Young gun chooses English side over Broncos

Brisbane Broncos have missed out on signing a highly-rated gem.

Championship side Widnes Vikings have pipped the Broncos to sign a starlet for 2027.

Young back Byron Johnson will join the English club in 2027, with his contract also including a 12-month extension.

Although he was set up for a trial with Brisbane, the Vikings have beaten the NRL giants to the signing of the versatile Australian.

“I’m looking forward to getting over to the UK and helping Allan Coleman (head coach) and the boys continue to improve and strengthen in 2027,” Johnson said.

The Championship offer in the UK was more tempting than a trial with the Broncos, and he spoke about why.

“After speaking to the Widnes recruitment team, I see their vision. I’m so excited to represent a club in England with such huge potential.”

He boasts 33 Queensland Cup appearances on his CV, but he wants to progress his game even further. A move to the UK is an interesting move, but could pay off massively.

Widnes are currently in the midst of the play-offs, and they will face Newcastle Thunder this weekend.

On the signing, Coleman said: “I’m really, really excited by the signing of Byron.

“I’m over the moon with all the hard work behind the scenes of identifying and having trust in what we see, and trust in our ability to identify quality players.”

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