London Broncos need to treat this weekend’s match against Castleford Tigers like the Grand Final, according to front-rower Rob Butler.
The homegrown talent had played just 11 times for the Londoners prior to this campaign but has become a key player in Danny Ward’s side as they fight off their pre-season tag of Super League relegation favourites.
The Kent-born player scored the winner against Hull KR last weekend to stretch the Broncos winning run to three games, move them off the foot of the table and leave them within four points of a play-off place.
And the big-tackling Butler said: “I don’t want to get too ahead of ourselves as last week we were bottom of the league so the aim is to still avoid relegation and anything else we’ll take in our stride.
“Anything can happen. Each week we have to take as a Grand Final. Our next game is biggest one of the season. It’s all about embracing that Grand Final mentality.”
The Broncos find themselves 10th in the league ahead of both Leeds Rhinos and Hull KR with 10 games remaining, and travel to Castleford on Sunday to take on a side who have lost their last two games and are just four points ahead in the league table.
Butler was among the stand-outs in the Hull KR win courtesy of both his try and a monster tackle of Josh Drinkwater, two highlights which he watched back with his family on his return home gone midnight after the game.
“It’s nice to get my first try,” he said. “It was a weird one as it got sent upstairs [to the TV official] but it’s a moment I’ll never forget.”
Butler was banned from playing when first signed by the Broncos after fighting in a game and while, in his own words “I’ve controlled that a bit” he has no intention of holding back in the final games of the season.
“I want to be known as an aggressive player, to tackle hard and play hard,” he said. “I won’t go down without a fight. Hit me hard, I love it and I’ll hit back hard from it.”
