In total agreeance! I was massively looking forward to the season and also tempted to not stick to my plan of not going while we are Dewsbury

The smell of petrol and burnt motor oil should add to the ambience of match days once again if the Bulls actually end up back at Odsal!

My smell memories of winter rugby at Odsal are an attractive mix of cigar smoke and mushy peas.
(Also what attracted me to my better half

)

I must say it all sounds very doubtful. It will apparently cost £500k to make the ground safe for stock cars etc. Who has that sort of money lying around? It's all very well the RFL giving permission for it to take place at Odsal but I bet they aren't putting any money into making it happen. So who is?

Even if someone has I'm dubious as to whether it's viable - 1997 was 23 years ago. Since then Speedway has gone down in popularity. The articles I've read suggest Stock Cars are the same.

Meanwhile it will still cost the same to open the ground.

Add to that the obvious money that needs spending on the crumbling terracing, rusting barriers and dilapidated bars etc. Where does the money come from for that?

Then there's the team which is mid table Championship quality. Perhaps with an outside shot at the top 6. Where does the money come from to turn that team into one that could stay in SL at this late stage with so few decent players left available?

I know the options are grim. The club can't stay at Dewsbury for long as it's certain to wither and die there. Park Avenue is too small. VP is too expensive. But Odsal is a parasite on the club in its current state. I fear this bid for SL is another Steve Ferres style "poop or bust" tilt at success.

I'll continue to watch this car crash unfold from afar.

Don't disagree with any of that.....it is all a very sad and re-occurring pattern isn't it, rolling from one disaster to the next.
I keep an eye on things from a distance these days, more out of duty than hope.

That said, it wouldn't surprise me to see us admitted, then the RFL change the rules to stop promotion and relegation, giving us a fighting chance and the SL becoming a franchised closed shop again.
This is probably the optimist in me, but god knows with our sport. The top tier would certainly be better with a competitive Bulls in it.

To echo some of the other opinion on here, I fear for the sport generally....

Quote ="Wigan Bull"Don't disagree with any of that.....it is all a very sad and re-occurring pattern isn't it, rolling from one disaster to the next. I keep an eye on things from a distance these days, more out of duty than hope. That said, it wouldn't surprise me to see us admitted, then the RFL change the rules to stop promotion and relegation, giving us a fighting chance and the SL becoming a franchised closed shop again. This is probably the optimist in me, but god knows with our sport. The top tier would certainly be better with a competitive Bulls in it. To echo some of the other opinion on here, I fear for the sport generally....'" Well Mr Elstone who was on a reported £400k a year has apparently negotiated the pitiful TV deal we all saw coming. Penny for the thoughts for the likes of Sheffield and Workington who inexplicably voted with SL. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby ... -2024.html

Quote ="Wigan Bull"Don't disagree with any of that.....it is all a very sad and re-occurring pattern isn't it, rolling from one disaster to the next. I keep an eye on things from a distance these days, more out of duty than hope. That said, it wouldn't surprise me to see us admitted, then the RFL change the rules to stop promotion and relegation, giving us a fighting chance and the SL becoming a franchised closed shop again. This is probably the optimist in me, but god knows with our sport. The top tier would certainly be better with a competitive Bulls in it. To echo some of the other opinion on here, I fear for the sport generally....'" Well Mr Elstone who was on a reported £400k a year has apparently negotiated the pitiful TV deal we all saw coming. Penny for the thoughts for the likes of Sheffield and Workington who inexplicably voted with SL. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby ... -2024.html

This is thoroughly depressing.

From a bright start to the year with our young lads taking absolutely no nonsense from any team, playing (at times) some really entertaining Rugby League with 110% effort and looking forward to a couple of seasons building and maturing a team to be prod of, we're now discussing swapping the hybrid, frugal car we can afford to run for a rusting old 1936 Bentley with terminal problems because it looked good back in the day and we think we can make it fit for the 2020s because someone with an equally hair brained scheme will take on half the costs which will still be three times more than we can afford..

FFS, the best sport in the world, bar none, run but absolute village idiots...

