LONDON BRONCOS are among the unlucky half dozen who will have to get through an extra round to lift the 1895 Cup.

The format of this year’s competition has at last been outlined, with the draws made for a preliminary round which will kick things off next month.

Six of the Championship’s 19 remaining clubs will play over the weekend of March 14-15, with the winners joining the rest in a round of 16 on April 18-19.

It’s a straight knockout competition from there, with quarter-finals (May 16-17) and semi-finals (June 13-14) before the final on Bank Holiday Monday, August 31.

The venue of the final still remains undecided, with the 1895 Cup no longer culminating at Wembley.

In the preliminary round, London will host Barrow Raiders while Workington Town are to welcome Newcastle Thunder.

Sheffield Eagles, the inaugural winners in 2019 and the only club involved to have previously lifted the trophy, will also have to negotiate an extra stage, after being drawn away to Swinton Lions.

Goole Vikings, Keighley Cougars and Oldham were exempt from being drawn in the preliminary round having qualified for round four of the Challenge Cup, which takes place on the same weekend.

Keighley would be up next for the big-spending Broncos should they make it past Barrow.

Preliminary round:
London Broncos v Barrow Raiders
Swinton Lions v Sheffield Eagles
Workington Town v Newcastle Thunder

Round one:
Dewsbury Rams v Widnes Vikings
Doncaster v Salford
Goole Vikings v Whitehaven
London Broncos/Barrow Raiders v Keighley Cougars
North Wales Crusaders v Midlands Hurricanes
Oldham v Hunslet
Rochdale Hornets v Swinton Lions/Sheffield Eagles
Workington Town/Newcastle Thunder v Batley Bulldogs