London Broncos (Merged Threads)

[DEANO]

3 hours ago, Gooleboy said:

They really have had a nomadic existence. My Club Featherstone have played them on several grounds in the Capital. The ones I can recall are: Fulham FC, Chiswick Polytechnic, Crystal Palace, Hendon FC, Ealing, Harlequins RUFC and AFC Wimbledon. 

Not only is the club nomadic but so are the players 

[Londonbornirishbred]

looks like whomever buys london is buying a third tier club.

I sincerely hope David Hughes feels as guilty as I do despondent at present. 

[Anita Bath]

Given the P&R structure between championship and league 1 you would have to try really hard to be relegated to league 1.

[RS]

43 minutes ago, Anita Bath said:

Given the P&R structure between championship and league 1 you would have to try really hard to be relegated to league 1.

Not really if Salford survive at least one Championships club has to go down. 

[Angelus]

Let's wait and see what May 21st brings first.

 

Best case scenario is NRL involvement, followed by a handful of the best young players from the NSW Cup, keeping Farrimond for the rest of the year and we finish mid table.

Worst case scenario...... Well! 

Edited May 11 by Angelus

[40yearsatlondon]

16 hours ago, Londonbornirishbred said:

looks like whomever buys london is buying a third tier club.

I sincerely hope David Hughes feels as guilty as I do despondent at present. 

may 21st,will be an snswer to where we finish..fingers crossed

[Ethereal]

18 hours ago, RS said:

Not really if Salford survive at least one Championships club has to go down. 

It's not impossible for the Broncos to get relegated from the Championship, but then get into super league on grading.

 

(It's unlikely, but possible. I imagine people would have strong feelings about it).

[SixSet]

Having just been to see the Broncos at the " dilapidated" RPFC, and the prospect of trekking out to Ebbsfleet for the July "home" games, it got me thinking about the possiblity of a change of venue for the Broncos. Might the New River Stadium, where London Skolars play their rugby league, be just about the right fit for a depleted Broncos club - for the forseeable future - especially if they dropped into League 1 ! ?

(Relegation, into Super League, is a fun observation but....really? )

IMG's grading criteria, regardless of stadium, will rank Toulouse & Bradford & possibly others above the Broncos so Championship it is , assuming Hunslet don't stage a spectacular revival in the second half of the season, in which case third tier it is.

Anyway, the Haringey athletics track that is the "New River" is in a similar vein to Saracens' Hendon stadium but with only one grandstand of seating - albeit 5,000 seats, mind. One major problem (among many, maybe) would be the need for big improvements to facilities. For example, à la Saracens' StoneX, it could accommodate trackside portaloos and mobile refreshments vans etc? Skolars have tenure there currently but could it be possible to share the venue and make it The London Rugby League Hub? It's easy enough to get to - just down the road from Wood Green tube - and, in keeping with the nomadic tradition of London's "premier" RL team, it is in London (not Milton Keynes!). It's not Plough Lane, with all the IMG friendliness that AFC Wimbledon's ground affords but it won't cost as much either, presumably, and, apart from the pitch surface, it's not Rosslyn Park either.
Actually, on second thoughts, that's maybe a Haigh's pie in the sky - it's between The Rock and a hard place. Which is about where LB are just about now!
May the 21st be a great one.

[Pen-Y-Bont Crusader]

9 minutes ago, SixSet said:

Having just been to see the Broncos at the " dilapidated" RPFC, and the prospect of trekking out to Ebbsfleet for the July "home" games, it got me thinking about the possiblity of a change of venue for the Broncos. Might the New River Stadium, where London Skolars play their rugby league, be just about the right fit for a depleted Broncos club - for the forseeable future - especially if they dropped into League 1 ! ?

(Relegation, into Super League, is a fun observation but....really? )

IMG's grading criteria, regardless of stadium, will rank Toulouse & Bradford & possibly others above the Broncos so Championship it is , assuming Hunslet don't stage a spectacular revival in the second half of the season, in which case third tier it is.

Anyway, the Haringey athletics track that is the "New River" is in a similar vein to Saracens' Hendon stadium but with only one grandstand of seating - albeit 5,000 seats, mind. One major problem (among many, maybe) would be the need for big improvements to facilities. For example, à la Saracens' StoneX, it could accommodate trackside portaloos and mobile refreshments vans etc? Skolars have tenure there currently but could it be possible to share the venue and make it The London Rugby League Hub? It's easy enough to get to - just down the road from Wood Green tube - and, in keeping with the nomadic tradition of London's "premier" RL team, it is in London (not Milton Keynes!). It's not Plough Lane, with all the IMG friendliness that AFC Wimbledon's ground affords but it won't cost as much either, presumably, and, apart from the pitch surface, it's not Rosslyn Park either.
Actually, on second thoughts, that's maybe a Haigh's pie in the sky - it's between The Rock and a hard place. Which is about where LB are just about now!
May the 21st be a great one.

Whilst we may all continue to speculate and theories what COULD be done with/to the Broncos as you point out May 21st should inform everyone where the club is headed - literally and figuratively - again as you say hopefully to a great place. 
 

It’s an agonising wait for sure ! 

[The Future is League]

40 minutes ago, SixSet said:

Having just been to see the Broncos at the " dilapidated" RPFC, and the prospect of trekking out to Ebbsfleet for the July "home" games, it got me thinking about the possiblity of a change of venue for the Broncos. Might the New River Stadium, where London Skolars play their rugby league, be just about the right fit for a depleted Broncos club - for the forseeable future - especially if they dropped into League 1 ! ?

