If you heard that a group of Australian millionaires had attended the London Broncos v Bradford Bulls game at Plough Lane on Saturday with a view to buying one of rugby league’s sleeping giants, you might assume they were interested in the visitors, who won the match by 10 points to keep the pressure on York and Toulouse at the top of the Championship table.

But Brisbane Broncos and Australia legend Darren Lockyer, his long-term business partner Grant Wechsel of MWG Mining, and the former Brisbane Broncos CEO Paul White are about to become majority investors in London Broncos. The former South Sydney coach Jason Demetriou has agreed to become their new head coach, they have lined up a string of players from the NRL and aim to be in Super League by 2027, if not 2026.

“The coach has already committed, subject to us being in Super League,” Lockyer told the Back Ten podcast on Monday. “For the club captain we’re looking at an experienced NRL player who may only play for a couple of years but will set the culture and attract other players.”

“It’s all moved very fast,” said Weschel, who is determined to take the club into Super League next season. “For rugby league to succeed internationally, we need London. We’re bidding for a spot in 2026. If we don’t, we’ll do it through the Championship. There’s a lot of interest from top talent wanting to come to London. With 10 overseas players and marquee players, you could build a squad super fast.”

With two extra spots available in Super League next year, a number of Championship clubs are throwing their hats into the ring. They all have potential. Oldham, who were playing in the third tier last season, are targeting the Greater Manchester market. York Knights have a modern ground, the potential to attract tourists and the novelty factor of not having played in the top flight since 1986.

London Broncos are different. At the game on Saturday there were kids in Australia, Brixton Bulls, Harlequins, Ealing Trailfinders and Brentwood Eels jerseys, with parents in British & Irish Lions tops. The fanbase is tiny but the market is unique. “The stadium’s really impressive,” said Lockyer. “You sense a fair bit of character and spirit in the club at the moment. There’s a huge opportunity but a huge challenge and a lot of risk. If we’re successful in the purchase and get into Super League, we’re willing to take that on.”

“This is still the most exciting project in rugby league – that’s why I’m still here,” said the club’s highly rated director of rugby and current head coach, Mike Eccles, who is expected to remain at the club. “It’s not comparable to any other team anywhere. It’s the most exciting role and club to be involved in.”

Building the infrastructure is clearly high on Lockyer and Weschel’s agenda. “High performance on the field is important but our focus is getting the business right off the field,” he said. “When you’re in London you have to think differently from the northern clubs; it’s a different market and we will tailor our approach to that market.”

Darren Lockyer in action for Australia against England at Elland Road in 2011. Photograph: Chris Brunskill/Getty Images

Part of that is making the most of the huge talent pool in the south-east. Four of Bradford’s five tries on Saturday were scored by players who learned the sport at London Broncos. The Broncos could offer neither the money nor the opportunity to Guy Armitage and Joe Keyes, or a dozen others who have sought careers in the sport elsewhere. Eccles is “proud that we developed them” but underlined the need for any new investment to help produce and retain local talent. “If we get a big cash injection and can go full-time, we’re ready to push the button as and when,” he added.

It has been an uncertain time for the club. Whereas Bradford started signing players for next season confident they would make the cut for Super League, until two weeks ago London did not know whether they would be playing in the first, second or third division next season, a full-time club backed by millionaires or a part-time team operating hand to mouth.

The new Super League lineup will be announced on 16 October, so the race is on to build a team that can compete in the top flight. York, Bradford and Oldham have gone down the “Got The T-shirt” route: signing a plethora of relatively old high-level performers to play alongside a sprinkling of promising youngsters, and some solid Championship players who are unlikely to make the cut in the top flight.

On paper Toulouse seem to have the squad with the most suitable profile to make the step up. Most of their players are in their late 20s and have considerable Super League experience, but they would still need to strengthen considerably to avoid being wooden spoon material.

With a fanbase far larger than any other in the Championship, Bradford would clearly be an asset to Super League. Their name is known outside the sport and overseas for their exploits when CDs were still a thing. By most metrics, they are miles ahead of London. They were signing players last year who might take them to Super League, and are now recruiting for the big time. London will finish this season 10th in the Championship, 22nd in the great scheme of things, their second lowest finish since 1989. It has been a strange season. Despite losing 16 of their 23 games so far, things are looking up, with Weschel promising to invest even if they don’t secure a Super League place.

There were 1,500 fans at the match on Saturday, but crowds at Wimbledon have often been as low as 300. The new investors moved from their hospitality lounge to the bar after the game to meet fans and get a feel for the place as the Plough Lane Pale Ale flowed. They were probably told about London crowds increasing ten-fold in three years when London Crusaders transformed into title-challenging Broncos in the 1990s. That took the recruitment of a dozen Australians from Brisbane. They may need the same again.

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