PNG and Cairns investigate joint NRL bid

[King hit]

For those who still think an NRL team based in whole or in part in Cairns is possible, the Cowboys are currently negotiating to take over the Northern Pride.

There's simply not the money up here to support 2 NRL teams.

And the Cowboys have captured the heart of everyone in the north as well.

 

[Pommy]

And the Cowboys have captured the heart of everyone in the north as well.

That’s a big claim.

 

[King hit]

That’s a big claim.

Finding a north Queenslander who doesn't love the Cowboys is like finding sunbakers in Greenland

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I'm 100% against an NRL licence being used on a Cairns / PNG bid. Both locations are adequately covered by the Northern Pride and PNG Hunters and are at the right level.

Our target markets for the growth of the game are Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane 2 and NZ 2.

Any further Pacific bids should play as a full-time professional club out of the second teir like PNG are doing and any further regional teams from Australia should also play at that level. The second teir is a very good and almost fully professional level of RL these days and also gets TV coverage - it is no disgrace for a region to peak at that level.

 

[Vee]

Could Cowboys be the next club to avg 20k? Is there enough support for them in the city to achieve this?
Sadly JT will be gone by time new stadium is ready so they may lose the star factor they have enjoyed.

Possibly, the biggest factor will be ticket/membership prices. If the Qld gov't want Cowboysfans to pay for their shiny new stadium like they did with the GC, it won't work.

 

[King hit]

Possibly, the biggest factor will be ticket/membership prices. If the Qld gov't want Cowboysfans to pay for their shiny new stadium like they did with the GC, it won't work.

North Queensland is a Rugby League and sport obsessed region the Gold Coast is not.

 

[Springs09]

I'm 100% against an NRL licence being used on a Cairns / PNG bid. Both locations are adequately covered by the Northern Pride and PNG Hunters and are at the right level.

Our target markets for the growth of the game are Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane 2 and NZ 2.

Any further Pacific bids should play as a full-time professional club out of the second teir like PNG are doing and any further regional teams from Australia should also play at that level. The second teir is a very good and almost fully professional level of RL these days and also gets TV coverage - it is no disgrace for a region to peak at that level.

I 100% disagree on both counts. I do not see why NZ need another NRL side yet PNG are covered by a QLD Cup side.

The second tier is also not 'very good'. The NSW Cup is rubbish and really just a reserve grade, not a 'second tier'. The QLD Cup is pretty good but it is still half a reserve grade. If we had an actual national second tier then maybe you'd have a good point.

Everyone knows the drawbacks of a PNG side with the state of their country but if Adelaide is chosen for a licence because the NRL will gain a new market for TV ratings and mediocre crowds over the benefits a Cairns/PNG side could do for the sport in regards to international development, more competitive PNG side and more PNG players in the NRL along with a stronger system for the only country where rugby league is the national sport, I will be very disappointed.

 

[The Great Dane]

I 100% disagree on both counts. I do not see why NZ need another NRL side yet PNG are covered by a QLD Cup side.

Cause another NZ NRL side are actually worth something money wise where as a PNG NRL side would be a money pit.... It'd also really help with the sports market share and competitiveness in the NZ market.

The second tier is also not 'very good'. The NSW Cup is rubbish and really just a reserve grade, not a 'second tier'. The QLD Cup is pretty good but it is still half a reserve grade. If we had an actual national second tier then maybe you'd have a good point.

I don't disagree, but currently it's what we have to work with, and how is the second tier going to get any better if we don't invest into improving it?

Taking the Hunters and dropping them into the NRL where they aren't sustainable wouldn't be improving anything, it'd just be throwing good money after bad.

Everyone knows the drawbacks of a PNG side with the state of their country but if Adelaide is chosen for a licence because the NRL will gain a new market for TV ratings and mediocre crowds over the benefits a Cairns/PNG side could do for the sport in regards to international development, more competitive PNG side and more PNG players in the NRL along with a stronger system for the only country where rugby league is the national sport, I will be very disappointed.

Look in an ideal world PNG would get an NRL side, unfortunately the world isn't ideal and we have to be practical, and practically an PNG NRL side is simply a non-starter until PNG figures a few things in their country out and it becomes financially viable.
The NRL is a business not a charity, and throwing away potentially hundreds of millions of dollars over an extended period of time in an attempt to prop up a PNG side when it simply isn't viable cause it's what feels right or cause they 'deserve a side' is a terrible business decision.

BTW, did a bloke from Adelaide root your wife while you were away or something?
Seriously what's your problem with Adelaide, every time they're brought up as an expansion market, you jump out of the woodwork to bag it out.

