THE Bulls will mark their return to the Championship with a home clash against Featherstone.

The West Yorkshire derby at Odsal will open the 2019 campaign on Sunday, February 3.

Featherstone did the double over the Bulls two seasons ago, winning 36-12 at Odsal in their most recent meeting in June 2017. They also won there in the Challenge Cup.

John Kear’s side begin their travels against Swinton at Heywood Road the following week and then go to Sheffield five days later.

A home clash with York, who pipped them to the League One title, finishes off the first month of competition.

The Bulls travel to relegated Widnes on March 17 – with the return game taking place at Odsal on June 30.

The much-anticipated trans-Atlantic trip to Canada to face the Toronto Wolfpack, now coached by Brian McDermott, is scheduled for Saturday, May 4. The Bulls head for France to tackle Toulouse on Saturday, July 6.

Promotion means a return to the Summer Bash at Blackpool – where they will face another local derby against Halifax in the final game of the first day’s action on Saturday, May 18.

York have identified their home game against the Bulls on the weekend of July 20 as the first to be played at their new stadium currently under construction – and have already set an ambitious target of opening up with an 8,000 sell-out.

Toronto come to Odsal on August 4 before the curtain comes down on the regular season with an away clash against Rochdale Hornets on September 8.

The top five will qualify for the play-offs, which begin the following weekend. The final takes place at the beginning of October.

Meanwhile, Keighley Cougars start League One away to Whitehaven on February 17.

BRADFORD BULLS

FEBRUARY: 3, Featherstone H; 10, Swinton A; 15, Sheffield A; 24, York H.

MARCH: 3, Toulouse H; 10, Batley A; 17, Widnes A; 24, Leigh H.

APRIL: 7, Dewsbury H; 19, Halifax A; 22, Barrow H; 28, Rochdale H.

MAY: 4, Toronto A; 18, Halifax (Summer Bash); 26, Featherstone A.

JUNE: 9, Batley H; 16, Leigh A; 23, Halifax H; 30, Widnes H.

JULY: 6, Toulouse A; 14, Swinton H; 20, York A.

AUGUST: 4, Toronto H; 11, Barrow A; 18, Dewsbury A.

SEPTEMBER: 1, Sheffield H; 8, Rochdale A.

KEIGHLEY COUGARS

FEBRUARY: 17, Whitehaven A.

MARCH: 3, Coventry H; 16, London Skolars A; 24, North Wales H.

APRIL: 6, West Wales A; 19, Doncaster H; 28, Workington H.

MAY: 19, Newcastle A; 26, Oldham H.

JUNE: 7, Hunslet A; 16, Oldham A; 22, London Skolars H; 30, North Wales A.

JULY: 14, West Wales H; 21, Workington A.

AUGUST: 4, Coventry A; 11, Hunslet H; 18, Whitehaven H.

SEPTEMBER: 1, Doncaster A; 8, Newcastle H.