18th club, whose next?

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

I'd like to know what the Melbourne Storm think about a Perth-based team competing with them for access to the best juniors from Queensland, NSW and New Zealand?

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

So you don’t go to games? You and donkey have a lot in common lol

You didn't go to the double header in Perth.

I havent missed a Perth origin. 2 weeks with the family in Disneyworld or a double header featuring teams I dont care about, hmmm tough choice lol Besides 45k, didnt need me there!
You get to any Swans games last year? Im off to Wembley this year, how far you going to watch the Swans? Optus is good, when the Swans play here you should come over.

So you hate Origin because it had a higher profile than Test matches, but you spent hundreds of dollars on a ticket to see a game?

Were you jealous knowing that both sides on the field would belt the Poms in a match?

Great Britain struggled to beat the Burleigh Bears in 1999.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

The night Burleigh almost beat Great Britain

Author
Tony Webeck
Timestamp
Fri 30 Sep 2016, 07:00 AM

Dean Allen still talks of the night he was 10 centimetres from rugby league immortality.

The Great Britain Lions team was on their 1999 tour that encompassed the Tri-Nations tournament against Australia and New Zealand and were only just holding out a feisty Burleigh Bears outfit in a warm-up game at Pizzey Park on the Gold Coast.

The Bears are back on the national stage this Sunday taking on the Illawarra Cutters in the Intrust Super State Championship but on October 16, 1999 they threatened to tilt the rugby league world off its axis.

Coached by Rick Stone, the 1999 Gold Coast Group 18 and Queensland Cup champions had the enormous throng of local supporters in a frenzy when they led 6-4 at half-time against a Lions team featuring some of the biggest names in English rugby league.

Winger Aaron Douglas was stretchered off during the grand final win over Redcliffe but played the game of his life opposite Jason Robinson; hooker Jamie O'Connor berated British props Stuart Fielden and Barrie McDermott for their stench at every scrum while Allen was told by towering centre Keith Senior to watch himself after he tackled half Sean Long following a kick down field.

But it was in the game's dying stages where Allen's brush with legend came up agonisingly short.

With five-eighth Craig Freer drifting across field Allen straightened into a hole and found himself in open space with only the fullback, Iestyn Harris, to beat.

Now trailing 10-6, Allen stepped past the Welsh international and set sail for the try-line for what would have been the match-winning try beside the posts.

Almost 5,000 fans roared him forward but after resisting the urge to raise his arm in triumph as the try-line loomed the 96-kilogram lock forward was cut down by his opposite number, England captain Andy Farrell.

"I've pinned my ears thinking I'm going to score and its right in front of the Burleigh scoreboard and the Burleigh hill," said Allen, who now works at Lang's Building Supplies and coached the Burleigh Colts this season.

"It's not my nature to put my hand up and celebrate beforehand but every part of me wanted to do that.

"I had the smile across my face thinking I was going to score and then all of a sudden Andy Farrell cut me in half from side-on in a traditional lock's cover-defending tackle and I'm fully stretched and probably 10 centimetres short from scoring the match-winner next to the posts."

After Ali Davys snuck over from dummy-half in the first half for Burleigh it was Farrell who scored the second-half try that put the visiting international team in front and as St Helens legend Paul Sculthorpe described in his book, Man of Steel, saved them from "complete humiliation".

"Burleigh weren't exactly up for a free-flowing game and most of them looked like they'd come straight from the gym," Sculthorpe wrote.

"Clearly they wanted to make a name for themselves by bashing a few Poms, which maybe you couldn't blame them for, and we didn't help ourselves when we won by only four points either.

"It has to be one of the craziest games I've ever played in, where they were just trying to turn it into one big thugfest, but you can imagine the sort of coverage we got after that."

Burleigh prop Shane O'Flanagan, named in the Queensland Cup 20th Anniversary team last year, didn't recall fisticuffs as such but a determination by the Bears to prove that they weren't going to be intimidated.

And the longer the game went, the more vociferous the Burleigh players became as they drew ever closer to what would have been one of the great upsets in rugby league history.

"We knew we were playing against Adrian Morley and Barrie McDermott and some pretty reasonable players but we just wanted to prove how good we were and have a go," said O'Flanagan, who is based in Cairns these days working for Lindsay's Transport and is an assistant coach with the Northern Pride.

"It was a tough old battle and leading 6-4 at half-time we probably thought we were a good shot of getting away with it.

"Packing into the scrum and hearing some of the boys get into the sledging, that was some of the funniest parts.

"I wasn't the biggest sledger on the field to be honest but some of the sledges I do remember about how much they smelled and how useless they were and that they were a two-bit side.

