STEVE Ferres says the Bulls will operate with a trimmed-down squad next season after voicing his concerns over the dual-registration of players.
Having assembled a group of more than 30 players for the current campaign, the Bulls have sent a number of fringe men out on loan or to play for Oxford on dual-reg.
That came after a partnership with Coventry Bears failed to get off the ground and managing director Ferres said there was a cost implication to finding playing opportunities for fringe players.
A change in the structure below first-team level saw the Under-20s and Under-18s level replaced by one Under-19s competition, where over-age players are not permitted.
Ferres said: “I don’t agree with the dual-reg system because clubs like ourselves are spending money whereas other clubs can just bring players in on dual-reg which can be detrimental to the teams they are playing.
“It’s unfair because it penalises the teams who are striving to achieve success – therefore it is flawed and it needs a rethink.
“We’ve got about 30 players and some have been used, some others haven’t been used, which you always get.
“But the likelihood is that we won’t run with such a big squad next year because of the problems with getting them a decent amount of game-time at the right level.”
Over half a dozen Bradford squad members have played for Oxford on dual-reg this season.
A number of that group and other Bulls players have had loan spells away from Odsal.
Yet Ferres said: “It’s been a one-way system just to get players some game-time, but it takes them out of your structure and it’s not right.
“There is a cost implication to it and I’m not sure it’s the right thing to do.
“I’m pretty sure if we had a reserve-grade side then it would work a lot better and be more structured, while allowing us to produce more players and retain more players.
“There are a lot of things that need to be looked at – the whole strategy of the game with regards to its structure.
“The two Hull clubs merging their academies and Widnes going into partnership with the Cumbria Regional Academy – I don’t where this has come from or whether it fits in with the game.
“People seem to be going off and doing things without a structured approach to how we look at grading the structure below first-team level.”
An announcement will be made at the club’s fans forum at Odsal tomorrow night, which kicks off at 7pm.
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