The report of David Hobbs finding a ball bearing on the pitch during a training session is pre internet unfortunately. Surely we don't want to go back to those days?

That was a big ball bearing too.

I can't quite get me head round the fact that if the RL are responsible for the maintenance of Odsal then why has the toilets and buildings around the pitch got into such a state. I know its down to vandalism but why has it not been repaired by the RL. Surely there is some insurance in place to cover this. I have seen the video and they are in a disgusting state. Are the RL in breach of their duties to maintain. Maybe I am wrong but the question deserves some explanation as to why this has happened.

Quote ="Bull Mania"Well Mr Elstone who was on a reported £400k a year has apparently negotiated the pitiful TV deal we all saw coming. Penny for the thoughts for the likes of Sheffield and Workington who inexplicably voted with SL. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby ... -2024.html'" some terrible reporting in their, 16 million loan wasn't to get SL up and running, It was to support the entire sport, and new deal certainly wont see 1/4 going to championship. Pretty typical from union centric Daily Mail. Notice there's no mention of the enormous handout to Union, which I suspect will end being a grant rather a loan.

Quote ="Bull Mania"Well Mr Elstone who was on a reported £400k a year has apparently negotiated the pitiful TV deal we all saw coming. Penny for the thoughts for the likes of Sheffield and Workington who inexplicably voted with SL. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby ... -2024.html'" some terrible reporting in their, 16 million loan wasn't to get SL up and running, It was to support the entire sport, and new deal certainly wont see 1/4 going to championship. Pretty typical from union centric Daily Mail. Notice there's no mention of the enormous handout to Union, which I suspect will end being a grant rather a loan.

You would expect us to have some documentation as to state of stadium when we handed it back and any damage occuring after that date to be landlords responsibility to make good. Somehow I doubt that will happen and we'll have to pay for repairs.

Quote ="Bullseye"Wood won't be explaining anything.'" https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/ ... role-grow/ Well he better have something to say when he gets here.

Quote ="Bullseye"Wood won't be explaining anything.'" https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/ ... role-grow/ Well he better have something to say when he gets here.

I'd guess that any stock car alterations to the stadium would knock any ideas of SL even deeper into the realms of fantasy that they were already? I just don't think putting Odsal back how it was in the sixties is exactly Elstone and SL's view the future.
On a practical point where would the pits go? Will the Coral stand have to go? The track would be wide enough for speedway but not stocks, maybe can it be raised and then the cars could race under it, a bit like the tunnels in the Monaco Grand Prix..

I'm sure I read somewhere that the pits would be behind the Coral Stand? Could be wrong but I'm sure I did read it somewhere.

I had heard that a large number of vandals had got into the stadium and caused thousands of pounds worth of improvements!

It's in my interview with Steve, the maintenance of the stock cars will take place behind the South Bank stand.

There is more room than previously due to the removal of the old huts.

The new perimeter fencing is ready to be installed.

Everyone is waiting for the green light to be given next Thursday.

Exciting times.

Mate you're ALWAYS excited. You're basically a human puppy. I would like some good news but this jaded cynic will wait and see I think.

I'm pretty underwhelmed myself, if I'm honest. Whilst I have nothing against Stocks or speedway per se, in fact I like both, I'm not keen on being even further from the rugby action than we used to be. With my rugby hat on it has long been my hope that the track would eventually go and we could watch from a bit nearer the pitch.

I'd love to watch the motorsport at Odsal but have the Bulls in that 'boutique' ground over the road. That is my position and I am unanimous in that.

Mick, what happens on Thursday? Decision re SL or just on ground?

Agreed. I think the Bulls going up (almost inevitable) is a strategy designed to save the whole sport not just the Bulls. Odsal is viable for a few years with £1m and gives the game, the RFL, SL and of course the Bulls and Bradford Council time to get cracking on a long term plan, Richard Dunn and another ground.

This is a worthy risk for all in these very worrying and troubled times.

The ground decision, who goes into super league will be decided on the 16th

Decided or announced? I suspect it was decided before the criteria was written.