The 2019 London Broncos season was the 40th in the club's history and their first season back in the Super League. Competing in Super League XXIV, the club was coached by Danny Ward, finishing in 12th place and reaching the Fourth Round of the 2019 Challenge Cup. They were relegated on points difference on the final day of the season.
It was their fourth at the Trailfinders Sports Ground, competing in the Super League for the first time since 2014. Danny Ward was assisted by former England and Great Britain international, Jamie Langley for the second consecutive season, and picked Jay Pitts as captain for a second campaign.
Year review January The 2019 Super League fixtures, released in November 2018, scheduled the London Broncos to play host to Wakefield Trinity on the opening weekend of the new season on 3 February. London Broncos were to mark their return to the Dacia Magic Weekend on May 26 with a fixture against Leeds Rhinos.
Morgan Smith joined the London Broncos on a one-year deal from fellow Super League club, Warrington Wolves.
On the field London Broncos ran in eleven tries on the third Sunday of the month in their opening pre-season friendly away at Betfred League 1 club, Doncaster R.L.F.C., winning the contest (64–6). A week later Danny Ward's side completed their preparations ahead of a return to the Super League with a (20–0) victory at Championship club, Leigh Centurions, tries from James Cunningham, Sadiq Adebiyi, Luke Yates and Rhys Williams augmenting a solid defensive display from the southerners.
February The month began with London Broncos making their eagerly awaited return to the Super League and a home fixture against Wakefield Trinity. An inauspicious start saw the hosts trail 18–6 after the game's first quarter, Matty Fleming's close range riposte the only score to counter a quick fire three try salvo from the visitors but four point doubles from Rhys Williams and Eddie Battye were added too by tries for Kieran Dixon, Matty Fozard on his London Broncos Super League debut and Elliot Kear as the southern based outfit earned a (42–24) come-from-behind victory.
The Broncos travelled north a week later to play Salford Red Devils in their first away fixture, and despite their defensive efforts the Londoners return south on the wrong end of a (0-24) score line.
Another battling display, on the road at Hull Kingston Rovers the following Sunday is not enough to prevent Danny Ward's men falling to a second defeat of the season (12–22). A converted Matty Gee try in quick response to an early opener for the hosts had the Londoners narrowly ahead at half time, but a hat-trick of four-pointers early in the second stanza from the home side are enough to secure the spoils for Tim Sheens' Robins, despite a late try from Broncos captain Jay Pitts and goal from Kieran Dixon, the latter's 100th for the club.
After successive Sunday road trips the London Broncos returned to Ealing six days later, and a match against much fancied Castleford Tigers in front of the Sky Sports TV cameras. A never-say-die performance from the Broncos on an unseasonably warm late winter Saturday evening ultimately proved fruitless as the West Yorkshiremen reaffirmed their credentials as genuine contenders for the end of season Super League Grand Final, running in seven tries during a scintillating exhibition of fast open rugby to condemn the Londoners to defeat (6-40), the hosts only score coming from leading try-scorer, Rhys Williams early on in the contest.
March The first Sunday of the month saw the visit of Super League Champions Wigan Warriors to the Trailfinders Sports Ground.
One afternoon the London Broncos set a new ground attendance record, as 2,586 witnessed an enthralling contest with the Londoners battling back from an early two try deficit to narrowly defeat the 22-time champions (18–16). Four point scores by Eddie Battye and Matty Gee are added too by two conversions from Kieran Dixon to have the home side narrowly in front at the break (12–10), and the latter soon increased the advantage early in the second half with a trademark length of the field effort. The lead stretched to eight as Kieran Dixon then added a penalty, and despite a converted try by former Bronco star Tony Clubb for the visitors, Danny Ward's men held firm for a famous victory to move them up to ninth position in the Super League table.
Preparations for the next fixture, away at St. Helens had been severely disrupted by injuries to key players. Captain, Jay Pitts and on loan St. Helens , Ryan Morgan had left the field during the Wigan Warriors victory, and when the squad was announced in midweek, Kieran Dixon, James Cunningham and Nathan Mason were further notable absentees. On a wet and blustery Friday evening in England's northwest, the Broncos battled gamely, and a now trademark defensive display from Danny Ward's men kept the southerners in the contest for long periods, although ultimately could not prevent a (0-26) loss as St. Helens returned to the summit of the early season league ladder.
The following week, the Broncos came from behind to triumph at Leeds Rhinos, and a second (18–16) Super League victory inside a fortnight. The Broncos, buoyed by a return to the starting line-up of skipper, Jay Pitts, James Cunningham and Kieran Dixon led 8–0 at half time, thanks to a try from the captain and four points from the trusty boot of the last-mentioned. The lead was not to last though, and 16 unanswered points for the hosts saw the visitors trailing as the match entered its final six minutes before a dramatic late rally garnered tries for Matty Fozard and Will Lovell, the latter converted by Kieran Dixon, which managed to turn defeat into victory and silence the majority of the 11,000 plus crowd inside the Headingley Stadium.
