THE time has come to make a decision on expansion. If the NRL isn't in position to make it now, the issue should be placed at the top of the independent commission's order of business.
The constant delays are simply unfair to the people working furiously on expansion bids. The obvious example is Central Coast chief Greg Florimo. I've bumped into Greg several times over the past 18 months and his commitment to the region has impressed me.
He's a passionate man and he genuinely believes a team should be based on the NSW central coast. People like Greg deserve to know whether they are wasting their time or if they have a hope of winning a place in the NRL. If they're no chance, someone needs to tell them.
As much as I admire Greg and the work he has done, if the NRL or commission for that matter decide to press ahead with expansion, I believe they should look to Perth and Brisbane.
If it were purely a sentimental decision, I would certainly have the central coast in there. But from what I am hearing, with the central coast so close to Sydney where nine teams are based already, there's a thought that they may not bring enough to the table. If we're looking at what's best for the game and best for television rights, I think a second Brisbane team and Perth are the preferable options.
Brisbane is a no-brainer. The corporate and fan support in the city is beyond compare. Queenslanders love their league and Brisbane would have no worries supporting two sides.
As for Perth, I've been fortunate to travel to the city in recent seasons when the Storm has played games. The crowds have been impressive. They make for enthusiastic spectators.
The important thing for Perth is to get the right people involved. They need to hire a chief executive, coach, captain and senior players who know what our game is about and how you build a successful club.
They need a bit of patience. They need good development and recruitment systems. Most importantly, they need to get the right people in the right positions. You need strong foundations in your club to make it grow.
The other thing Perth brings to the table is the prospect of the game having a national competition again. In my eyes, the advantage of being national is the bargaining power it would give us with regard to television rights. We need to use that leverage to get a better deal for the clubs, their supporters and sponsors.
The sport is going gangbusters at the moment. In recent years it has dominated pay-TV ratings. Last Monday night's game was the highest rating show on pay television for the past two years. I believe it's crucial the game uses that strength to regain control of scheduling, particularly where and when games are played.
The AFL and A-League, for example, have a full-season draw. Before the season has begun, their supporters and sponsors know exactly where and when their team will be playing. The best we can offer at the start of a season is five games in advance.
The other important issue is ensuring the games are shared evenly so every club gets a chance to have exposure on commercial TV. Sponsors want to be on free-to-air.
We don't have to negotiate only TV rights. We need to negotiate a say in when games are played so all sides get an equal amount of Friday nights, Saturday, Sunday and Mondays.
The players are doing a wonderful job on the field. It's a great game for TV. I reckon we're in a pretty strong position at the negotiating table.
We just need to make a decision on whether we want to expand. And it needs to be made sooner rather than later.