"It was pretty impressive, some of the stuff that was coming out."

Halfback and captain Grant Adamson had spent time with Seagulls and St George and didn't miss his opportunity to tell the likes of Denis Betts what he thought of their performance, putting the Lions very much on the back foot.

"They were very quiet," recalled Adamson, who has run the Rarely Late Freight transport business on the Gold Coast for the past decade.

"I don't know whether they weren't expecting us to be physical and verbal and were just treating it as a lower-tier trial game but I just thought it was my right to spray them about how close we were and how bad they were playing.

"I reckon we would have had at least 6,000 people there that night. You couldn't move. You could not move, and the crowd was rapt just with our effort so that kept them in the game, that we stayed in the game."

And with the current-day Bears ready to showcase their skills to an audience of millions on NRL Grand Final day, the words of Allen ring as true now as they did 17 years ago.

"It might have been an exhibition and trial game for them but for us it was a chance to prove our worth."

The night Burleigh almost beat Great Britain

The Bears are back on the national stage when they take on the Illawarra Cutters in the Intrust Super State Championship, but they almost shocked the world.

www.nrl.com

 

[blue bags]

The night Burleigh almost beat Great Britain

Author
Tony Webeck
Timestamp
Fri 30 Sep 2016, 07:00 AM

Dean Allen still talks of the night he was 10 centimetres from rugby league immortality.

The Great Britain Lions team was on their 1999 tour that encompassed the Tri-Nations tournament against Australia and New Zealand and were only just holding out a feisty Burleigh Bears outfit in a warm-up game at Pizzey Park on the Gold Coast.

The Bears are back on the national stage this Sunday taking on the Illawarra Cutters in the Intrust Super State Championship but on October 16, 1999 they threatened to tilt the rugby league world off its axis.

Coached by Rick Stone, the 1999 Gold Coast Group 18 and Queensland Cup champions had the enormous throng of local supporters in a frenzy when they led 6-4 at half-time against a Lions team featuring some of the biggest names in English rugby league.

Winger Aaron Douglas was stretchered off during the grand final win over Redcliffe but played the game of his life opposite Jason Robinson; hooker Jamie O'Connor berated British props Stuart Fielden and Barrie McDermott for their stench at every scrum while Allen was told by towering centre Keith Senior to watch himself after he tackled half Sean Long following a kick down field.

But it was in the game's dying stages where Allen's brush with legend came up agonisingly short.

With five-eighth Craig Freer drifting across field Allen straightened into a hole and found himself in open space with only the fullback, Iestyn Harris, to beat.

Now trailing 10-6, Allen stepped past the Welsh international and set sail for the try-line for what would have been the match-winning try beside the posts.

Almost 5,000 fans roared him forward but after resisting the urge to raise his arm in triumph as the try-line loomed the 96-kilogram lock forward was cut down by his opposite number, England captain Andy Farrell.

"I've pinned my ears thinking I'm going to score and its right in front of the Burleigh scoreboard and the Burleigh hill," said Allen, who now works at Lang's Building Supplies and coached the Burleigh Colts this season.

"It's not my nature to put my hand up and celebrate beforehand but every part of me wanted to do that.

"I had the smile across my face thinking I was going to score and then all of a sudden Andy Farrell cut me in half from side-on in a traditional lock's cover-defending tackle and I'm fully stretched and probably 10 centimetres short from scoring the match-winner next to the posts."

After Ali Davys snuck over from dummy-half in the first half for Burleigh it was Farrell who scored the second-half try that put the visiting international team in front and as St Helens legend Paul Sculthorpe described in his book, Man of Steel, saved them from "complete humiliation".

"Burleigh weren't exactly up for a free-flowing game and most of them looked like they'd come straight from the gym," Sculthorpe wrote.

"Clearly they wanted to make a name for themselves by bashing a few Poms, which maybe you couldn't blame them for, and we didn't help ourselves when we won by only four points either.

"It has to be one of the craziest games I've ever played in, where they were just trying to turn it into one big thugfest, but you can imagine the sort of coverage we got after that."

Burleigh prop Shane O'Flanagan, named in the Queensland Cup 20th Anniversary team last year, didn't recall fisticuffs as such but a determination by the Bears to prove that they weren't going to be intimidated.

And the longer the game went, the more vociferous the Burleigh players became as they drew ever closer to what would have been one of the great upsets in rugby league history.

"We knew we were playing against Adrian Morley and Barrie McDermott and some pretty reasonable players but we just wanted to prove how good we were and have a go," said O'Flanagan, who is based in Cairns these days working for Lindsay's Transport and is an assistant coach with the Northern Pride.

