18th club, whose next?

[Wb1234]

I would disagree slightly on the last bit. The competition has been miles better than last year.

I’d say that there is clearly a top two - your team and the Storm and then the rest where anybody could potentially beat anybody else.

You only have to look at some of the results which definitely wouldn’t have happened last year (Broncos beating the Sharks and Souths; Tigers beating Souths and Parra; Knights beating the Roosters; Bulldogs beating the Roosters, Dragons beating the Roosters, Cowboys being top 4 atm)

It has made the games a lot more interesting.

Agree with all of this

but it’s early days and the storm are very beatable as parra showed

at the start of the year I thought eels vs panthers. Eels have the forward pack to bully Penrith. Nobody else can imo they are so far ahead of the comp it’s a joke

the storm lack the forwards but rely upon their brilliant spine players to win them games

 

[Wb1234]

Titans problems are not due to name and colours. Start winning games and better fan engagement in the region and the stadium will get 20k regardless of name.

Paying tradies from the centre of excellence was one of their biggest problems

take out the failed coe and they are ok financially

 

[Wb1234]

PNG, would be amazing and brave, but ultimately cant see it in a poor country where they haven't even got running water to some places yet.

Papua New Guinea has launched a bid to join the NRL as the competition’s 18th team in the next broadcast cycle, receiving the backing of the country’s prime minister.As the NRL awaits the introduction of the Dolphins as the 17th team next year, Papua New Guinea has put its hand up for the license of the 18th club.Rugby league powerbrokers want to make the NRL an 18-team competition at some point in the future, but it’s hard to envisage that happening before the upcoming broadcast agreement ends after the 2027 season.The NRL had previously discussed a second team in New Zealand along with the Warriors, however PNG believed they would be ready to go with a team from 2025. Other options include a team in Perth or on the NSW’s Central Coast.
The PNG bid, backed by prime minister James Marape, was also open to becoming the team of the Pacific, linking with countries like Fiji, Tonga and Samoa to join forces.“The investment and work we’ve done over the last 12 years with our infrastructure, governance and financial capacity and competitiveness of the sport in the country has put us in a good position,” PNG Rugby League chairman Sandis Tsaka said.“Investment in the domestic game in terms of football structures from our juniors to elite pathways program has led to the success we’re having with the Hunters [who currently play in the Queensland Cup].“
Our men’s and women’s international teams are becoming competitive. Investment we’ve done across the game in terms of infrastructure has us in good stead to put in a good bid.“We know there are other teams within Australia and New Zealand that have put their hand up.
It will be a competitive process. For us it’s about getting our work done, so we can put in a bid that can compete and be selected to be the 18th team in the NRL. We are confident we can do that.”

Papua New Guinea launches bid to become NRL’s 18th team

A second team in New Zealand is an early frontrunner in the discussion around NRL expansion, but PNG has thrown its hat into the ring.

www.smh.com.au

It makes a whole lot of sense if they combine with cairns as a base. Then you get a 5th team in qld plus png

ong should be team number 21 into the nrl

 

[Wb1234]

They are both potentials. It would depend on how much support the Dolphins are getting and even more so on the Titans. The Titans are still struggling atm and we need to make sure their support is strong first before we enter a new side right next to them.

To be honest they should look at teams outside of NSW/QLD and then in 10 or so years time, look at this option again.

Nz2 announced in 2025 for a 2027 start

then Brisbane 4
Then Perth

 

[siv]

I’m surprised that somebody like siv hasn’t suggested this already.

