I have been saying it for years - the junior game in London and South is on its uppers, as to be fair is the comunity game in general.

Back in the day, when there were development officers in play around the region, there were great numbers of juniors and clubs and they fed into a well organised Broncos pathway. I am sure a lot of today's Open age former academy players were introduced to the game in this era. RFL stopped the funding for DO. The problem was the DO officers were coaches rather than DEVELOPMENT officers and once they went the void wasnt filled. Player numbers dropped year on year, Broncos did nothing to assist, but the myth that Broncos had a magnificent academy was perpetuated. The slide was marked pre covid, but covid hit the junior game for six. Fewer teams, fewer players, fewer volunteers, less full 13 a side games, less referees; the objective to just get by. Broncos sit in on the end of season Origin games (not neccessarily the best players in the region) rather than go to 'scout' and hope they can get enough players to play academy. The surest sign that things are faultering is the number of players now at St Marys Uni in the Academy. Always a good barometer, last year 4 including Bill Leyland, this year one and I think he is a fringe.

This has been coming for some time I am sad to say.

At the last home game of last season. The club stopped the LBSA from selling their 50/50 tickets in favour of clubs own, rather expensive raffle tickets.
I believe that this is what is planned for next season. With the Academy gone the LBSA's Academy sponsorship is now surplus to requirements. But Broncos still want the money. Hence the new raffle.
In the light of this it appears to me that the Academy has been doomed for some time.

The academy was doomed when the already fragile number of junior clubs, players, coaches and volunteers was decimated by covid and this has not / will never return. Certainly no u17/18 running now The first stop on the so called pathway is the community clubs, year on year busting their nuts to find new juniors, retain them and develop them, against all the odds with no help from the Broncos. Broncos then pick the best players from the annual Origin, that is the extent of their input to that point.

So many players leaving the Broncos pathway now, many unlikely to play league again.

Again does anyone have the answer did the likes of lms Dixon clubb sergeant come through the academy system?

LMS joined Quins (Broncos) Academy from Greenwich Admirals (great name) in 2004

Clubb also joined the acadamy.

Think Sarge joined the academy from Hemel Stags.

Fair enough, wasn't sure how they had come through.
Sarg and Dixon were both Hemel I know that