In fact, that shows that the system isn't working as the only way a Championship team has been able to compete is by spending over the odds.

With Leigh as good as promoted with a win against Batley could we now be looking at two SL teams in the £1m game.

The words "totally impossible" and "promotion" must never be used in the same sentence again.
I know it hasn't happened yet but today has shown it is possible if a good championship plays well against a poor SL team.
No more lectures about this system not working as it is turning out to be an intriguing competition. If only there was a second team in the championship playing as well as Leigh.
Wakey were lucky last year as they came up against a disjointed Bulls. They were there to be taken.

Having said that, I still think auto promotion is better and hope this system is dropped - but I am hoping it is Hudds and KR in the £1m game just so a handful of Bulls players are shi**ing themselves as they may still be in the championship and at least two definitely will be. Would they still want to leave us then? I wouldn't be able to watch that game because of the tears of laughter running down my face.
next year both leagues can spend the same if you have a rich owner.
Come on Leigh and beat Hudds next Saturday.

Predicted they would beat hull kr and good on Em for doing so, looks like a top 3 spot for them.

But on the flip side of they hadn't won I think Leigh might have been in some trouble especially as theyve spent alot of money on their squad, also helps that Salford seem to have given up and accepted the fall, but agree with others if Salford drop I can see the Dr pulling the plug and I think Salford would be in a bad way without a person or group wanted to take them on.

If salford tank might be us and Toulouse if they come up and if they have plenty to spend on the squad, fighting for the top 2 but can't count out batley Feb and Halifax still be difficult next year, so I can't see anyone going up proper with a bing spend in board.

Any mistakes are down to me being on my phone.

Who are you thinking will be prompted in top 3? I think it's purely to be kr v Salford or london depending upon if hudd's beat Leigh or not, I think Leeds, hudds and Leigh will be top 3 and kr will get the home match in the mpg

Massive result for Leigh today, and they deserved the win too. HKR were terrible.
It was also a huge call by HKR to suspend their best player for such a key game. Credit to them for sticking to their principals I suppose, but it could be a costly disciplinary decision if they end up in the mpg (or worse).

I can't wait to see what happens in a few weeks time when two SL sides battle it out in the mpg, and the inevitable chaos that will ensue when one of them goes down.

The interesting thing is that if we had not had to play Leigh 3 times this season we may still have qualified and given that the aggregate score of said games was very small there should be some players at Odsal hanging their heads. But if you think about it those players are busy lining up contracts elsewhere, the coach is at Leeds, RHP and Ferres have both left. The only ones left are us mug punters and the poor sap paying the bills.

Broadybull87 - I tend to agree with your three of Leeds, Hudds and Leigh in top three with Salford at home to KR or London.

A couple of weeks ago when some people were stating it is impossible I gave the example of KR losing their stand off for the season and if they lost the scrum half they would be vulnerable. I was thinking of injury so what a big decision by KR to suspend him. KR were awful today. If Leigh had Chisholm and Moss today they would have walked it.

I have just looked at KRs last three games and they could very easily lose two of them if they perform like that and they would not even make the £1m game with 4 points. It could possibly be Salford Vs London. Salford should win that easily but who knows? Two SL teams relegated - but I am possibly dreaming there a bit.

Let's all email John Kear and ask him to send his first team on holiday when they play Leigh so Leigh finally get the promotion they deserve. Hopefully, Batley will be out of it and also want a SL team to come down.

If either Salford or KR come down and lose nearly £1m in central funding I suspect that team will be borrowing our scissors so they can learn to cut their cloth accordingly - or go bust. Koukash is walking apparently and KR are in trouble so they will both be worried.

If only we had got Smith at the start of the season it could have been so much better right now.

Really hope Leigh beat Hudds next week. I am really pleased for them as they have been too good for the Championship this last few years. They look to have learned from last years middle 8 experience and Jukes seems to have them playing a more sensible brand of rugby.

Like others have mentioned already, I am more intrigued by the chaos that will ensue if/when Leigh have pretty much confirmed their promotion. Hull KR and Salford must be really worried now as they are the two most at risk in my opinion. Hudds just seem to have that bit of extra class and I think they'll be safe.

Assuming we get our financial situation sorted (which you would assume is happening given we are announcing new signings) it would be nice for the negative attention to be on someone else for once. How the relegated team recruits and adapts to life in the championship is going to be big news and they will be the big name that all the teams want to raise their game for and beat. It'd be nice if we could just have a year of quietly going about our business.

Do you think things like this get discussed between the players at training? Will Addy and Clark be walking in to a barrage of jokes/stick at the game tomorrow or training on Monday? Surely it must be a concern for them knowing that they have potentially left Bradford to play Super League but may potentially be in a worse position?

Interesting times!

Whoever comes down will just have to cut their cloth etc etc etc.

Forgive me for not having any sympathy but screw em.

To (mis)quote Kevin Keegan 'I'd LOVE it... if Hull KR get relegated'

Already looking forward to the reception that Addy and Clark would get when they come back to Odsal

I'd prefer it if it was Gaskell, Clough and Ferguson coming back with Huddersfield, but I think they'll probably just about avoid it.

TBH don't think there would be any ill will towards addy and Clark if they came back for hull kr. Think that would be reserved for Gaskell and clough if rumours about them refusing to play are true. Although I think hudds should be safe and avoid mpg.

Interesting few weeks ahead for a few teams.