"It was a tough old battle and leading 6-4 at half-time we probably thought we were a good shot of getting away with it.

"Packing into the scrum and hearing some of the boys get into the sledging, that was some of the funniest parts.

"I wasn't the biggest sledger on the field to be honest but some of the sledges I do remember about how much they smelled and how useless they were and that they were a two-bit side.

"It was pretty impressive, some of the stuff that was coming out."

Halfback and captain Grant Adamson had spent time with Seagulls and St George and didn't miss his opportunity to tell the likes of Denis Betts what he thought of their performance, putting the Lions very much on the back foot.

"They were very quiet," recalled Adamson, who has run the Rarely Late Freight transport business on the Gold Coast for the past decade.

"I don't know whether they weren't expecting us to be physical and verbal and were just treating it as a lower-tier trial game but I just thought it was my right to spray them about how close we were and how bad they were playing.

"I reckon we would have had at least 6,000 people there that night. You couldn't move. You could not move, and the crowd was rapt just with our effort so that kept them in the game, that we stayed in the game."

And with the current-day Bears ready to showcase their skills to an audience of millions on NRL Grand Final day, the words of Allen ring as true now as they did 17 years ago.

"It might have been an exhibition and trial game for them but for us it was a chance to prove our worth."

The night Burleigh almost beat Great Britain

The Bears are back on the national stage when they take on the Illawarra Cutters in the Intrust Super State Championship, but they almost shocked the world.

www.nrl.com

The Grizzlies Bear's

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

The Grizzlies Bear's

The insults they made about the Pommies' stench were quite funny.

 

[Perth Red]

I'd like to know what the Melbourne Storm think about a Perth-based team competing with them for access to the best juniors from Queensland, NSW and New Zealand?

Maybe they were one of the 70% of club chairmen/ceos who voted for perth to be club 18?

an interesting comment in response to last weeks poll as well from Vlandys:

“That’s not surprising about Perth, but we’re deep in discussion with the federal government on Papua New Guinea. It’s no secret we want to go to 20 teams and Perth is certainly in the mix. We can do both.” - Peter V’landys.

Yes to PVL, no to PNG: Club bosses have their say on NRL’s biggest issues

In part one of the Herald’s annual poll completed by club CEOs, chairmen and general managers, the game’s most influential figures have their say on some controversial topics.

www.smh.com.au

 

[Perth Red]

You didn't go to the double header in Perth.



So you hate Origin because it had a higher profile than Test matches, but you spent hundreds of dollars on a ticket to see a game?

Were you jealous knowing that both sides on the field would belt the Poms in a match?

Great Britain struggled to beat the Burleigh Bears in 1999.

I took great joy in being at the old craven park watching arguably the best club side in the world at the time beat queensland back in the early 80’s. Glory days.

 

[Perth Red]

What region do you believe should be the host of the 18th NRL team?

Results​

• Perth: 70%
• Wellington: 9%
• Central Queensland: 6%
• South-east Queensland: 6%
• Papua New Guinea: 6%
• NSW Central Coast: 3%

The verdict: Despite the NRL pushing ahead with plans to make Papua New Guinea its 18th team, the clubs are strongly against it. Only 6 per cent of clubs want the next team to come from PNG. There is strong support for Perth to be handed the next license.

What they said:​

“That’s not surprising about Perth, but we’re deep in discussion with the federal government on Papua New Guinea. It’s no secret we want to go to 20 teams and Perth is certainly in the mix. We can do both.” - Peter V’landys.

Do you think the NRL should introduce a team in Papua New Guinea in the future given the financial backing from the Australian Government?

Yes 32%
No 68%

The verdict: While only six per cent of club bosses believe PNG should be given the license for the NRL’s 18th team, 32 per cent think the region should be given a team at some point in the future given the millions of dollars on offer from the federal government.

V’landys believes clubs will change their minds in time. “What you have to understand, to be fair to the people who have answered the questions, they are basing their opinion without any information that we have,” he said. “Once they get that info, they might have a different view. I guarantee it.”

What they said:​

• “Peter and Andrew are competent leaders of our game and make an excellent combination. While it is appealing to take the government’s cash to expand to PNG, we must recognise the social dilemmas and challenges of doing business in that market, not to mention the economic prospects of PNG fans being able to financially support their team. Perth and the Pacific are two better markets.” - Anonymous club boss.
• “If the team is to become a reality, it needs to be a true PNG team that is fully based in and playing out of PNG.” - Anonymous club boss.