Actually scratch that - it can only be expansion if it is in NSW (ironically)

You only do this by establishing a association with a area and playing 1 to 3 games at location

But that match would a match against a regional opponent due to limited seating at those venues in many cases

Eg Easts play at Adelaide
Wests in Perth
Parra in Darwin
etc

 

[The Penguin #6.]

no one doubts that, but as has been put forward before that population is already watching NRL, its not got any growth as they are currently tuning in. The game needs to grow into new markets and we only have 3 really: Perth, Adelaide and other parts of NZ to grow into. Problem is Warriors rate badly in Aus so no expectation a second NZ club would fare better and Adelaide is no where near ready for an NRL team. So guess that really leaves only one realistic choice

From what I`ve seen News Corp tipped in about an extra $50 - $70m to help Storm get through their teething stages and become self-sufficient.
With $170m in the bank what`s stopping the NRL of using $70m of that ( over several years ) to help get a Perth team up and running.
With their base NRL grant of $13m, which would largely covered by a broadcaster that has shown it will tip in more ( $15m/yr ) for the right expansion team, what are your thoughts of the economics of Perth team.
Is it as simple as there just isn`t the sponsorship dollars there to meet that gap once the NRL extra funding was withdrawn.

 

[Perth Red]

From what I`ve seen News Corp tipped in about an extra $50 - $70m to help Storm get through their teething stages and become self-sufficient.
With $170m in the bank what`s stopping the NRL of using $70m of that ( over several years ) to help get a Perth team up and running.
With their base NRL grant of $13m, which would largely covered by a broadcaster that has shown it will tip in more ( $15m/yr ) for the right expansion team, what are your thoughts of the economics of Perth team.
Is it as simple as there just isn`t the sponsorship dollars there to meet that gap once the NRL extra funding was withdrawn.

I don’t think perth would need anything like that. Maybe some start up support for first couple of years so the club can really make a splash in a crowded perth sports market but there’s plenty of corporate support here. Previous time in 2011 we had a number of start up sponsor companies lined up ready to go. There’s also a number of rich people, keen to own the club.
What we do need though is the funding to nrlwa for participation increase. That’s where the nrl should be spending five times what it currently does in perth!

 

[Wb1234]

From what I`ve seen News Corp tipped in about an extra $50 - $70m to help Storm get through their teething stages and become self-sufficient.
With $170m in the bank what`s stopping the NRL of using $70m of that ( over several years ) to help get a Perth team up and running.
With their base NRL grant of $13m, which would largely covered by a broadcaster that has shown it will tip in more ( $15m/yr ) for the right expansion team, what are your thoughts of the economics of Perth team.
Is it as simple as there just isn`t the sponsorship dollars there to meet that gap once the NRL extra funding was withdrawn.

That would be a terrible waste of the Games cash resources

The arlc should not copy the afl and just throw hundreds of millions at clubs who aren’t sustainable in the hope they can one day make it

 

[The Penguin #6.]

I don’t think perth would need anything like that. Maybe some start up support for first couple of years so the club can really make a splash in a crowded perth sports market but there’s plenty of corporate support here. Previous time in 2011 we had a number of start up sponsor companies lined up ready to go. There’s also a number of rich people, keen to own the club.
What we do need though is the funding to nrlwa for participation increase. That’s where the nrl should be spending five times what it currently does in perth!

Let`s be perfectly frank here, if it`s so straight forward why isn`t it happening ?

 

[The Penguin #6.]

That would be a terrible waste of the Games cash resources

The arlc should not copy the afl and just throw hundreds of millions at clubs who aren’t sustainable in the hope they can one day make it

Yeah I can see the dilemna, team in Perth; 9.00p.m game for Fox, true national competition and the advantages that entails, or for example the NRL have a stadium built in south-west Sydney; real tangible asset, opportunity to generate non-NRL income i.e. rental for concerts etc.
I`m not being sarcastic making that comparison, but are genuinely interested in which one provides the best value.

 

[Colk]

Let`s be perfectly frank here, if it`s so straight forward why isn`t it happening ?

The game is extraordinarily conservative.

 

[Colk]

Yeah I can see the dilemna, team in Perth; 9.00p.m game for Fox, true national competition and the advantages that entails, or for example the NRL have a stadium built in south-west Sydney; real tangible asset, opportunity to generate non-NRL income i.e. rental for concerts etc.
I`m not being sarcastic making that comparison, but are genuinely interested in which one provides the best value.

