Having just read in the Telegraph that Mark Sawyer has denied categorically that the Bulls and Rams are merging I just wondered whether it will before the start of the season?

Having reviewed the article it reads like a total non-story.

Sawyer does not appear to be much of a front man and little more than a RFL puppet.

Well we know what Perez is getting out of it but what about Sawyer?

Minchella, Storton & Keyes on dual reg.

No chance. Keyes and Minchella will play for 1st team. As of now KR have one Halfback in Jordan Abdull,also pretty weak in 2nd row/loose forward.

I wasn't being entirely serious.

Although I expect Rovers to sign another halfback yet. I can't see them going into the season with Abdull, Keyes & Lewis as their only options (barring the likes of Litten, Lawler, Livett or Dagger playing out of position there). If they did sign another half, I could see Mikey Lewis playing a fair bit at Dews whilst Keyes is the main backup. The point would remain though that KR signing Keyes means potentially less game time for Lewis who is freed up for DR.

I don't disagree on the back row entirely. Supposedly Linnett is going to be moving there more permanently, and they've signed Dean Hadley, Harvey Livett and Matty Gee. With the likes of Lawler & Hauraki too, they're not short of options. I would be surprised if Elliot didn't end up with a fair few games this year though, as I'm not convinced on the quality of some of those options.

Storton I do however expect to be playing at the Rams a fair bit.

Hull Kr are going to be in a relegation battle so because of that I dont see them taking many chances. On paper it sounds good a move to a SL club but I would be surprised if it were the right move for them at this stage. Time will tell.

I don't see Keyes as being good enough for SL. Excellent for us but SL? - No, Sorry! He may play a handful of games but I wish we were keeping him.
Minchella should step up without too much trouble but Storton probably does need a couple of years yet to learn and mature. HKR have probably bought them for a couple of years time rather than February.

Haven’t KR got reserve team for 2020? Won’t this affect DR?
Who are we gonna DR with?

Kr are DR with Dewsbury I believe. We are DR with TWP

Has DR with Toronto been announced? There is a rumour that Widnes are trying for them

Toronto have 4 offers supposedly. They’re thinking it over

Thought they [TWP)were choosing between 4 Clubs and not yet decided?

Sorry. Update on what I knew. Hoped Perez would swing it for us.

I hoped Pérez, Noble & McDermott would swing it for us

And Tong.

I'll repeat what I said on another thread. Toronto have 24 players on their current squad list.

Granted they'll doubtless add a few - but they've been saying that they'll largely be using the same squad as this year. They have no Reserves and no Academy

Once injuries bite, and inevitably they will at some stage, DR with them will be a pointless exercise. They just won't have anyone to offer.

But surely if they have no reserves then anyone o/s top 18 for a couple4 of weeks is going out on DR. Works well if injuries don’t bite tornonto and not so good if they do, but same would apply if you DR’D with a club with a reserve team and a large injury list????

I think Toronto have just laid off all their playing staff and will be fielding Sonny Bill alone against all comers next season

Why on Earth is this a thread? Basically someone has had to say “ just to confirm - the thing that was never happening, isn’t going to happen”

Assuming they did and played in Dewsbury, would that be the catalyst for someone to form a club with the intention of playing in Bradford?

Hypothetical stuff and apologies for taking it to another level, but is there an opportunity brewing for this to happen.

You conceivably could be on to something here, and something that may not be quite as '[ihypothetical'[/i as you might think.

However, we are struggling to fully grasp where you are coming from. Therefore, please kindly expand upon your thought process in regard to the above, and we will then be able to reply either via PM (as we do a lot these days) or in this Bulls' sub- forum.

Charles c/o the alternative NE consortium

First, there is no reason whatever to think any merger is on the cards.

Secondly, the people at Park Avenue (the soccer club) have made similar noises, but again, despite the owner, allegedly being an American multi-millionaire, if you were to check the facilities at Horsfall you'd find them pretty basic with nothing to suggest the wherewithal to start another professional RL club. So, unless they were to setup an amateur side, which, if you know your local history is actually how the current Avenue soccer team started after the demise of the old club, then it looks unlikely.

Truth is we've been searching for some 'money' people to take over the club for years and as yet, despite several gilt edged opportunities over the years, they haven't put their hands up, which, unless they've been hiding their lamp under a bushel for the last ten years, suggests they most likely don't exist.

The truth and some facts re the above are as follows:

1) The follk at BPA are all good and honest 'community based' people. Chalmers made some murky advances to BPA allegedly c/o Nigel Wood late last year, but over time BPA realised that AC was full of poop and he was rightfully given the brush off earlier this year. Well done to BPA.

Not that many RL fans will be particularly interested, but post some unfortunate experiences towards the end of last season, BPA have consequently had a poor start to this season. Things will hopefully improve.

2) 'Money' people? - as most fans now recognise the current shower in control at the Bulls are simply more of the same. As said before by us (and others) we firmly believe that as things stand it would be unwise to buy a 2020 Bulls' season ticket.

Wood and Sawyer have been frigging around now for almost two weeks looking to formally conclude a formal share transfer. More imprtantly, it is abundantly clear that neither Wood or Sawyer will be putting any money into the Bulls; but they are happy to strip us of many of our key assets purportedly to pay off large BB17/ AC related debts owed to both Wood and Sawyer as individuals and/or c/o Sawyer's bookmaking businesses. Wood and Sawyer (and the RFL) are we believe only interested in one thing, and we allege it's [unot[/u the Bulls - it's an Odsal land grab.

It would be OK if all the monies from the recent player sales was being used to pay wages for the few remaining players and staff at the club. But it isn't, is it Mr Rimmer !

A portion of the firesale funds are being used to cut deals with a limited number of creditors who were rightfully commencing the WUP process, but we've spoken to many creditors (inc two nesteggers) who have not had a meaningful offer from the inept Wood/ Sawyer consortium to come to a deal to pay off their long overdue debts.

All hope is, however, not yet lost. There are 'money' people waiting in the wings c/o the nestegg consortium. We hope we will be given the chance to use it!

BTW, thank you to the many members who are sending us kind and supportive PM's.

Not many fans will be interested but I know exactly why Park Ave have made a poor start and it will stay that way.
This time last year they made a great start and the owners told the players (thru Damian Irvine) that they couldn't afford to be promoted. Top players were told they could find other clubs which a couple did around xmas and many more in summer.
As much money as Roberts has, he wants to club to be self-sustaining (not a criticism). On it's current fan base and stadium, it is stuck where it is, with little ambitious to go fulltime pro as they would need in the league above