Cummins: Bulls aren’t consigned to relegation

Bradford coach Francis Cummins has come out fighting following suggestions by former chairman Mark Moore that the Bulls are destined for relegation.

Moore and his team pulled out of a bid to buy the club out of administration this week when the RFL handed down a six point deduction, which leaves them four points adrift at the bottom in a season where two teams get relegated.

It means the Bulls are still without an owner, and can’t sign players to bolster a squad that has seen the departures of Garreth Carvell and Jarrod Sammut in recent weeks.

They take on fellow strugglers London on Sunday, knowing that a second consecutive win, following last week’s triumph over Wakefield, would bring them within two points of their opponents.

But Cummins said: “I do not think we are consigned to relegation. There is a long way to go. As a rugby league man, I know that we can get those six points back but I can also understand why a businessman would give his views from a non-football perspective. 

“The special measures that are being suggested would be tough to work with going forward and, while I do not know the ins and outs of it, if we cannot function as a business then things will be very difficult. 

“On the field, we could be back on zero points in one week’s time by winning on Sunday against London and at Hull next Friday. 

“From there, if we can add in some further loan signings then we have a great chance of staying up. Last year, with the same points deduction, we finished ninth. 

“With that in mind, I remain confident. I am determined and I believe in these players. Walking away has never even crossed my mind. I have a great bunch of lads here and they refuse to give in. 

“If they had thrown in the towel and given up then maybe things would be different. My job is to help make things better and the aim is to start that with a win on Sunday.”