Ralph Rimmer has outlined the three options the RFL is exploring regarding the future of Odsal Stadium, which has prompted a response from a source at Bradford Council.

Bradford will play home fixtures at Dewsbury’s Tetley’s Stadium in 2020, but the club’s new ownership has been steadfast in its commitment to taking the Bulls back to the city.

RFL chief executive Rimmer admits that the governing body’s preferred option would be for the three-time world champions to return to their spiritual home.

He said: “The options we are looking at currently are selling, the possibility of us developing, or the possibility of the Bulls coming back
Those are the three options, basically, and we’re looking at those in conjunction with Bradford Council and the Bulls.

“Our preferred option would be for the Bulls to come back into Odsal, but it will require the Council to be a part of that solution in order to make that happen.

“We are speaking with the Council on a regular basis and I know that they were a guest of the Bulls club at Leeds on Sunday, on how we might achieve that.

“I know it is the spiritual home of the team, but the team has got to decide it can come back.”

Rimmer added that a swift resolution is necessary to minimise the costs presently being incurred by “the Rugby League community” as a result of Odsal sitting empty.

He added: “Odsal is an asset that belongs to the RFL, that belongs to the sport, and that’s it.

“Whilst nobody is using that asset it is a cost to the sport, and any cost that may be incurred this year will effectively be shared out between the Rugby League community.

“That can’t go on and it’s not acceptable for that to go on forever and a day.

A source at Bradford Council responded to Rimmer’s comments.

They said: “The only way we can see a future for Odsal is the offer we presented to the RFL and Bradford Bulls, build a brand new community stadium with a capacity of 18,000 on the now vacant Richard Dunn site, which would include Bradford City, and make it a multi-sport education hub.

“We would then fill in Odsal with clean waste to generate revenue which would help fund the new stadium development.”

I know this is not Trinity related, but a lot of rugby league money has been used initially without public knowledge. I still think there should have been a full public investigation of the past few years on this matter.

Oh dear oh dear oh dear

He added: “Odsal is an asset that belongs to the RFL, that belongs to the sport, and that’s it.

“Whilst nobody is using that asset it is a cost to the sport, and any cost that may be incurred this year will effectively be shared out between the Rugby League community.

“That can’t go on and it’s not acceptable for that to go on forever and a day.


This is the part that annoys me and probably a vast number of rugby league clubs both amateur and professional, all fans who contributed to RFL levy. I’m sure no one signed up to pour their money into the RFL clandestine operation.

news on our stadium?

You do get the impression that the RFL are hell bent on getting the Bulls back to Odsal, even if, as it seems, 'at a cost to the RL community'. That last bit doesn't sit well with me!
I don't wish the Bulls any disrespect but why should one penny from other clubs go to solving their ground problem
While, as I say, I don't agree with the RFL using other clubs money to help the Bulls cause, we can't shout too much because IMO the RFL have been extremely tolerant with the likes of Wakefield and Cas' pulling the wool over their eyes about ground progress for years!

That's as maybe, but it does not cost money to be tolerant.

Very true, and with hindsight it may have been better leaving the last bit out of my post!

It wasn't a criticism of your post, just simply an annoyance at Rimmer bending over for Bradford, it's a shame he couldn't bring himself to try and offer to get involved with Wakefield council on our clubs behalf.

Start yet another thread if you want to know that, read the title this is about Odsal!

No worries mate, we both agree on that point!

He would make a cock of it anyway

If, at the outset, all of the clubs in SL agreed to the plan for the RFL to take on the lease and that they agreed to share any costs (or profits) made from the ground then, this may be a reasonable assertion from Rimmer.
However, IIRC, this was a decision taken by the RFL and Bradford and to the benefit of Bradford.
The whole thing stunk the house out at the time an it still smells awful.

It's no wonder that our sport is on its booty - those in charge of the game are unfit for purpose.
They gambled the house on saving Braford and lost.

Right now, they should completely write off or sell their "asset" (Odsal) and leave Bradford to run their own affairs in the best way that Bradford think they can. If this means having a new ground share with Bradford City then, so be it, something that probably should have happened long ago but, dont expect others to pay for it.
The thought of other RL clubs, even in part, funding a new ground for Braford is fecking ridiculous.

I wouldn’t read too much into the article. The ‘journalist’ that has written it isn’t the most credible individual around. In fact, he’s not even a journalist!

Wouldn't it be easier for the two to share the ground at Valley Parade, or don't the Bulls want to pay any rent there.

Quite appalling that the RFL didn't have an exit strategy in place when they bought it - even worse failed to deliver one since then.