ARLC CEO Smith charts a course to take league to No.1

[DC_fan]

Nonsense.

I think the game gains a whole lot by supporting it's traditions and also advancing expansion. Tradition is the bedrock of any sport, without it we would e something like Super15.

Sydney clubs are not the problem, poor administration and management within the game has always been the biggest thing holding it back. Thankfully this looks to be changing.

Take Souths, would it have been a good thing for them to have died, of course not yet back in 2000 there were plenty of people saying they are dead.

Australia wouldn't support 22 teams I also mentioned overseas teams. Why in say 15-20 years couldn't we have this many clubs? If it is because we don't have enough players instead of accepting this do something to change it so there are enough players. Why not start with academies and link ups in schools and universities throughout Australia, PNG, NZ and the Pacific? Start now and who knows where the game can be in 20 years.

I can see the game being set up with conference like the US, this would be great for TV and cover the whole region and of any sports league has the potential to do it in the Oceania region.

22 Clubs -

Qld - 5

NSW - 11

ACT - 1

Vic - 1

WA - 1

NZ - 2


22nd team could come from SA, Pac Islands, or PNG.

Conferences allows the game to expand without having to cull clubs.

I am a Souths fan and I am very happy that they were returned to the NRL. But regardless of that, nine teams playing out of Sydney is too many. If they cut back the number of Sydney teams, yes it would upset some fans. But eventually the game would get over it. Look over the last 100 years and see how many Sydney teams have come and gone. The game has moved on and become much stronger.

It would be the hardest decision the games rulers would ever have to make. But its their job to make those hard decisions.

In 1908 when the game started here in Australia we got our players from NSW and Qld. In 2013 we still get about 99.9 percent of the players from those states. In regards to player development and where we recruit them from, nothing really has changed in over 100 years. The big difference today is that we have many more sports and activities for kids to be involved in compared to 1908. We are fighting with other sports for kids.

I have always lived in the western suburbs of Sydney. When I was growing up thier was really only one winter sport for me to play, and that was Rugby League. Today kids have a number of sports they can play and like it or not a lot of them are not playing league. Thats a problem that needs to be looked in to.

Seriously we do not have the number of quality players available in Australia to cover 20-22 teams.

 

[DC_fan]

All the old Norths fans are either dead or close to it.

Bahahaha, how long ago do you think North Sydney played in the competition mate? All those original Cowboys suporters of only 18 years ago must be dead or close to it by now as well.

Huge contender for most ignorant post ever on this site.

I had my tongue firmly planted in my cheek when I said that.

My point was that the game has moved on. The fact that Norths are no longer in the competition has done no damage to the NRL.

 

[Perth Red]

Seriously we do not have the number of quality players available in Australia to cover 20-22 teams.

Yet, and rugby league is not only played in Australia!

NZ, png, England all remain relatively untapped gold mines of playing talent for the NRL. If there isn't 100 NRL potential players out of the 100,000 reg players in those countries I'll eat my pirates hat.

 

[firechild]

I am a Souths fan and I am very happy that they were returned to the NRL. But regardless of that, nine teams playing out of Sydney is too many. If they cut back the number of Sydney teams, yes it would upset some fans. But eventually the game would get over it. Look over the last 100 years and see how many Sydney teams have come and gone. The game has moved on and become much stronger.

Keep in mind that the likes of Cumberland, Sydney Uni, Glebe, etc were not long time participants (Glebe lasted 21 seasons, the others even less). Newtown are the exception and there are still Newtown fans that will not support another club after 30 years.

Yes, the game will move on and new fans will come but there are huge gaps of thousands of fans that will not be filled for 15-20+ years. Also, by losing adult fans you potentially also lose the next generation who don't have the same push towards the game that they otherwise would have. Interest in rugby league on the North Shore seems to have waned since the Bears died, kids aren't being taken to the footy by their parents because their parents no longer care. Their neighbours no longer care and their classmates are in the same predicament. That means minimal rugby league influence on these kids' lives.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

It's getting pretty f**king tiresome hearing about how terrible it is for some pockets of Sydney not to have an NRL team as if every single suburb without one is lost to the sport. Huge areas of the country are without a local club but no one is whinging about Dubbo not having an NRL team, or Port Macquarie, or Bundaberg. These places remain strong RL areas despite not having an NRL club in their doorstep so I don't buy this shit that a few suburbs in North Sydney are now RL deserts because the Bears aren't around. It's more Sydney-centricity and if there is one positive about Smith is that he seems to be able to see past that crap. Not many others in this sport can. Not in Sydney anyway.

