Robbie Paul in line for Bulls
sucker punch ?

He has come to represent the public face of Yorkshire's most successful Super League club but Robbie Paul, the king of Odsal, could be about to leave Bradford as a pawn in the Bulls' negotiations to sign Wakefield Trinity captain Gareth Ellis.

Bradford have already agreed personal terms with Ellis, the 23-year-old Great Britain back row, but saw their hopes of completing the deal handed a massive blow yesterday when Stuart Reardon, one of the two players they had offered in.

With Trinity having little, if any interest in the five other unnamed players being made available by the reigning world club champions, Bradford need to pull a proverbial rabbit out of the hat if they are to secure the services of Ellis, who in recent months has been targeted by Leeds, Hull and Warrington.

That all points to an inevitable parting of the ways between the Bulls and their inspirational captain who has had an uncertain role since the arrival at Odsal of Iestyn Harris, the former Leeds captain and current Great Britain half-back.

Paul has made no secret of his frustration at not having a recognised role since his return from a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a broken arm and the presence of Harris, Reardon, Michael Withers and new recruit Ryan Hudson, who in 2005 will fill the positions the New Zealander has occupied in recent seasons, has left him looking surplus to requirements.

Paul, 28, still has two years of his contract at Bradford outstanding but it is unlikely that club officials will stand in his way if he expresses a willingness to prove himself with a new challenge at Wakefield, where he would follow in the footsteps of his older brother Henry, the current England rugby union player who played his first rugby in this country at Belle Vue a decade ago.

Bradford had hoped that their offer of loose forward Jamie Langley, who celebrates his 21st birthday today, and Reardon would bring an end to the long-running uncertainty over Ellis's future.

However, Reardon clearly believes his international ambitions will be best served by remaining at Bradford, where he is likely to operate on the wing, a position he filled to great effect with Great Britain during the recent Tri-Nations' tournament.

Wakefield declined to comment on their interest in Paul yesterday but conceded that there could be no deal between the two clubs on the terms currently available.

"It's not fair to name names and unsettle players but it is fair to say that if Stuart Reardon does not want to come here then the deal that's on the table at the moment is off," said Wakefield's head coach Shane McNally, who is anxious for the saga surrounding Ellis to reach a conclusion within the next two weeks.

Wakefield fly out to Portugal for warm weather training in the New Year when McNally would like to work with his full 2005 squad.

"The fact that Gareth has agreed terms with Bradford suggests he wants to go there and if that's where he sees his future then there's little point in him coming with us," he said.

"It's important that any new players who are joining us are on board that plane when we head for Faro on New Year's Day."

Ellis, who rejected a move to Leeds of around ?65,000 a season, has indicated that he will not sign a new ?360,000 three-year contract at Wakefield but is willing to see out the final year of his existing contract if Trinity cannot agree a deal with another club.

Super League champions Leeds Rhinos are waiting to hear whether Australian hooker Shane Millard is prepared to drop his personal demands which are proving a stumbling block to his transfer from Widnes Vikings.

Millard, 29, has been identified by Leeds as the ideal replacement for Matt Diskin, who will miss the first half of next season after undergoing reconstructive surgery on the knee he injured on his Great Britain debut against New Zealand last month.

The former St George-Illawarra and London Broncos player has been looking to leave Widnes for some months and recently priced himself out of a move to Bradford, who subsequently filled their hooking vacancy with Castleford's captain Hudson.

Leeds have also been linked with French international hooker David Berthezene, who would benefit greatly from a year with the Rhinos before returning to Perpignan for their first season in Super League from 2006.