someone just asked him

[istill no news on a bulls contract mate?[/i

Ainscough replied

[inothing pal[/i

I find this surprising, odd and a bit troubling tbh. We currently have 1 winger available next year in the squad, Kear. Hopefully Purtell can play again in our outside backs and maybe we're looking at getting in some loan deals but we're hardly falling over loads of options are we? And here we have a good established SL player already in our system, presumably not on top whack wages, clearly open to staying with us unlike some, and we've not talked to him either way? I'd hope even if he's not in FC's plans we'd tell him up front.

But I can't see why we wouldn't be talking to him (and addy and donaldson for that matter) about a new deal, and IMHO there has been enough time to have an initial talk with all the ooc players whichever way we're going with them, despite the mess.

Needs sorting asap, for the players future firstly and our squad secondly. Hopefully its just timing issues with the changes. Has Tasker gone now? Who is leading contract talks and player recruitment? FC?

The Game Caller ‏@TheGameCaller
Some extremely positive #BradfordBulls news to look forward to in the morning. #YouKnowYoureABullsFan #COYB

thanks, updated the rumoured squad and resisted (but only just) putting an emoticon on it.

As PW says look on the bright side, it may mean that a younger gun such as Lee Gaskell is being looked at or somehow the Sammut v Nas conundrum is being resolved.

There Isnt a sammut v nas problem is there ? Sammut has a passport that allows him to work as a European (his Malta passport) ?

Intresting to see what this could be

Well that's no good, I want to know NOW!

Oh God, it's Christmas eve as a child all over again.

Bateman contract extension?

Or an announcement that Purtell has been given the all clear?

We've resigned Michael Worrincy?

Either Purtell or Bateman news would be good.

On the Nas/Sammut thing both count as Non Federation Trained along with Lulia, Purtell, Kearney and L'Estrange. We have a limit of 5 Non Feds next year so unless we get a dispensation we have to lose one IIRC.

Bateman it is

Yoda? Thought you were busy selling out to a well known telephone company.

Hope it is Bateman. That wil be brilliant news.

I'd like Stuart Fielden to come back, especially as we are now 2 or 3 front rowers down. Heard we are bringing Liam McAvoy through, but we need the experience of someone like Fielden in the team.

Also think Jamie Foster may be a good option but not sure if he is OOC or not.

Bateman extension and i will be delighted. A key building block in our future plans.

If Bateman has signed an extension then that's great news.

Personally, I'd like the club to try and make him the face of the club. A Robbie Paul for a new era sort of thing

Regarding the non federation situation what about elima ? Was he federation couldn't it be that that hi the one gap we need and nas slips into that non fed spot ?

Great, we go from Robbie Paul to a guy with a rats tail and crooked teeth as a poster boy.

Lets leave John to just his best attribute, his rugby!

I suspect with a smaller pot to play with despite being able to use the full SC, the Club are concentrating on making sure the higher profile contracts are sorted first, Shaun for whatever reason may be down the order on that list. It's a difficult juggling act for the Club and with no actual RL experienced Manager negotiating the contracts Agents will be trying it on as well! Patience will be needed at the moment, but we forget we go through this every off season!

hopefully JB's contract extension a done deal will free up the log jam and we will see what the plans are for wingers props and half backs.

I am curious would it be worth snapping Joe Mellor up now as a stand off or seven he would provide some cover and competition even if not first choice - gaskell i agree could be the best option but AFAWK it could be a shot in the dark and not happening. I think maybe Gareth O'Brien (more of a 7 I know but he may be available for a loan) or there was the young 6-7 at catalan who impressed for france end of 2011 but i cant remeber his name.

I would like ideally Sammut but I understand that may be an impossible option and I like Cain but promoting him to first choice 6 with so little experience and nobody ready to help if needed it will be difficult.

Also curious - when the jeffries rumours were rife early on I remember hearing disco was retiring this year?? we have heard no more and I am hopefull he plays on but we will see.

I'm 99% sure Diskin's going around again in 2013.

french players count as fed trained so doesnt help sammuts non-fed trained status. Only reason we could fit both Nas and sammut under quota this year was because sammut had a dispensation, which made fed trained, but it only lasted for duration of the first contract he signed after leaving crusaders. If we'd known at time we signed him that RFL were going to give crusaders players dispensation we'd have signed him with an option for further years after the initial one to allow us to keep the dispensation going but we were caught out by the timing of us signing him a day or so before the dispensations were announced. Iirc we had to argue long and hard with RFL just to get them to give him the dispensation for 2012 season.

Other thing to remember is that this normally goes on behind the scenes over a much longer period and all we see off it are re-signings being announced during season. This year we couldnt start talking to the players agents until a couple of weeks ago so everythings being done in a higher pressure enviroment.

suspect there also might be an element of marketing in timing of announcements too. Players have been manning ticket office last couple of weeks but they all disappear next week for their annual breaks. Theres still 4 weeks till early bird deadline during which club need to keep interest up to keep people buying tickets. A steady trickle of signings/re-signings over that period certainly wont hurt in keeping clubs profile up.