WHO HAS PLAYED FOR BOTH: London Broncos & Dewsbury Rams
Jake Watson • 27 February 2025
WHO HAS PLAYED FOR BOTH: London Broncos & Dewsbury Rams
There have only been 33 meetings between the two sides since 1980 which is relatively low in comparison to other long established professional clubs in the Rugby League pyramid. It’s a very favourable record for London who have won 23 of those meetings, including the last 11.
But, how many players have played for both sides? Paul Sykes is the most obvious one. The 43-year-old was born in Dewsbury and is still playing for his home town club. Whilst after a stellar five years in London, Sykes also holds the accolade of being the clubs highest ever points scorer.
Reiss Butterworth
A short but sweet spell with the Broncos in the 2024 Super League season, Reiss played three times during a loan spell before returning to parent club Hull KR. Now playing for fellow Championship side Sheffield Eagles, Butterworth played for Dewsbury for three seasons between 2021 and 2023 and was named League One Player of the Year in his final season with the club.
Robbie Storey
The proud scorer of our first Super League try of the season in 2024 when he scored against St Helens. Storey would also score tries home and away against Hull FC before departing the club at the end of the season to move to Australia. Prior to moving to London, the Hull born centre had successful seasons at both Doncaster and Keighley. In 2021, after a year playing in France with Carcassone, Storey played 7 games for Dewsbury Rams.
Greg Richards
The 29-year-old is currently playing in France with Toulouse but to say he has played for both London Broncos and Dewsbury Rams, whilst correct, is a bit of a push - more a matter of trivia! Richards played just the once for the Rams whilst on dual registration from Hull KR in 2022. Prior to that he would play for Broncos between 2019 and 2021 where he would play 35 times.
Matt Garside
Starting his career in Newcastle Thunder, Garside is still playing - and incidentally with Dewsbury Rams, after joining in 2022. Now 34 he featured for York Knights and Sheffield Eagles before joining the Broncos in the Championship in 2015. Signing a full-time two year contract Garside would go on to play 77 times and score 23 tries before moving on to Bradford Bulls.
Dalton Grant
The Welsh winger scored lots of tries in his career at the likes of Barrow, Bradford, Dewsbury and London Broncos. Grant hasn’t played professionally since leaving London in 2024 but was part of the side that won promotion from The Championship and started in all of the play-off games including the Grand Final against Toulouse. Between 2015-16 Grant played 51 times for the Rams scoring 32 tries.
TEAM NEWS: London Broncos vs York Knights Here is your starting line-up for this afternoon's Round 9 Championship clash with York Knights at The Cherry Red Records Stadium. There are four changes to the team that lost to Halifax last week as Aaron Small, Lennie Ellis, Kian McDermott and Lukas Mason all come into start. Jenson Binks returns to the matchday squad but Lewis Bienek misses out with injury. #WeAreLondon
MATCHDAY GUIDE
MATCH PREVIEW: London Broncos vs York Knights London Broncos welcome Championship rivals York Knights to The Cherry Red Records Stadium on Saturday afternoon looking to put a stop to a run of three consecutive defeats. On the other side York have won 5 of their previous 6 games with the only defeat coming against Featherstone in a tightly contested affair being decided by just two points. For the Broncos they have performed strongly at home with the only home defeat coming against Batley who scored a try in the last moments of the game to steal the points. The 21-man squad selected by Mike Eccles is available below. Jenson Binks returns to the squad after missing the defeat to Halifax under HIA protocol in a welcome boost. Meanwhile, Lukas Mason & Kian McDermott return from Wigan Warriors after being unavailable for the previous few games. Emmanuel Waine plays the second game of his two week loan and Lennie Ellis joins Louix Gorman is coming from Hull KR and goes straight into the 21. Lennie Ellis is a 19-year-old half and hooker who made his first team debut against Wigan Warriors in 2023. Last season he played on loan in the Championship with Whitehaven and earlier this season played for Goole in League One.
