Ex-Leeds Rhinos star enlisted to boost London Broncos revival
A former Leeds Rhinos star is joining Gary Hetherington’s bid to revive rugby league in London.
Hetherington is expected to become executive chairman at London Broncos when he steps down from his role as Rhinos chief executive this autumn. For the rest of this year he will split his time between Leeds and Broncos, where he will be assisted by ex-Australia forward Matt Adamson, the Yorkshire Evening Post understands.
The former second-rower played 72 times for Rhinos from 2002-2004 and had a spell on the backroom staff at Catalans Dragons at the start of their time in Super League, 19 years ago. Adamson, 52, was capped five times by Australia’s Super League Test side in 1997 and also played for Parramatta Eels, Penrith Panthers and Canberra Raiders.
He is understood to have met with Hetherington in Las Vegas earlier this month, when the American city hosted two NRL matches and a Super League showdown between Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves. The duo also spent time together in England last autumn.
A relaunch of the Broncos club is expected to be announced next month, as first reported in Leeds-based Forty20 magazine. It is understood the NRL are planning to invest in the capital outfit who were relegated from Betfred Super League to the Championship last year.
The Australian competition will fund marketing and set up centres of excellence to be run by Broncos and Brisbane-based partner club Dolphins. Broncos currently hold a B grade on the IMG rankings, but Hetherington and Adamson hope to raise that to A, securing a return to the top-flight.