 

[Perth Red]

But,but,but you can;t expect Sydney folk to travel 30mins to a game!

I don't think there is any magic number of clubs for Sydney, I do think that every club, wherever they are, should be sustainable, adding value to the competition, have a strong fanbase, play in decent modern stadia, be able to attract decent corporate partners and not damage the NRL brand through financial or unethical problems. If 9 Sydney teams can achieve that then great, if they can't then bye bye. RL needs strong heartlands to grow beyond our 100 year confines, question I have is after 100 years why are those heartlands not stronger? Brisbane is a good example, heartland, RL territory yet one club that seems under represented in its fanbase. Maybe a second and eventually third Brisbane club is a must to strengthen heartlands? Maybe reducing from nine teams will in the long tern strengthen Sydney hearltand? Ultimately clubs hold their destinies in their own hands. Perform well, grow your fanbase, move into modern stadia and stay fiancially viable and you will be safe.

 

[LJC]

Heartland comment. If you look at Engish Premier League soccer they have numerous clubs playing out of London. It is Englands largest city and Sydney is Australias largest city. These clubs have history and recognition that cannot be replicated by newer clubs.

In fact, the Central Coast Bears is a win/win for consolidation and securing a heartland area!

Sydney is getting bigger! If you look to rid Sydney of a club you are diluting the strength of RL. Support in Sydney is very tribal and locality based, and I dont think you appreciate this. Sure when a club isnt going well crowds are down(look at Souths-they got kicked out!) but when times are good the fans are there. You get rid of a club you get rid of a massive fan base which has history,established foundations plus recognition already behind it! Its simple and true!

More clubs are the answer and when and where should be the discussion, not trying to cut the throat of the game! Thats what Superleague was aiming to do!

 

[Diesel]

I'd be interested to see what the blue print for the future of the competition is supposed to look like. We know Perth, Brisbane2 and NZ2 are near certainties. Somewhere the Bears should be included, be it CC, Adelaide, Brisbane or NZ. CQ and a possible Brisbane3 should be on the map but how any of these expansion teams will affect Sydney numbers I'd like to know.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

It's getting pretty f**king tiresome hearing about how terrible it is for some pockets of Sydney not to have an NRL team as if every single suburb without one is lost to the sport. Huge areas of the country are without a local club but no one is whinging about Dubbo not having an NRL team, or Port Macquarie, or Bundaberg. These places remain strong RL areas despite not having an NRL club in their doorstep so I don't buy this shit that a few suburbs in North Sydney are now RL deserts because the Bears aren't around. It's more Sydney-centricity and if there is one positive about Smith is that he seems to be able to see past that crap. Not many others in this sport can. Not in Sydney anyway.

You just have to look at the NRL membership map to see RL is a complete Sydney wide sport.

There's no pockets of non RL fans across any part of the city.

http://member.nrl.com/#stakeYourClaim

I've read quite a few times from places like the raah and bigpoofy/planet punt n grunt that the eastern suburbs, south sydney and north sydney all support union and VFL.

Another myth shown up.

 

[docbrown]

I'd be interested to see what the blue print for the future of the competition is supposed to look like.

So would most fans. ;-) I think the game has the player pool to sustain a 20 team comp, especially if it starts recruiting from previously poorly investigated overseas markets and from Union grassroots/pros.

I agree with you about Perth, South-West Brisbane and a second New Zealand side, along with a Bears team, preferably on the Central Coast which I feel will have stronger support and is less risky than Adelaide however the NRL may go with the dots on a map theory. Preferably all 4 teams are phased in from 2015 to 2021 to maximise future broadcast negotiations.

After that Adelaide (if its not already included), Sunshine Coast, Melbourne#2, Central Queensland and PNG may all have strong cases but it will be determined by how well that 20 team comp stabilises. A inter-sydney merger in the vein of the Wests Tigers or St George Illawarra may open up another expansion spot and for obvious reasons that would favour the next biggest as yet underserviced market. Hopefully the game's popularity will soon skyrocket and by 2030 we'll have seen 9 new markets added in a 24 team comp in 3 countries making the league number one in Oceania by a country mile but even a 20 team international comp would be a force to be reckoned with.

 

[Clarke]

I had my tongue firmly planted in my cheek when I said that.

My point was that the game has moved on. The fact that Norths are no longer in the competition has done no damage to the NRL.

Ignorance at its finest. That's all ill say regarding this.

Keep in mind that the likes of Cumberland, Sydney Uni, Glebe, etc were not long time participants (Glebe lasted 21 seasons, the others even less). Newtown are the exception and there are still Newtown fans that will not support another club after 30 years.

