Looking to stake their claim in the English Championship, the London Broncos have signed Cronulla Sharks forward Junior Roqica on a 1-year deal subject to visa approval.
Spending time with three clubs in the NRL – the Wests Tigers, the Canterbury Bulldogs and more recently, the Sharks – the 1-year deal is a challenge for Roqica and one he looks forward to.
“I’m really looking forward to the move to London – it’s a big change for me, but one I’m really excited about,” said Roqica.
“I’m ready for something different in my career and I’m looking forward to a new start, but I’ll always be thankful to the Sharks for giving me this opportunity. I’ve loved my time with the boys.”
The aim for the Broncos is a return to the top tier of English rugby league – the Super League – and Roqica wants to help them achieve that goal.
“The Broncos have been pretty clear in what their goal is – they’re a club fighting for promotion back to Super League,” Roqica said.
“They’re working very hard towards that goal, and it’s one I’m really looking forward to getting behind.”
Adding a player of Roqica’s size and quality pleases coach Andrew Henderson.
“The addition of Junior to our pack should be a strong one,” Henderson said.
“He’s both powerful and versatile with a good work ethic. He has the ability to play both in the middle and on the edge which is a bonus for the team.”
Roqica also has international honours with Fiji and the club is excited at his enthusiasm to get involved.
“Junior has a good pedigree, coming through the West Tigers youth system and was an Australian schoolboy before representing Canterbury and Cronulla in the NRL,” said Henderson.
“He has also been part of a successful Fijian team on the international stage in recent years.”
“That’s a huge part of our philosophy at the Broncos, and it makes him a good fit for our 2017 squad.”