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2024 Season Review: London Broncos

13 Nov 2024

London Broncos, the capital club showed resilience in adversity throughout 2024.

The record books will show that the Broncos finished bottom of Betfred Super League with just three wins, but that doesn’t do justice to their efforts in 2024.

The club’s unexpected 2023 promotion campaign saw the Broncos move up without a completely full-time squad, with several players having day jobs while competing in the top flight.

Their IMG grading score also meant that the club staying in the top flight was a long shot no matter where they finished in the table, and they then lost their opening 11 matches of the year, conceding 40 points or more on six occasions.

But the spirit within Mike Eccles’ squad was clear, and May’s 34-18 win over Hull FC proved a measure of their steady improvement.

Just look how much it means ?@LeylandOli with the intercept to secure @LondonBroncosRL's first victory of the season ?#SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/LRG6g0eicZ
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) May 12, 2024

The Broncos would go on to win twice more - against Catalans in early August and then over Hull again at Elland Road, prompting hopes that they could climb off the bottom.

But despite taking Leeds Rhinos to golden point extra time and pushing the Dragons all the way in Perpignan, Eccles’ side couldn’t find the extra win they needed to finish above the Black and Whites.

“We’ve carried ourselves with pride and dignity, on and off the field,” Eccles told Rugby League World magazine after the season’s conclusion.

“We’ve given it absolutely everything and the way we’ve carried ourselves is what I‘m most proud of.”

They hit straight back - what an effort from @LondonBroncosRL ?#SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/sLjxkPsRFR
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) August 4, 2024

Eccles also had to contend with a host of early season injuries to key figures, but had a host of admirable performers within his squad.

Inspirational skipper Will Lovell was an ever present alongside Marcus Stock, Oli Leyland and Jacob Jones, with Rhys Kennedy, Rob Butler, Sadi Adebiyi and Sam Davis stalwarts of the pack.

Out wide, Lee Kershaw, Hakim Miloudi, Jarred Basset and Robbie Storey caused plenty of problems for opposition defences, and full-back Josh Rourke emerged as one of the finds of the season after missing over half of the campaign with a broken leg sustained in pre-season.

It said much about Eccles’ selection issues that the first choice half-back pairing of Jack Campagnolo and James Meadows only lined up together in the very final stages of the season, but that did allow the impressive Oli Leyland to have a break-out campaign that yielded 16 assists.

But it was the collective effort of the Broncos throughout that stood out as much as anything, earning them plenty of fans despite the regular defeats.

What the future holds for the capital club is unclear at present, not least because owner and major benefactor David Hughes announced at the season’s conclusion that he is leaving.

Hughes said: “After 27 eventful years of which we spent 20 years in the Super League, I have decided on behalf of myself and the Hughes family that we will step down at the end of the season.

“We will make every effort to facilitate anyone interested in taking over the club to lead it through the Championship.”

With a host of players already having confirmed their departures, the Broncos will have to rebuild, on and off the field, again.

But they will always have pride in the way that this year’s playing and coaching group took on the considerable challenges of 2024.

Key Man

Only Leeds Rhinos skipper Cameron Smith made more tackles than Will Lovell in 2024 as he played every match for his long-term club, also racking up 2,270 metres with the ball.

One to watch in 2025

Sadly for London it won’t be with them – but having scored eight tries in just 12 matches and making more linebreaks than any other Bronco despite missing over half the season through injury, Josh Rourke will be one to keep an eye on at new club Wakefield.

Season Highlight

The memorable 29-4 Magic Weekend victory over their closest rivals Hull FC raised genuine hopes of finishing off the bottom.

.@joshrourke7 with a dive and finish to seal a memorable @LondonBroncosRL #MagicWKND victory ?#SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/2Zvd0XGqES
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) August 17, 2024

But the Broncos just couldn’t find the other win they needed, although they came close against Leeds and Catalans.