The Bulls will today go into battle with the RFL as they bid to win back the six points they had docked on February 25.

The club have launched an unprecedented appeal against their punishment for entering administration and an independent sporting sanctions panel will hear their and the governing body’s case.

The panel includes Bill Broughton and Chris Booth, who are partners at Leeds-based legal firm Pinsent Mason, and James Sleight, an insolvency practitioner.

Bulls owner Marc Green has launched the appeal on the basis that the administration was “unforeseeable” and “unavoidable” and the panel will consider all the evidence from both sides before passing judgement.

The decision is not necessarily expected today and could drag on until the end of the week.

Bulls chief executive Robbie Hunter-Paul said: “It would be great to get all the points back but we can’t fret about it.

“Obviously there is a confidence that we are coming from a certain position, otherwise we wouldn’t have taken it to the appeal panel in the first place.

“We are hopeful we will get some sort of ruling in our favour. What that looks like we will see but if it doesn’t happen we will just keep carrying on with what we’re doing.”

Green has vowed not to walk away from the club if they fail to avoid the drop.

He said: “If relegation happens, and everybody at the club is focusing on it not happening, we will deal with it and we will be back.

“We will make a commitment within the parameters of the game to be back as quickly as possible.

“My target would be to come back within one year and we will ensure that we have a squad capable of doing that. But everything right now is geared towards staying in Super League.”

Head coach Francis Cummins said: “There is no doubt that getting points back would help us but we will deal with the decision when we get it.”

Prop Adam Sidlow added: “If we get the points back we will have earned them from our previous wins this season.”