Francis Cummins admits the proposed takeover of the Bulls cannot happen quickly enough after warning that any further delays could seriously hamper the club’s on-field progress.

The Bulls players and coaching staff were yesterday addressed by RFL chief operating officer Ralph Rimmer and director of licensing and standards Blake Solly.

Two firm offers are on the table from Bradford businessman Omar Khan and Bradford Park Avenue, and a change of ownership appears to be looming ever closer.

But assistant boss Cummins, part of the coaching staff who have been working without pay since the club’s slide into administration, warned that all the progress made this year could be lost if the uncertainty drags on for much longer.

He said: “The update was the same update that we’ve probably had for the last month and a half.

“The RFL are doing due diligence on the bids they’ve got to see if they can back up their offers to buy the club.

"Hopefully within a week they might know more, but the main thing is that it’s got to happen quickly because there’s so much hard work that could go by the wayside.

“We’re losing young kids now who are desperate to sign for Bradford Bulls but we’re not able to do anything with them.

“That goes for the first-team players and even coaches.

“It’s okay talking about next year but none of us might be here next week.

“It’s not as if we can speak to the proposed new owners because that’s not over the line and I think there are still a few more twists in this story yet.”

Cummins, reflecting on the progress at Odsal this year, added: “It takes a while for anything to happen. You build and you gradually get there. There is no overnight success.

“To where we were 18 months ago to where we are now – within reach of the play-offs – is a start. But then you need to keep that going because if you lose your momentum then you lose your players. Then you have to start again and it’s another long journey.”

The Bulls will be without second-rower John Bateman against Hull FC on Saturday due to a shoulder injury he sustained at Huddersfield.

Michael Platt missed that game due to a knee injury and could miss out again, but Olivier Elima is set to return after a spell on the sidelines with a shoulder problem.