Expansion Chat

[Stevo]

I think the point he was trying to make was they have a "nursery" that expands from the lower north shore to the lower hunter. It's a pretty populated place. They can populate their own teams, unlike perth who would import most if not all of their players. It sounds like the CC have most aspects in place. Club, members, ground, sponsorship. All they need is players. In all likelyhood Ipswich is the same. I do like the idea of a Perth team i just don't think it will be as viable.

 

[swoop]

I say Perth and Ipswich in and the Bears can go into hibernation.

 

[Jatz Crackers]

"I don't know much about the Perth bid.......Florimo said.

"I'm yet to be convinced that a team out of Perth will be a viable option ... Florimo said.

I wont be reading too much into what the Bears bid is saying. Just going on those 2 statements above and it all comes across as hot air paper talk.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Bears and Perth top of the pile for me

 

[Stevo]

I'd like to know if people trully think a Perth bid would succeed and the reasons why? Or do they just like the idea of having a perth team?

 

[Jatz Crackers]

I'd like to know if people trully think a Perth bid would succeed and the reasons why? Or do they just like the idea of having a perth team?

For mine, the perth bid is not a shallow pins on map aspiration. If we were to accept that their grass roots development has been enough over the last number of years, the real issue of their sustainability would be financial backing. A one team city with a state that has economic growth forecast into the next decade at a minimum tells me yes, they are viable and will be an important assett to the NRL (particularly with TV game scheduling)

 

[Stevo]

Do you think people will continuously follow them though Jatz? Look what's happened to Gold Coast membership numbers in recent times. Queenslanders are certainly more passionate about footy then WA will ever be. And what happens if then? Will the backers still back them?

 

[mozgrame]

Just on the idea of another Brisbane team, Geoff Murphy, CQ bid Chairman made the point back in February last year;

"The south east corner of Queensland already has 2 NRL clubs, 2 AFL clubs, 2 A League clubs, a Super 15 Club, the state cricket team, and dozens of major second tier sporting clubs across all codes. They are all seeking the hearts and minds of the metro public market and scouring the corporate sector for sponsorship funding. I have heard that they argue that Suncorp is only half utilised. My simple esearch tells me that over the whole 2011 season i.e 26 weekends, there will be 23 games of NRL, State of Origin, super 15, or Bledisloe Cup games conducted at the stadium. This excludes finals for the Broncos and the Reds. Is this enough?"
"Who will support this third team? Maybe disgruntled Bronco or Titans fans. How is this growing the NRL market?"
The South East is saturated. The future is CQ.

 

[Hamster Huey]

I think the point he was trying to make was they have a "nursery" that expands from the lower north shore to the lower hunter. It's a pretty populated place. They can populate their own teams, unlike perth who would import most if not all of their players. It sounds like the CC have most aspects in place. Club, members, ground, sponsorship. All they need is players. In all likelyhood Ipswich is the same. I do like the idea of a Perth team i just don't think it will be as viable.

You, and many, simply don't understand what the WARL has done over the last ten years. Plenty in Perth were ready to say 'League is Dead' once the Reds were cut by News Ltd, but the WARL learnt a lot out of that, and the current board have done a brilliant job of showing the NRL that the bid isn't about an NRL, but getting a sizeable League community in place for it.

The move to get involved in the Bundy Cup, followed by the Reds in SG Ball over the last few years, shows that they are serious about getting local kids involved and having far more success than Melbourne in getting real locals into the top grade, and not relying on imports.

Even without an NRL presence, the local League scene is the best outside of NSW/QLD, including having success over Victoria despite the Storm being in the area. There are plenty of schools involved in the code, in lieu of AFL.

Perth will surprise you with just how well they will take on the Reds as their team. The Bears now very well how good the WA bid is and thus their propaganda machine has cranked up to '11' in the last two days, to try and get themselves back in the picture.

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http://warugbyleague.com.au/warl-ceo-qa-on-expansion/

For more info.

 

[mozgrame]

Ditto most of that for CQ. Here is another quote with some added to cover Perth. Both the CQ and Perth bid offer;

Genuine growth in the number of consumers of the NRL product, both live, on ground audience and by the plethora of media forms that deliver the modern game to the consuming public.This means a natural increase in the value of the MEDIA RIGHTS which are being negotiated. New fans, new companies, all engaged in new market.
CQ and Perth are the best options if the NRL is serious about growth.

