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18th club, whose next?

Perth Red

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69,520
Is the NRL set to introduce an 18th NRL side just months after the debut of the 17th side, the Dolphins?

Talks of another expansion side joining the competition in the foreseeable future have ramped up in recent times, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys both expressing their desire for another team.
The Prime Minster’s wish for a Pasifika-based team will likely be the favourite to land the 18th NRL license but The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio revealed a surprising contender to secure another team.
“There’s a commission meeting this week and expansion will be right on the agenda, there’s no denying Peter V’landys and Andrew Abdo have a motivation to expand the competition to 20 teams by 2032,” Riccio said SEN 1170 Breakfast.

“Victoria has come up on the radar of the ARL commission, it is on the basis of the Dolphins’ success and the tribalism, and cross-city rivalry that has been created with the arrival of the Dolphins.

“The NRL are looking at the potential of a second team in Victoria to create that type of rivalry in Melbourne.

“It’s an interesting one, I know it hasn’t come up on, as far as the lead contenders, for where expansion can go but I can tell you it’s absolutely on the commission’s radar.”

SEN rugby league expert Greg Alexander admitted he was surprised by the news but gave it little chance to come to fruition.

“Wow, (I’m) not giving it that much thought, I’d say not a chance,” Alexander said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.

“Not even close, (a) second Victorian team? I thought GWS was a bad idea for the AFL to create that cross-city rivalry.

“I’d say no chance, that would be my answer to that one.”

Fellow SEN 1170 Breakfast host Andrew Voss also brushed off the idea and suggested that a second New Zealand side would be the ideal candidate as the next target.

 

Perth Red

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NRL considers expansion with second Victorian team
April 29, 2023 - 12:32PM

In a bid to further expand the National Rugby League (NRL), Chairman Peter V’Landys has hinted at introducing a second Victorian team to the competition.
Citing the success of inter-city rivalry achieved with the addition of a third Queensland team, V’Landys believes that a second Melbourne-based team would similarly energize the city’s sporting landscape.
This move aligns with the league’s ambitious plan to increase the number of participating teams to 20 by 2032.

 

Canard

Immortal
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That's a laughably shit idea.

There isn't any comparison to Brisbane, and the Dolphins.

I've seen feces smeared on the sides of public toilets, that has more coherent thoughts than the NRL on expansion.
 

Perth Red

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69,520
That's a laughably shit idea.

There isn't any comparison to Brisbane, and the Dolphins.

I've seen feces smeared on the sides of public toilets, that has more coherent thoughts than the NRL on expansion.
Its like they are throwing darts lol.
Strategy? Over rated!

Perth Club 18
NZ 2 Club 19
Adelaide or Brisbane3 club 20

thats as hard as the strategy needs to be for the next decade!
 

Wb1234

Immortal
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33,577
1 of 2 things are happening here and both are very realistic.

News corp spinning shit again.

V'landys is trolling news corp.
He’s trolling the afl

like when he said Melbourne was getting magic when brisbane got it

gill would’ve coughed up his pimms at this news after they just committed to a basket case like tasmania
 

Canard

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35,607
If you look at the most recent PNG test sides, a lot of players are Australian with PNG heritage.

Guys like Zac Laybutt, born in Bundaberg or Alex Johnston (Sydney) or Lachlan Lam (Sydney)
 

Canard

Immortal
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35,607
Ok, thanks. The article I read a few weeks ago said they wanted NSW because Hunters were in QLD.
I may be mistaken and it may have been in past tense.

This article is dated 14 April 2023. So your recollection is on the money.

The Hunters play in the QRL with Aus Govt funding https://thewest.com.au/politics/png-gets-high-level-rugby-league-support-c-8349949 (which is shared with other sports, not just RL).

Given the extra logistics of travelling to Sydney every other week, and NSWRL teams travelling to Port Moresby, I would say this bid will need a lot of funding also.

This sort of thing is much more realistic than an NRL team however.

It does highlight that there appears to be some factional differences of opinion on PNGRL though.
 

taipan

Referee
Messages
22,500
I honestly think the government wants an NRL team in PNG so it has something to take away if a future PNG government ever sided with China over Australia. Yes you can cloak it as good will etc but to me it’s all about future leverage.

So if it’s that important then the NRL should use the team as leverage. When it comes to infrastructure funding stadia are needed in Perth, Canberra, South-West Sydney, Cairns and Port Moresby. I’m not saying they’ll get it all but after a PNG team is green lit the NRL will never have that leverage again.
My take, the PNG team is more a political statement to China saying PNG is our sphere of influence and a political statement to PNG Govt and people you are our responsibility and have been so since WW2 and we will stand by you. Whether having a PNG team stationed in Nth Queensland is a good thing ,and not at home (where security is an issue)is up for serious debate.
IOW China or CCP stick to your own sphere of influence.The thought of a Chinese naval base on our doorstep , would give every one the heebie jeebies.
However in the end, we can't tell South Pacific countries what they can and can't do.
Going against my earlier views if the Govt has $250m to spend, why not split it assisting PNG rugby league and facilities and the other half used to upgrade the Perth Stadium ?
 

Perth Red

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69,520
Labor feds control every state and territory except tassie. Hmmm I wonder why they are chipping in there? Chances of them contributing elsewhere seem slim.

WA govt is sitting on billions of $’s budget surpluses, it can afford to do what it chooses without feds support.

what nrl should do is announce it will be Perth if they meet X, y and z. Then the pressure goes onto the govt to meet the demands. Just like afl did in tassie,
 

Canard

Immortal
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Labor feds control every state and territory except tassie. Hmmm I wonder why they are chipping in there? Chances of them contributing elsewhere seem slim.

WA govt is sitting on billions of $’s budget surpluses, it can afford to do what it chooses without feds support.

what nrl should do is announce it will be Perth if they meet X, y and z. Then the pressure goes onto the govt to meet the demands. Just like afl did in tassie,
Yep, like I posted on the weekend.

There's votes to win in Tassie.

Ain't no votes in Port Moresby for the Feds.
 

The Penguin #6.

Juniors
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1,161
WA govt is sitting on billions of $’s budget surpluses, it can afford to do what it chooses without feds support.

what nrl should do is announce it will be Perth if they meet X, y and z. Then the pressure goes onto the govt to meet the demands. Just like afl did in tassie,
But they (the NRL) are not though are they, so you do have to wonder if this Perth thing is just a mirage and is not going to happen despite our hopes.
I would have thought if Perth had such a strong case, and the NRL would know this behind the scenes, then you`d think they`d be shouting it from the rooftops, yet we hear nothing about it amongst all the options that V`landy`s keeps spouting.
 

taipan

Referee
Messages
22,500
There's absolutely no way the NRL would have a 2nd NRL team in Vic in the next 5 years at the earliest dare say even 10. We may as well call them Melbourne Giants B.
It's PVL doing a sh*t stir at the AFL to sort of intrude into the Tasmanian new team/stadium blah blah news.
Don't know whether the Melbourne media mentioned it.If they did V'Landys succeeded.
 

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