LONDON BRONCOS boss Jason Demetriou says his team’s blank weekend came at a good time as he continues to assess the impact of a glut of injuries.
The capital side’s coach was proud of the way his team reacted to losing four players during the first half and one in the second of the Challenge Cup third-round tie against Bradford.
The Super League newcomers were 26-8 winners at Wimbledon, but Demetriou, tasked with leading London to Championship success this season and preparing a pool of players who could tackle the top flight should the Broncos realise their ambition of elevation, reckons the signs were good.
Second rower Jack Croft was forced off by a head knock while skipper and prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard, halfback Dean Hawkins and frontrower Lewis Bienek had also left the field by the break due to calf issues.
Later, exciting Papua New Guinean centre Alex Max had to have a hospital check after picking up a chest injury, and has been ruled out for at least a month.
Having had a league bye round, London visit Swinton on Sunday, and Demetriou explained: “We’ll see where we are selection wise, but there won’t be any risks taken.
“Reagan would have gone back on, because that’s the way he is, but I didn’t want to end up with him any worse.
“The injuries had an effect, not just because we lost key players, but also in limiting our interchange options and increasing fatigue levels with some staying on longer than they would have.
“We knew we were up against it at half-time, then we lost Alex Max, a player who has some points in him.
“But you learn a lot in tough moments, and I was proud of the way the boys responded. They kept turning up for each other, they didn’t look for excuses, and we kept on making it a contest.
“We need to bottle that kind of attitude and make it part of who we are.”