London Broncos went in search of a fourth league victory of the campaign in their next Super League contest, at home to Hull F.C. On a beautiful early spring Sunday afternoon, and before another respectable crowd of 2,357 the hosts began brightly and finished strongly. Elliot Kear and Éloi Pélissier tries had Danny Ward's troops ahead at the break (14–10), while late four pointers from Jordan Abdull and leading try scorer, Rhys Williams left the visitors hanging on in a frantic finale. However, a slow start to the second stanza extended into a near half hour unproductive spell for the home side with the Black & Whites registering 18 unanswered points, a period that ultimately proved decisive in the final reckoning as the Londoners slipped to a narrow (24–28) reversal.
Well-founded optimism generated from the brave loss to Hull F.C. preceded the next Super League fixture a week later, another home clash, against lowly but improving Huddersfield Giants. The upbeat mood was soon to be displaced after kick-off by the rampant visitors however, who left the Broncos spending the majority of the first half going backwards much as the clocks had done earlier in the day to signal British Summer Time, as the Yorkshiremen registered five tries. The hosts only response had been a 50-metre solo effort from full back, Alex Walker and a try from erstwhile captain, Jay Pitts, the skipper's four pointer just prior to the interval restoring hope amongst the home faithful. This was further reinforced by another long range Rhys Williams score early in the second half, the leading marksmen's fifth try of the campaign, but the away side were soon to extinguish any realistic aspirations of an unlikely comeback and the remainder of the contest saw the teams trade four tries, a Kieran Dixon brace in a season-best-to-date fourteen point personal haul unable to prevent a (26–38) defeat.
April On the first evening of the month London Broncos were drawn away to play Betfred Championship club, Halifax R.L.F.C. in Round 5 of the Coral Challenge Cup, with the tie to be played on Thursday 11 April.
London Broncos returned to Super League action on the month's first Friday, with a fixture away at high-flying Warrington Wolves. The much changed Londoners, with local products, James Meadows and Matt Davies making their top-flight debuts began brightly, but crucially failed to turn possession into points during a competitive opening forty minutes, and despite managing to cross the whitewash twice in the second half courtesy of Nathan Mason and Matty Gee, Danny Ward's outfit ultimately fell to a brave (12–48) loss in front of a healthy crowd of 11,718, to leave the Broncos in eleventh position and the Wolves top of the twelve team Super League table.
The London Broncos travelled north again six days later to play Betfred Championship club, Halifax R.L.F.C. in Round 5 of the Coral Challenge Cup. Head coach, Danny Ward decided to rest a number of first team regulars, including Alex Walker, Rhys Williams, Kieran Dixon, Luke Yates and Matty Fozard ahead of the impending busy Easter holiday schedule, and although the Londoners remained competitive throughout, including a try double from 20-year-old winger, Jacob Ogden, his first four-pointers for the club, Wembley aspirations were curtailed for another season as the team returned south on the wrong end of a (16–24) score line.
Catalans Dragons rolled into London town on Maundy Thursday, and the London Broncos were to suffer a fourth Super League defeat in succession. The hosts had begun brightly on a lovely spring evening before a combination of individual errors and a sickening injury to Jordan Abdull severely disrupted their rhythm, and helped contribute to a second half to forget as the Broncos fell to a disappointing (6-39) loss, the only consolation being a Mark Ioane try.
The search for a fourth Super League victory of the campaign continued on Easter Monday with a trip to Huddersfield Giants. The Broncos played their full part in a contest right up until the final hooter, and with the score poised at (19–24) following tries from skipper, Jay Pitts, Rhys Williams, Ryan Morgan and a Morgan Smith field goal, Alex Walker was denied a late potentially match winning under the sticks try by an ever vigilant in-goal touch judge.
London Broncos poor spell extended to the last Saturday of the month with another home defeat, this time at the hands of away day specialists, Salford Red Devils. The visitors, following a Good Friday victory at Warrington Wolves on their last road trip repeated the trick at the Ealing Trailfinders Sports Ground, as they ran in four unanswered tries in a one-sided first half. The Broncos hinted at a comeback in the second forty, scoring first and last, through leading try-scorer Rhys Williams and Matty Fleming, but the damage had long been irreparable as the Broncos were downed (10–30) to remain bottom of the Super League table ahead a trip to champions, Wigan Warriors in front of the Sky Sports cameras on the first Thursday in May.
May With the season edging towards its mid-point London Broncos travelled to Wigan Warriors, and in front of a national TV audience acquitted themselves admirably. Man of the match Australian import, Luke Yates completed 62 tackles in the defensive effort, although ultimately a first half try from Jay Pitts, the skipper's fifth of the campaign, and a goal and penalty from the reliable boot of Kieran Dixon were to prove insufficient as the Londoners succumbed to a narrow (8–18) defeat.
Following a mid-season interlude to afford an enthralling weekend of sixth round Challenge Cup action, London Broncos resumed Super League hostilities on the month's middle weekend, playing host to Wakefield Trinity for a second time in 2019.
Buoyed by victory over the West Yorkshiremen on the season's opening day, and looking for a first win in nine, London Broncos impressed during a dominant first half display, notching five tries. Four of these came from the increasingly influential Jordan Abdull, whilst the other was scored by Rhys Williams, the 100th of the Welshmen's prolific career with the Broncos.