Bradford Bull has always been more fantasy than reality. Bradford didn't embrace SL they corrupted it - anyone could have done what they did if they had gambled it all and been lucky.

It is a mirror image of SL itself - a broken dream. People on the VT, people like Harry Edgar then Martyn Sadler have always pushed SL from the superficial angle. So on the surface it looks a flashy vibrant game or certainly did when it first started. Sadly the foundations were rotten and still are and when Bradford's money ran out so did they and the same fate awaits SL.

I'd love to know if you took away the SKY money and it's associated events (including Catalan) does the RFL in real terms generate any more cash and have any more clubs and players than it did in 1994? If it doesn't then that is your failure right there - despite millions pumped into the game nothing has changed - personally I fear it's got worse and the game has simply been ransacked by those lining there own pockets.

Every bit of Bradford's success was based on borrowed money and gambling on their on field success. When the success stopped the credit crunch hit and Bradford ran out of cash and options it collapsed. Sadly as you say far to many people at Bradford are still in that bubble and won't cut their cloth and won't take responsibility.

I don't resent any clubs success, even Bradford's still had to be gained on the pitch that can't be taken away from some great players and teams, but the means by which they did it were cheating end of. Also before the normal suspects appear, we at Wakefield are not innocent - there can be no doubt that in our desperation to survive we to borrowed and deceived but we have sure paid the price and as far as I recall nobody has ever given us any excuses we've always been villified why shouldn't they.

I agree that the tone of voice shows some haven't accepted the end yet.
But I have to say I don't agree with your point Vasty. In recent times they have chased the dream with money they don't have but at the start they were the shining light of Super League and more specifically summer rugby.
They started a lot of things that are generally accepted today. They changed the game off the field, they just couldn't stay with it when others caught up and tried to buy it back unsuccessfully.

No they didn't, they got the marketing right but they pillaged the game especially for young players and young fans. They weren't even original as they stole most of the ideas from the Cougars.

Just like Wakefield in the sixties no real foundations were laid - Bradford were dependant on other SL clubs.

Don't always believe what you see much of it was smoke and mirrors.

The marketing was outstanding and came from the Chicago Bulls.
What Keighley did was good but very small scale compared to Bulls.
I was there when Peter Deakin was trying to convince people at Bradford it was the way to go. It wasn't an easy task.

Tbf cougars were robbed of super league status ,cougar raw was infectus ,new and ground breaking for rl , agree with vastman bulls nicked the idea !

Spot on vastman re cougars also spot on with Wakey foundations my Dad often says leading up to that side they sold players to other clubs and bought them back 12 month later for more money.He often says they did not place solid foundations in place for when that squad was a spent force let alone squandering money left right and centre

Truce I think is needed. I do enjoy your pride and passion for your club tho pal like I say enjoyed reading your debates over the years. Finn has brains so should clearly be capable at 9 as he has proved think his last Ireland game he played there. From an outsider looking in Sio is a good solid 13 but I think you might struggle with Finn and wood defensively, can see why sio gets out at 9 to shore it up a bit

Agree that bull is world renowned and we jumped on it. Agree about Keighley too they were given a raw deal at the time our coach at Dudley hill is their record try scorer and was part of it and it stunk to high heaven

Can't remember why it went wrong at Keighley?

Not sure pop tart but they had brilliant support ,

They spent a lot of money chasing the dream and the dream was snatched away from them just as it was about to become reality.

It went wrong when Sheffield sold Daryl Powell to them as they fully expected to go into super league they weren't and interest waned and debts mounted. I think people in charge of Sheffield new they weren't going to get into super league but the money helped them. I thought it stunk then and still do.