Combined Brothers bid

[Smiley]

http://m.ipswichadvertiser.com.au/news/toowoomba-rugby-league-nrl-confraternity-brothers/1778372/

Brothers clubs could mount bold bid for inclusion in the NRL

TOOWOOMBA could have a direct path to the NRL if a bold bid by the Confraternity of Brothers Clubs is successful.

The Brothers Confraternity encompasses all Brothers rugby league clubs from Brisbane to Cairns and Darwin.

Confraternity delegates from most of the clubs met in Toowoomba at the weekend for its biannual conference.

Sports consultant Justin Barlow of Stadium Industries addressed the conference on the possibility of a combined Brothers Leprechauns bid to join the NRL.

The team would be based in Brisbane at the spiritual head of the Brothers organisation, Corbett Park, which only recently returned to a Brothers Leagues Club after being the Crushers Leagues Club for some years.

However, Barlow said though the team would be based and play in Brisbane, it would also play in cities which had a Brothers club at venues approved by the NRL.

"We are waiting for the formal go ahead from the Confraternity," he told The Chronicle.

"Then we would start raising the profile and building toward raising the funds for a formal bid."

Confraternity chairman Brian Roberts said the delegates at the Toowoomba conference on the weekend would take the proposal back to their club members to obtain feedback but he was confident the bid would be supported by the clubs.

"The feedback from the club delegates after Justin's presentation in Toowoomba was very positive," he said.

"The Leprechaun is one of the most recognisable brands in sport, particularly in Queensland and the Northern Territory.

"Some of the delegates reckon we don't market the Leprechaun enough as it is and this would lift the profile of the Leprechaun and Brothers clubs."

Barlow said while a Brothers team in the NRL would give players a direct path to the game's highest level through the Queensland Brothers franchise, that path would also be open to players of all clubs in the country and not just Brothers clubs.

The Confraternity of Brothers Clubs already had large player and membership bases on which to build should the bid be successful.

Many of the Brothers clubs already have successful leagues clubs in particular in Cairns, Townsville and Ipswich.

Any Brothers NRL matches in Toowoomba would most likely be played at Clive Berghofer Stadium.

 

[Diesel]

Sounds good. Take note Bombers plastic bid

 

[Slackboy72]

I'd rather see a bid from an exisiting club rather than someting from the News Ltd offices in Surrey Hills, the true spiritual home of the cheating storm.

 

[Perth Red]

Interesting, good potential to include NT in any bid.

 

[ash the bash]

Now that is something that can differentiate from the Broncos. It depends to see how serious they are with this, I hope so.

 

[The Great Dane]

This would be great if they can make it viable and commit to playing a certain amount of their home games in Darwin and Cairns every year along with Brisbane and Toowoomba.

Their is only one old BRL brand that would be more valuable to the game then the Leprechauns or the Dolphins and that is theDiehards, but it is unlikely that anyone is going to resurrect the Valleys and bid for a license, then again if you asked me a week ago if Brothers were likely to have a go for a license in the NRL I would have said no so who knows.

Any of them would be better then the Bombers, and I am sure they will start shitting themselves after they hear this news.

 

[CC_Roosters]

Interesting idea but another bid in the queue at the end of the day. Potentially could be the peoples bid if the bombers are seen as being too corporate.

Would be interested to see if the likes of Redcliffe make any noise when the commission announces its expansion intentions.

 

[byrner]

Great news!

 

[Diesel]

I don't know much about this bid but it shits over the Bombers already

 

[The Great Dane]

I don't know much about this bid but it shits over the Bombers already

This^.

If they can make their ideas come to fruition they will place themselves at the top of the list of teams that should get a license.

 

[The Great Dane]

Would be interested to see if the likes of Redcliffe make any noise when the commission announces its expansion intentions.

Bugger the Dolphins bring back the Valleys .

 

[BuffaloRules]

Interesting but needs about a thousand more details.

 

[Lockyer4President!]

Interesting idea but another bid in the queue at the end of the day. Potentially could be the peoples bid if the bombers are seen as being too corporate.

Would be interested to see if the likes of Redcliffe make any noise when the commission announces its expansion intentions.

Cronulla 2.0

 

[Perth Red]

I'm amazed at how many Brothers clubs there are around the country and didn't realise they are all linked together. Would they have the financial clout (beyond pokies) to sustain an NRL team?

 

[bobmar28]

The leprechaun is one of the most recognisable brands in sport?

 

[GAZF]

The leprechaun is one of the most recognisable brands in sport?

Well not really, but it will stand out like dogs balls in the Australian market. Great mascot for the kids too.

 

[BDR]

While my dad installed a healthy hatred of Brothers in my from a young age, I think this would be a good move for the NRL. There is a ready-made fan base for the club across QLD

 

[gyallop]

This isnt a bid but a concept and whilst it sounds great history dooms it to failure. Brothers played in the BRL and died , they were revived recently in the Q Cup and died. If the confraternity couldnt sustain the club by supplying quality players then so how will that change? Remember the cash isnt in the football clubs but the Leagues Clubs whose members wouldnt even know what the confraternity is let alone agree to fund an NRL Club.
Corbett Park no longer exits those playing fields were sold up and turned into playing fields years ago though the old club house is there. It was shut when Brothers first died then reopened by the Crushers in 1994 and then run by the QRL as a social club when the Crushers were executed in 1997.

 

[CQ Italia]

Well the Rockhampton brothers leagues club members changed ownership and name to CQ Leagues Club (CQ NRL Bid)....

A brothers team in the NRL, ughh!

 

[RedVee]

All interesting. Perhaps they should start by returning to the Qld Cup?

Q. Why do people keep mentioning Darwin?
Q. Any links between Brothers and the various NSW Brothers/Collegians Clubs?