(Aaron Bower) AB: What’s the latest on the legal case involving Bradford?
NW: There’s not a lot to be said. It’s private at the moment and I know that the RFL’s legal advisors are presenting the strongest possible case. That’s it.

AB: There’s an employment tribunal planned for January. Will it go that far from your perspective?
NW: Experience has taught me never to second-guess anything when litigation is involved.

AB: What about Odsal? Is there a clear idea what you want to do in terms of redeveloping it or selling the lease?
NW: Not necessarily. The purchase of the ground was, first and foremost, to protect an asset for the sport. It’s almost a national asset. At the time, the club that played there was consistently vulnerable so we want to see some stability there and a track record of that before we have a discussion. The long-term play for the RFL is not about holding the lease forever – but at the same time, we have to make sure the club is in a stable position. I don’t know when that position will change, but at the moment it gives the sport some security.

AB: So you need to see several years of stability at Bradford before anything can happen?
NW: That’s what the Board’s position will be. There needs to be some runs on the board and hopefully the club will have a more peaceful year in 2018, whatever its destiny is.



AB: There’s talk of Odsal being in the mix for this £10 million grant from the Government for a new national facility. Is that true?
NW: It’s probably important to clear up that it’s for a facility strategy, not necessarily one stadium or one building. The legacy people around the World Cup are negotiating with local authorities now, and I think there’ll be a number of beneficiaries from that.

AB: So do you have local Councils knocking your door down?
NW: Well, we’ve got to make it more than just simply building something somewhere. We spoke to a combined authority in the north of the country recently, and the idea we hammered home to them is that this is about creating a legacy in places, not just an event or a venue.

But remember Hood assured us on many occasions that we were spending to the cap limit. So we just replaced high performing big earners with low performing ones.

Totally agree with this. Said it at the time and I stick by it today. When we had him in the side and was ticking along in 4th come playoff time we would have been a difficult team to beat.

Totally agree mate. As much as what went on was disgraceful Orford dragged performances out of that that team. I think Steve Mc deserves credit for getting the Manly contingent and Kearney in

Well, aye. Mr. Hood "assured" us of lots of things, though, whilst having some sympathy with his predicament (as written many times before) I confess to beleving my eyes, rather than some of the statements back then. If, for instance, replacing Big Les with Riki Sherrife was a 'like for like', replacement or that they were somehow on the same money, then that would have been mind blowing.

In fact, the statements themselves were just silly as we already knew why the big earners had left. In fact hadn't we been told the year before, by the previous chairman, Mr. Caisley, that the lack of money was, "all the fans' fault", for not turning up in bigger numbers? Whoever was to blame, and imo, the buck stops in the boardroom, the money was well gone by the time the Fieldens, Vainikolos, Hapes and Pryces and of course the Nobbys had gone.

Yes he did pal. I mean the Wigan game stands out as his biggest performance but he also orchestrated the draw at Leeds and went ballistic on the last play of the game begging to be passed to for the one point and some numpty never gave it to him. The demolition of Castleford at home too where Richard Owen unfortunately broke his leg. And if I'm not mistaken he also dragged a performance out of the team and beat Catalan away and murdered Hull KR at home.

And yes McNamara does deserve credit for bringing over the legend Steve Menzies and the likes of L'Estrange and Kearney! Unbelievable players!