Easts Tigers are too big to not be in the NRL

[siv]

Balmain and Brisbane Easts to merge and become the East Coast Tigers

 

[Pippen94]

Balmain and Brisbane Easts to merge and become the East Coast Tigers

..and play in NSW or Qld cup?!

 

[steeden.]

Balmain and Brisbane Easts to merge and become the East Coast Tigers

Is it 2002 all over again?

 

[steeden.]

re: Clydesdales. They are going well. Results alone don’t paint the full picture. Admittedly, there are some financial shortfalls with their Mal Meninga, Cyril Connell and Harvey Norman U-19 and 17 pathways squads but that looks likely to be resolved soon. Their seniors both men squads are fine (financially).

The club is drawing from a massive region. They have done really well since 2023 to streamline.

Their 2006 collapse was as much to do with a mini revamping of the Q Cup, as it was the Broncos pulling their associated support away. There were other factors too ie they never really had a strong relationship with T’ba RL.

It’s really refreshing to hear they’re doing okay. Always had a soft spot for them from the Broncos feeder days and it’s been great having them back. Hopefully they’re here long term

 

[parrawentyfan]

For me the great story here is that we have so much potential. The growth could be endless.

- Easts Tigers (or whatever monikers they come up with). I liked Firehawks and also don't mind Sabres.
- Ipswich
- Sunshine Coast
- Cairns
- Central Coast
- Christchurch
- Wellington
- Hamilton
- Adelaide
- Auckland 2
- Melbourne 2

Each of those has their own challenges but we could make them work without too much drama and they would bring unique benefits. Add demergers to that and other random things and skies are limitless. Future is bright.

 

[Pippen94]

It’s really refreshing to hear they’re doing okay. Always had a soft spot for them from the Broncos feeder days and it’s been great having them back. Hopefully they’re here long term

Was that from a verifiable source?!

 

[Canard]

For me the great story here is that we have so much potential. The growth could be endless.

- Easts Tigers (or whatever monikers they come up with). I liked Firehawks and also don't mind Sabres.
- Ipswich
- Sunshine Coast
- Cairns
- Central Coast
- Christchurch
- Wellington
- Hamilton
- Adelaide
- Auckland 2
- Melbourne 2

Each of those has their own challenges but we could make them work without too much drama and they would bring unique benefits. Add demergers to that and other random things and skies are limitless. Future is bright.

Cairns is 150k.

And is 50% of the Cowboys catchment.

It's not even remotely a sustainable option.

 

[Trifili13]

For me the great story here is that we have so much potential. The growth could be endless.

- Easts Tigers (or whatever monikers they come up with). I liked Firehawks and also don't mind Sabres.
- Ipswich
- Sunshine Coast
- Cairns
- Central Coast
- Christchurch
- Wellington
- Hamilton
- Adelaide
- Auckland 2
- Melbourne 2

Each of those has their own challenges but we could make them work without too much drama and they would bring unique benefits. Add demergers to that and other random things and skies are limitless. Future is bright.

The growth isn't endless (unless you are happy for quality to suffer). While some of the options you have listed have a good chance of future admission and population growth will also help with player numbers, but you have listed 11 new clubs. And that's before demergers you have suggested. The bottom clubs struggle now to get a decent squad in a 17 team comp, where are all these future first grade squads going to come from?

Unless I have misinterpreted what you are saying, you are suggesting a comp with some 30 teams. Heck even the NFL only has 32 and the USA population is about 10 times Australia's, NZ, PNG and south pacific combined.

 

[Gobsmacked]

What's wrong with having a strong Q cup team and a strong Q cup ?
I think the Q cup should be rebranded to something that can be expanded into NSW and swallow up those small cities neglected by NSW RL:
Dubbo, Bathurst, Coffs harbour, Wagga Wagga, FIJI...

 

[Canard]

What's wrong with having a strong Q cup team and a strong Q cup ?
I think the Q cup should be rebranded to something that can be expanded into NSW and swallow up those small cities neglected by NSW RL:
Dubbo, Bathurst, Coffs harbour, Wagga Wagga, FIJI...

Out of all the suggestions, that is certainly one.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

If (not going to happen, but let's play what if) Wests Tigers demerged and Western Suburbs Magpies assumed the license, it leaves Balmain dead in the water. They don't really exist anymore and Brisbane Tigers would then be free to persue an NRL license using their existing name, no merger with Balmain required. At least that way Balmain fans would see their actual jersey and logo in the NRL and the Tigers would be a well run powerhouse instead of a basket case.

 

[Gobsmacked]

If (not going to happen, but let's play what if) Wests Tigers demerged and Western Suburbs Magpies assumed the license, it leaves Balmain dead in the water. They don't really exist anymore and Brisbane Tigers would then be free to persue an NRL license using their existing name, no merger with Balmain required. At least that way Balmain fans would see their actual jersey and logo in the NRL and the Tigers would be a well run powerhouse instead of a basket case.

