Rugby League fans have had their say after the news that Bradford Bulls have been confirmed as a Super League side for 2026 with the West Yorkshire club shooting up the IMG rankings.
The 2024 season was the first in rugby league where the composition of Super League was determined solely by a team’s IMG grade.
An IMG grade is a score out of 20 with clubs earning points across five pillars of finance, community, fandom, performance and stadium and Bradford have managed to improve on their 2024 score in three of those pillars.
Whilst they lost points on fandom and remained the same on community, their stadium and finances scores soared with the Bulls jumping from 12.15 points in 2024 to a whopping 14.81 in 2025.
That was enough to lift them from 16th to 10th, ensuring they will be playing top flight rugby league once again in a move that has split fans.
How every rugby league club scored as full IMG rankings revealed
Serious About Rugby League has launched a brand new podcast which can be watched in full on our YouTube channel here.
Rugby League fans split after Bradford Bulls’ return to Super League
Many have welcomed the Bulls back whilst others have highlighted flaws in the IMG grading system that a stadium such as Odsal is able to host Super League games.
We asked Serious About Rugby League readers: “Are you happy that Bradford Bulls are back in Super League?”, with that question eliciting over 350 responses inside five hours.
We’ve picked some of the key responses to gauge how rugby league fans feel about the return of the former Super League champions.
Paul R Slater: As a Rhinos fan, yes, I’m glad they are back. Good sized fan base and the derby is back.
Jude Seaward: As a Wigan fan, I always enjoyed the Bradford games… I’m chuffed to have them back.
John Mann: As long as Toulouse and York are admitted as well, I think it’s a fair reflection of the Championship standings.
Richard Cousins: Yes based on crowds, no based on where they finished in the league. IMG rating system played to their admission so can’t knock the Bulls as this is good management.
David Wakenshaw: Yes because Bradford are one of the few clubs who can become a force in the game quickly.
Peter Taylor: Must remember that the Bulls are ex world champions and steeped in rugby league history. The attendances will rocket to five figures with their local derbies. York, Toulouse and London will never match those figures.
Martin Grainger: I don’t have a problem with Bradford, just show the fans how the score was achieved.
Toby Rackham: Don’t blame the Bulls, blame the system that your clubs all agreed to.
Sue Greenwood: What about their ground? Are we going back to the old days? The ground doesn’t come up to today’s standards.
6 Comments
Leave a Reply
Leave a Reply
International Rugby League
Shaun Wane teases Mikey Lewis role and lifts lid on double England injury blow
International Rugby League
Ex-England man makes ‘blessing in disguise’ Ashes point amid clear weakness
International Rugby League
James Graham slams “absolutely disgraceful” decision against England in second rugby league Ashes Test
International Rugby League
Australia star Cameron Munster lifts lid on what prankster said to him after national anthem stunt
John Andrews
October 16, 2025 at 5:53 pm
I’d Rather have Bradford than any French or Cockneys tbh welcome so back to Super League you Bulls! 😀
Eric T Cat
October 16, 2025 at 7:04 pm
It’s a fix to guarantee Nigel Wood and Gary Hetherington get their egos stroked and handed their places, Toulouse will get screwed over, York be reluctantly granted a licence. This decision is an absolute joke! Isn’t it convenient that the IMG ratings won’t be used to decide the other two clubs, denying Toulouse their rightful place along with York! European Super League, not English Super League! I’m beyond disgusted. Bradford don’t have a modern stadium, the pitch doesn’t fit for a start, half of it is unusable, most of it is uncovered. It’s a hole in the ground with some concrete terracing, not a stadium! Plus, it’s going to be mostly empty! When does this charade end and we get told what we already know?
London don’t get crowds, they get statistical anomalies that can be reset as zero attendance for a city that size! 0.00027% of the public attend, that includes away fans, so for London fans probably lower, under 0.0002% of the catchment area, that’s statistically insignificant! Who do they think is suddenly going to turn up to watch? The Cherry Red Records Stadium has a capacity of 9,125. I sincerely doubt they will get 40% full, but I won’t be watching, this is potentially the straw that breaks the camel’s back, and my team just had their best season ever winning the treble! All three trophies, a clean sweep against FC. But of London get a spot, I’m finished with the sport.
Everyone In RL
October 16, 2025 at 8:25 pm
We’re glad to have Bradford back. There shouldn’t be French teams in Super League, they have their own league.
Jay
October 17, 2025 at 7:49 am
It seems a matter of who you know that has dragged Bradford Bulls back into Super League, the ground is a disgrace to the sport, promises of ground improvement should Never guarantee promotion to Super League, this has disgraced our game!
William friar
October 18, 2025 at 12:34 pm
Very dodgy how Bradford got in. worst ground I,ve been to , parking lousy . will be interesting to see if any improvements have been done at start of season.Hope the backers have a few million to spare as they will need it.
Ted
October 19, 2025 at 7:06 pm
Beyond belief, how many times have Bradford gone bust? Do the RFL not own Bradfords ground as a result of having to prop up their finances, it was only last year that Bradford left this sham of a stadium because of high rent imposed by the RFL, they ground shared for a while before being coaxed back once the RFL realised they had a white elephant on their hands and now this. The IMG masterplan that has taken 3 years of very careful development (an absolute joke by the way) and was to be the saviour of rugby league hasn’t even lasted out it’s first year before it’s been totally rehashed. I agree York & Toulouse deserve their place but London should have been given another chance as they were handed a poisoned chalice for the 2024 season. The RFL just keep digging with the format and their cloak & dagger approach, you will kill the sport, stop dicking about, 2 up 2 down, it works believe it or not