Easts Tigers Enter Expansion Race

[titoelcolombiano]

All I know is I was telling you back then that they would probably end up in the NRL and you were pushing back big time. Granted, they still might not end up in the NRL but as it stands now, they are much closer than you ever thought they'd be.

However it seems I did accurately predict who would be in the box seat right? Are you just pissed off because it wasn't you that did so?

 

[The Great Dane]

However it seems I did accurately predict who would be in the box seat right? Are you just pissed off because it wasn't you that did so?

Why would I be upset that I didn't predict 'who would be in the box seat' when I refused to make a prediction?

Besides, the only people saying they are in the box seat are the media, which should be a massive red flag to anybody that loves the game.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Why would I be upset that I didn't predict 'who would be in the box seat' when I refused to make a prediction?

You were certainly adamant that my prediction wasn't right though... yet here we are. You still haven't told me which bid you would pick if Redcliffe is supposedly no good.

 

[Perth Red]

I can only see the firehawks drawing 25k plus to suncorp. That’s why they are my fave.

 

[Perth Red]

The Brisbane Firehawks have attempted to assuage the expansion concerns of the Broncos and Gold Coast Titans by vowing not to poach their players, staff and sponsors during their first two years of existence.
Firehawks bid chief Shane Richardson also wants the chance to stand in front of the existing clubs and state his bid’s case as he looks to strengthen their claims on the 17th licence.

The ARL Commission is expected to take another step towards expansion later this week when they hold a meeting to discuss the latest developments in the 17th team saga.
restle with the Dolphins and Brisbane Jets to win favour from the ARL Commission and Richardson has sought to address the concerns of the Broncos and Titans by outlining plans to steer clear of both clubs as they build a new franchise from the ground up.

It is understood the Firehawks have informed NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo of their plans to give the Broncos and Titans some breathing space, their hope that doing so will ease some of the concerns over the cannibalising of existing outfits.

READ MORE:Richer than the Broncos: Firehawks claim Kevvie’s club
“We are there to get new sponsors and new people to the game,” Richardson said.

“On top of that we have guaranteed that we will not touch any sponsor … that is on their website. Every other player, staff member or coach we will to contact for two years unless both clubs are agreeable.

“We also made a commitment to the Gold Coast that we will not go to the Gold Coast or the Northern Rivers to pick up players for two years.

“They’re worried about us poaching their staff — their coaches and administration. There is not one person from Brisbane or the Gold Coast that we want on our staff.

“In our summary to the NRL we have talked about where we are getting our players from and it is not Gold Coast or Brisbane.

“It’s about trying to attract new sponsors and we have new sponsors in line who have nothing to so with the Gold Coast and Brisbane.”

The only exceptions to the Firehawks’ pledge would be alcohol and betting sponsors, who generally support more than one club.

The Firehawks will also go though the front door when it comes to players and back off if the Titans or Broncos give them the cold shoulder.

That puts a line through a host of players who could be potential targets should the Firehawks win the expansion race.

The Broncos alone have Patrick Carrigan, Herbie Farnworth, Jamaybe Isaako and Jake Turpin off contract at the end of 2022. The Titans have the likes of Jarrod Wallace and Tino Fa‘asuamaleauii up for grabs at the same time.

The Dolphins and Firehawks are the clear favourites in the expansion race, having edged clear amid concerns over the financial viability of the Jets.

The clock is ticking to add a 17th team for the 2023 season given the new franchise will need to be given time to target and negotiate with quality players. A host of marquee names remain on the market for 2023, although the likes of Parramatta are expected to step up negotiations with their players in coming weeks.

The Eels have the likes of Reed Mahoney, Clint Gutherson, Marata Niukore and Isaiah Papali’i off contract at the end of 2022.

The final step for the commission will be to address expansion with the clubs. While they don’t need their approval to add a new team, their clear preference is to bring the existing clubs on the journey.

“We would love to be able to talk to the clubs generally, not just Gold Coast and Brisbane,” Richardson said.

“We would love to be able to point out or marketing plan is about an 18-44 category, which the NRL don’t have now anyway. It is about a string of people on the western corridor who aren’t attached to a club.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-expansion-brisbane-firehawks-pledge-not-to-pillage-broncos-and-titans/news-story/c7a00b559d69c75f8f74db20aa091ab2

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Gold Coast Titans recruited players from the Broncos, Cowboys and numerous other clubs when they entered the competition. Broncos recruited their players from the 9 BRL clubs they put out of business.

 

[Perth Red]

Queensland is on the brink of getting a fourth NRL team - the Firehawks are hoping it's them.
The Brisbane Jets, Redcliffe Dolphins and Firehawks are all vying for a spot in the NRL to become the competition's 17th team.
With plans underway to introduce a new club by 2024 the latest, NRL boss Peter V'landys is set to hold crucial talks with all three expansion hopefuls next week.
But while each franchise hopes to bring their own unique offerings to the negotiation table, it's the Firehawks who believe they've got plenty in their locker which will get the fans - particularly footy-mad Queenslanders - excited.


