Come on, who’s been doing the sums?

Truthfully. the Bulls’ recent hot spell has got even the biggest nay-sayer thinking the unthinkable – maybe they can get into those play-offs after all.

Their campaign was nose-diving spectacularly on the back of five consecutive defeats.

But the manner in which Steve McNamara’s side back-to-back destroyed Harlequins and then outplayed Super League’s form team Huddersfield Giants has certainly got people talking.

And the four points gained over the last fortnight has meant their top-eight dream is still alive ... just.

With a favourable final run-in – Catalans will be tough come Sunday but fixtures against Salford City Reds and Hull FC should equal wins if they continue in the same vein – Bradford could certainly finish the regular campaign with a real flourish.

St Helens, Leeds, Hull KR and Huddersfield have all already booked their places at the end-of-season jamboree but with three rounds still to go, a total of seven other clubs – including the Bulls – are all still chasing the remaining four spots.

The scenario is exactly what the RFL wanted when they increased the number of teams featuring in the play-offs from six to eight for 2009.

Only the disappointing Hull FC, Salford and Celtic are unable to still challenge.

But Welsh side Crusaders, strongly linked with former Bulls boss Brian Noble for 2010, will be glad to draw their debut Super League campaign to a close, especially after seeing SIX of their Aussie stars ordered to leave the country on Tuesday.

Captain Jace Van Dijk and fellow Australian team-mates Tony Duggan, Damien Quinn, Josh Hannay, Darren Mapp and Mark Dalle-Court are to be deported after immigration officials ruled they breached visa regulations.

The RFL today asked the UK Border Agency to see their report into the situation as matters worsened for the struggling outfit.

But back to Bradford and can they complete a Mission: Impossible-style charge into the play-offs?

Bizarrely, they have not held a top-eight position all season so it would be a real feat to sneak in now.

Unfortunately, even if they complete a maximum six-point haul it probably still won’t be enough.

Bradford do have to win every match to stand a chance and that is well within their reach. In fact, of all the seven challengers they are the only club likely to achieve that feat.

But they still need so many of their rivals to slip up and slip monumentally – Castleford losing all three would be ideal but they have Celtic at home – to hand them a route in.

Fifth-placed Wigan should be the safest, knowing even a point against out-of-sorts Cas on Sunday will cement their berth with no drama.

But Wakefield, currently in joint-fifth spot, are my tip for the side to miss out completely.

Likewise, they know a point at Wembley-bound Warrington on Friday night will see them home but I feel they could lose all three matches, with Catalans away and a trip to in-form Hull KR to come.

According to my calculations, they will end up on 26 points along with the Wolves and Dragons but John Kear’s men may just fall foul due to a poorer points difference.

The Bulls could finish an agonising single point behind but that is destined to be just not enough.

However, there is one chance of a reprieve. If Wakefield win on Friday, all eyes will turn to Catalans v Wildcats the following week.

If Wakefield win in Perpignan, or even earn just a draw, then 25 points might suddenly be enough again; if Warrington lose one of their last two matches and Catalans go down in their final fixture, the Wolves and Dragons could both miss the boat.

Could. If. Maybe. Anyway, we’ll see, but keeps it all really exciting doesn’t it.