Orford joined Bradford from NRL side Manly Sea Eagles

Bradford Bulls insist that Australian scrum-half Matt Orford is to stay with the club, despite speculation linking him with a return to the NRL.

The 32-year-old moved to Odsal from Manly on a three-year deal last year.

He returned home before the end of the season to undergo shoulder surgery - and has since been linked with moves back home to Canberra and Parramatta.

But Bulls chief executive Ryan Duckett said: "Nothing has changed. He remains contracted for another two years."

New Parramatta coach Stephen Kearney previously worked with Orford during his days at Melbourne.

And he told Australian reporters at his first news conference in charge of the Eels that Orford is keen to return to the NRL and that there could be developments in the next few weeks.

But Duckett insists: "When Matt went back home to have the operation he told us he was fully committed to the club.

"He is due back for training at the beginning of November."

Orford suffered his shoulder injury in the 19-0 defeat by Crusaders at Murrayfield in May and did not play another Super League game.

He did defy the pain barrier to play in the Bulls' narrow 26-22 Challenge Cup defeat to eventual winners Warrington on 30 May.

But he was then told he would have to go under the knife a fortnight later, by which time his absence had caused Bradford to go on a spectacular nosedive, losing 11 Super League games in a row.

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