SAM Hallas insists he want to fulfil his Super League dream with boyhood club Bulls, as he claimed the “black cloud” that has dogged the club for years has been lifted.

Bradford’s recent history has seen several talented local players spend their peak years elsewhere, like Sam Burgess and John Bateman.

And it came as a crushing blow to the club when five players moved to Hull KR at the end of 2019, including wing wizard Ethan Ryan.

Bulls have been through three administrations and a liquidation over the past decade but are now seemingly on steady ground, with those financial woes behind them.

And with that in mind, Hallas is hoping he won’t have to move on like Bateman and Ryan did.

Speaking at the club's media day yesterday, he said: “The club’s always had ambition since I’ve been here, but we have had that black cloud over us.

“You can’t deny that Bradford, as a club, have had a shaky past, with those financial problems in the background, but I’m hopeful that we’re past it now.

“Certainly since we stopped playing last year, the board have been fantastic with us, whether that’s with furlough or wages etc.

“No one’s worried about what might happen every day like in the past and the club are always there to talk to. We’re all happy to be here.”

He added: “My dream is to go up with Bradford, as I’ve supported the club since I was little in their heyday.

“You want to get to Super League to test yourself against the best, and I want to do that as a Bradford player.

“I don’t have a two or three-year plan to get up there or anything, that’s out of my control.

“All I can do is play well, and if I do all I can, hopefully that will help get us back to Super League.”

And as a Bulls supporter, the prospect of returning to Odsal in a few months makes this season’s promotion push even more exciting.

Hallas said: “Getting back to Odsal would mean everything to me.

“I watched them there, and at Valley Parade, as a kid, and have brilliant childhood memories, like Jimmy Lowes’ last game and Lesley Vainikolo’s farewell.

“Then on the playing side, to beat Leeds there in the Challenge Cup the other year was so special.

“It’s where this club belongs.”

But any return to Odsal, and fans at games, won’t be until May at the earliest, so the big focus now for Hallas and his team-mates is their Challenge Cup first round clash at Featherstone on March 21.

The hooker said: “I’m glad we’ve drawn them as we can see where we’re at.

“Fev have recruited well so this will act as a good marker for us. You don’t want those so-called easy ties really as you want to test yourself by going up against the best.”