James Meadows: It's a club that I love

James Meadows is back with the Broncos for 2024 and the loyal Londoner admits it was a no-brainer when the chance to return to his former club arose.

The 24-year-old re-joins his side from Betfred Championship side Batley Bulldogs and has previously played for London between the 2018 and 2021 seasons. During this stint, Meadows became an integral part of their 2018 journey to Super League promotion, where he featured 11 times.

He also appeared for the Broncos in their 2019 Super League year at just 19 years of age, gaining key experience which could make him even more ready this time around.

Upon returning to his boyhood club, Meadows said:

"It was a very easy decision to make. It's an opportunity to play Super League for my hometown club, it's a club that I love and it's with a load of lads that I came through the ranks with."

Having been with the Broncos before, Meadows explained it was an easy transition back into the team, as London gear up for their first year back to the big time:

"Mike [Eccles] and the coaching team have made the transition really easy. There's been some similarities from when I was here before that were easy to pick up and equally there's some things they've changed and improved on.

"I think it's great and it's been easy to drop into the group. The playing group have made that really good and easy as well."

And Meadows is embracing the positive changes and vibes at the club, as he hopes he can add to the newly-promoted Broncos side for 2024:

"It's a new ground since I was there, and some of the training facilities have changed since I was last there - it's great.

"I'm hoping I can add some of the things I've learnt since I've been away and try and help improve the team as much as I can. I want to play my part in the team achieving everything we want to achieve."

Meadows was full of praise for the playing group surrounding him, and as London look to compete with teams in Super League, Meadows explains they will be taking each week as it comes:

"It's a great team. Pre-season is going good. It's tough but we've learnt a lot. I've really enjoyed it and we're building well.

"If you don't set a process out, goals are just words on a piece of paper. It's what you're doing every day and every week to get there, how you're improving and that's the things we're focusing on at the moment."

With many predicting London to have a difficult season, Meadows insists his side are enthusiastic about the upcoming campaign and will be striving to give it their all both on and off the field, focusing on their own team performances:

"I'm used to being written off with London. Ever since I've been at London and when I was at London before we were always written off - it's always been that way.

"Being in London is good for that, we're away from it and we can distance ourselves and just focus on our group and what we're doing in between our four walls.

"We know what we want to achieve and what work we need to do, so we're just focusing on that."

Proud to play for his hometown club and knowing the importance of a competing London side, Meadows looked ahead to 2024 and beyond, and is ready for the challenge that lies ahead:

"London should get as much recognition as they can. It's the capital of the country, and I think it's important for the game that there's a strong London with London lads at the core of it. That's way we're looking to build."

"I'm looking forward to the opportunity for the club, individually, as a group and the opportunity to show how hard we work and what we're trying to work on.

"We want to compete as hard as we can every week, do the best for the team and then the outcome on the back of that will take care of itself."