Yes to PVL, no to PNG: Club bosses have their say on NRL’s biggest issues

In part one of the Herald’s annual poll completed by club CEOs, chairmen and general managers, the game’s most influential figures have their say on some controversial topics.

www.smh.com.au

 

[Perth Red]

What do you believe is the optimal number of teams the NRL can sustain by 2030?

Results​

• 18 teams: 53%
• 20 teams: 35%
• Other: 12%

The verdict: The NRL has a vision for 20 teams in the next 10 years. The majority of clubs believe the NRL should only introduce one team between now and 2030.

---

Would you support a two-conference system in the NRL?

Results​

• No: 51%
• Yes, when there are more teams: 49%
• Yes, let’s do it now: 0%

2022 results: No 83%, Yes 17%
The verdict: Sydney Roosters supremo Nick Politis recently threw his support behind a two-conference system as early as the introduction of the 18th team. The NRL is toying with the idea of splitting the competition into two conferences, but would prefer to do it at 20 teams.

What they said​

• “There are different types of ways you can do it and they will all be looked at. Naturally we will also consult with clubs and the RLPA, but I can see merit in it. We’ll have to sit down and do some analysis and sit down with broadcasters. There are a lot of benefits to it. My look at it is only cursory and haven’t gone into depth on it. The most important party is the one that gives you 80 per cent of revenue - that’s the broadcasters.” - Peter V’landys.
• “The competition could use a 20-team system, with four conferences and five teams in each, similar to the NFL that would help balance the draw and allow more ‘blockbusters’ for existing or created rivalries. A revamped finals system with winners and runners-up from each conference and a wildcard system for highest-placed third teams, seeing 10 teams playing in the finals.” - Anonymous club boss.

 

[Wb1234]

Better hope they don’t scuttle expansion after team 18 is admitted lmao

 

[Canard]

I'd like to know what the Melbourne Storm think about a Perth-based team competing with them for access to the best juniors from Queensland, NSW and New Zealand?

How would that differ from the other 16 clubs?

Or any new club in any location?

This shitty "gotcha" relies on the conciet that the existing QLD and NSW clubs only recruit from there local area.

The Dolphins only have 10 out of their current 30 players who played junior footy in QLD, and none in the Dolphins system.

The Broncos only 13, and half that number are regional QLDers with no history in Brisbane footy.

 

[MugaB]

What region do you believe should be the host of the 18th NRL team?

Results​

• Perth: 70%
• Wellington: 9%
• Central Queensland: 6%
• South-east Queensland: 6%
• Papua New Guinea: 6%
• NSW Central Coast: 3%

The verdict: Despite the NRL pushing ahead with plans to make Papua New Guinea its 18th team, the clubs are strongly against it. Only 6 per cent of clubs want the next team to come from PNG. There is strong support for Perth to be handed the next license.

What they said:​

“That’s not surprising about Perth, but we’re deep in discussion with the federal government on Papua New Guinea. It’s no secret we want to go to 20 teams and Perth is certainly in the mix. We can do both.” - Peter V’landys.

Do you think the NRL should introduce a team in Papua New Guinea in the future given the financial backing from the Australian Government?

Yes 32%
No 68%

The verdict: While only six per cent of club bosses believe PNG should be given the license for the NRL’s 18th team, 32 per cent think the region should be given a team at some point in the future given the millions of dollars on offer from the federal government.

V’landys believes clubs will change their minds in time. “What you have to understand, to be fair to the people who have answered the questions, they are basing their opinion without any information that we have,” he said. “Once they get that info, they might have a different view. I guarantee it.”

What they said:​

• “Peter and Andrew are competent leaders of our game and make an excellent combination. While it is appealing to take the government’s cash to expand to PNG, we must recognise the social dilemmas and challenges of doing business in that market, not to mention the economic prospects of PNG fans being able to financially support their team. Perth and the Pacific are two better markets.” - Anonymous club boss.
• “If the team is to become a reality, it needs to be a true PNG team that is fully based in and playing out of PNG.” - Anonymous club boss.

Yes to PVL, no to PNG: Club bosses have their say on NRL’s biggest issues

In part one of the Herald’s annual poll completed by club CEOs, chairmen and general managers, the game’s most influential figures have their say on some controversial topics.

www.smh.com.au

Hahahahaha anonymous club boss hahahahaha

 

[Maximus]

Do you think the NRL should introduce a team in Papua New Guinea in the future given the financial backing from the Australian Government?

Yes 32%
No 68%

The verdict: While only six per cent of club bosses believe PNG should be given the license for the NRL’s 18th team, 32 per cent think the region should be given a team at some point in the future given the millions of dollars on offer from the federal government.

V’landys believes clubs will change their minds in time. “What you have to understand, to be fair to the people who have answered the questions, they are basing their opinion without any information that we have,” he said. “Once they get that info, they might have a different view. I guarantee it.”