 

[Perth Red]

Its batsht crazy to think the NRL is going to put a team in PNG based in Cairns! look how strong a case Perth and Brisbane have had for inclusion for years yet cant get in. Never going to happen, or at least not in the next two decades!

re Adelaide, in their brief Rams existence they drew well and what was last years NRL exhibition game attendance? What evidence is there they wouldn't draw a fanbase?

 

[RoosTah]

This idea could have legs in 2040, but not before. Too many other priorities until then

 

[flippikat]

re Adelaide, in their brief Rams existence they drew well and what was last years NRL exhibition game attendance? What evidence is there they wouldn't draw a fanbase?

There's no evidence that they wouldn't draw a fanbase.

The NRL should be actively testing the market by scheduling games there. It's a major city for goodness sake!

It's reckless to write-off a city of over a million people as if to say "they're an AFL city, they'll never go to one of our games. Why bother with them?"

I realise there may not be the same ex-pat Kiwi/NSW/Qld population that there is in Perth, but how will we ever know what the latent fan base is in Adelaide if we never take games there?

Ideally, the NRL takes at least a game each season to Adelaide for a couple years, then increase to 2 or even 3 per year if the crowds are growing. Build the market for our game there. Sure, a side of their own comes after at least Perth and Brisbane 2.. butwe need to put some groundwork in now. Just follow what we've done with Perth.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I 100% disagree on both counts. I do not see why NZ need another NRL side yet PNG are covered by a QLD Cup side.

The second tier is also not 'very good'. The NSW Cup is rubbish and really just a reserve grade, not a 'second tier'. The QLD Cup is pretty good but it is still half a reserve grade. If we had an actual national second tier then maybe you'd have a good point.

Everyone knows the drawbacks of a PNG side with the state of their country but if Adelaide is chosen for a licence because the NRL will gain a new market for TV ratings and mediocre crowds over the benefits a Cairns/PNG side could do for the sport in regards to international development, more competitive PNG side and more PNG players in the NRL along with a stronger system for the only country where rugby league is the national sport, I will be very disappointed.

Re: the second teir - I agree it needs to be developed more and I'm not opposed to a genuine national second teir - even if it is played in conferences.

Re: NZ - we have one team and the TV rights deal is worth $100 million - give a second team time to grow in another city and a genuine rivalry builds up then we are talking much more. For me it's a no brainer. Although I also admit that we are not ready for it right now. I'm talking maybe 10 years time once NZ / Auckland RL get a proper domestic scene setup.

Cairns / PNG would not provide any more benefits to the NRL than the Hunters and Pride do already.

 

[RL The greatest game]

Toowoomba, Ipswich and Redcliffe (Brisbane 2) should be the next places in Queensland to have NRL teams in my opinion.

 

[Springs09]

Cause another NZ NRL side are actually worth something money wise where as a PNG NRL side would be a money pit.... It'd also really help with the sports market share and competitiveness in the NZ market.



I don't disagree, but currently it's what we have to work with, and how is the second tier going to get any better if we don't invest into improving it?

Taking the Hunters and dropping them into the NRL where they aren't sustainable wouldn't be improving anything, it'd just be throwing good money after bad.



Look in an ideal world PNG would get an NRL side, unfortunately the world isn't ideal and we have to be practical, and practically an PNG NRL side is simply a non-starter until PNG figures a few things in their country out and it becomes financially viable.
The NRL is a business not a charity, and throwing away potentially hundreds of millions of dollars over an extended period of time in an attempt to prop up a PNG side when it simply isn't viable cause it's what feels right or cause they 'deserve a side' is a terrible business decision.

BTW, did a bloke from Adelaide root your wife while you were away or something?
Seriously what's your problem with Adelaide, every time they're brought up as an expansion market, you jump out of the woodwork to bag it out.

- So it is just about money, which is disappointing. I disagree that a PNG side would be 'a money pit' and I think it would bring just as much international development to rugby league that a NZ 2 side would.

- Yes, we should invest into improving it, but just dropping teams into it isn't investing or improving it. No one is saying just drop the Hunters into the NRL.

- What exactly are we making all this money for? It's to grow rugby league is it not? Or is it so everyone involved in the NRL gets richer - admin, coaches, players etc? When it comes to what it is there for, the NRL is indeed a charity. The problem with the NRL is still the insularity and selfishness of all involved, and this is the same ridiculousness you kept coming out with in the Denver Test thread, because the NRL and its clubs exist solely to make money apparently, and not for the good of our sport.

