Out of all the places that deserve a team, its central coast.
It has the stadium, it has the support.
But they wont get it.
Wellington is behind even PNG to me.
Perth should never, ever have a team.
You forgot "blah blah ignorant blah blah"
One weak link leads to others. I don't think giving other codes a free kick in such a well populated and once well established rugby-league area is a good thing! You do!
All of those North Sydney AFL and Super Rugby franchises - lol
Bears should come to WA and learn how to grow the grassroots game without an nrl team if that is an issue for them lol.
If bears are so poor at their job that they can’t sustain RL in a RL mad city against codes that have zero NS representation or relevance in the top flight then they are the last organisation to be admitting to the nrl!
You just don't get it! The Bears were unfairly kicked out of the competition just like South Sydney, Balmain & Wests (merged) along with others. This hurt the code immensely in this Sydney area. Give something back and the stronger foundations will produce fruit for the expansion areas like Brisbane2 and WA. Twenty top flight clubs should be an NRL strategic target.
20 teams is completely unsustainable in Australia's crowded sports market. We already punch significantly above our weight with four different professional football codes. The NFL capped it's league at 32 teams in a country of 350 million, 20 teams would severely dilute audiences and attendance, you can't realistically suggest that there's some massive dormant membership base for the Bears who've spent twenty years in hibernation waiting for a return. The majority either found a new team or a new sport.
Wow reading this thread was a waste!
Sydney is over saturated with teams. It would be great to see the Gosford stadium used full time but it will never happen unless a Sydney team moves there.
We are so far behind what the AFL has been doing it's laughable. They have a national comp. We don't. We need another team in Brisbane, a team into Perth (they were unfairly kicked out), another team in NZ and more exposure info Adelaide. It's pretty simple.
The AFL has moved and merged teams and long term it paid off. They are making Melbourne teams be self sufficient.
The NRL can't get it's shit together and Sydney NRL fans are still bitching about the 90's and scoffing at expansion and international Rugby League. . things league really needs to focus on to compete with AFL and Super Rugby.
I agree with stallion alot.
However 20 teams is a bridge too far, not with the talent pool
The talent pool is fine for 20 teams.
When you bring up talent pool what you mean is the standard of play will decrease. To me that isn't an argument because we have allowed coaching/professionalism to reek havoc with the playing standard/spectacle anyway. The NRL "gameplay" would actually be better with worse players scattered into the mix. What ever happened to missed tackles and line breaks. Remember those pre-professionalism. Bring them back.
There are several reasons I would be expanding into NZ with 2 new teams.
Firstly, NZ plays a better brand of rugby league to Australia. Maybe their brand would spread. They are almost reckless with the way they want to throw the ball around.
Secondly, there are a couple of well populated cities over there that qualify for a team.
Thirdly, a bigger representation in NZ would surely mean bigger $$ for sponsorship for existing clubs.
Fourthly, there are a lot of Rugby players in NZ who want an opportunity to play in Australia probably move over here at some point. Lets find a way to compete over there with Rugby.
Would appreciate if you referred to it as rugby union. After all we have two codes of rugby . One that's better watch and play and one that gets most of the privileges in schooling and international treatment.
"Wow reading this thread was a waste!
Sydney is over saturated with teams. It would be great to see the Gosford stadium used full time but it will never happen unless a Sydney team moves there.
We are so far behind what the AFL has been doing it's laughable. They have a national comp. We don't. We need another team in Brisbane, a team into Perth (they were unfairly kicked out), another team in NZ and more exposure info Adelaide. It's pretty simple.
The AFL has moved and merged teams and long term it paid off. They are making Melbourne teams be self sufficient.
The NRL can't get it's shit together and Sydney NRL fans are still bitching about the 90's and scoffing at expansion and international Rugby League. . things league really needs to focus on to compete with AFL and Super Rugby.
"
"Compete with Super Rugby".I had to blink twice when I read that.For rugby in this country the Trojan Horse has bolted.The Shute Shield is more popular among their fans.
Sydney has merged 4 RL clubs, yet the crowds were not boosted.The AFL will do no more relocating.
The very reason all NRL clubs are getting an extra $3m pa in the kick, is to make them sustainable.
The AFL couldn't even sustain a SOO.They stuffed it in NZ.The Lions is losing money hand over Sherrin.
The Sunburns and GWS Gants are costing a King's ransom.If that is good sh*t,then they can keep it in the outhouse.