London Broncos (Merged Threads)

[EastLondonMike]

15 minutes ago, The Future is League said:

It was discussed on League Unlimited today in the English Super League section, and probably is still being discussed.

I did do a quick google search after i posted my previous comment - and found an article in the Roar - but the article simply references the Sun article.

Did League Unlimited mention any other source? or just the one we have so far?

Maybe the Aussies will start digging deeper now the rumour is being aired.

Edited January 20 by EastLondonMike

[Dullish Mood]

11 hours ago, londonbronco said:

Good God. There are fewer and fewer tabloids/board sheets reporting on RL, and then I read this. Why not try supporting rather than... well... never mind. 

Otherwise, if the rumours are true this will be the start of taking RL national interest outside of the M62.

Good god.  I’ve supported RL for 40+ years but will never support this despicable rag in any shape or form.  Hope that clears things up.

[JohnM]

11 minutes ago, Dullish Mood said:

Good god.  I’ve supported RL for 40+ years but will never support this despicable rag in any shape or form.  Hope that clears things up.

You've left them quaking in their boots. Parliament has been recalled. The United Nations Security Council is in session and the Pope is calling in the Cardinals. Whatever will The Sun (the paper formerly known as The Daily Herald) do now? 

What worse is I now have to spend time clicking on The Sun webiste to make up for the loss of your custom.

Edited January 20 by JohnM

[gingerjon]

12 minutes ago, JohnM said:

You've left them quaking in their boots. Parliament has been recalled. The United Nations Security Council is in session and the Pope is calling in the Cardinals. Whatever will The Sun (the paper formerly known as The Daily Herald) do now? 

What worse is I now have to spend time clicking on The Sun webiste to make up for the loss of your custom.

Knock yourself out.

I do an unofficial boycott of products that are too closely associated with RU. I assume that is equally wrong?

[Dave T]

32 minutes ago, JohnM said:

You've left them quaking in their boots. Parliament has been recalled. The United Nations Security Council is in session and the Pope is calling in the Cardinals. Whatever will The Sun (the paper formerly known as The Daily Herald) do now? 

What worse is I now have to spend time clicking on The Sun webiste to make up for the loss of your custom.

I mean, this is pretty weird John.

[The Future is League]

1 hour ago, EastLondonMike said:

I did do a quick google search after i posted my previous comment - and found an article in the Roar - but the article simply references the Sun article.

Did League Unlimited mention any other source? or just the one we have so far?

Maybe the Aussies will start digging deeper now the rumour is being aired.

They seem to think it's just the Broncos.

I suspect that one of the reasons that the Broncos are going for London Broncos is the potential of finding some diamonds among the youth and also as well they are in fierce competition in Queensland with The Dolphins for young talented players in SE Queensland so spreading the net.

 

[OriginalMrC]

49 minutes ago, JohnM said:

You've left them quaking in their boots. Parliament has been recalled. The United Nations Security Council is in session and the Pope is calling in the Cardinals. Whatever will The Sun (the paper formerly known as The Daily Herald) do now? 

What worse is I now have to spend time clicking on The Sun webiste to make up for the loss of your custom.

This is hilarious. Nearly as hilarious as the various scummy things that rag has done over the years.

[The Future is League]

Visa pending. This is another signing for the Broncos, and possibly more to follow with the Brisbane Broncos announcement.

https://www.londonbroncosrl.com/london-broncos-sign-luke-polselli

[Gav Wilson]

1 hour ago, JohnM said:

You've left them quaking in their boots. Parliament has been recalled. The United Nations Security Council is in session and the Pope is calling in the Cardinals. Whatever will The Sun (the paper formerly known as The Daily Herald) do now? 

What worse is I now have to spend time clicking on The Sun webiste to make up for the loss of your custom.

I'm surprised you didn't need to run it through AI so you count understand the big words.

Going into bat for an awful entity like the Sun is levels of bootlicking I cannot even begin to comprehend.

[JohnM]

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

I mean, this is pretty weird John.

Yes, but its fun...and I don't even need to actually do it...or read it. I know that such childish behavior isn't allowed...but I didn't start it.  

Edited January 20 by JohnM

[JohnM]

1 hour ago, gingerjon said:

Knock yourself out.

I do an unofficial boycott of products that are too closely associated with RU. I assume that is equally wrong?

Look. Its cold. Its dark, its grey, and the season hasn't started yet. So why not call out ill-informed bigotry? 

