FORUMS > London Broncos > Is it dead yet ? |
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International Chairman | 5480 | No Team Selected |
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Dec 2001 | 23 years | |
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| Last year, I wrote that I thought there was a real stench of death around the Broncos. Pretty much every aspect of the club was in serious decline, both on and off the field. More importantly though, because all clubs go through bad times (and my signature strip is a reminder that other clubs have had worse hammerings just one stage earlier in the challenge cup), it seemed like there wasn't even an attempt to get the adrenaline shot out.
When Wigan hit the rocks, you could see they did everything (including cheating) to pull themselves back up. When Bradford hit last year the local community, fans, coach and players clearly were trying everything to steady the ship. When Huddersfield and Widnes had their respective periods of doldrums, they put the metaphorical boats out with a towline and kept rowing till they got the wind in their sails again.
But London - nothing. No new owner, no effort from the players, no sign of any significant attempt to arrest the calamitous fall in support. It's like a zombie club. Apart from a hardcore few hundred fans, there's simply no sign of passion, determination or even that anyone cares. Hughes has let it be known he's retiring. The Clubb captain has thrown in the towel publicly. The chief exec seems to write his rare announcements by using a random word-generating machine, and has precisely no plan for next year. The fans are turning black humour and despair into an art form. The players aren't even pretending to care - Dorn actually ran away from O'Loughlin today when he broke the line, and I can't watch the highlights of London games because I see "tackling" from pro players every week which is of a significantly worse standard than I see in most of the amateur games I referee around the city.
I know London is a special case - I've been actively involved in rugby league in the city now for more than 20 years - and I know it's harder than it is up north, with fewer committed fans, or local businessmen with an interest. But there's no energy. No sign that anyone, from any part of the club, is injecting any real desire to improve. The whole club feels like an ER room when a DoA case is brought in. People are going through the motions, but nobody is going to waste sweat on this one.
For the first time, I no longer believe the London club is going to survive. In fact, it would not surprise me at all if London folded at the end of this season. Everything about the club is currently pointing that way. There's no fight left. There are no strong statements about the future. There are no ambitious goals or forceful personalities. The corpse is barely twitching.
Is it dead yet ? Is there any light ? Or are we all going to have to accept the end of Fulham/Crusaders/Quins RL/Broncos ?
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International Board Member | 4906 | No Team Selected |
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Feb 2003 | 22 years | |
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Jan 2022 | Mar 2017 | LINK |
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| RH I fear you may well be correct.
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International Chairman | 14845 | No Team Selected |
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Dec 2001 | 23 years | |
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Oct 2021 | Jul 2021 | LINK |
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| It would be a tragedy to throw away 33 years of effort. When I think back to some of the effort and heart put in by players in the so called dark days at Crystal Palace and then compare that with what was on display yesterday it's sickening. Forget the club's situation for a minute but the way it looked to me yesterday most of the players had no personal pride. To me no matter how lowly or hopeless the task people should endeavour to retain their self-dignity. Yesterday it seemed to me that most had no self-respect and to me that shows as people they are not up to being successful sportsmen. They should get other jobs.
A special word must go to the coaching staff as well. The team looked wholly uncoached in every respect - fitness, defence, offence and just even how to line up. In my opinion, it takes a special level of ineptitide to produce that or perhaps to demotivate the 'players' so much that they end up producing it.
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Club Owner | 839 | No Team Selected |
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Apr 2004 | 21 years | |
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Jan 2021 | Jan 2021 | LINK |
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| Quote: Dally "It would be a tragedy to throw away 33 years of effort. When I think back to some of the effort and heart put in by players in the so called dark days at Crystal Palace and then compare that with what was on display yesterday it's sickening. Forget the club's situation for a minute but the way it looked to me yesterday most of the players had no personal pride. To me no matter how lowly or hopeless the task people should endeavour to retain their self-dignity. Yesterday it seemed to me that most had no self-respect and to me that shows as people they are not up to being successful sportsmen. They should get other jobs.
