“Null and void”- London Broncos boss hits out at ‘laughing stock’ situation

London Broncos head coach Mike Eccles has once again hit out at IMG after his side’s comfortable victory over Hull FC at Magic Weekend.

The Broncos won 29-4, making it the second time they’ve beaten the Black and Whites this year, and their third win of the season.

They’re now level on points with FC, just behind on points difference.

After the game, Eccles was asked whether this win sent a message out about IMG, and he said: “I don’t think it sends any message out. If we finish off the bottom, everyone will say, ‘Well, this is a laughing stock’ for about four minutes, and everyone forgets.

“It will make a point for a few minutes, a couple of days, and then it’s done, and we’re in Championship with not much hope of getting back. It’d be great to prove that point momentarily, but it’s not going to change anything.

“The decision for London rugby league is off the field and not on the field. That decision was made at the start of the year.”

“Null and void”- London Broncos boss hits out at ‘laughing stock’ situation

Late last year, the IMG indicative grading was released, placing the Broncos in 24th, with almost zero hope of making it into the top 12 for 2025.

Therefore, it’s clear that recruitment would have been incredibly difficult for the Broncos compared to other sides in the league, as they were unable to offer long deals to Super League-quality players – as they were consigmed to the second division – and the financial differences in that division – for 2025.

Eccles continued: “We would look a lot different this year in terms of personnel and spending if we were given a chance. The argument that if London finishes bottom then they deserve to go down is null and void. That’s not an argument. We would have looked different.

“But the owner has had to put in a lot of money on top of the distribution to do that and he wasn’t willing to put in a lot more when he feels that the game’s turned its back on him.”

Asked if it’s fair, he said:”That got taken away straight away. If that didn’t get taken away, the Broncos would have looked different this year in terms of the spend and in terms of the squad.

“We could have won the league and we could have won the Championship next year as well when we do get relegated and we’re still not going to be in the competition in 2026. So it’s a long road for London.”