You didn't answer my questions. Nor did you provide any facts.
Here's a few facts for you.
- The Broncos were made to pay a $500k entry fee to join the NSWRL.
- The Gold Coast Tweed Giants were established not long afterwards and were provided a $500k loan after Arthurson and Quayle agreed to give the Broncos exclusivity in SEQ.
- Financial assistance was handed to the Newcastle Knights. The doublecross from Arthurson and Quaule caused problems between the Broncos and NSWRL from day one and culminated in the club's defection to Super League.
Here's a transcript from
"The History of Rugby League Clubs" by Ian Collis and Allan Whittaker
Four organisations made bids to the QRL, which was allowed to sanction the franchise (although the winning franchise would have to pay $500,000 to the NSWRL before admission). The Ron McAulliffe led 'Norwood-McKay' group had the public support of Wally Lewis. McAulliffe was also the chairman of the Lang Park Trust and had secured exclusive sponsorship of Castlemaine Breweries at the home of State of Origin football. McAulliffes group was favoured to gain the franchise over the Maranta-Morgan group, the 'Internationals Sydnicate' headed by John Sattler and Bob Hagan, and a third consortium led by former Brisbane club coach Darryn Van Der Velde. But when QRL delegates voted 5-4 to allow a Brisbane team to join the NSWRL, the move was defeated 5-4, largely on the opposition of the traditional Brisbane clubs. Incredibnly, QRL chairman Bull Hunter declined to use his casting vote (as chairman it was worth two votes if there was a tie).
The Morgan-Maranta consortium offered the Brisbane clubs 30% of the consortiums profit (as opposed to the McAullife group's lump sum offer). When the vote to allow a Brisbane club to field a team in the NSWRL came before the QRL again on 5th April again on 5th April 1987, the vote was unanimous. It was also clear the McAulliffe group no longer had the inside running to secure the franchise. The Barry Maranta consortium was the preferred choice, 7 votes to 3, including the crucial vote of chairman Bill Hunter.
The victory of the Maranta-Morgan group did not please everybody. When ARL Chairman Ken Arthurson expressed his public disappointment at the failture of the McAulliffe group to win the franchise, it immediately set the scene for conflict with the new club. Originally, the new Brisbane club was to be granted exclusive rights to the south-east of Queensland - a move agreed to by the QRL and endorsed by the NSWRL. The same year Brisbane was admitted, the NSWRL hastily granted a license to a team from the Gold Coast. The League even gave the Gold Coast-Tweed Giants' an interest free $500,000 loan and offered financial assistance to the codes other new club, Newcastle. Brisbane on the other hand, were given no such assistance.
The winning consortium also had the potential to alienate Wally Lewis - the logical captain of the club - as well as the Lang Park Trust headed by McAulliffe. The decision to go with rival brewer Powers immediately got the club offside with the Lang Park Trust.
Here's a transcript from
'100 Years of Rugby League in Queensland' (by Tony Price)
At one point it looked like no one was going to get a license. In a controversial board meeting on March 23, 1987, the QRL voted against a Brisbane based team competing in the NSW competition.
Due to his alignment with the Norwood-McKay bid, McAulliffe as chairman, abstained from voting. The board voted 5-4 against a Brisbane license.
There were dual concerns, firstly McAulliffe's additional links as chairman of the Lang Park Trust and crucially the potential destructive effect a Brisbane team in the big league would have on clubs in its own state competition.
The NSWRL were outraged, threatening to end the Brisbane license tender process and go ahead in 1988 with a 14 team competition that would feature only one expansion team in Newcastle. When the dust settled the QRL were won over by the Maranta consortium which offered the organisation 30% of the profits, plus two seats for QRL delegates on its board of directors.
On May 4, 1987 six weeks after the NSWRL's fury at the QRL boardroom policits, the Maranta faction was officially handed the Brisbane license to enter the Winfield Cup the following season and the Brisbane Broncos were born. This was also the end of the Brisbane Rugby League competition as we knew it.