1 Leeds Rhinos 4 4 0 0 156 60 8 0
2 Leigh Centurions 4 4 0 0 121 92 8 0
3 Huddersfield Giants 4 3 0 1 172 82 6 0
4 Hull K R 4 2 0 2 123 77 4 0
5 London Broncos. 4 1 0 3 138 132 2 0
6 Salford Red Devils 4 1 0 3 80 103 2 0
7 Featherstone Rovers 3 0 0 3 40 154 0 0
8 Batley Bulldogs. 3 0 0. 3

Can see Leigh winning 1 more unless Leeds put out a shadow team for their final game, Salford should beat the other 3 champ teams, could come down to kr v hudds to decide who ends up where.

Baring an upset where London beat a SL team.

Looking at the fixtures, it could come down to points difference to decide who ends up in the MPG as there's a chance of Leigh,Hudds and KR all finishing on 10 points.

I keep saying that the only realistic possibility of promotion under the current system, even if it is long odds still, is to get the auto-promotion spot. because you have to do the businessyourself, but other teams can also help by one SL club being beaten by the others.

That does not validate the pathetic system, because it was always designed to be a SL club v a Championship club in the MPG - where barring a SL club meltdown, the SL club wins every time. But they forgot the auto-promotion back door, and I really, really hope Leigh do it. They deserve it, and can make a half-decent fist of a year in the SL, with decent crowds.

It is a shame if its HKR that drops though, and also I fear for them as it is not so long ago that Hudgell was leaving, and if like us they are in Championship without the money, then they may slide into the same sort of mess we have got ourselves into. The SL needed to lose Wakey or Salford, not the Robins, who bring a lot to the party, not least the Hull derbies, and a big away following.

But they may have a chance - if Leigh confound teh RF and clinch a spot, and the MPG therefore ends up as 2 SL clubs fighting for one spot, I for one will be laughing my c*ck off. Not that I wouldn't feel for the fans of the loser, but at the RFL where that was never part of the plan, and at the SL clubs that stole our money.

if it happens, you can also bet that all of a sudden automatic promotion will reappear back on the agenda.

Just wanted to drop by & thank all of the Bulls fans who have posted messages of support for the Championship Club fighting for promotion ....
*you know who you are*



Some of you have done this here, some on the Leigh board & some on both.



Although it ain't over by a long way it has been a breath of fresh air to see a rival Clubs supporters continually support the cause, despite their own concerns for their own Club. It takes a bigger kind of Man/Woman (I won't assume) to do that & you should be applauded for it).

Now, if only the large & solid, vociferous supporters of Bradford Bulls could find their way back to SL PDQ & given my beloved Leigh are also there, think of the noise we could make together.

Best of British Bulls fans.

Wish us luck ....

*Again* .....






*Please*.

Good luck to Leigh i hope they make it into SL

they may have spent well over the odds on their team which to me is proof that you won't make it into SL unless you have got lots of cash.
Bulls players and coaching staff have missed an ideal opportunity to get into SL this year with with some poor SL teams in the mix. i am sure the RFL and W$%K Sky presenters particular if you they come from Wigan will hail the 8s as a rousing success

Have Leigh spent that much more than us with our squad of almost 50??

Well done to Leigh, hope they now get auto promotion, they deserve it

Many times over! I said after round 8 it's a shame we didn't seem able to join you but if we couldn't do it then I hope you could give those sods at the RFL a bloody nose and get automatic promotion...

We'll miss you though! Only you seem to get our lot to actually turn up!

My wish now is for a London/SL mpg and two SL teams suffer our fate!

I rarely post on here, but the support of the Bradford fans on here is humbling. I hope you can get your house in order for next season and push for promotion. You are still a huge club IMHO. If we make it to super league I hope you join us. And if not I will look forward to visiting Odsal again next season. Bradford are now my second team, even though you are on the wrong side of the Pennines

good luck to all at the Bulls, hope we are in the promised land together soon

I hope Koucash walks away from Salford and finances the Bulls to SL

Much respect for Leigh. They've done what we need to do. They looked at the mistakes of the previous season and fixed them, the coach change has been a blessing in disguise and they delivered in the big games with experience in the spine of the team. Well done.

Now, which SL club do I want to drop....

I think, with the salary cap breach, Salford would be the most deserving of the drop. But even with cloth cutting, if MK walks, I would be worried about their survival. And I don't want to see any club collapse.

HKR. I think they would be like us. Need some cloth cutting, but would be ok in the championship. JP would have to really earn his management stripes. And we would see Addy & Clark again.

But the ones I would laugh & laugh would be Hudds. They probably wouldn't have to cut their cloth too much as long as their owner just increases his usual level of support. But basically I want to see Gaskell & Clough back in the championship after they think they've been so clever.



The HKR vs Hudds game will be key.

It would be funny if it was Huddersfield. But let's not forget the bile we've had off Salford fans because of that leaked letter from green to RFL. They cheated the cap the year we got relegated. Also the ambulance chaser at Hull KR hasn't been very supportive us in recent years. Let's not forget the Danny Sculthorpe none story about winning a case against the club. Danny himself had to clear up that they hadn't. Nothing from Hudgell.

At least you have changed from "absolutely impossible" to now saying "realistic possibility" so there is hope for us all if FA can change his stance after being so outspoken and opinionated.
I don't like this system but always thought it is possible - just, but still unfair.
If only there was a second strong Championship team that were also beating a couple of SL teams. That would have been good to see this year with so many weak SL teams.

Surely, if any SL were to come down their contracts would be voided?

The only way to gain promotion, which we suspected last year, is to win 5 from 7 games in the middle 8's. And that will be proved in the next couple of weeks. Because 99 times out of 100, the SL club will beat the championship club in the one off game that is the MPG.