A special word must go to the coaching staff as well. The team looked wholly uncoached in every respect - fitness, defence, offence and just even how to line up. In my opinion, it takes a special level of ineptitide to produce that or perhaps to demotivate the 'players' so much that they end up producing it.'"
O'Callaghan at stand off was a classic, do you really expect to win games with that type of selection.
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International Chairman | 5130 | |
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Mar 2002 | 23 years | |
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Nov 2024 | Nov 2024 | LINK |
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| Quote: The Daddy "O'Callaghan at stand off was a classic, do you really expect to win games with that type of selection.'"
Nope, that was quite ridiculous. Is it true David Hughes so disgusted he didn't watch the second half ?
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Club Owner | 839 | No Team Selected |
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Apr 2004 | 21 years | |
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Jan 2021 | Jan 2021 | LINK |
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| Quote: jbuzza "Nope, that was quite ridiculous. Is it true David Hughes so disgusted he didn't watch the second half ?'"
That's what has been reported in the sun, I wouldn't be surprised, he's pumped several million into the club and they come up with that rubbish.
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Player Coach | 5846 | |
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Aug 2006 | 18 years | |
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Sep 2024 | Jul 2024 | LINK |
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| Really feel for you "die hard" guys... You deserve more.
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International Star | 15 | No Team Selected |
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Mar 2011 | 14 years | |
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Dec 2013 | Jul 2013 | LINK |
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| I will be amazed if there is a London club in Super League next season. As the Broncos were being demolished yesterday, I was ironically at the home ground of the Broncos from the good old days - The Valley.
Me and my kiwi mate are going on Thursday just for the fact we both think it'll probably be the last game of Super League we get to in London.
A real shame.
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International Star | 2259 | No Team Selected |
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May 2011 | 14 years | |
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Apr 2015 | Mar 2015 | LINK |
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| Hudds to come after Leeds get to that too!!
I'm hearing there are investors interested. From someone at the top
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Club Owner | 839 | No Team Selected |
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Apr 2004 | 21 years | |
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Jan 2021 | Jan 2021 | LINK |
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| Quote: wire quin "Hudds to come after Leeds get to that too!!
I'm hearing there are investors interested. From someone at the top'"
The top of where?
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International Star | 2259 | No Team Selected |
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May 2011 | 14 years | |
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Apr 2015 | Mar 2015 | LINK |
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| The club, where do you think the tree in my back garden!!
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International Star | 2681 | No Team Selected |
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Mar 2011 | 14 years | |
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Jul 2017 | Jul 2017 | LINK |
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| Quote: QuinBoks "I will be amazed if there is a London club in Super League next season.'"
Even if there is, its unlikely that they'll avoid relegation next season.
Feel sorry for you guys. I love the away day to London, especially the stoop. But there comes a time when you need to look at this objectively, and it doesn't look good; both on and off the field.
No top level team can get 2-3k a game, it is not sustainable and I feel sorry for the owner who has put a lot of money into the club.
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International Star | 2259 | No Team Selected |
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May 2011 | 14 years | |
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Apr 2015 | Mar 2015 | LINK |
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| What about the best team in the league with 5K crowds
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Club Owner | 3678 | No Team Selected |
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Mar 2004 | 21 years | |
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Aug 2014 | Jun 2014 | LINK |
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| Quote: wire quin "Hudds to come after Leeds get to that too!!
I'm hearing there are investors interested. From someone at the top'"
If there are where on earth will they recruit players from now. Most teams will have completed recruitment of the good available players for next season. We cant persuade quality players to move south there are restrictions on overseas players we can recruit, the money in the NRL is now a big problem and any decent players that might come will surely head North before coming here.
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Rank | Posts | Team |
International Star | 2259 | No Team Selected |
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May 2011 | 14 years | |
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Apr 2015 | Mar 2015 | LINK |
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| Maybe we have players signed up but not announced. They've not said who is leaving, equally they have not said who is coming in
Just a thought
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