In any case, I'm with you. I try not to buy anything from Man U sponsors, but until just now I haven't felt the need to parade that on here.  

[The Future is League]

I would just like to put on record that ANY NEWSPAPER that gives our game positive column inches is fine by me.

[Dullish Mood]

2 hours ago, JohnM said:

You've left them quaking in their boots. Parliament has been recalled. The United Nations Security Council is in session and the Pope is calling in the Cardinals. Whatever will The Sun (the paper formerly known as The Daily Herald) do now? 

What worse is I now have to spend time clicking on The Sun webiste to make up for the loss of your custom.

Good stuff, well done.  

[JohnM]

15 minutes ago, Gav Wilson said:

I'm surprised you didn't need to run it through AI so you count understand the big words.

Going into bat for an awful entity like the Sun is levels of bootlicking I cannot even begin to comprehend.

Clearly Copilot is literate, considered and eloquent for it's reply is " I see you're having a lively discussion on the forum. It seems like there's a lot of strong opinions being shared about The Sun newspaper. It's always interesting to see how different people perceive media outlets and their influence. If you have any specific questions or need more information on a topic, feel free to ask!"

Perhaps you should start using it.

Now, if you nothing of any merit to say, "ignore"

 

[Just Browny]

16 minutes ago, JohnM said:

 So why not call out ill-informed bigotry? 

 

For anyone just joining us and trying to catch up: Yes, the purported victim of 'ill-informed bigotry' really is The Sun newspaper.

[Wigan Riversider]

Back to the thread topic if I may... if Brisbane Broncos do invest in London Broncos, a big 'if' IMHO, then it may see an improvement both on and off the field in London.

I do fall in to the Eddie Hearn camp with regards to the game as a whole and particularly SL. That is why I watch an amateur RL team.

[Sports Prophet]

3 hours ago, Click said:

They would prerry much have that already, with the lack of any investment from the RFL in the South.

“Pretty much” wouldn’t cut it for me. I would be seeking authority agreement from the RFL to exclusively manage the sport under the guise of a not for profit established under the name of the pro club.

The sport was booming beyond recognition in London and the South East when it was appropriately funded by the RFL (slash Sport England and Mayor of London) circa 2006 - 2013. Had it continued I have no doubt that the size of the junior game in London and SE would dwarf that of Yorks and Lanks let alone the strength of the elite pathways from 12s - 18s. 

I don’t have any faith that the current RFL administration have the nous or finance required to suitably grow the sport in this region. In my opinion, the one thing any buyer will need is a huge wedge of capital they’re willing to invest in growing the profile and participation numbers of the game in the capital, with no immediate returns.

[Archie Gordon]

8 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

If I was a willing buyer, or acting on behalf of one, I think I would also want any purchase of London Broncos to include responsibility for exclusive management of grassroots RL in London and the South East

I get the interest but as the Broncos don't own London/SE community RL, how could you buy it off them?

The new buyer could invest in community RL, sure. They could fund all manner of things and gain some control. But they couldn't own or run it. And they wouldn't need to. If they set up a scholarship/academy twinned with Brisbane that saw players experience life in both hemispheres, they'd hoover all the talent up. It would be massive for the game down here.

Let's see what happens. Nothing is clear yet.

 

[Tommygilf]

That system is simply not how sports are organised in a legal sense.

Ironically, in practice it could actually be exactly like that described above.

[RP London]

1 hour ago, Sports Prophet said:

“Pretty much” wouldn’t cut it for me. I would be seeking authority agreement from the RFL to exclusively manage the sport under the guise of a not for profit established under the name of the pro club.

The sport was booming beyond recognition in London and the South East when it was appropriately funded by the RFL (slash Sport England and Mayor of London) circa 2006 - 2013. Had it continued I have no doubt that the size of the junior game in London and SE would dwarf that of Yorks and Lanks let alone the strength of the elite pathways from 12s - 18s. 

I don’t have any faith that the current RFL administration have the nous or finance required to suitably grow the sport in this region. In my opinion, the one thing any buyer will need is a huge wedge of capital they’re willing to invest in growing the profile and participation numbers of the game in the capital, with no immediate returns.

This is exactly what anyone taking over the broncos needs to be looking to do. By investing in this they would develop the game and they would give them the roots they need to be successful, it will take loads of time as while it was "booming" around that period that work started much earlier and there was a lot of work happening there in the junior set up under the likes of Caro Wild in the early 2000s. 