 

[Jatz Crackers]

Do you think people will continuously follow them though Jatz? Look what's happened to Gold Coast membership numbers in recent times. Queenslanders are certainly more passionate about footy then WA will ever be. And what happens if then? Will the backers still back them?

I do think the liklihood of a lull period post intoduction is there. But similar to the GC, its a 10 year+ investment and in markets where our sporting competitors are active its vital to maintain that sort of growth outlook over the longer term.

As monotone as Gallop can sound sometimes, even he realises that the NRL cannot simply shore up heartland and only then turn its attention to new markets. If that was our approach its easy to imagine the strategy of the AFL. They would sap our financial rescources in our traditional markets and prevent us from expanding into those areas we aspire to grow into.

As much as I dislike the Storm I have to acknowledge that their survival is very important to the NRL and so is the GC and so will be Perth & next Qld franchise.

 

[DSM5]

If you doubt what's happening in Perth, just watch 'Bare Foot Rugby League' on the TV. That show is the best league show in Australia, and it covers each state. Perth is a must if the NRL truly want to call themselves that. The I'd go for PNG. League is the national sport up there and the PNG govt would backroll them. Then I'd look at another NZ or Pacific Islands team based in Fiji. Forget the Bears. If they whinge about being a 'foundation' club, as if that's an entry right, then bring back Glebe, Balmain or Wests.

 

[Cameron]

I heard the bloke from warl today if what he says is accurate the ARLC should be duplicating the schools and junior development program nationwide.

I think perths a winner.

I think adelaide and cc are going to be relocates. With cronulla and us ATM
Being the likely candidates

 

[DSM5]

I don't think we'll be relocates. Maybe 'wanderers'. It's just that we wont play many games at Brookvale until somethings done about the ground.

 

[Earnie the Eagle]

Didn't Gallop say that Sydney clubs would not be relocated but supported?

Perth and Central Coast should be the first on the list. To be really national Adelaide needs to be considered and perhaps Darwin.

Lets hope that the first match that the CC Bears play is Manly at Brookvale.

 

[Wolfpack]

Lets hope that the first match that the CC Bears play is Manly at Brookvale. in the NSW cup - where they'll be staying.

 

[lovefooty]

Lets hope that the first match that the CC Bears play is Manly at Brookvale. in the NSW cup - where they'll be staying.

Someone just put the cc bears out of there and our misery.
They will not get a start. No money and the sponsors they would be chasing will be ours on the nth shore. There is no big companies in gosford that could keep them afloat for very long.

 

[Jethro]

"There is the proud history of the Bears, who have been around for 104 years, and we have a new market here on the Central Coast," Florimo said.

Hey Flo, that would be the North Sydney Bears and not the Central Coast Bears. The Central Coast Bears would be a whole new entity just as the St George Illawarra Dragons are not the same entity as the St George Dragons who ceased to exist back at the completion of the 1998 season.

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Central Coast should only have a team if someone relocates: ie: The Cashless Sharks

I totally agree on that statement Stiffi. The only other way that I would agree to them coming into the competition if not for a re-located team would be if one of the current Sydney teams went belly up and ceased to exist.

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Thoughts on which teams should be added

My thoughts on which new teams that should be added when expansion of the existing NRL competition is given the go ahead would be WA and a 4th QLD team with preference to a Central Queensland team.

 

[shawn.b]

. I don't really like the Bears but i have to agree that a foundation club should have first crack at re entry if at all viable.

A foundation club may be entitled to first crack but the Central Coast Bears are not a foundation club. They are a new team trying to cash in on past glories, not that there was many.

 

[Mals]

Where would a Central Queensland team play? At a local show ground in Rocky?? Until they have a stadium built (disregard promises from a hot air State government) they can't be considered seriously for NRL expansion.

Perth gets my vote - a big city, thriving economy & a new TV time slot for NRL.

As for Manly relocating, I would rather we moved to the SFS & play a few games up at Gosford. We need to engage with the North Shore of Sydney more. I have a few cousins in Mosman who are newly converted Sea Eagle supporters. These are people who we need to come over.