BRADFORD Bulls have a positive base to build from in their attempts to reach Super League, after IMG published their indicative gradings this morning.

The top 12 sides in the rankings will get a Super League spot in 2025 if the structure stays as it is, with promotion and relegation now scrapped, but clubs have several months to improve their scores.

As it stands, Bulls sit 14th, with an overall score of 12.02, but they are less than half a point behind Leigh in 12th, whose current total is 12.45.

They are also well ahead of 15th placed Featherstone Rovers, who are on 10.65, so appear unlikely to be overtaken by any clubs below them.

Bulls can still improve things like fan engagement and stadium facilities in the coming months, while performing well in the 2024 Betfred Championship can only help their cause.

Having an elite academy, a women's team and nine sides playing under the club banner are all things that have helped Bulls into this position.

With 11th-placed Wakefield on 12.52 and 13th-placed Castleford on 12.16, it appears as if the final places in Super League 2025 will be two of four from Trinity, the Tigers, the Leopards and the Bulls.

Cas are insisting that due to an administrative error over their finances, they have wrongly been deducted half a point.

If that is reinstated by the RFL, they will be 11th in the table on 12.66, 0.64 points clear of Bulls.

With Newcastle and London Skolars both folding, there are rumours of a restructuring of the leagues however.

One idea that has been mooted is a 14-team Super League from 2025, which would leave Bulls in a great position to make the top-flight.

The full set of indicative ratings can be found below:

As can be seen, only seven clubs have an A grade, which if they keep it, guarantees them a Super League spot.

Salford, Huddersfield and Toulouse look fairly secure in Super League from 2025 given their current scores.

But poor London Broncos, promoted to Super League after three sensational play-off performances over the last month, look certain to go straight back down regardless of their performance next year, their current total of 8.07 putting them way down in 24th.

Keighley Cougars are understandably hugely disappointed with their score of 6.58, which puts them 30th out of the 35 clubs in the top three tiers.

At present, they are hampered by a lack of women’s team, no academy and a stadium in need of upgrades.