Yes, the game will move on and new fans will come but there are huge gaps of thousands of fans that will not be filled for 15-20+ years. Also, by losing adult fans you potentially also lose the next generation who don't have the same push towards the game that they otherwise would have. Interest in rugby league on the North Shore seems to have waned since the Bears died, kids aren't being taken to the footy by their parents because their parents no longer care. Their neighbours no longer care and their classmates are in the same predicament. That means minimal rugby league influence on these kids' lives.

Oh wow. Common sense.

It's getting pretty f**king tiresome hearing about how terrible it is for some pockets of Sydney not to have an NRL team as if every single suburb without one is lost to the sport. Huge areas of the country are without a local club but no one is whinging about Dubbo not having an NRL team, or Port Macquarie, or Bundaberg. These places remain strong RL areas despite not having an NRL club in their doorstep so I don't buy this shit that a few suburbs in North Sydney are now RL deserts because the Bears aren't around. It's more Sydney-centricity and if there is one positive about Smith is that he seems to be able to see past that crap. Not many others in this sport can. Not in Sydney anyway.

North Sydney is a suburbs of Sydney? Cute.

It's not like people are calling for the Horsnby Bears to enter the NRL. Lol

 

[bobmar28]

Heartland comment. If you look at Engish Premier League soccer they have numerous clubs playing out of London. It is Englands largest city and Sydney is Australias largest city. These clubs have history and recognition that cannot be replicated by newer clubs.

In fact, the Central Coast Bears is a win/win for consolidation and securing a heartland area!

Sydney is getting bigger! If you look to rid Sydney of a club you are diluting the strength of RL. Support in Sydney is very tribal and locality based, and I dont think you appreciate this. Sure when a club isnt going well crowds are down(look at Souths-they got kicked out!) but when times are good the fans are there. You get rid of a club you get rid of a massive fan base which has history,established foundations plus recognition already behind it! Its simple and true!

More clubs are the answer and when and where should be the discussion, not trying to cut the throat of the game! Thats what Superleague was aiming to do!

London has 9 soccer teams?
And if Sydney needs 9 NRL teams to keep fans on board then that is a sad state of affairs.

 

[cleary89]

London has way more than 9 soccer teams.

 

[Clarke]

London has 9 soccer teams?
And if Sydney needs 9 NRL teams to keep fans on board then that is a sad state of affairs.

Why? Because its not ideal or because its not what you wan it to be?

Fair dinkum

 

[thorson1987]

London has 9 soccer teams?
And if Sydney needs 9 NRL teams to keep fans on board then that is a sad state of affairs.

I agree. 8 should be fine though. So lets kick out the dogs.

 

[Perth Red]

London has way more than 9 soccer teams.

5 in the premier league for a city of 8.1million people as opposed to 9 in the NRL for a city of 4.6million. Not that it is really relevant. Sydney and Melbourne would have to have the most professional teams in a top tier of sport of any cities in the world.

 

[cleary89]

6. But half the championship sides in london average better than the nrl, and some of the league 1 go close.

 

[bobmar28]

Why? Because its not ideal or because its not what you wan it to be?

Fair dinkum

It's not ideal.

 

[byrner]

It's not ideal.

Its not ideal to you. The number of teams in sydney is fine.

Remember the NRL was born out of the NSWRL, hence the reason that the majority of teams come from sydney/nsw.

The NRL is NSW's rugby league comp, I am all for expansion, but why does it have to be at the cost of the city/state who made the game what it is today.

Those of you who say we can not sustain any more teams are kidding themselves.
Take PNG for example, one of their local sodes beat a GOOD Qld cup side a few weeks back. Take the best 25 local PNG guys, give them a fulltime contract and a professional environment and you have a decent NRL team.
Also NZ2, have a look at the talent in their Super Rugby clubs as well as their national comp. Take 25 guys from those comps and you have a top line NRL squad!
After those two, look at the quality guys playong around Qld Cup and NSW cup. Take the best 25 players out of those comps, give them fulltime contracts and you have another quality NRL squad.
And thats not to mention all our guys playing in the SuperLeague

 

[The Voice of Reason!]

Remember the NRL was born out of the NSWRL, hence the reason that the majority of teams come from sydney/nsw.

I always thought the NRL was born out of Super League and the ARL comps.

The NRL is NSW's rugby league comp, I am all for expansion, but why does it have to be at the cost of the city/state who made the game what it is today.

Completely disagree with the bolded section, doubly so since the traditional Brisbane teams were discarded at a cost to those who helped make the game what it is today.

Those of you who say we can not sustain any more teams are kidding themselves.

Agree wholeheartedly.