LONDON Broncos will parade a host of rugby league's top Australian stars when the sport makes its professional debut in Sussex tomorrow.

The Super League outfit may have had trouble attracting players from the game's heartland in the north of England.

But there is a distinctly antipodean feel to their squad for the fourth round tie in the Silk Cut Challenge Cup against Batley Bulldogs at Crawley's Broadfield Stadium (ko 3.00pm).

Broncos will be led for the first time by Australian hooker Jason Etherington, one of eight new signings. Six of the other newcomers are also from Australian and they are joined by former Leeds and Halifax winger Marvin Golden.

Injuries and illness have robbed them of Tulsen Tollett, Dom Peters and Tony Mestrov while another Aussie, fullback Richie Barnett, is back home in Sydney getting married.

But they should still be too strong for Batley who are currently 11th in the Northern Ford Premiership, the league below the Superleague which still operates during the winter.

Bulldogs will be coached for the first time by director David Ward who has taken over from Jon Sharp after his move to Superleague neighbours Huddersfield Giants last month.

In an effort to attract a decent crowd Broncos are offering free admission to under-16s, providing they are accompanied by an adult.

The town has a growing rugby league reputation thanks to the Crawley Jets who have won the southern amateur conference for three of the past four seasons and was the obvious venue for the match with Broncos' normal home, Charlton Athletic's Valley Stadium, being used for a match against Newcastle.

Broncos' club captain Steele Retchless said: "It would be great if every single kid who lives close to the stadium could come along and help us out with support. When we play at the Valley there are hundreds of kids who make loads of noise and certainly help our guys lift their game."