2020 Bradford Bulls season

Preparations for the 2020 season started with the announcement from chairman Andrew Chalmers that the Bulls would move away from Odsal Stadium for the upcoming season due to the high rent and maintenance costs, with Dewsbury Rams home ground Crown Flatt hosting Bradford's home games.[1] Following this news the Rugby Football League placed the Bulls under 'special measures' over concerns of the club's finances and budgets for 2020 which also prevented Bradford from making signings during this period.[2] Loose forward George Milton and second-row Colton Roche left the club sometime during the season.

Academy product and prolific try-scorer Ethan Ryan signed a two-year deal with Super League side Hull Kingston Rovers.[3] Following Ryan's departure head coach John Kear announced that Matt Garside, Matty Wildie, Ashley Gibson, Callum Bustin and James Green would not be offered new contracts at the club and were released.[4] Garside subsequently signed for local rivals Halifax R.L.F.C. whilst Green signed for York City Knights.[5][6] Hooker Wildie signed for Leigh Centurions and prop Bustin switched codes to play rugby union for Yorkshire Carnegie.[7][8]

As fears grew over the financial stability of the club it was announced that a senior player evoked a termination of his contract relating to issues revolving around pension payments.[9] Throughout the month there were numerous reports that the Bulls were going to be sold to a 'UK investor group' spearheaded by former Wakefield Trinity owner Chris Brereton.[10] Prop forward Jon Magrin signed a one year deal to play at Dewsbury Rams.[11] Popular hard hitting centre Jake Webster signed a two year deal with League 1 side Keighley Cougars combining a playing contract alongside a role working with the community.[12] Potential new owner Brereton revealed that the clubs had debts of up to £500,000 and that he would work towards getting Bradford debt free in two years.[13] The exodus continued at the Bulls as fan favourite, Bradford born Ross Peltier signed for Doncaster R.L.F.C..[14] Chris Brereton pulled out of the consortium attempting to buy the Bulls.[15] However the following day it was revealed that former head of RFL Nigel Wood and Dewsbury chairman Mark Sawyer had appointed former Toronto Wolfpack CEO Eric Perez as the chairman to take over the consortium's bid to buy the Bulls, this brought the club out of special measures.[16]

Following the news that the club had been lifted out of special measures it was announced that academy product Ross Oakes had signed a new two year deal with the club.[17] However in order to raise some capital for the club playmaker Joe Keyes, young second rower Matthew Storton, second rower Elliot Minchella, halfback Rowan Milnes and academy player Anesu Mudoti all signed three year deals at Hull Kingston Rovers for an undisclosed fee with Milnes coming back to Bradford on loan for 2020.[18][19] Young winger Josh Rickett signed for League 1 side Doncaster R.L.F.C..[20] The Bulls retained the services of Welsh centre Rhys Evans, experienced hooker George Flanagan and hooker Sam Hallas all on one year deals.[21][22][23] Winger Jy Hitchcox was released by the club so that he could take up a playing contract with Toulouse Olympique.[24] Prop Liam Kirk and winger David Foggin-Johnston were given one year contracts to keep them at the Bulls for the 2020 season.[25][26]

The Bulls announced two pre-season friendlies for the upcoming season, the first will be against Castleford Tigers on Boxing Day and the second will be against Dewsbury Rams on 19 January.[27][28] The first new signing for the 2020 season came in the form of Super League winger Greg Johnson on a 1 year deal from Grand Finalists Salford City Reds.[29] Bradford will face arch rivals Leeds Rhinos in a testimonial match for long serving Leeds player Jamie Jones-Buchanan in January 2020.[30] Furthermore a final friendly was added to the pre-season schedule as the Bulls will face Championship rivals York City Knights.[31] Hooker Sam Hallas was named as vice captain for the 2020 season whilst Steve Crossley retains the captaincy.[32] Film actor and former rugby league footballer; Adam Fogerty, became a shareholder at Bradford Bulls.[33] On 17 November the 2020 fixtures were released with the Bulls hosting London Broncos in the first week, in addition to this Bradford would play their 'away' game against Dewsbury Rams at Headingley Stadium in a double header which will see Leeds Rhinos face off against Wakefield Trinity.[34][35] The Bulls made their second new signing as they announced Wakefield Trinity prop forward Anthony England on a one year deal.[36] Meanwhile captain Steve Crossley signed a one year extension keeping him at the Bulls until 2021.[37] Former Bulls player Ashley Gibson and loose forward Mikey Wood joined League 1 side Newcastle Thunder.[38] A final pre-season match was announced with the Bulls travelling to Hunslet R.L.F.C. on 5 January 2020.[39]

After a four year ban from the game it was announced that former Leigh Centurions prop forward Sam Barlow signed for the Bulls for the 2020 season.[40] Following this news it was revealed that Hull Kingston Rovers had let young second-row forward Adam Rooks join the Bulls on a season long loan.[41] A further signing was made to the Bulls roster as Racing Club Albi XIII prop Levy Nzoungou signed a one year deal.[42] The Bulls rounded off the year with a 20–14 victory over Super League side Castleford Tigers.

