THESE are uncertain times for London, with new ownership yet to be secured following David Hughes’ decision to step back from the club.
And while Mike Eccles remains as coach, there is otherwise little stability, with a paucity of resources meaning that barely half a squad has been put together at the time of writing.
It’s all a far cry from the Broncos’ jubilation at winning promotion to Super League just over a year ago, albeit short-lived amid the contentious club grading which inevitably brought them straight back down.
They only won three times last year, and another difficult season awaits. While a few familiar faces, including Will Lovell, Sadiq Adebiyi and Alex Walker, remain most of their best players have joined new clubs and just four signings have been made.
London have proven to be nothing if not survivors over their 45-year history and must draw on that spirit again.
Watch out for… The next generation of southern talent. London are likely to call upon many of the youngsters who made up last season’s reserves team (following the disbandment of their academy), as well as talent from local leagues such as the Southern Conference League. Wins won’t be easy to come by but judging by past record, a few hidden gems may be picked up who would otherwise have never got a shot.
Squad: 1 Alex Walker, 6 Luke Polselli, 7 Connor O’Beirne, 8 Huw Worthington, 9 Curtis Davies, 10 Lewis Bienek, 11 Will Lovell, 12 Sadiq Adebiyi, 13 Jensen Monk, 15 Ben Hursey-Hord, – Marcus Stock, – Sam Winney, – Christopher Hellec.
Rugby League World predicts: 12th
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 505 (February 2025)
