Broncos back to The Big Time

London Broncos experienced a fairy tale ending to their season in October - an ending few would have predicted. From a fifth-place finish in the Betfred Championship regular season to eventual promotion winners in dramatic fashion, the Broncos can tell an incredible tale.

Mike Eccles' men turned up when it mattered and a famous fightback in the city of Toulouse in the Betfred Championship Grand Final shocked the rugby league world, confirming their place in Betfred Super League for 2024, an achievement that is very well deserved.

The Broncos are no strangers to Super League - their most recent spell in the top flight was back in 2018. They are also one of the 12 original clubs that participated in the competition's 1996 inaugural season.

In 2024, London will be out to enjoy this opportunity and look to cause a few upsets along the way. But what can they do differently to previous seasons, in order to give themselves a fighting chance next year?

The Broncos' head coach Mike Eccles is a man who has been raring to go since London's astounding promotion victory and is pleased his side have now kickstarted their Super League preparations.

Speaking exclusively in an interview with London Broncos, he said:

"Pre-season is definitely here now and it's great to be back and have the boys together. It was a tough off-season because you really want to get going and there's so much you want to do.

"It was more of a work in the sunshine as opposed to a break, but that's because we've achieved something special and we're ready to get going."

Looking ahead to the upcoming season, Eccles is well aware of the challenge that awaits his side - a side made up of both part-time and full-time players - but insists there is still a buzz around the Broncos camp.

"It's a huge challenge but a very exciting one."

"We've spent time speaking about what the challenge looks like and how do we ready ourselves for it. It's about transitioning in the new players - it's important that we transition them into London, the programme and the cause."

So far, London have made six signings in a bid to strength their squad for 2024 - three of which have played in the Broncos colours before, and Eccles is confident that this has made for an easier transition into the team and recognising the club's cause.

"Three of them are returning players (Sadiq Adebiyi, Gideon Boafo and James Meadows) so it's been an easy transition for them, and then Robbie (Storey) and Rhys (Kennedy) as well."

The Broncos have also recently announced the signing of Whitehaven's Josh Rourke, who is set to be a key addition to the squad, bagging himself five end of season awards for the Cumbrian side after being a stand-out player in the 2023 Championship season.

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?? London Broncos are delighted to announce Josh Rourke has signed for 2??0??2??4??.

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— London Broncos (@LondonBroncosRL) December 11, 2023

Eccles has also confirmed his coaching set-up for 2024, where he will have the assistance of Ryan Sheridan - a man who has a wealth of experience from both his playing days and more recently as the assistant coach of Super League clubs Castleford Tigers and Warrington Wolves, respectively. Alongside the pair will also be Jordie Hedges, who joins from the coaching staff at Keighley Cougars, after being highly recommended by former players, including Rhys Lovegrove.

In an interview with London Broncos, Eccles outlined the aims for his coaching team in 2024:

"What's important to me is that we get the chemistry of the staff right to build the best programme possible and best help maximise the potential of the players. Between Ryan, Jordie and myself, I believe we have the right balance to deliver just that."

And with the Super League 2024 campaign just around the corner, we will soon be able to see the newly-promoted London Broncos back in the big time...