I can't stand when people are putting teams together because they're a jet or in this case a Tiger... people who stood on hill in Leichhardt are NEVER going to follow an inner city BRISBANE club simply because it's a Tiger..
Tiger, Rabbitohs or Pigeon... has no real bearing on a teams identity, it's simply just a Symbol of that true identity..
Unless you're under 10.

 

[SirPies&Beers]

Was that from a verifiable source?!

mary pippen acting like a scorched jaded lover. has become the new obsessed with posters forum member when it comes to red&black haha. just like alwaysloser.

poor mary pippens, no song that he sings will bring him any joy. dumb man, is dumb man.

 

[jim_57]

What's wrong with having a strong Q cup team and a strong Q cup ?
I think the Q cup should be rebranded to something that can be expanded into NSW and swallow up those small cities neglected by NSW RL:
Dubbo, Bathurst, Coffs harbour, Wagga Wagga, FIJI...

That’s what NSW Cup should become, being basically reserve grade with the same clubs is just a bit boring IMO, should be clubs with their own identities and regions like Queensland Cup. Doubt it will happen but might be a chance if NRL reserve grade happens.

Take the bigger non-NRL Sydney clubs with backing like St Mary’s, Wenty, Mounties & Workers. Rosellas for Newcastle, Wyong Roos for Central Coast. North Sydney Bears, Newtown, Steelers & Magpies. Then add in a Canberra side and a couple regional clubs, probably just Wagga/Riverina & Coffs/North Coast at least to start.

 

[Perth Red]

Should be NRL reserve grade then a national second tier of two conferences made up of towns, areas, countries that will never get an NRL club. Give the locals someone to support.

 

[Gobsmacked]

Should be NRL reserve grade then a national second tier of two conferences made up of towns, areas, countries that will never get an NRL club. Give the locals someone to support.

A national second tear would be fantastic but that's only worthwhile AS the reserve grade to the NRL, with the sprinkling of contracted and hopefuls that would keep the standards high.
Both doesn't make sense as your essentially flying 3rd choice players all over the country.

 

[Perth Red]

A national second tear would be fantastic but that's only worthwhile AS the reserve grade to the NRL, with the sprinkling of contracted and hopefuls that would keep the standards high.
Both doesn't make sense as your essentially flying 3rd choice players all over the country.

If you had a NRL squad of 45 to cover 1st and reserve grade that would leave around 175k adult RL players in Aus and NZ. Im sure you could make up a decent quality 20 club two conference championship out of that! Problem with a pseudo reserve grade is it has little value or credibility to fans.
No reason a club in a genuine championship comp in Cairns or Sunshine coast couldnt be drawing 5-10k fans to a game.
And thats leaving aside the argument a genuine NRL reserve grade would produce much higher quality players than the current farming out of players on an ad hoc basis. It was only canned due to cost and that is no longer an issue for the NRL.

 

[flippikat]

If (not going to happen, but let's play what if) Wests Tigers demerged and Western Suburbs Magpies assumed the license, it leaves Balmain dead in the water. They don't really exist anymore and Brisbane Tigers would then be free to persue an NRL license using their existing name, no merger with Balmain required. At least that way Balmain fans would see their actual jersey and logo in the NRL and the Tigers would be a well run powerhouse instead of a basket case.

Good point, and that was something I was wondering about (with all that talk about a "de-merger" for Wests Tigers).. from what I gathered about Balmain, the club only seems to exist as a banner for a faction on the board.. a shell of a club, in a way...

So all that would be needed would surely just be the Wests faction to seize control, with them strongly believing that the Magpie brand is the way forward, and convince the NRL to allow a rebrand (perhaps along with some lobbying by Brisbane Easts).

 

[Pippen94]

Should be NRL reserve grade then a national second tier of two conferences made up of towns, areas, countries that will never get an NRL club. Give the locals someone to support.

They already follow NRL teams

 

[Gobsmacked]

If you had a NRL squad of 45 to cover 1st and reserve grade that would leave around 175k adult RL players in Aus and NZ. Im sure you could make up a decent quality 20 club two conference championship out of that! Problem with a pseudo reserve grade is it has little value or credibility to fans.
No reason a club in a genuine championship comp in Cairns or Sunshine coast couldnt be drawing 5-10k fans to a game.
And thats leaving aside the argument a genuine NRL reserve grade would produce much higher quality players than the current farming out of players on an ad hoc basis. It was only canned due to cost and that is no longer an issue for the NRL.

Cost is always an issue if you don't want it to become an issue.
We have Q cup and NSW Cup that have their own history and meaning and I'm glad that they get a sprinkle of talent which helps with the overall standard.
We don't need a reserve comp that means nothing.