IT IS a tantalising prospect and would make for one of the stories of the season.

Could the Bulls somehow prise Ryan Brierley away from Leigh and pair him with Lee Gaskell at Odsal?

It would be some partnership.

Head coach Jimmy Lowes has a squad of over 30 first-team players with not a genuine number seven amongst it.

Taking 23-year-old Brierley from their fiercest promotion rivals would represent a major coup for Bradford and, at the same time, plug a major gap that needs filling.

The idea may not be as outlandish as it first appears.

A report recently claimed that Brierley has a release clause in his contract which allows him to leave Leigh in the event of Paul Rowley no longer being head coach.

Rowley walked out last month because he stopped believing in what his home-town club stood for.

"Sometimes, if something doesn't sit right with you, you've got to stick with your morals and beliefs and I made a really brave decision," he said.

Brierley is particularly close to Rowley and will not have been impressed with his head coach's departure.

But Leigh supremo Derek Beaumont responded by saying: "I had no knowledge of that clause but, having been made aware of it, I took legal advice and that was that.

"If it was a private agreement, it would not be enforceable anyway because of the manner in which it was written."

Nevertheless, as we all know, at times contracts are not worth the paper they are written on.

Since Harry Siejka left the Bulls – despite being contracted for the 2016 campaign – Steve Ferres has been scouring the market for a scrum half.

Rhys Jacks came on trial, played in both friendlies against Leeds and Castleford and was sent packing.

The search continues.

Danny Addy, who performed admirably in the halves last season in the absence of Siejka and Gaskell, was back there in Sunday's opener against Featherstone.

Adrian Purtell and Oscar Thomas offer further options but former Great Britain stand-off Garry Schofield is adamant that Bradford need to sign an out-and-out scrum half to play alongside Gaskell.

Schofield covered the Featherstone game for local radio and told the T&A: "Bradford need to sign a scrum half ASAP in order to develop that understanding with Gaskell throughout the season.

"Gaskell is Super League material but, as we saw last year, without him in the side the Bulls often look clueless.

"Opposition defences target Gaskell and Jimmy Lowes need another option – but at this moment in time, he hasn't got that other option.

"You could see Gaskell's class on Sunday with his passing, show-and-go game and also his tactical kicking.

"But the Bulls need to bring in a half-back who can take the pressure off Gaskell at times and they need to do it ASAP.

"Where they find that person is the million dollar question because the game has had a huge shortage of half-backs for many years. I guess the answer could be Ryan Brierley."

Ambitious Brierley is understood to have his admirers in Super League and has been linked with moves to Warrington and Leeds for next season.

Hull FC and Huddersfield have also been touted as possible destinations for the current campaign.

Schofield said: "Would Leigh let Brierley go to Bradford? There is about as much chance as me playing again at the age of 50!

"But if it did happen, I think he would form an ideal partnership with Gaskell.

"In the perfect combination, you want a main organiser, which Gaskell is, and a support player like Brierley getting on the half-breaks.

"If I was Hull, I would be breaking doors down to sign Brierley because he would benefit from all their half-breaks and score maybe 25 tries per season.

"It would be the same if he went to Bradford. If you look at the couple of breaks that Adam Sidlow made on Sunday, Brierley would be right alongside him to support them and race under the posts.

"He brings a different dimension and if the Bulls want to get to the next level, then they need to fill that number seven jersey with a specialist scrum half.

"Jordan Lilley is another possible option, but would Leeds let him go out on loan with Danny McGuire currently injured? I seriously doubt it."

Brierley was the first person to shake Gaskell's hand when the Bulls star was crowned Championship Player of the Year at last season's awards dinner in Manchester.

There is mutual respect between the pair and Schofield said: "Your number seven is your first receiver and your six stands further back from the ruck area.

"They are two different positions and I think Gaskell and Brierley would complement each other superbly."

Managing director Ferres would not comment on individual players but the Bulls certainly have space on the salary cap and have spoken about recruiting a genuine number seven before the Qualifiers.

"If any quality half-back becomes available on the market, from the Super League or the Championship, then I'd like to think we would be looking at them," said Ferres.

It remains to be seen whether Bradford truly have the desire to bring Brierley to Odsal, particularly if a transfer fee was involved, or indeed whether the player would want to come.

But the Bulls should at least be asking the question about a player who scored 37 tries in 33 appearances last season.