BRADFORD Dudley Hill's first team manager, Steve Wright, thinks the idea of facing more local teams rather than playing their usual league fixtures may generate his side more income.

The National Conference League have announced that the 2020 campaign will be suspended, meaning there will be no promotion or relegation, with a series of regionalised group games instead taking place when the sport is able to resume.

Despite only playing two games, Division Two side Hill were flying high in third before the season was called off, and had their sights set on promotion.

Wright is naturally disappointed but believes this alternative plan of bringing rugby league back could work out well for all those involved.

He said: “Unlike the professional game, we were only two games in, so it makes it a lot easier to put it off.

“I think it is a good idea because you might get a bit more instant income than you would normally, depending on what the (regional) leagues might look like.

“The aim is to give the clubs more derbies that people will be interested in.

“Teams from Cumbria bring a few on the bus, but never more than five or six.

“For West Bowling, we would get a fair few through the door. Stanningley are always pretty good games. Hunslet Warriors are coming back as well.

“There might be more general income received from this than possibly the whole season.”

The Dudley Hill boss thinks financially his club could not be in a better position to deal with the crisis and says there is help available if they wish to use it.

He added: “The club was in complete disarray a few years ago. We were in masses of debt and we managed to come through it.

“It is not ideal but there are little bits of grants that you can try to get in to keep your running costs going.

“We are in a lot better of a position now than the club has been in in years.

“We have got a lot of things in place, like how the lads pay subs, which are continuing. We are more than comfortable to come through it.

“We are the only club in Bradford who have got our own facility. That is no pop at West Bowling, but it is a massive help.

“Hopefully the regional leagues that they are going to bring in will generate a bit of revenue so we can go again next season.”

When asked when he sees the sport returning, Wright said the safety of his players should always be the main priority.

“They are talking possibly July for behind closed doors games, whether that is still a little bit early,” he said.

“I don’t know how they are going to tell people to social distance and then put 34 lads out on the field. It is a completely crazy situation.”