You’d do both if the cases stacked up. A team in Perth is what you do first because Canterbury and the Tigers can at least play at Commbank until you had the requisite funds.

 

[Colk]

That would be a terrible waste of the Games cash resources

The arlc should not copy the afl and just throw hundreds of millions at clubs who aren’t sustainable in the hope they can one day make it

Perth wouldn’t be the GC Suns (smaller area and less corporates) or the GWS Giants (putting a team in a wider area which can only support one) You are only talking about about one team in a city of more two million people, one of the fastest growing and the wealthiest area in Australia. It is the biggest no brainer of all time (one of anyway)

The fact that people are even arguing against it shows how conservative some people are. You may as well not do anything if that is your mentality.

 

[The Penguin #6.]

You’d do both if the cases stacked up. A team in Perth is what you do first because Canterbury and the Tigers can at least play at Commbank until you had the requisite funds.

So why aren`t we doing it ? surely it can`t just be a matter of being too conservative. There must be stuff that we don`t know.

 

[Colk]

So why aren`t we doing it ? surely it can`t just be a matter of being too conservative. There must be stuff that we don`t know.

I think some of the arguments on here suggest some of the reasons why. The idea being that we shouldn’t go there because it’s not a RL area.

There are two main problems with this idea.

1. You never achieve anything by not trying.
2. It’s based somewhat on this idea that societies or communities don’t change which is kind of a view stuck in the 1980’s. In a world post globalisation, people move for work/lifestyle opportunities all the time. Perth is made up of people from the east coast, people that have moved from England and other countries etc. Same as Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne is made up from people born in other states/countries. This is something that other sports (AwFuL included) have worked out - everything is a market you can obtain a share of. It just depends whether the reward of obtaining that market is worth the investment in it.

Don’t worry though, I have a feeling that some are working this out and if we wish to pursue more and more expansion they will eventually take on this opportunity as well as NZ 2.

 

[Colk]

You only do this by establishing a association with a area and playing 1 to 3 games at location

But that match would a match against a regional opponent due to limited seating at those venues in many cases

Eg Easts play at Adelaide
Wests in Perth
Parra in Darwin
etc

What’s the wider point of doing this though? You won’t get any massive investment from these areas (at least ongoing), you’ll cost the teams doing this by reduced memberships and third party corporates and you’ll piss off your own supporters.

Either relocate fully or put teams in these areas. (Btw I’m not suggesting you put a team in Darwin as it’s too small. Adelaide maybe in 10-15 years down the track)

 

[Colk]

Nz2 announced in 2025 for a 2027 start

then Brisbane 4
Then Perth

Brisbane 4? We will only have two sides from next year.

 

[Wb1234]

Perth wouldn’t be the GC Suns (smaller area and less corporates) or the GWS Giants (putting a team in a wider area which can only support one) You are only talking about about one team in a city of more two million people, one of the fastest growing and the wealthiest area in Australia. It is the biggest no brainer of all time (one of anyway)

The fact that people are even arguing against it shows how conservative some people are. You may as well not do anything if that is your mentality.

I think Perth will get a team

i just don’t think Perth is very important for the games future

I see Perth as team 20 into the nrl after they have added nz2 and Brisbane 3

 

[Wb1234]

Brisbane 4? We will only have two sides from next year.

I meant qld

Brisbane 4? We will only have two sides from next year

meant Brisbane 3

 

[Colk]

It makes a whole lot of sense if they combine with cairns as a base. Then you get a 5th team in qld plus png

ong should be team number 21 into the nrl

The government (most likely) would have to tip in a mountain of money for this to have any legs. The reason is because no private investor would likely do it - the investment would have to be large and ongoing with no potential end date and no potential profit.

Now this would be possible, if for example, China became interested in PNG and the government of that time had the same suspicions or concerns about such an investment as they do now.