Craig GOWER [
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Thu February 2, 2012
Veteran Australian Craig Gower will lead London Broncos in his first season in Stobart Super League.
The former Kangaroo half-back, one of nine new signings for Rob Powell's new-look squad, takes over from Rob Purdham, who retired at the end of last season.
"We're going to have a leadership group," said Powell.
"There's Antonio Kaufusi, Craig Gower, Chris Bailey and Chad Randall and Craig is the one on game day to do the bits.
"He's a champion bloke and a great leader. He's the hardest trainer you're going to come across. He leads by example but he's not scared when he gets something wrong of admitting it.
"He's been great, a breath of fresh air for this club, because we've probably lacked enough leaders in this group. We've relied on Rob Purdham and Chad Randall but this group has a lot of leaders."
The Londoners, who have reverted to their old name after three years as Harlequins RL, kick off the new Super League against St Helens at the Twickenham Stoop.
They will be without prop Karl Temata and new signing Matt Cook, who were injured in the Broncos' pre-season friendly against Catalan Dragons, while centre David Howell still has one game to serve of a six-match ban imposed towards the end of last season for biting.
Sat January 28, 2012
London Broncos back Craig Gower is targeting Stobart Super League supremacy on his return to rugby league.
The 33-year-old has switched codes after three years representing Aviron and Italy in rugby union and he wants to lead the newly-rebranded Broncos to the top of the table.
Describing the target for Broncos as "definitely more than a top-half finish", Gower added: "We are looking forward to playing well during the season and for me it is all about trying to win the competition.
"If you're not out there trying to win the competition then you're in the wrong game."
The Penrith-born player represented Australia at rugby league international level and is ready to get back into the sport following his union-based exile.
"It is not that new to me," he said. "I played last week and it was a good test for me. I hadn't played for a while but got through it pretty well.
"I have plenty of things to work on in my game but I'm looking forward to the season. It is good to be back in the rugby league environment, it is a completely different game and I'm enjoying it."
The Broncos have not only rebranded the club but have also had a massive turnover of players and have still yet to name their new captain. However, Gower believes the incoming players can gel quickly.
He said: "You have 10 new guys coming into the squad and those 10 guys have to get on with the other 15 guys so it is going to be difficult but we have done a lot of work and I'm sure we will play well."
The Broncos, known as Harlequins RL in recent seasons, must also address the lack of crowds at their home fixtures and Gower believes strong performances are the best way to do that.
"Obviously you like playing in front of a crowd and that comes back to winning games," Gower said.
"Rugby league down here in London is not as strong as rugby union and soccer so we are pretty realistic about getting people into the games."
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 2012 Stobart Super League
London Broncos
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2007 NRL Telstra Premiership
Penrith Panthers
24 games; 2 tries, 8 points.
[View] Round 1 [17 Mar 07] L 0-18 v Sharks (A). [HB]
[View] Round 2 [23 Mar 07] W 40-10 v Bulldogs (H). [HB]
[View] Round 3 [30 Mar 07] W 29-28 v Broncos (A). [HB]
[View] Round 4 [08 Apr 07] L 22-24 v Gold Coast (H). [HB]
[View] Round 5 [13 Apr 07] L 14-27 v Eels (H). [HB]
[View] Round 6 [21 Apr 07] L 20-30 v Storm (A). [HB]
[View] Round 7 [28 Apr 07] L 18-34 v Raiders (H). [HB]
[View] Round 8 [04 May 07] L 16-28 v Dragons (A). [HB]
[View] Round 9 [12 May 07] W 22-12 v Cowboys (A). [HB]
[View] Round 11 [27 May 07] L 24-25 v Tigers (H). [HB]
[View] Round 12 [01 Jun 07] W 22-16 v Sea Eagles (H). [HB]
[View] Round 13 [08 Jun 07] L 4-14 v Rabbitohs (A). [HB]
[View] Round 14 [16 Jun 07] L 20-24 v Roosters (H). [HB]
[View] Round 15 [22 Jun 07] L 14-54 v Warriors (A). [HB]
[View] Round 16 [30 Jun 07] L 16-24 v Broncos (H). [HB]
[View] Round 17 [06 Jul 07] L 26-43 v Tigers (A). [HB]
[View] Round 18 [14 Jul 07] W 30-20 v Bulldogs (A). [HB]
[View] Round 19 [21 Jul 07] L 20-38 v Dragons (H). [HB]
[View] Round 20 [27 Jul 07] L 30-34 v Raiders (A). [HB] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 21 [04 Aug 07] W 32-16 v Rabbitohs (H). [HB] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 22 [13 Aug 07] L 26-30 v Cowboys (H). [HB]
[View] Round 23 [19 Aug 07] W 46-12 v Knights (A). [HB]
[View] Round 24 [25 Aug 07] W 28-22 v Roosters (A). [HB]
[View] Round 25 [01 Sep 07] L 20-24 v Warriors (H). [HB]
======================================================================================================
2007 City vs Country
City Origin
1 games; [View] Place of Origin [03 May 07] W 12-6 v Country Origin (A). [HB]
======================================================================================================
2006 State of Origin
New South Wales Origin
1 games; [View] Origin [05 Jul 06] L 14-16 v QLD Origin. [HB]
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2006 NRL Telstra Premiership
Penrith Panthers
15 games; 3 tries, 12 points.