As a franchise, the Firehawks already represent the Easts Tigers club that currently ply their trade in the Queensland Cup.
Leaning off that pre-existing 105-year-old fanbase is a bonus, but the Firehawks recognise that attracting and engaging a new age of young rugby league supporters will be a key sticking point when it comes to nabbing that 17th spot in the NRL.
Personal growth aside, the hopefuls know their ability to attract younger fans could also be the driving force and ultimately the blueprint in growing the wider NRL too.

"The Firehawks will be able to attract a new younger audience via our communications and digital approach," Rich Digital CEO Brent Richardson told SPORTbible Australia.
"This will allow us to attract new sponsors to the game, combat the AFL in southeast Queensland and future proof rugby league.
"Our members will be at the heart of everything we do. When we set out to create the 17th NRL team we decided to envisage what a new club could look like in today's world that is not shackled by legacy. It would be a team that focuses on being a sports and entertainment powerhouse that engages and entertains our members at every touchpoint and makes them proud to be a part of the Firehawks community."
There have been plenty of rumours swirling as to which star players or legendary coaches could jump ship to the NRL newcomers.
Being a team based in the Sunshine state, initial talks suggested we could see an influx of Queensland greats with fans envisaging the likes of Wayne Bennett in the dugout or Cameron Munster as captain.
But as we edge closer to crunch time for the expansion hopefuls, we could very well see a younger generation of players start throwing their names into the hat as the potential headline attraction for a new team.
There's no denying that young fans would love to see players like Latrell Mitchell, Kalyn Ponga, Reece Walsh, Joseph Manu, Sam Walker, Jayden Campbell, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui or even Joseph Suaalli suit up in a new jersey and be the face of the NRL's newest team.

That said, the Firehawks know there's more they can offer than just a big-name marquee signing.
With the power of social media growing so rapidly today, the Firehawks hope to tap into that as a way of not only communicating regularly with its fanbase but also engaging with them too.
No, we're not talking about bog-standard Instagram polls or even Facebook posts - instead, the Firehawks are offering something other NRL teams can only dream of.

Away from the footy field, the Firehawks have some revolutionary ideas up their sleeve which will undoubtedly get a younger audience onside and change the framework of how fans consume the great game of rugby league.
"What is most important to us is showing up where our members are and adding value to them," Richardson added.
"We have created a twitch channel where our members can watch their favourite player. We have also created Firehawks nests which are pop up bars and venues where members can get together and support the Firehawks if they cannot get to the game.
"We have Spotify playlists chosen by our members and will offer member-only exclusives such as Supreme clothing and free trials of Kayo and Canva.
"Our game day experience will be like no other where you could buy your ticket in crypto, listen to up and coming DJs and host entertaining halftime shows.
"If you look at what the Carolina Panthers did with augmented reality, we would be looking into that as well as stats by YouTube and try celebrations by Nickelodeon."
But if you thought the Firehawks' bold plans stop in their tracks after becoming the NRL's 17 side, then you'd be sorely mistaken.
The franchise doesn't just want to hang around down the bottom of the ladder and scrape a few wins here and there, they're demanding competitiveness from the get go and have a 10-year projection which should worry some of the other current clubs.
"Our goal is to build a club and ethos that makes it a top 4 club every year, is profitable, grows the games fanbase, wins a premiership and creates a new model for what a successful franchise can look like so that others can replicate it," Richardson said.
"We are not the big end of town nor the small end of town, we are not your dad's or grandad's footy team, we are your team."

Why Rugby League Fans Should Get Behind Expansion Hopefuls The Firehawks

The Firehawks believe they've got plenty in their locker which will get the fans - particularly footy-mad Queenslanders - excited.

www.sportbible.com

 

[Pippen94]

Yeah, this bid's not happening

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

I'll support the Firehawks.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

As a QLD RL fan, it is really good to see the NRL taking the AFL attempts in SEQ seriously before they've really become an issue. The AFL hasn't really got anything other than a small foothold with the Lions but the NRL is taking them head-on before it becomes a problem for them. Really good to see. Especially when you look at the history of the NSWRL / ARL treating QLD as an afterthought.

 

[mongoose]

As a QLD RL fan, it is really good to see the NRL taking the AFL attempts in SEQ seriously before they've really become an issue. The AFL hasn't really got anything other than a small foothold with the Lions but the NRL is taking them head-on before it becomes a problem for them. Really good to see. Especially when you look at the history of the NSWRL / ARL treating QLD as an afterthought.

The NRL has got itself in such a dumb and desperate situation though. How does this code honestly expect to compete with AFL with only 1 team in it's 2nd largest market and no teams in the countries 4th and 5th cities? Brisbane 2 should have happened decades ago and we should have at the very least a team in Perth by now. We should be talking about which Adelaide and NZ2 bids are coming in.... stupid, stupid code

 

[Perth Red]

As a QLD RL fan, it is really good to see the NRL taking the AFL attempts in SEQ seriously before they've really become an issue. The AFL hasn't really got anything other than a small foothold with the Lions but the NRL is taking them head-on before it becomes a problem for them. Really good to see. Especially when you look at the history of the NSWRL / ARL treating QLD as an afterthought.

