Wigan Warriors Chief Executive Officer Kris Radlinski has posed the question of why there has not been greater planning to ensure the success of London Broncos in Super League, something he believes could and should be happening to the levels of fellow none-heartlands side Catalans Dragons.
Catalans Dragons have been one of the great “success stories” in Super League in terms of expansion according to both Eddie Hemmings and Kris Radlinski, something that the pair discussed this week on Hemmings’ podcast The Eddie and Stevo Podcast.
The French side have won a Challenge Cup and made it to the Grand Final on two occasions, beaten by St Helens in 2021 and Radlinski’s Wigan Warriors in 2023. They’ve established themselves as one of Super League’s elite teams and that’s in part due to the support the club were offered upon entering the competition.
The club has been in the Super League for about 20 years, however the London Broncos are a team that has been there for an equal amount of time but has not had the same level of success. The team has played under a number of names, but after the 2013 and 2014 seasons, they have not been able to maintain a spot in the Super League as the London Broncos.
One of the major reasons for Catalans’ ultimate success was the fact that the French side was protected in their first three years of Super League, meaning that they couldn’t be relegated and have the project undone before it even started. Eddie Hemmings referenced this on his podcast, something that led to Radlinski questioning why London hasn’t been afforded a similar status.
Hemmings remarked, “Recall that the Catalan Dragons had a three-year embargo when they first entered the league. They reached the bottom of the table, showed no signs of stopping, and were free to develop and take a look at their current location. Among the Super League’s greatest success stories.
In response, Radlinski said, “Absolutely.” Bernard, he has made such a large financial investment, and he continues to fill the stadium with fans from clubs here. Thus, he is a true success story.
However, it doesn’t seem to have been considered from the perspective of London, which is unexpected given that it is a top priority. London, France, and the women’s game comprised the last three. To be honest, there are questions that need to be answered as to why our actions with London have not received more attention.
Given the IMG grading will determine the Super League’s makeup in 2025, it appears quite likely that the London Broncos, who were identified last year as the 24th-ranked team in the preliminary grades, will be demoted.
Previously, Radlinski had maintained that London Rugby League has to be safeguarded and emphasized that the club’s upcoming relegation due to non-football-related issues sends a negative message to the
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