- I don't have a problem with Adelaide, I have a problem with placing Adelaide above far more deserving markets which would add a lot more to the game.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Toowoomba, Ipswich and Redcliffe (Brisbane 2) should be the next places in Queensland to have NRL teams in my opinion.

I love all of these areas but my concern is that we are just turning SEQ into Sydney with suburban / small town clubs with a limited ceiling for growth.

The AFL have invested into the bigger city markets in Australia and although not all are successful, they have much better nation-wide sponsorship deals and media coverage as a result.

I love Redcliffe and Ipswich as clubs but the time for them to enter the national league was in 1988 along with a Brisbane QRL club instead of the Broncos.

 

[Springs09]

Re: the second teir - I agree it needs to be developed more and I'm not opposed to a genuine national second teir - even if it is played in conferences.

Re: NZ - we have one team and the TV rights deal is worth $100 million - give a second team time to grow in another city and a genuine rivalry builds up then we are talking much more. For me it's a no brainer. Although I also admit that we are not ready for it right now. I'm talking maybe 10 years time once NZ / Auckland RL get a proper domestic scene setup.

Cairns / PNG would not provide any more benefits to the NRL than the Hunters and Pride do already.

Why is everything simply just about monetary benefit to the NRL? I'm talking about what benefits rugby league as a whole. I believe international development and gaining more professional players from other countries leading to a better international game will grow rugby league globally and is more important than having a presence in Adelaide.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

- So it is just about money, which is disappointing. I disagree that a PNG side would be 'a money pit' and I think it would bring just as much international development to rugby league that a NZ 2 side would.

- Yes, we should invest into improving it, but just dropping teams into it isn't investing or improving it. No one is saying just drop the Hunters into the NRL.

- What exactly are we making all this money for? It's to grow rugby league is it not? Or is it so everyone involved in the NRL gets richer - admin, coaches, players etc? When it comes to what it is there for, the NRL is indeed a charity. The problem with the NRL is still the insularity and selfishness of all involved, and this is the same ridiculousness you kept coming out with in the Denver Test thread, because the NRL and its clubs exist solely to make money apparently, and not for the good of our sport.

- I don't have a problem with Adelaide, I have a problem with placing Adelaide above far more deserving markets which would add a lot more to the game.

The problem with PNG being a money pit is that the NRL is responsible for the game in Australia first and foremost. Adelaide is part of Australia and PNG is not. I'm not doubting how great PNG are for the game but the Australian Governing body can't go ploughing money into a club from another country when there are areas of its juristiction in still without any decent development work being done there.

The reason the game needs money is to a) attract and retain the best talent to make the game attractive, b) fund the grass-roots and spread the game and c) market the game. Without the money we will be over-run by the AFL in no time.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Why is everything simply just about monetary benefit to the NRL? I'm talking about what benefits rugby league as a whole. I believe international development and gaining more professional players from other countries leading to a better international game will grow rugby league globally and is more important than having a presence in Adelaide.

The Hunters provide the link between the local PNG comp and the NRL. All players in the Hunters setup are full-time and being they are playing in the QLD Cup means that they are in the perfect shop window for NRL clubs to pick up their best talent. They would not provide any greater benefits being an NRL club.

Firstly, to compete at NRL level they would need to attract more than just PNG players. It would be difficult to attract players from other nations to play there for starters and if they did, then there is not point in filling the Hunters team with foreigners. That is why I'm saying that they are perfect at Q Cup level because they can play a team full of PNG professional players and compete very well.

 

[RL The greatest game]

I love all of these areas but my concern is that we are just turning SEQ into Sydney with suburban / small town clubs with a limited ceiling for growth.

The AFL have invested into the bigger city markets in Australia and although not all are successful, they have much better nation-wide sponsorship deals and media coverage as a result.

I love Redcliffe and Ipswich as clubs but the time for them to enter the national league was in 1988 along with a Brisbane QRL club instead of the Broncos.

Ipswich population is over 200,000 and forecast to double over the next 10 years.
Redcliffe Dolphins could easily be Brisbane 2 playing out of Suncorp and still playing games at the Dolphin Oval to stay connected with their roots and picking up the disaffected Broncos fans and Rugby League from Brisbane who don't like the Broncos for various reasons

 

[Canard]

For those who still think an NRL team based in whole or in part in Cairns is possible, the Cowboys are currently negotiating to take over the Northern Pride.

There's simply not the money up here to support 2 NRL teams.

WTF??

The pride have been a feeder team to the Cowboys since before they were even called that name