However, how do you "ring fence" this in anyway, legally or not? No matter where you are you can put all this in just for someone to swoop in and take the best players (could happen up north too), so "pretty much" is all you can wish for really. How, and why, do you stop people setting up clubs in areas that are keen to do so, surely you let it happen but just meet them and offer all the help you can to make it a success??

[Archie Gordon]

47 minutes ago, RP London said:

This is exactly what anyone taking over the broncos needs to be looking to do. By investing in this they would develop the game and they would give them the roots they need to be successful, it will take loads of time as while it was "booming" around that period that work started much earlier and there was a lot of work happening there in the junior set up under the likes of Caro Wild in the early 2000s. 

...

I think the boom/bust narrative for the community game in and around London is not quite right.

According to Wikipedia, the 2010 RLC looked to have 19 clubs playing in the London/SE/East space of today. In 2025, there will be 17 clubs, at least 7 of whom have reserve teams. Some have women's sides; some have wheelchair teams.

Granted, I think you were talking about juniors but my understanding is that there may be 8 clubs taking part in the LJL at u16 level this season, which is moving back towards what we had in the 2010s. There are also college teams in Colchester and Brighton that didn't exist 15 years ago.

There's plenty happening. More than the player base, it's the player pathway that needs building up from almost ground zero. 

[wroteforluck87]

7 hours ago, hunsletgreenandgold said:

London is an easier sell to young Brisbane talent than <insert northern town> so this could work out very well if done right. 

You've obviously unaware of this video 

[RP London]

1 hour ago, Archie Gordon said:

I think the boom/bust narrative for the community game in and around London is not quite right.

According to Wikipedia, the 2010 RLC looked to have 19 clubs playing in the London/SE/East space of today. In 2025, there will be 17 clubs, at least 7 of whom have reserve teams. Some have women's sides; some have wheelchair teams.

Granted, I think you were talking about juniors but my understanding is that there may be 8 clubs taking part in the LJL at u16 level this season, which is moving back towards what we had in the 2010s. There are also college teams in Colchester and Brighton that didn't exist 15 years ago.

There's plenty happening. More than the player base, it's the player pathway that needs building up from almost ground zero. 

Yes it is 100% the junior set up I am looking at. Senior teams are a different beast and should be treated as different IMHO as they need different help/support etc. 

From when I was involved in the 2000s the development was moving quickly and with schools and clubs in London there were strides forward being made with the game that had the legs chopped off with the end of funding. There are some hardy individuals for sure doing loads of hard work. Put money into that and you could get some really strong juniors coming out of the London area. My point is around the hard work/money they will have to put in to get some real roots that will be strong enough to not be so easily lost. 

Edit: also I wouldnt trust wiki too much on the RLC.. not sure where some of the information on some the teams comes from, also they do show some in a league but they never make it to the first game IIRC.. 

Edited January 20 by RP London

[Londonbornirishbred]

If it is Brisbane (+others), then priority #1 needs to be bums on seats.

Yes. Grassroots and Kids are important, but i've seen enough community events at London "crusaderbroncoquinbroncos" to see that you need to create an event that people want to attend. Too often the club invites the community to games and then ........? nothing....?

Bums on seats delivers revenue, sponsors and atmosphere. A food half-time entertainment, a band in the bar post match, kids zone, data collection, freebies etc....then the kids and community game.

As for talent heading north. Given the choice of Warrington, Wigan or Brisbane, I know what i would opt for. 

My earlier feeling of apathy is now one of excited interest. I really hope this comes off.....

[THE RED ROOSTER]

This must be the virtue signalling troll free thread..

The only reference in Australia to this in the Media is on The Roar

https://www.theroar.com.au/2025/01/20/league-news-london-calling-as-brisbane-broncos-buys-in-hunt-reflects-on-hometown-return/

Which basically regurgiutates The Sun article

None of the usual suspects, The Mole or Mascord make any metion of this as as far as I can see, and pre-season is a slow news month down under.

I think people are getting ahead of themselves here, we still need to see who is taking over and what their agenda is and I should point out, if th deal goes through, Brisbane are but a part of the ownership group with other investors involved so it's a case of wait and see. Though on a positive note the club is making signings suitable for the level of Rugby League they are in.

Edited January 20 by THE RED ROOSTER