AN agreement has been reached between current and former Bradford Bulls players and staff and the Rugby Football League and the current Bradford Bulls owners.

An employment tribunal had been due to begin on Tuesday next week between the 46 current and former players and staff, the RFL, Bradford Bulls 2017 Limited, and the Secretary of State for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy.

A settlement had already been reached late last year between the players and Bradford Bulls Northern Limited, the company which previously owned the Bulls and went into liquidation last January, making the claimants redundant.

The dispute had been over unpaid wages, holiday pay, notice pay, and potential statutory redundancy payments.

The 46 players and staff were spearheaded by lead claimant and former Bulls prop Adam Sidlow, and was made up of both current and former players.

The agreement between parties means next week's tribunal will now no longer go ahead.

Ralph Rimmer, the Rugby Football League's interim chief executive, said: “The Rugby Football League are pleased with the outcome and in the interest of all parties will be making no further comment on the matter."

The claimants have been represented by sports law expert Richard Cramer, or FrontRow Legal, throughout the case.

He added: "Over the last 12 months, FrontRow Legal have represented a number of individuals who were sadly made redundant on January 3, 2017, following Bradford Bulls Northern Limited entering into administration in mid-November 2016.

“Various claims throughout the period of the Employment Tribunal Proceedings have resolved themselves and following recent negotiations, we are pleased to report that the matter has been resolved amicably.”

When Bradford Bulls Northern Ltd went bust last year they left debts of nearly £2 million to creditors, including £400,000 owed to HM Revenue and Customs, £30,000 to Bradford Council and thousands more to local Bradford businesses and various other creditors.

As a result of the liquidation, the new club which was formed by Andrew Chalmers and Graham Lowe as Bradford Bulls 2017 Limited, started last season with a 12-point deduction, which the depleted Bulls never managed to overcome on the field and ultimately led to last season's relegation to League 1.