AFl has us right where they want us, stuck behind our walls in our heartlands worrying about their attack instead of growing the game into their territory. Best defence is offence and all that!

 

[titoelcolombiano]

AFl has us right where they want us, stuck behind our walls in our heartlands worrying about their attack instead of growing the game into their territory. Best defence is offence and all that!

Whilst I agree that a Perth team is a must for us. We have a majority of the most populous places in the country covered plus NZ largest market. The AFL don't have luxury of being the number 1 sport in NSW or QLD or a NZ market, so they have to try and cut out a niche in ours. We don't have to go wasting bit dollars like that. We have to make sure the RL stays number 1 in NSW and QLD and we have to continue to grow the game in Melbourne and NZ and then eventually add Perth.

We are not in as bad a spot as is made out to be compared to the AFL

 

[Pippen94]

Whilst I agree that a Perth team is a must for us. We have a majority of the most populous places in the country covered plus NZ largest market. The AFL don't have luxury of being the number 1 sport in NSW or QLD or a NZ market, so they have to try and cut out a niche in ours. We don't have to go wasting bit dollars like that. We have to make sure the RL stays number 1 in NSW and QLD and we have to continue to grow the game in Melbourne and NZ and then eventually add Perth.

We are not in as bad a spot as is made out to be compared to the AFL

About 55% of Australia's population live in nsw-qld-act. That percentage is growing every year. That's why afl is going hell for leather adding teams to north. NRL has advantage of geography

 

[titoelcolombiano]

The NRL has got itself in such a dumb and desperate situation though. How does this code honestly expect to compete with AFL with only 1 team in it's 2nd largest market and no teams in the countries 4th and 5th cities? Brisbane 2 should have happened decades ago and we should have at the very least a team in Perth by now. We should be talking about which Adelaide and NZ2 bids are coming in.... stupid, stupid code

Yep, don't disagree that we should have Brisbane 2 and Perth already... in fact, we had them in 1995. The SL War has has left a long legacy of cautiousness around the game and cutting / adding clubs.

I do disagree that the AFL are in a hugely better position. Here are the top 10 most populous places in Australia:

1. Sydney
2. Melbourne
3. Brisbane
4. Perth
5. Adelaide
6. Gold Coast
7. Newcastle
8. Canberra
9. Sunshine Coast
10. Central Coast

Of that list, Melbourne Perth and Adelaide are AFL cities. All the rest are RL territory. They have to spend millions to get into and sustain a presence on our turf. We don't have to. A simple move of putting a Perth team in the comp will fix that up for us and we can begin to carve out a niche there like the storm are doing in Melbourne.

Add Auckland to that list (which would come in 5th, just behind Perth on that list) and we are in a much stronger position than the AFL. In addition to Perth, put more effort into fortifying our heartlands and we are sweet.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

AFl has us right where they want us, stuck behind our walls in our heartlands worrying about their attack instead of growing the game into their territory. Best defence is offence and all that!

No we are where they want to be. We are the number 1 game in NSW and QLD, they would kill for the position to be reversed which is why they have to waste millions to get a small foothold in those markets.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

About 55% of Australia's population live in nsw-qld-act. That percentage is growing every year. That's why afl is going hell for leather adding teams to north. NRL has advantage of geography

Absolutely correct. Throw Auckland in the mix which recently brought us a $68 million TV deal, then you start to realise that there is a lot of AFL spin when it comes to their footprint.

 

[MugaB]

Absolutely correct. Throw Auckland in the mix which recently brought us a $68 million TV deal, then you start to realise that there is a lot of AFL spin when it comes to their footprint.

What we should be doing is adding a 2nd Melbourne side, 2 storms are better than one... but we have enough cocaine stories doing the rounds, this would most probably add more

 

[Perth Red]

Whilst I agree that a Perth team is a must for us. We have a majority of the most populous places in the country covered plus NZ largest market. The AFL don't have luxury of being the number 1 sport in NSW or QLD or a NZ market, so they have to try and cut out a niche in ours. We don't have to go wasting bit dollars like that. We have to make sure the RL stays number 1 in NSW and QLD and we have to continue to grow the game in Melbourne and NZ and then eventually add Perth.

We are not in as bad a spot as is made out to be compared to the AFL

Not sure if you’ve seen the revenue gap between the two codes but clearly having representation in every major capital city generates more money. like I said afl has us staring at our navels and not pushing them in their territory. If we had their strategy we’d have a team in perth, two in melbourne and brisbane and one on Adelaide by now. Maybe we wouldn’t then be $260mill a year behind them?

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Not sure if you’ve seen the revenue gap between the two codes but clearly having representation in every major capital city generates more money. like I said afl has us staring at our navels and not pushing them in their territory. If we had their strategy we’d have a team in perth, two in melbourne and brisbane and one on Adelaide by now. Maybe we wouldn’t then be $260mill a year behind them?

Hard to tell, Perth would certainly help but we've been screwed for years despite being about even in ratings plus having Origin as the cherry on top. The SL war and being part owned by News in the aftermath has set us back. Seems we are terrible at negotiating TV deals and government lobbying. Our geographical advantage should be worth much more than we are getting if you consider we have NZ penetration also.