If the fight for a play-off place isn’t fierce enough, a handful of Bulls are scrapping for their Super League lives.

Heath L’Estrange’s freshly-inked contract extension may have come as a huge relief for the player, as much as for his club, but nine team-mates still don’t have the same peace of mind.

Not all of them will be at Odsal in 2012 and a host of painfully difficult decisions lie ahead for boss Mick Potter and the board. Even if the current campaign is far from over, next year’s squad will take shape in the coming months and Bradford face a more tumultuous time than most.

After taking on the Bulls’ rebuilding project, Potter deliberately handed out a number of one-year contracts, the logic being that it would increase competition and offer a chance to reassess prospects at the end of the season.

For the club it is a situation that provides welcome flexibility in the continuing quest for improvement. For the players, it is a worrying glimpse at the harsh reality of professional rugby league.

Patrick Ah Van, Shaun Ainscough, Vinny Finigan, Dave Halley, Marc Herbert, Brett Kearney, Gareth Raynor, Shad Royston and Chev Walker are the nine still sweating on their futures.

Among those, one stands out as a priority for retention. Despite spending six weeks on the sidelines already this season, Brett Kearney remains a cornerstone of the current squad.

Impressive enough during his first campaign in England, the reigning Telegraph & Argus player of the year has only improved under Potter’s guidance.

Kearney emerged from pre-season with a better understanding of what is required from him as a playmaker, leading the way through a natural creative instinct, speed of thought and a newly-developed kicking game.

True, there are deficiencies in his defence, hence Potter’s preference for switching the Aussie between stand-off with the ball and full back without it, but they are far outweighed by the positives. Put simply, the Bulls are a better team with Kearney on the pitch.

To add to the usual playing considerations, the relative value of players like Kearney and L’Estrange has only increased due to a changing market for overseas talent.

The 50 per cent tax bracket for high earners and a crackdown on image rights payments have reduced the financial incentive for moving to Super League.

Meanwhile, the strength of the Australian dollar and a potential increase in the NRL salary cap – coupled with a greater flow of revenue from television and sponsorship – have made staying put a far more lucrative option.

Without the ability to attract NRL superstars, clubs will increasingly rely on their ability to polish rough diamonds. In Kearney and L’Estrange, the Bulls got exactly that.

Both players arrived in the country with conditions attached – L’Estrange having played limited game-time at Manly as an impact hooker, while Kearney had barely featured at all for Cronulla during 2009, the consequence of a serious foot injury.

But the pair have since proved to be shrewd signings and would walk into most sides in the competition, highlighted by Wigan’s interest in Kearney and the rumours of Leeds sniffing round L’Estrange.

That’s not to say Bradford should not chase the best talent available in the free market. But the difficulty in doing so means their existing Aussie duo are worth their weight in gold, especially as they represent better value for money than many marquee imports.

Matt Orford was feted as a hugely important addition last year but his less-heralded colleagues from the class of 2010 have had a far greater impact, while exhibiting the kind of loyalty and humility that comes from the need to justify their club’s faith.

If signing Kearney is first on the agenda, Shad Royston’s name should be next on the list.

Despite a slow start to his first season at first-grade level, the former Halifax utility back has rapidly improved and now appears to be a serious bargain.

Ah Van and Raynor would be worth keeping at the right price, as both have provided the kind of strength and go-forward that has come to be expected from Bradford wingers. Ah Van’s position atop the Bulls’ try and point-scoring charts will not do him any harm either.

Herbert still has an awful lot to prove if he wants a new deal, having shown only fleeting glimpses of his talent, while Ainscough, Halley and Walker have all been hampered by injury.

Halley in particular will be keen to get back to Super League action, having failed to feature once under Potter so far due to a serious knee injury, while Ainscough and Walker may have done enough earlier in the year to justify extensions.

Finigan’s age counts in his favour and the 21-year-old winger has been impressive enough while playing on a dual-registration deal at Sheffield. Keep improving and he could still be at Odsal beyond this season.

In terms of recruitment, the Bulls need to think big. St Helens star Leon Pryce remains on the radar and a sizeable chunk of cash should be set aside for a top-class strike centre.

Tough market conditions and the premium put on English-born talent mean outstanding players are hard to come by – but they’re not impossible to find.

It’s clear Bradford need quality over quantity in the next round of recruitment and Potter’s judgement is about to be put to the test.