THE Bulls will not "walk" League One next year, according to Cougars boss Craig Lingard.

After full-time Toronto Wolfpack won the division this year, some are predicting an easy first-time return to the Championship for the Odsal side.

But Lingard says the two clubs are completely different, with the Bulls still rebuilding following their financial collapse before last season.

"I think people are already crowning Bradford as the champions – but they're a different animal to what Toronto are," he said.

"Toronto, with the wage budget and the players they had, were a completely different beast to what Bradford are.

"I'm not saying that Bradford aren't going to win the league but I think they'll find it a bit of a struggle at times."

Bulls co-owner Andrew Chalmers accepts every team in League One will be wanting to claim their scalp but believes his side are capable of going unbeaten throughout next season.

Lingard, who like many other League One coaches has strengthened his squad in the off-season, believes the division is looking tough to call.

The Keighley chief said: "There's a lot of quality in this league now.

"Oldham have come down and they're going to be just as strong. I think we've got a better squad than we had last year, so we're going to be stronger.

"York are going to be strong, you've got your Cumbrian teams, who are always going to be up there as well, and Doncaster and Hunslet have strengthened considerably.

"You've got a good seven, eight, nine teams who are going to be challenging at the top of the league.

"I certainly don't think it's going to be as easy as some reporters think, who are putting in the papers that Bradford are going to walk the league."