Bradford Bulls chairman Chris Caisley has pledged to make new offers to the four first team squad members whose contracts expire at the end of the season.

Forwards Steve McNamara, Bernard Dwyer, Brian McDermott and Warren Jowitt are all reaching the end of their existing agreements.

And speculation has already linked McNamara with a move to Huddersfield Giants while Jowitt has been touted as a likely Wakefield Wildcats signing.

But Caisley insists that the Bulls will be engaging in talks with the players about new deals once the play-offs are over.

He said: "It is inevitable that people will speculate about possible moves for players at the end of their contracts, but we are intending to sit down with McNamara, Dwyer and Jowitt and look at getting them to stay with us.

"But those talks will not take place until the play-offs are over. Everybody at the club has to focus on our top target which is getting to the Grand Final on October 9 and winning the Super League crown.

"We appreciate that under the Bosman ruling that the players can go where they want at the end of the season, but we hope they will want to stay and be a part of our success.

"We are anxious to build up our squad and do not want to lose players, that is the message we want to get across."

Caisley is particularly anxious that next season's team building and contract negotiations do not blight the club's bid for Grand Final glory.

He said: "It is easy for such matters to sap morale if they are aren't handled properly. We are determined that will not happen to us."

The Old Trafford winners, who will again scoop a bumper £275,000 cheque as part of a total prize fund of £750,000, may be decided by a "golden score".

Super League officials announced today that, in the event of a draw after 80 minutes, there will be two ten-minute periods of extra time and, if the scores are still tied, the first team to register any points will lift the trophy.

Meanwhile, the League has announced a crowd aggregate of 1,318,385 for 1999, the highest since the advent of summer rugby in 1996.

Although the average of 6,278 is slightly down on last season, when clubs played seven fewer games, there were 38 crowds in excess of 10,000, more than at any time since the re-introduction of two divisions in 1973.

"There has been some marvellous attendances," said Super League managing director Maurice Lindsay. "The supporters have clearly been captivated by the battle for the top five and I'm sure they will embrace the excitement that the play-offs will provide."

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