What they said:​

• “Peter and Andrew are competent leaders of our game and make an excellent combination. While it is appealing to take the government’s cash to expand to PNG, we must recognise the social dilemmas and challenges of doing business in that market, not to mention the economic prospects of PNG fans being able to financially support their team. Perth and the Pacific are two better markets.” - Anonymous club boss.
• “If the team is to become a reality, it needs to be a true PNG team that is fully based in and playing out of PNG.” - Anonymous club boss.

Yes to PVL, no to PNG: Club bosses have their say on NRL’s biggest issues

In part one of the Herald’s annual poll completed by club CEOs, chairmen and general managers, the game’s most influential figures have their say on some controversial topics.

www.smh.com.au

That's the worst possible statement that Vlandys could have made.

There is no information that you could have that would overcome this "we must recognise the social dilemmas and challenges of doing business in that market, not to mention the economic prospects of PNG fans being able to financially support their team"

 

[flippikat]

Maybe they were one of the 70% of club chairmen/ceos who voted for perth to be club 18?

an interesting comment in response to last weeks poll as well from Vlandys:

“That’s not surprising about Perth, but we’re deep in discussion with the federal government on Papua New Guinea. It’s no secret we want to go to 20 teams and Perth is certainly in the mix. We can do both.” - Peter V’landys.

Yes to PVL, no to PNG: Club bosses have their say on NRL’s biggest issues

In part one of the Herald’s annual poll completed by club CEOs, chairmen and general managers, the game’s most influential figures have their say on some controversial topics.

www.smh.com.au

It really does sound like PNG, Perth & NZ 2 (likely Christchurch) as teams 18, 19 & 20 doesn't it?

Quite possibly in that order - but I wouldn't be surprised if two of them (maybe Perth & NZ 2) debut together, or in VERY quick succession.

 

[Bukowski]

Hahahahaha anonymous club boss hahahahaha

You laugh, but you've said numerous times that it's the club bosses and the 2 states that will decide who comes in next.

 

[MugaB]

You laugh, but you've said numerous times that it's the club bosses and the 2 states that will decide who comes in next.

I did, and i laughed coz not one of them would own up to being quoted... that wouldn't have been Politis, or Fletcher, or a number of CEOs/club bosses, they absolutely love having their names in the paper, apparently this is someone anonymous... maybe a ghost woooooooooo

 

[flippikat]

You laugh, but you've said numerous times that it's the club bosses and the 2 states that will decide who comes in next.

Precisely.

If NRL administrators can't get the clubs on-board, they're toast - Or at the very least their proposal is.

 

[mongoose]

That's the worst possible statement that Vlandys could have made.

There is no information that you could have that would overcome this "we must recognise the social dilemmas and challenges of doing business in that market, not to mention the economic prospects of PNG fans being able to financially support their team"

whatever information it is would have to come from the mouth of Anthony Albanese I dare say....

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

“There are different types of ways you can do it and they will all be looked at. Naturally we will also consult with clubs and the RLPA, but I can see merit in it. We’ll have to sit down and do some analysis and sit down with broadcasters. There are a lot of benefits to it. My look at it is only cursory and haven’t gone into depth on it. The most important party is the one that gives you 80 per cent of revenue - that’s the broadcasters.” - Peter V’landys.​

I've been saying for years that the broadcasters' interest on this matter is of utmost importance to the ARLC!

In response, the expansionists said "f**k the broadcasters". It's all well and good to be bullish on LU, but the fact remains that four-fifths of our game's revenue is provided by the broadcasters and they want to maximise the return on their investment. They're going to push their interests and take money off the table if they don't get what they want.

What do the broadcasters want?

“We’re really committed to working with the NRL in growing the competition, and Queensland is a big part of that. We think there’s room for another team here in Queensland, and the Dolphins have been the perfect example.

“The more games we can get played featuring Queensland teams in Southeast Queensland, the better. The engagement in rugby league here is just next level, and the energy of the crowds has a material impact on the quality of the broadcasts that we make. It helps create atmosphere, it makes the commentary team rise, it makes the production team rise.” -- Head of Strategy WWOS, Simon Fordham​

NZ2, Perth and PNG provide zero value to Ch9. Foxtel might benefit from NZ2 and Perth.

Be prepared for the dope from Perth with a sore arse to refer to the Head of Strategy, Wide World of Sport as "The local weatherman".

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Precisely.

If NRL administrators can't get the clubs on-board, they're toast - Or at the very least their proposal is.

The clubs weren't on board for the Dolphins. V'landys still brought them in.