LONDON BRONCOS director Gary Hetherington has revealed that the company responsible for the Dolphins’ and Perth Bears’ applications to join the NRL, Freshwater, is being tasked with researching a potential name and brand change for the capital club.
The Broncos are currently undergoing a period of rebuild following the exit of long-serving owner David Hughes.
As such, London have been playing the 2025 Championship campaign with a limited budget under head coach Mike Eccles.
But with Hetherington tasked with transferring a majority stake to a new group of shareholders who will underpin the plan to take the club forward and grow interest in both the club and rugby league throughout the South of England, the future suddenly looks brighter for the Broncos.
And, a potential name and brand change could help develop the club further.
“We’ve got a partnership with a company called Freshwater and they’ve got a base in Sydney and London,” Hetherington told the League Express podcast.
“They were the company that delivered the Dolphins’ application to join the NRL and are very highly thought of and respected in Australia.
“They’ve done the same with Perth Bears as well. They are certainly well-versed in rugby league and they are looking into researching a potential name change.
“One of their challenges is to come up with the name and brand – is it advantageous to change it? It’s currently London Broncos and it could be London something else.
“The decision needs to be made. If it is in a positive move and it would be advantageous to change it, what would we change it to?”
One such name was leaked to the press, with ‘London Hounds’ mooted as a potential name change.
“It wasn’t fake news, but there are quite a number of names that will come to the forefront and that one was leaked to the press – I don’t know how it got there.
“What I can say is, Freshwater will do a thorough piece of work and they will come up with recommendations but the decision-makers will be the club owners.
“It’s a big piece of work and a big decision. It won’t be taken lightly and will be managed over the course of time.
“There is no urgency to do that in a rush, that’s just one of the pieces of work that is being undertaken.”