Fiji NRL team?

[Perth Red]

Fiji confirm nsw cup club. Could be the start of building to an NRL club?

Petero Civoniceva believes the admission of a Fiji team to the NSW Cup competition will be a stepping stone to a Pacific islands side joining the NRL.
Civoniceva, who captained Fiji to the semi-final of last year's World Cup in Britain, has been in talks with NSW Rugby League and the NRL about a Suva-based team joining the second-tier NSW Cup competition in 2016.
The team, which will have a training base in Suva and play out of the city's ANZ Stadium, will comprise of players eligible for Bati selection who reside in Fiji. Civoniceva expects a number of rugby union stars to switch codes for the opportunity to showcase their talents to NRL clubs.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...-to-nrl-bid-20140718-zucqz.html#ixzz37tJE1EOY

 

[oikee]

PNG and Fiji are both best supported by playing in the NSW and QLD cups. Becoming a feeder club to NRL teams will help grow the game better than having to sink huge dollars into a team that would be travelling thousands of miles every second week.
Nothing wrong with second tier. Plus they now have a state final on grand final day. So exposure is huge.

I think the UK billionaire should buy into a expansion team with no baggage. That way he wont be cught up in the Sydney bubble which will grind him down and produce very little.
Brisbane Brothers would be a great fit for him, and he can also grow his nines tournament and rotate from Dubai, the UK and Suncorp.
He wants to grow the game internationally, then this would be a huge start for him.
If he gets caught up with a club in Sydney it will just become another weekly grind.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

The idea to keep in mind for expansion areas is whether you are looking to develop players or fans...

- If the focus is the players; RL looking for a pathway for these Islander players to develop their game and reach the NRL, Lower grades are the places for these teams.

- If the focus is the general public; potential fans in these areas (people that have and will never play the game, but will be eyes in the crowd), then a high-profile NRL team is the way to go.

This is also applicable to domestic teams:
CCs argument is that they want their great junior products to have the opportunity to play NRL in a local team, this is a poor reason to add a team.
Perth have a massive opportunity in their population and just no interest in RL, Therefore the First-Grade team is the most important adition if they want RL to be poplular in the area.

 

[oikee]

The idea to keep in mind for expansion areas is whether you are looking to develop players or fans...

- If the focus is the players; RL looking for a pathway for these Islander players to develop their game and reach the NRL, Lower grades are the places for these teams.

- If the focus is the general public; potential fans in these areas (people that have and will never play the game, but will be eyes in the crowd), then a high-profile NRL team is the way to go.

This is also applicable to domestic teams:
CCs argument is that they want their great junior products to have the opportunity to play NRL in a local team, this is a poor reason to add a team.
Perth have a massive opportunity in their population and just no interest in RL, Therefore the First-Grade team is the most important adition if they want RL to be poplular in the area.

That is right.
The most important thing for island teams is having sound pathways.
As for expansion, again you are right. Perth does have a small loyal local comp which will gather strength from a NRL team in a huge growing city.
The other two areas are Brisbane and NZ second teams. We all now know the advantage of cities having a city derby.
The NRL really has to take advantage of this now.
Derbies for NZ and Brisbane can add so much more value and excitement to the game. Why they sit back and wait to expand is mind-numbing and held the code back while other codes are thriving.
Lets not bullshite ourselves, last nights Broncos warriors game was the best all year.
Imagine 3 more teams from these 2 areas all playing more derby games.
That is growth.
Nines would take it to another level as well. They must know this, Dave Smith cant be that stupid.

 

[Foreign Legion]

Any idea of the name for the team?

 

[CC_Roosters]

Good on Fiji this is great to say and reflects the number of elite fijians in the nrl

A unified "second division" structure below the nrl is the best way to house clubs and franchises like Fiji, png. It seems we are on our way to something like that but ultimately I would like to see conferences based on existing nsw and Qld cups stretching from Perth to Fiji. An excellent way to provide pathways and introduce new framchises for possible inclusion in the nrl. A key step would be the addition of nz regions next.

 

[papabear]

oikee you do realise the reason there was no more Brisbane teams added thus far because News Limited who owned the broncos (effectively Lachlan Murdoch) had a clause whereby the NRL couldn't add any further teams from Brisbane.

It was the Brisbane supporter and owner who setup the current situation - thus please direct your current bitch session in the right direction.

 

[oikee]

oikee you do realise the reason there was no more Brisbane teams added thus far because News Limited who owned the broncos (effectively Lachlan Murdoch) had a clause whereby the NRL couldn't add any further teams from Brisbane.

It was the Brisbane supporter and owner who setup the current situation - thus please direct your current bitch session in the right direction.

Tooth ferry left you 20 dollars under the pillow.
Come-on, lets try to move past this garbage about Murdock.
Are you trying to tell me they wont have a second Brisbane team because Murdock wont allow it.
Put another tooth under the pillow, the ferry arrives tonite.

 

[Titanic]

Tooth ferry left you 20 dollars under the pillow.
Come-on, lets try to move past this garbage about Murdock.
Are you trying to tell me they wont have a second Brisbane team because Murdock wont allow it.
Put another tooth under the pillow, the ferry arrives tonite.

