Every departing London Broncos player and their next moves in 2025 as fresh exit likely
Josh Rourke, Lee Kershaw and Oli Leyland - three of London's departing players.
The exodus of players from London Broncos has continued with confirmation that half-back Oli Leyland will join Warrington Wolves on a two-year deal in 2025.
Leyland is the latest big name to confirm his future lies away from the capital next year, with London heading back to the Championship and facing a genuinely uncertain future.
Love Rugby League understands as few as three players are contracted for next year as things stand, and with continued uncertainty over the club’s ownership following David Hughes’ announcement he would be selling the club, the Broncos are in limbo as things stand.
There are several players waiting to sign deals, meaning the basis of a squad will be in place before too long, the club hopes. But they will be without almost all of the players who starred for them in 2024. Here’s every player that’s leaving the club.
Oli Leyland (Warrington Wolves)
As mentioned, Leyland is on his way north having signed a two-year deal with Sam Burgess’ side. He will likely directly compete with Leon Hayes for a place in the Wolves side alongside George Williams at half-back.
Bill Leyland and Lee Kershaw (Hull KR)
A second Leyland is also bound for the north of England in 2025. Hull KR have already announced that promising hooker Bill will join the Robins next year. He is likely to take up the role of third-choice hooker behind Michael McIlorum and Jez Litten, before competing for a starting berth in 2026.
Another player heading to East Hull in 2025 is former Wakefield Trinity winger Kershaw, whose deal with Hull KR is yet to be formally confirmed as of the time of writing. However, Kershaw – who has impressed despite a difficult season for London as a team – has been brought into bolster Rovers’ outside back options next year alongside Tom Davies.
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Sam Davis (Salford Red Devils)
Love Rugby League revealed earlier this season that the Broncos hooker had attracted the attention of Paul Rowley’s Red Devils for next year.
They are losing Amir Bourouh to Hull FC and are keen to bring in a replacement number nine – leading them to a move for Davis, another who impressed during 2024.
Josh Rourke (Wakefield Trinity)
London’s resurgence towards the end of the season coincided with the return to fitness of former Salford academy product Rourke.
He caught the eye in the latter part of 2024 – but had long since agreed a deal to move to Wakefield Trinity ahead of their potential return to Super League.
James Meadows and Emamnuel Waine (Bradford)
The Broncos will be coming up against a handful of their 2024 squad next year in the Championship: including two of their leading lights that have opted for a move to Odsal with Bradford.
Half-back Meadows will make the move back north, having previously spent time with Batley Bulldogs. And Papua New Guinea forward Waine is joining him in West Yorkshire.
Rob Butler (Toulouse)
London confirmed a fortnight ago that Butler would be leaving the Broncos at the end of the season, and he too will be lining up against them in the Championship unless there is a major surprise in the IMG gradings.
Butler will head to the south of France to join Sylvain Houles’ Toulouse.
Ethan Natoli, Ugo Tison and Hakim Miloudi (Pia)
Reports emerged in the Guardian last month that the trio were all heading to France to continue their careers: though nothing has been confirmed as of yet.
Who else could leave?
Outside back Jarred Bassett has revealed he will be returning to Australia at the end of this season, while long-serving Dean Parata is another who will call time on his playing career.
One of London’s star players whose future is yet to be resolved publicly is forward Rhys Kennedy. It remains increasingly unlikely that the Broncos would be able to keep a player who could surely still perform in Super League, and has aspirations of remaining at that level.
Who does that leave?
Well, not many. The following players are off-contract at the end of this year but are yet to publicly emerge and declare their status for 2025:
Alex Walker, Iliess Macani, Jack Campagnolo, Will Lovell, Marcus Stock, Jordan Williams, Rhys Kennedy, Robbie Storey, Gideon Boafo, Matt Davies, Harry Stevens, Jensen Monk, Dan Hoyes, Jack Hughes.
In short: the Broncos face a testing winter to pick up the pieces from their impending relegation.
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