The start of 2020 saw experienced centre Rhys Evans join Super League side Leeds Rhinos on a season long loan deal.[43] A young Bradford side traveled to Hunslet R.L.F.C. for the second pre-season friendly and lost a close match 18–26 with Murphy Smith, Harry Shackleton and Matthew Race all scoring for the Bulls.[44] The Bulls announced the capture of former academy product Dan Waite-Pullan on a one year deal from the Leeds Rhinos.[45] Bradford faced arch rivals Leeds in a pre-season friendly for Jamie Jones-Buchanan's testimonial. However former Leeds player Rob Burrow was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) so the match was also used to raise funds to combat MND.[46] The Bulls lost 34–10 in front of a 19,700 sell out crowd at Headingley Stadium with Ross Oakes and Thomas Doyle scoring for the Bulls.[47] Former Bulls players and legends such as Wayne Godwin, Matty Blythe, Rob Parker, Nathan McAvoy, Robbie Hunter-Paul and Stuart Fielden also featured in the final 10 minutes of the match in support of Rob Burrow.[48] Super League side Hull F.C. revealed that they would partner up with the Bulls on dual registration for the 2020 season.[49] The 2020 black away shirt was released and the 2020 squad numbers were also revealed for the Bulls with new signings Anthony England, Adam Rooks, Dan Waite-Pullan and Sam Barlow taking the 8, 11, 20 and 27 shirts respectively.[50][51] Another pre-season defeat followed this with a 25–12 loss to Dewsbury Rams.[52] The Bulls announced the signing of Hull F.C. winger Matty Dawson-Jones on a one year deal.[53] In the final pre-season match the Bulls faced rivals York City Knights and came away with a hard-fought 6–4 win before the match was abandoned ten minutes before the final whistle.[54]

The season commenced with a 14–18 loss to newly relegated side London Broncos, new recruit Matty Dawson-Jones crossed for two tries on his debut whilst young hooker Thomas Doyle also scored for the home side.[55] The Round 2 match against York City Knights was postponed due to bad weather due to the effects of Storm Ciara.[56] The draw for the 2020 Challenge Cup fourth round revealed that the Bulls would face amateur side Underbank Rangers.[57] A narrow 22–30 loss to promotion favourites Featherstone Rovers the following weekend saw the Bulls enter the season with back to back losses, Dawson-Jones was on the scoreboard along with Doyle, Brandon Pickersgill and Jordan Lilley.[58] The Bulls progressed through to the 5th Round of the Challenge Cup with an uncompromising 22–0 win over amateurs Underbank Rangers, following this victory the Bulls were drawn away to Super League side Wakefield Trinity.[59][60] Centre Rhys Evans signed a permanent contract with his loan club Leeds Rhinos, however he was then loaned back to Bradford for the rest of the season.[61]

March started positively for the Bulls as they overcame Oldham R.L.F.C. 26–12 to gain the first victory in the league, new loan signing Joe Cator led the way scoring the opening try of the game with Steve Crossley, Sam Hallas and Brandon Pickersgill also scoring tries.[62] The Bulls bolstered their squad by signing former Featherstone Rovers hooker Danny Maskill who had been on trial in the Bulls reserve team.[63] Bradford followed up their first Championship win with a solid 28–0 victory over Sheffield Eagles, young academy product opened up his senior try scoring account with a brace of tries whilst Jordan Lilley, Matty Dawson-Jones and Pickersgill also scored.[64] The Bulls 2020 Challenge Cup run came to an end in a hard fought 14–17 loss to Super League side Wakefield Trinity, the Bulls were ahead with tries from Jordan Lilley and Rowan Milnes before Wakefield secured their place in the next round with a late try.[65] During this month all of rugby league including Super League and the RFL Championship was suspended indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom.[66]

There was no rugby played throughout April due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. At the start of the month the Bradford Bulls announced that the majority of their staff would be placed on furlough meaning that the government would cover 80% of employees salaries in accordance to the COVID-19 job retention scheme set out by the government.[67]

There was no rugby played throughout May due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The RFL announced that the Challenge Cup and 1895 Cup finals would be postponed to a later date in 2020 subject to government guidelines due to the coronavirus pandemic.[68]

There was no rugby played throughout June due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The first piece of good news for the Bulls during the ongoing pandemic was the announcement that coach John Kear had signed a 2 year extension to stay at the club until the end of the 2022 season.[69] In a major coup for the club it was announced that veteran Super League halfback Danny Brough would join the Bulls in 2021 on a two year deal from Wakefield Trinity.[70]

There was no rugby played throughout July due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Vice captain Sam Hallas signed a one year deal to stay at the club for the 2021 season.[71] During this month the Rugby Football League announced that the RFL Championship and RFL League 1 would not be able to continue the 2020 season, however an autumn tournament would be announced with a £250,000 prize fund to honor the 125th anniversary of the RFL.[72] Homegrown fullback Brandon Pickersgill put pen to paper on a new one year deal to stay with the club for the 2021 season.[73] Winger Joe Brown also signed an extension to stay with the Bulls.[74]

Due to the reserves being suspended until 2022 young halfback Cobi Green signed for Swinton Lions.[75] Soon after Green's departure the Bulls announced the re-signing of second-row forwards Brad Gallagher and Ebon Scurr, Gallagher signed a 2 year extension whilst Scurr signed for one year.[76][77] Prop Levy Nzoungou also signed an extension with the Bulls.[78] Young hooker Thomas Doyle was the next player to sign an extension with the Bulls, signing on for another season.[79]