[View] Round 1 [11 Mar 06] W 24-22 v Bulldogs (A). [HB] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 2 [19 Mar 06] W 13-12 v Dragons (A). [HB]
[View] Round 4 [01 Apr 06] L 20-21 v Raiders (A). [HB]
[View] Round 5 [09 Apr 06] W 44-18 v Eels (A). [HB] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 6 [15 Apr 06] L 18-40 v Storm (H). [HB]
[View] Round 7 [23 Apr 06] L 6-30 v Broncos (A). [HB]
[View] Round 10 [14 May 06] W 32-20 v Rabbitohs (H). [HB]
[View] Round 14 [10 Jun 06] L 10-20 v Dragons (H). [HB]
[View] Round 16 [24 Jun 06] W 24-20 v Tigers (H). [HB]
[View] Round 18 [08 Jul 06] W 24-12 v Raiders (H). [HB]
[View] Round 20 [23 Jul 06] L 30-32 v Sea Eagles (A). [HB]
[View] Round 21 [29 Jul 06] W 36-6 v Warriors (H). [HB]
[View] Round 22 [06 Aug 06] L 26-32 v Rabbitohs (A). [HB] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 23 [12 Aug 06] L 20-40 v Roosters (H). [HB]
[View] Round 24 [19 Aug 06] W 32-28 v Sharks (A). [HB]
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2006 City vs Country
City Origin
1 games; [View] City v Country [12 May 06] L 10-12 v Country Origin (A). [F8]
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2005 Tri-Nations Test Series
Australia
3 games; 0/1 goals, [View] Tri-Nations Match 1 [15 Oct 05] L 28-38 v New Zealand (H). [BE]
[View] Tri-Nations Match 6 [19 Nov 05] W 26-14 v Great Britain (A). [HB]
[View] Tri-Nations Final [26 Nov 05] L 0-24 v New Zealand. [HB]
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2005 State of Origin
New South Wales Origin
1 games; [View] Origin [06 Jul 05] W 32-10 v QLD Origin (A). [BE]
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2005 NRL Telstra Premiership
Penrith Panthers
23 games; 4 tries, 16 points.
[View] Round 1 [12 Mar 05] L 14-20 v Sharks (A). [HB]
[View] Round 2 [20 Mar 05] L 20-28 v Roosters (H). [HB]
[View] Round 3 [26 Mar 05] W 18-8 v Dragons (H). [HB]
[View] Round 4 [01 Apr 05] L 16-26 v Eels (A). [HB]
[View] Round 5 [08 Apr 05] W 36-16 v Storm (H). [HB]
[View] Round 6 [16 Apr 05] W 36-6 v Souths (A). [HB]
[View] Round 7 [23 Apr 05] L 22-36 v Cowboys (H). [HB]
[View] Round 8 [01 May 05] W 16-14 v Warriors (A). [HB]
[View] Round 9 [07 May 05] L 18-26 v Raiders (H). [HB]
[View] Round 10 [13 May 05] L 12-34 v Dragons (A). [HB]
[View] Round 11 [22 May 05] L 22-30 v Sharks (H). [HB]
[View] Round 12 [29 May 05] L 26-36 v Sea Eagles (A). [HB]
[View] Round 13 [05 Jun 05] L 22-32 v Eels (H). [HB]
[View] Round 15 [18 Jun 05] W 28-14 v Storm (A). [HB]
[View] Round 16 [25 Jun 05] L 24-28 v Knights (H). [HB]
[View] Round 18 [09 Jul 05] W 16-12 v Sea Eagles (H). [HB]
[View] Round 19 [15 Jul 05] L 16-18 v Bulldogs (H). [HB]
[View] Round 20 [23 Jul 05] L 18-38 v Cowboys (A). [HB]
[View] Round 21 [30 Jul 05] W 42-34 v Warriors (H). [HB] 4 Pts; 1t (30th)
[View] Round 22 [07 Aug 05] W 30-28 v Roosters (A). [HB]
[View] Round 24 [21 Aug 05] W 22-20 v Broncos (H). [HB] 4 Pts; 1t (37th)
[View] Round 25 [28 Aug 05] W 28-6 v Bulldogs (A). [HB] 8 Pts; 2t (8th, 23rd)
[View] Round 26 [04 Sep 05] W 38-22 v Tigers (A). [HB]
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2004 NRL Telstra Premiership
Penrith Panthers
2 games; 1 tries, 4 points.
[View] Round 1 [12 Mar 04] L 14-20 v Knights (H). [HB]
[View] Round 2 [19 Mar 04] W 34-18 v Raiders (A). [HB] 4 Pts; 1t
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Gower, Craig
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