WHO HAS PLAYED FOR BOTH? London Broncos & York Knights London Broncos play host to York Knights on Saturday but can you tell me what players that have had both clubs play host to them? We have picked out some to have played for both in recent years but can you add any more to the list below? SAM DAVIS A London Broncos academy product, the Leicester born hooker has enjoyed two spells in the capital, sandwiched either side of a spell in the yellow and black of York. Davis played for London between 2016-2021 before moving to York signing a two year deal, however injuries meant he never really settled and rejoined London in 2023 initially on loan before signing permanent terms. Following relegation from Super League at the end of the 2024 season Davis would move to Salford however financial issues there has meant Davis has once again signed dual-registration terms. So, whilst it won’t be this weekend we could see more of Sammy in a Broncos jersey in the future.
SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT: London Broncos vs York Knights Mike Eccles has named his 21-man squad to face York Knights on Saturday (5pm KO) at The Cherry Red Records Stadium. Jenson Binks returns to the squad after missing the defeat to Halifax under HIA protocol in a welcome boost. Meanwhile, Lukas Mason & Kian McDermott return from Wigan Warriors after being unavailable for the previous few games. Emmanuel Waine plays the second game of his two week loan and Lennie Ellis joins Louix Gorman in coming from Hull KR and goes straight into the 21. Lennie Ellis is a 19-year-old half and hooker who made his first team debut against Wigan Warriors in 2023. Last season he played on loan in the Championship with Whitehaven and earlier this season played for Goole in League One.
THROWBACK THURSDAY: London Broncos MAGIC! On the eve of this year's Magic Weekend what better time to re-live our spectacular performance in the 2024 showpiece. London Broncos vs Hull FC was the opening game of the Weekend at Elland Road with both sides desperately looking to avoid finishing bottom of the division. Whilst The Black & Whites would finish off bottom spot by points difference it was Mike Eccles' side who would take the plaudits at Magic Weekend with a 29-4 win. Re-live the day with some of the best images and the video highlights below. #WeAreLondon
ANNOUNCEMENT: Sheffield Eagles match moved to Rosslyn Park FC London Broncos can confirm that the upcoming match with Sheffield Eagles on May 11th will now take place at Rosslyn Park FC. The decision has been made due to the uncertainty of the availability around The Cherry Red Records stadium with AFC Wimbledon potentially in play-off action on this date. Despite no current game definitely taking place on this date we have decided to make the decision now to avoid any late changes and allow fans from both teams to arrange necessary travel arrangements. The venue of the club's training ground at Rosslyn Park FC has been chosen to host this fixture due to its familiarity to supporters and players and therefore retaining home advantage. Rosslyn Park FC was the Club’s home ground during the 2021 season and has since been used to host fixtures for the London Broncos Women and the men’s Challenge Cup & 1895 Cup fixtures.
SULLIVAN SHIELD MATCH The 5th John Sullivan Trophy will take place on Saturday, May 24th at Harpenden Rugby Club. The game takes place in memory of former London Broncos academy player John Sullivan who tragically took his own life in 2014. The event aims to raise awareness of the issue of young male suicide and the importance of mental health more generally, in addition to raising funds for the Sullivan family’s chosen charity CALM – the Campaign Against Living Miserably .
IT'S GAMEWEEK!! London Broncos return to The Cherry Red Records Stadium on Saturday as we welcome York Knights to SW17 for Round 9 of the 2025 Championship campaign. The Broncos, who lost their first home league game of the season, in the previous home game against Batley will be looking to right those wrongs with a much needed win. The visitors currently sit in 6th place in the league table following 4 wins and 4 defeats from their opening 8 games. The game will take place on Saturday with a 5pm kick off with gates opening at 3pm. Ticket information and details can be found below.
Paul Sykes breaks another record! London Broncos all-time record points scorer Paul Sykes has become the first player in history to play in 27 consecutive seasons – and according to the Rugby League Record Keepers Club, that’s a new record. Sykes, who will turn 44 in August and was a member of the England squad for the 2008 World Cup, made his first competitive appearance of the 2025 season for Dewsbury Rams in Sunday’s Betfred League One fixture against Rochdale Hornets. And the man who previously held that record is Gus Risman, the Welsh Rugby League great who was a founder member of the sport’s Hall of Fame, having come north to play for Salford in 1929, then moved to Cumbria after the War to make more than 300 appearances for Workington Town, leading them to Wembley victory over Featherstone Rovers in the 1952 Challenge Cup Final.