(Relegation, into Super League, is a fun observation but....really? )

IMG's grading criteria, regardless of stadium, will rank Toulouse & Bradford & possibly others above the Broncos so Championship it is , assuming Hunslet don't stage a spectacular revival in the second half of the season, in which case third tier it is.

Anyway, the Haringey athletics track that is the "New River" is in a similar vein to Saracens' Hendon stadium but with only one grandstand of seating - albeit 5,000 seats, mind. One major problem (among many, maybe) would be the need for big improvements to facilities. For example, à la Saracens' StoneX, it could accommodate trackside portaloos and mobile refreshments vans etc? Skolars have tenure there currently but could it be possible to share the venue and make it The London Rugby League Hub? It's easy enough to get to - just down the road from Wood Green tube - and, in keeping with the nomadic tradition of London's "premier" RL team, it is in London (not Milton Keynes!). It's not Plough Lane, with all the IMG friendliness that AFC Wimbledon's ground affords but it won't cost as much either, presumably, and, apart from the pitch surface, it's not Rosslyn Park either.
Actually, on second thoughts, that's maybe a Haigh's pie in the sky - it's between The Rock and a hard place. Which is about where LB are just about now!
May the 21st be a great one.

The beauty about the Ebbsfleet ground is that it so easy to get too.

[SixSet]

The beauty about the Ebbsfleet ground is that it so easy to get too.

 

It is, if you can get to St Pancras easily, yes. 

It is, however, in KENT.

I'm not even gonna go there with alliterative monikers for that           ( oh, alright, allow me kangaroos   )

[SixSet]

1 hour ago, Pen-Y-Bont Crusader said:

Whilst we may all continue to speculate and theories what COULD be done with/to the Broncos as you point out May 21st should inform everyone where the club is headed - literally and figuratively - again as you say hopefully to a great place. 
 

It’s an agonising wait for sure ! 

It's precisely because we don't know anything and have nothing but whispers and rumours to go on that we do theorise and speculate ( and have a wee bit of fun doing so, whilst we agonisingly wait, no?) Imagine how Salford fans feel. No, wait. We know. Heaven forfend.

[Angelus]

1 hour ago, SixSet said:

It's precisely because we don't know anything and have nothing but whispers and rumours to go on that we do theorise and speculate ( and have a wee bit of fun doing so, whilst we agonisingly wait, no?) Imagine how Salford fans feel. No, wait. We know. Heaven forfend.

For the last 2 months or so, there have only been a handful of rumours/articles about the takeover.

Including marketing and centres of excellence being funded by the NRL, and run by the Dolphins.

Getting the best young players over on loan from Penrith and others. 

And even Canterbury Bulldogs being involved in a rebrand of some sort.

All should finally be revealed in 9 days time! 

Edited May 12 by Angelus

[SixSet]

3 minutes ago, Angelus said:

I pray every day at 6, 12 & 6 Angelus,   for a revelation.

Edited May 12 by SixSet
numbers squiff!

[Angelus]

16 minutes ago, Angelus said:

For the last 2 months or so, there have only been a handful of rumours/articles about the takeover.

Including marketing and centres of excellence being funded by the NRL, and run by the Dolphins.

Getting the best young players over on loan from Penrith and others. 

And even Canterbury Bulldogs being involved in a rebrand of some sort.

All should finally be revealed in 9 days time! 

Reports tonight that Queensland side The Dolphins, are indeed expected to be announced as the partner club next week. 

[SixSet]

Might that mean we can get Herbie "on loan" for both Kufflink games?

[SixSet]

Only kiddin' ... sounds so, so  tantalisingly promising though..

Edited May 12 by SixSet

[RS]

20 hours ago, Ethereal said:

It's not impossible for the Broncos to get relegated from the Championship, but then get into super league on grading.

 

(It's unlikely, but possible. I imagine people would have strong feelings about it).

Interesting point you’d be left with a 13 team Championship as you couldn’t really relegate another team retrospectively . 

Edited May 13 by RS

[Ethereal]

12 minutes ago, RS said:

Interesting point you’d be left with a 13 team Championship as you couldn’t really relegate another team retrospectively . 

Either that or there's the possibility Salford drop all the way to league 1 (or out of existence altogether).

But I'm sure the edge case has been considered and there won't be last minute scrambling to fudge together an answer if it comes to pass.

[Gomersall]

 

[Griff]

5 hours ago, RS said:

Interesting point you’d be left with a 13 team Championship as you couldn’t really relegate another team retrospectively . 

Cue examples to show that, actually, yes you can.

[Pen-Y-Bont Crusader]

21 hours ago, Angelus said:

Reports tonight that Queensland side The Dolphins, are indeed expected to be announced as the partner club next week. 

Is that just via totalrl though ? Seen nothing else lately ? 

[Angelus]

55 minutes ago, Pen-Y-Bont Crusader said:

Is that just via totalrl though ? Seen nothing else lately ? 

Yes mate, that's where I read it.

An article by Callim Walker about Gary Hetherington.

I'm sure more information may be drip fed over the next week. 

[Coggo]

23 hours ago, Angelus said:

Reports tonight that Queensland side The Dolphins, are indeed expected to be announced as the partner club next week. 

I take it they/the NRL want to tap into the London player pool to boost their competitiveness in the long term. Positive but not necessarily a bright new dawn for London?

[17 stone giant]

On 12/05/2025 at 21:46, Angelus said:

Reports tonight that Queensland side The Dolphins, are indeed expected to be announced as the partner club next week. 

If that happened would it mean a name change to London Dolphins? Or would they be happy for the Broncos name to continue?