LONDON BRONCOS coach Mike Eccles is remaining calm and calling on past experience as he prepares for a return to the second tier with a hastily-assembled side.
Alongside Wigan loan duo, prop Kian McDermott and second rower Lukas Mason, both 19, the latest addition is Italy international back Luke Polselli, who has spent the last four seasons playing for Sunshine Coast Falcons in the Queensland Cup.
The 26-year-old Sydneysider’s new club played their first match of any kind since going down 54-0 at Warrington in Super League in September when they lost 17-10 against professional newcomers Goole in the second round of the Challenge Cup on Saturday in a tie played at Rosslyn Park rather than their usual Wimbledon base.
In between those two games, the Broncos, as expected, lost Super League status under the new IMG grading system, with long-time owner David Hughes and a raft of players departing.
While talk of a takeover, which would boost the club’s financial situation continues, Eccles has so far been working to a tight budget, with the first Championship outing at Bradford on Sunday, February 16.
The 39-year-old is ready to carry on squad building as the season progresses, which he did with success in 2023, when in his first full campaign at the helm, he led his charges to an unlikely progression through the play-offs from a final position of fifth, culminating in an 18-14 Grand Final win over Toulouse in France.
“I’m happy I have the experience of having seen this situation before,” said the long-serving staff member.
“We have a blueprint from 2023, when we built slowly but with quality through the year.
“It’s exciting and in the coming weeks, we will have some positive news about the club.”
Polselli represented Italy in the 2022 World Cup and has also played for Mackay Cutters in the Queensland Cup and Newtown Jets in the New South Wales Cup and said: “I like where the club are heading.”