Broncos' false start at their new home

London Broncos 12 Bradford Bulls 34

After the big build-up, it was all a bit of an anti-climax as the collision of the Broncos and the Bulls turned into a one-sided rodeo, writes Dave Hadfield.

London could not hold a highly-motivated Bradford side. Although the Bulls' coach, Matthew Elliott, likes to play down the importance of going back to Wembley after last year's defeat, if there is one thing that makes a player more hungry for a return than losing there, it is going to the Silk Cut Challenge Cup final and not playing.

That was the fate of Steve McNamara, James Lowes and Stuart Spruce last April and they were all prime movers in this convincing victory, as was Robbie Paul, making a quick comeback to the Harlequins ground that is the Broncos' new home.

They will play a lot better there than they did on Saturday. Like The Stoop itself, the team has an unfinished look - too many rough edges and ill-fitting components.

They should be ahead of the field in fitness and organisation after 10 weeks in training camp in the Queensland sun, but the benefits were not obvious.

Nor was the move back to west London an instant success, as the crowd would have been distinctly thin without healthy travelling support from Bradford.

But, as their chief executive, Tony Rea, pointed out, the Broncos had only moved in this week and had had little time to promote the match. It will be different for Super League, which is where their real focus lies.

Whether Saturday would have been any more successful, on and off the field, if Martin Offiah had played is a matter for conjecture. His commitments with Bedford rugby union club mean that he is available for photo-opportunities, but not to play.

That might be the way of the world in the marketing-led world of corporate sport in the 1990s, but it is also somewhat back to front.

London Broncos: Martin; Maguire, Smith, Krause, Roskell; Tollett, White; Mestrov, Beazley, Bawden, Rosolen, Gill, Matterson. Substitutes used: Barwick, Dunford, Best, Spencer.

Bradford Bulls: Spruce; Scales, Bradley, Peacock, Loughlin; Paul, Tomlinson; McDermott, Lowes, Reihana, Donougher, Nickle, McNamara. Substitutes used: Jowitt, Knox, Cook, Medley.

Referee: D Campbell (Widnes).