BULLS’ Jordan Lilley thinks it is hard to see the rugby league season starting again in 2020.

The RFL have announced that the season has been suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic and Bradford have not played since they were knocked out of the Coral Challenge Cup at Wakefield Trinity on March 13.

Lilley, like all of us, doesn’t know when sport will resume but finds it difficult to accept that it will be back to normal in the next few months.

He said: “At the minute, it is hard to to see it starting again this year. The NRL have suspended their season, and the Super League and Championship have gone that way as well.

“The worrying factor is where is the income going to come from for clubs to sustain and keep going? Every club goes off the takings from what they get on a game day. If they have not got that, how are they going to keep the players and run themselves?

“The RFL have to come together with the government and put a plan in place as to how they can keep teams going. There could be a few clubs going into administration if the season gets suspended for long enough.

“They have got to have a real think on what they are going to do and what is going to happen. I am sure they are doing that every day, it is not an easy fix.

“I know that players are getting their contracts halved and not getting their full wage. It is not just rugby league, it is football, local businesses. They have to look at the sport in general and see how they can help rugby league in this time.”

When asked what he would make of playing matches behind closed doors, Lilley thinks the RFL must always put player safety first.

He said: “Fans do really play a part. There is nothing better than running out to 5,000 people cheering you on, but if that is what it has got to be, so be it.

“But if we're having to play behind closed doors because of the risk of the virus, then surely we shouldn't play at all? It is okay to get the games in, but then you're putting the players at risk.”

Bulls officially announced yesterday that the majority of their staff have been placed on furlough leave, as was widely-expected.