THEY were the unsung heroes in the impressive signings of Jack Walker and Bodene Thompson over the last fortnight, and you might never even have heard of the Bradford Bulls Squad Booster Association (BBSBA).

But without their contribution, the two former Leeds Rhinos might not have ended up at Odsal.

A relatively new organisation at Bulls, the BBSBA’s treasurer Richard Wood was keen to let fans know exactly what he and the team do for the club they love.

Wood, no relation to chairman Nigel, told the T&A: “There are still people that don’t know we exist, or wrongly assume we are a part of BullBuilder (Bulls’ Supporters Trust).

“But our job is pretty much exclusively to bridge that gap to increase Bulls’ budget, to provide the additional funds for recruitment and retention.

“One hundred per cent of what we earn goes towards that, so the Association has no running costs.

“We have 160 members currently, who contribute monthly or annually, depending on what suits them best.

“We appreciate it’s tough with the cost of living at the moment, asking people to donate their own money to help fund Bulls’ signings, but it’s whatever you can afford, even if that’s £5 per month.

“Bulls thanking us for helping them sign Jack Walker and Bodene Thompson has boosted our profile, and we’ve had 14 new members sign up since those deals were announced.”

Walker and Thompson are the perfect example of why the BBSBA is so vital to the Bulls.

Wood explained: “The club approach us with who they’re looking to sign, they’ll tell us they’ve budgeted x or y for that player, and if needed, they’ll ask if we can bridge that gap.

“It shows the power of the Bulls name that we were able to bring in Jack and Bodene.

“It wasn’t a great 2022 season for the club, and they promised some signings to placate the fans, and turn the 2023 team into a more competitive one, which they have delivered with those two players.

“I wouldn’t have been surprised if the pair of them had been picked up by other Super League clubs after leaving Leeds, but obviously they’ve chosen to join us in the Championship.

“I don’t know what their wages will be at Bulls, but you’d imagine they’d be among the highest earners, so we’ve been happy to do our bit financially.”

Discussing the origins of the BBSBA, Wood said: “I’ve been a fan of the club for four decades, and I saw other clubs had organisations like ours now a few years ago, and wondered why we didn’t have something similar.

“I approached (then-acting chief executive) Mark Sawyer in the summer of 2020 about setting the Association up and he said to go for it.

“We were introduced to John Downes, who’s volunteered at, and been an important face at, the club for years, and is involved with things like the Bulls Foundation and the Heritage side of the club.

“He’s the chairman of BBSBA, I’m the treasurer, and there are seven of us on the committee in total.”

Wood said the Association is always looking for fresh faces and ideas, and if you would like to get involved, you can contact him via bbsquadbooster@gmail.com or on 07810 500143.

The BBSBA are holding a members-only AGM at Odsal next month, in the Bulls Foundation office opposite the club shop, on Thursday, November 17.