot in SL.