News breaking we have signed Fullback Josh Rourke from Batley. Well thought of player which is a definite plus.



Help me out here though. If Boafo or Macani take a spill who is covering the wing spot? Who has replaced Norman and Whare?

That's an odd one. He'd only just signed for Batley. He's a kicker which is a bonus.

That is a definite bonus. But then so was Coates.

Looks a decent talent, maybe we have signed him to play centre? If the Lawton signing happens, then maybe we'll see Ethan make the switch back to centre?

It Makes no difference what the plan









is. Hughes killed us between 2009-2013 and has been paying guilt money ever since. We could rip up SL in 2024 and we'd still be a championship side in '25 and we will be back to a few hundred fans with the same or worse IMG grading.

Hughes is full of . He's scrapped the academy supposedly to focus on gaining grading points. The side being assembled isn't looking like it's going to gain much more in terms of performance points than we would in the Championship. Added to that, while we'll get more away fans next season, we won't build the home crowd with a side that is uncompetitive.

So the Reserves are moving to RP alongside the first team. Feels like a reasonably positive step following the Academy announcement. Sounds like we have been able to keep hold of a majority of last seasons Academy team too, although I assume by that the club means the older age group players.

Beginning to look like rumours about Maloudi are true. The pluses are he’s a real X factor player and appears to be a popular guy. The downside is he is inconsistent and it’s suggested has put on a couple of pounds. Could be a good buy for us but another who hasn’t been plying their trade in the SL recently. We really are taking a high risk approach to SL success. All will be revealed in the opening games of the season whether it’s a good or bad risk.

Maloudi has signed, joining us subject to gaining a visa.

While agree with the concern particularly as its SL rather than Chump league, Whare and Norman were both in French leagues so possible to readapt. And can see Eccles giving him a very clear diet and exercise plan to get him match fit. But yes a risk.

Good points, if anyone can get him fit and firing it will be Mike. I like the signing. Gives us a bit of "x-factor" and SL experience.

Hakim Miloudi confirmed subject to visa.



Squad numbers announced. Thought it was 1st April when I got to the end of the list.



1. Alex Walker

3. Jarred Bassett

4. Hakim Miloudi

5. Iliess Macani

7. James Meadows

8. Rob Butler

9. Sam Davis

10. Lewis Bienek

11. Will Lovell

12. Ethan Natoli

13. Dean Parata

14. Bill Leyland

15. Marcus Stock

16. Jordan Williams

17. Sadiq Adebiyi

18. Emmanuel Waine

19. Rhys Kennedy

20. Oli Leyland

21. Robbie Storey

22. Gideon Boafo

23. Josh Rourke

24. Matt Davies

25. Harry Stevens

26. Jensen Monk

27. Dan Hoyes

28. Jack Hughes



A couple of notable gaps in the early numbers.

You can feel SL quivering with fear already. In the unlikely event of Jack Hughes (Hughes Junior?) taking the pitch, would that be the first time a club owner has played in SL?

Is that the official announcement that Dalton Grant and Rian Horsman have departed ... or have I missed that ?

Some sort of tax dodge ?

Fingers crossed he's better at that than he is running a rugby club.

You’ve been around the Broncos set up long enough now Smithers to see how we roll!



So let’s unilaterally assist the club by thanking the very popular and likeable Dalton Grant for his contribution especially this season and to commiserate with young Rian who was always around on match days and had been with the club for a number of years and put in a number of good performances last year. He was unfortunate with injuries and ultimately we’ll never know whether he would have lived up to the hype.



As an aside we seem to have culled a few of last year’s crop of young players which is a bit of a surprise and given only Stevens a step up. I assume the other lads we saw on the training video will be reserve team players.

From the training video Eccles expertise on the conditioning/diet side will undoubtedly assist here as per Miloudi.

I think BT i saw that you are on the Reserves roster. A good season & you could be on the bench for our first championship game of 2025.

24+ JH and an academy step up. It’s nowhere near as bad as last year but we again start with a light squad. On the plus side there is competition for places in a number of positions which is a positive.

Better than the bench in that Roslyn Park stand. I’m still picking the splinters out of my aa##e.

You do realise we are playing in Super League this year ?

I do. Our head of recruitment? Well we’ll see.

Perhaps over Xmas he said to his dad" Can i play in Super League this year?" and daddy after a couple of drink said of course son.



Embarrassing really.You would expect it maybe a non league football but not in a league where every game will be shown live.



On a side note, what will the away kit be?

Away kit. Why it will be a red t shirt with a black band on the arm I guess. But of more import are we actually going to have any sponsors. So far the answer seems to be less than previous years. Which is, you know, really quite ......disappointing. Hope I’m wrong.