LONDON BRONCOS coach Mike Eccles is glad to be getting stuck into pre-season as the promoted club continues to be linked with Australian forward Karl Lawton.
The 28-year-old hooker or backrower is at Manly Sea Eagles with a year of his contract remaining.
But it’s believed the NRL team would allow the ex-Gold Coast Titans and New Zealand Warriors to leave.
Lawton played ten times this year, his third with Manly, and is believed to be open to a Super League switch.
Eccles has already recruited Australian prop Rhys Kennedy from Hull KR, the 29-year-old having previously played in the NRL for South Sydney Rabbitohs and Brisbane Broncos.
Centre Robbie Storey has arrived from Keighley after their relegation from the Championship.
And versatile forward Sadiq Adebiyi, who played alongside Storey at Keighley, Batley halfback James Meadows and Newcastle winger Gideon Boafo have agreed to second spells at the Broncos in the wake of their Championship Grand Final victory over Toulouse in France.
There has been plenty of debate over the difficulty the capital club will face in staying in Super League under the incoming IMG club grading system.
But Eccles, who has brought in ex-Castleford and Warrington assistant coach Ryan Sheridan and ex-Keighley staff member Jordie Hedges as his right-hand men, is focusing on making the most of playing in the top flight in 2024.
“It’s great to be back and have the boys back and be doing what we enjoy most,” he said.
“We have a huge challenge in front of us but also an exciting one, and we’re all up for the fight.
“We’ve spoken about what is in front of us and how best to prepare for it, and that’s what we’re doing now.”
The Broncos have fixed up a pre-season game at Castleford on Sunday, January 21 (3pm), having already announced a match at Huddersfield on Sunday 28.