LONDON BRONCOS skipper Will Lovell is eager to see Iliess Macani get the chance of another crack at Super League.
The rampaging winger, who will turn 30 next month, capped an impressive campaign with two tries in the 18-14 Championship Grand Final victory over Toulouse in France that clinched promotion.
Like centre or second rower Lovell, originally from Northampton, Tottenham-born Macani is in his second spell at the Broncos, where the pair came through the Academy together.
He has also played for Bradford, Sheffield and, like Lovell, London Skolars, re-joining the Broncos in 2022.
“Like me, Iliess had a spell away from the club, and it’s been great to see him return here so effectively,” said Lovell.
“He’s always been a big, powerful bloke, but perhaps his full potential hadn’t been unlocked.
“(Team chief) Mike Eccles knows him from way back, and has worked hard to get the best out of him.
“Hopefully we will be lining up alongside each other again next year, and giving Super League a really good go.”
The Broncos, who have retained their 17-try Australian back Jarred Bassett, are set to run with a mixture of full and part-time players, and have brought another Academy product, prop Sadiq ‘Sid’ Adebiyi, back for a second spell after he spent a season at Wakefield and one with Keighley.
The 23-year-old Nigeria international has signed a two-year deal, saying: “I’m still close with quite a few of the boys and the staff and I can’t wait to work with Mike Eccles again. I feel the time is right to return home.”
Both Lovell and Adebiyi played for the Broncos in their last Super League season back in 2019, when Eccles was in charge of strength and conditioning.
He took the team reins, initially on an interim basis, following the departure of Jermaine Coleman in May 2022.
