London Broncos owner: We can replicate Wakefield in Super League
On Saturday, Wakefield Trinity won a Super League title for the first time since 1968, completing a fairytale return to glory following a takeover by local businessman Matt Ellis just three years ago. Their route to Old Trafford began in the Championship and concluded at the weekend in front of 74,000 fans.
It is a story the London Broncos are looking to replicate after beating Doncaster 78-6 in the Championship play-off final on Sunday to complete a domestic second-tier treble.
“The best story out of this season is that in 2023 Wakefield won the treble that we won on Sunday,” London Broncos co-owner Grant Wechsel tells City AM. “They won three trophies and they only lost one game. We’ve done it and scored a hell of a lot more points.
“So when Wakefield won the Super League the other night, Jason Demetriou, our coach, Darren Lockyer [co-owner] and I said ‘that’s the blueprint for us now’. It was great to see them get the win and we want to do the same thing.”
London Broncos in Super League?
Besides being overlooked for a spot in Super League this season, it has been a solid first campaign for the owners of London Broncos after buying the club last year.
Led by mining magnate Wechsel alongside former Brisbane Bronco Lockyer and ex-Leeds Rhinos chief Gary Hetherington, the club have invested heavily. Their links Down Under could yet be crucial in securing a spot in the top flight next season, with talks ongoing over a deal for the Australian NRL league buy a stake in its northern hemisphere equivalent.
Asked if he is hopeful talks will conclude with his side as a 15th Super League team in 2027, Wechsel says “very”.
“We’ve been back and forth a lot with the RFL and the club owners,” he adds. “Ultimately, the club owners are the ones that have to approve the NRL deal and also have to approve us coming in, and they’re largely supportive now.
“There’s just a lot of them to deal with and sort out – different issues that they have, not necessarily with London but with the deal that’s on the table – and I think we’re pretty close and pretty hopeful that we’ll be in there in 2027. I’d love to fly out to Australia tomorrow [Tuesday] knowing.”
NRL imports
Wechsel says the sport’s governing Rugby Football League watched them win the treble at their London home at Wimbledon’s Cherry Red Records Stadium on Sunday, with the site’s hospitality selling out for the first time this season.
Despite concerns over the time it takes the landlord football club to carry out pitch maintenance, current plans will see London stay in Wimbledon – albeit a match against Wigan Warriors could be staged elsewhere in the capital.
But for that to happen they need clarity on their future, clearly too good for the Championship but destined to turn the Super League table into one with an odd number of teams.
“On the field we’ll be able to sign some players in time for next season – we do hope to drop a couple more NRL-quality players into the squad,” Wechsel concludes.
“But then off-field with the momentum of winning the treble and being able to announce Super League quickly, we can start to work with some of the clubs on how we can promote bigger games.
“It just allows us to get to work quickly and try and capitalise on the momentum.”