Tooth fairy or whoever, that's what it was and the BRL agreed to it in the original franchise agreement ... for those who weren't around the BRL agreed to a NSWRL franchise without QRL endorsement in its original format ... I don't know what was agreed to after the SL fiasco because I was too disgusted at the whole event, a bit like I am with Bennett, the chief architect of SL, returning ... what a mercenary karmichael hunt.

 

[Perth Red]

back on topic gents please, w eall know how sht house the Broncos were in getting rid of the Crushers.

What is the playing strength in Fiji like? I didn't think they had that many people playing the game, will they be able to put a competitive team together for NSW cup? I suppose they may get some Aussies moving there to play? It would be very tempting!

 

[papabear]

I think its good that in reserves in qld and nsw you get a trip to png or Fiji, good and experience for the players!

 

[CQ Italia]

It will be all Fijian based players and be open to all rugby players, so not only league, but union/7's. And any players that want to move back to Fiji.

Official Fiji NSW Cup Facebook and Twitter:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fiji-NSW-Cup-Rugby-League/530483790362759

https://twitter.com/FijiNSWCupBid

 

[Perth Red]

42k likes already, pretty impressive!

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

It could get to the point where NSW or QLD Cup are better retirement prospects than England (aside from the money obviously)...

If these teams are sustainable long term (i imagine they have quite a bit of gov. backing), this could keep spreading; i bet there are a few spots in Indonesia that could sustain teams.

Give some spots in the teams (at least innitially) to Ex-NRL players for retirement/development officer jobs in these Pacific Island/SE Asia areas. Im sure most would love the lifestyle...

 

[Dogs Of War]

Maybe something like this, a combined PI team in the NRL that say plays in various places like Wellington, Central Coast etc that don't have a team of there own. PI Jets? Take on the old bluebags colours and Jet moniker because they are jetsettign around? Base them in Wellington or something?

Checkout this video and skip to where they promote a PI team to enter the super rugby comp.

http://www.theroar.com.au/video/?video=3912017760001&category=rugby

A game of NRL in a couple of those countries could be the best way to convert the masses to become ardent NRL supporters, and see even more PI players choosing to play for those countries.

 

[pHyR3]

Maybe something like this, a combined PI team in the NRL that say plays in various places like Wellington, Central Coast etc that don't have a team of there own. PI Jets? Take on the old bluebags colours and Jet moniker because they are jetsettign around? Base them in Wellington or something?

Checkout this video and skip to where they promote a PI team to enter the super rugby comp.

http://www.theroar.com.au/video/?video=3912017760001&category=rugby

A game of NRL in a couple of those countries could be the best way to convert the masses to become ardent NRL supporters, and see even more PI players choosing to play for those countries.

i really dont like this idea whatsoever.

there's fierce rivalry between nations, and putting them together also undermines the international scene somewhat.

Also creates brand image and logistical issues.

I think make the two obvious expansions now, Perth and Bris 2/QLD 4. Then consolidate and prepare 2 more areas for 2023 or later. Meanwhile begin building pathways in the PI region through NSW/QLD Cup teams, investment, scouting, training etc. And maybe examine a PNG team in 20 years, a Fiji team in 30 years, Samoa and Tonga in 40-50 years.

It won't happen before 2028 or 2030 at the absolute earliest imo. Large economic, political and social growth need to continue to happen there before they are ready.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Maybe something like this, a combined PI team in the NRL that say plays in various places like Wellington, Central Coast etc that don't have a team of there own. PI Jets? Take on the old bluebags colours and Jet moniker because they are jetsettign around? Base them in Wellington or something?

Checkout this video and skip to where they promote a PI team to enter the super rugby comp.

http://www.theroar.com.au/video/?video=3912017760001&category=rugby

A game of NRL in a couple of those countries could be the best way to convert the masses to become ardent NRL supporters, and see even more PI players choosing to play for those countries.

This would have next to no local parochialism (not that this is a bad thing). Its just that youd get the same effect just by moving a few Sydney games to these locations throughout the year. A whole new team is just unnnecessary...

 

[siv]

I'd rather see an 8 team pacific island comp, 4 teams from NZ (2 from Auckland, 1 Wellington and 1 from Canterbury) and a team from PNG, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa.
Have them pooled in 2 conferences.
Clubs that come thirst and second play off in a final series, and each club has affiliation with a Super League or NRL team

Now that's a much more sensible suggestion

Or we keep it local to the Islands

 

[Perth Red]

Yep put money in to build the local cups to decent levels, get talented jnrs into the existing NRL system and make them ambassadors and take NRL games featuring them to the islands to further grow interest.

 

[RL The greatest game]

Fiji need a team in the QLD cup before they can even think about a team in the NRL
Then that club will have to generate its own funds or rely on Fiji government handouts.
First i think the Fijian Rugby League need to set up a semi pro comp. Then get a team in the QLD cup and then after that try for a NRL side.