London Broncos have secured the signing of Bradford Bulls man James Meadows ahead of the 2026 Championship season. Meadows was contracted for another season at Bradford, but the half-back has had a release granted by the club ahead of a return to the Broncos.
The 26-year-old spent just one season with the Bulls, making 20 appearances and scoring three tries. All three of those tries came in local derbies, with efforts coming against Hunslet, Featherstone Rovers and Halifax Panthers.
However, rather than stick around to compete for a spot in the Bulls’ Super League side, Meadows has left the club to join London.
He started his career at the Broncos, breaking through into the first team in the capital back in 2018 before leaving to join Batley Bulldogs for the 2022 season. He made 60 appearances for the Bulldogs in two seasons before returning to London for a second spell at the club in 2024.
The move to Bradford beckoned in 2025 but he will have a third spell with his hometown club next season and he joins the club at what is an exciting time.
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The Broncos have made a raft of signings from down under, with Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Siliva Havili and Dean Hawkins being the stand out names, while a number of Papua New Guinean players have also been recruited alongside former Super League men in the shape of Jack Croft, Elliot Wallis and Sam Davis.
The Broncos have also reportedly made the signing of PNG centre Alex Max ahead of the new season.
Meadows can be expected to play a key role for the Broncos, though, with Jason Demetriou’s side undoubtedly one of the favourites for Championship glory in 2026.
Bradford Bulls CEO explains James Meadows release
Speaking about the club’s decision to release Meadows, Bradford CEO Jason Hirst said: “After signing for us ahead of the 2025 season, James became one of our two first choice halfbacks in the first half of the season. Sadly, for James, he found regular playing opportunities harder to come by in the second half of the campaign.
“Since then, we have obviously signed several halfbacks from Super League, meaning we have mutually agreed to release him from the final year of his contract in order to take up a playing opportunity at another club.
“Both personally and on behalf of Bradford Bulls, I would like to thank James, for his wholehearted contribution to Bradford Bulls in 2025 and wish him nothing, but the best at his new club.”
