What should have been investigated is how Bradford managed to jump from 16th to 10th in 2025 to guarantee promotion to SL on full funding. It is perhaps no coincidence that the RFL agreed to sell the lease of Odsal back to Bradford at a knock-down price in 2025. 

In 2012, the RFL bought the ground for £1.2m to bail out Bradford. In 2025, they agreed to sell it back to Bradford for a down payment of£100,000 and a further £160,000 paid over a period of five years, the payments to be taken from the club's central funding. This and some creativity in their IMG submission, no doubt aided and abetted by someone close to the RFL and an inside knowledge of the IMG criteria, probably secured their promotion. As has been said, it is almost impossible now for a Club in the Championship to make up the difference in grading with SL Clubs on full funding.

Although some faces may have changed are those in charge of the RFL capable of negotiating any kind of rights deal. I guess mushy peas and pizza is about their level.

Maybe Widnes should approach Halton Council and make a similar offer to buy back the ground. They could always quote the RFL/Bradford deal as a precedent!!!!

don’t get the excitement of KR vs Salford in any other form

also to back track on what they promised about their matchbox pitch should really have consequences ?

Same. I'm not buying it, most of these ratings are pure BS.

https://hunsletrlfc.com/general/2027-img-grading-the-price-of-a-point/

Says it all mate and a waste of money fir Championship clubs.I am always a firm believer sport should always have winning on the pitch for promotion.

The Sport currently has nothing going for it.

It has no leadership or direction and has just lost its main Sponsor.

It is also in danger of being binned off by the BBC which means the end of what is left of the Challenge Cup.

It is also about to embark on a costly and mainly pointless World Cup that few people know about and which is going to be hidden behind a pay wall.

So, unless the new potential NRL deal includes binning off IMG and offering a genuine root and branch reform amongst the whole sport then I really do fear for its future.

Breakaway of Championship Clubs anyone?

As the Widnes statement said, they know the could’ve ‘paid’ for another 0.5pts and with the purchase of a screen and digital advertising we know there would be even more points earned - but we all know that it would be a monumental waste of money so here we are! We have a benchmark and that’s all the IMG score is now that it’s unrelated to promotion or funding. I’d support the club if they said they weren’t submitting for grading next year as it’s just a monumental waste of time and energy!

Yet last year Bradford Bulls while still in the Championship, winning nothing, playing in poor, partially closed facilities with an undersized pitch jumped up to 10th place for automatic qualification on full funding.

I smell a rat.