18th club, whose next?

[mongoose]

The Bears didn't start playing their games in Brisbane until 1993. Up until then their games were played at Carrara on the Gold Coast. Their move to Brisbane for the 1993 season saw their attendances increase signdiciantly, despite struggling on the field. Their four seasons at the Gabba between 1993-1996 drew more fans than the Storm drew at Melbourne's Olympic Park between 2002-2005.

The Bears' 18k average at the Gabba in 1996 was 5k more than the Western Reds drew in their best season.

The Melbourne Storm have never averaged 18k at MRS in a season, despite being camped inside the top four over the bulk of their existence. When the club dropped out of finals contention in the early 2000s their attendances dropped below 10k for four seasons straight.

Storm Attendances 2002-2005
2002 - 9,088
2003 - 9,626
2004 - 8,896
2005 - 8,898

In 2006 the club made the grand final, yet their attendances were just 10,853. In 2007 they won the GF, yet drew 11,711 to their games. In 2008 they made the GF and drew 12,474. In 2009 they won the GF and drew 11,978.

Rugby League Tables / Attendances /Melbourne

Rugby League Tables - NRL Stats & Tables

afltables.com

The Bears drew 11,149, 12,434, 10,305 and 18,088 to their four seasons at the Gabba. They finished 8th in 1995 and were a top four team in 1996, losing in the preliminary final. Despite not having as much onfield success as the Storm, they drew higher attendances.

Storm were playing in arguably the worst stadium in the country until 2010... They also compete with 9 (10 if you include Geelong) very well supported AFL clubs.

 

[Canard]

Queensland had 5k fumbleball juniors in the 1950s and 1960s. There was no professional team in Brisbane.

I mean really?

What is the source of this information? How would you even verify this date from so long ago?

f**k they can't even be honest with juniors in 2024, let along 75 years ago.

I doubt there would have been more than a handful of Aussie Rules ovals in Brisbane let alone enough for thousands.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Pretty good arguments tbh

I thought afl died off in 1910 but it looks like it stayed at a decent level which is news to me

definately vfl was close to taking over in brisbane around 1905 to 1909

What really f**ked fumbleball in Queensland was lack of representative fixtures and migration. There were plenty of Victorians in Brisbane's 60,000 population in the 1990s. New South Welshmen and Brits began immigrating to Brisbane in large numbers. Locals enjoyed the Queensland vs NSW rugby union matches. Queensland wasn't very competitive in the fumbleball representative matches, so public interest waned. People also took umbrage at the game being known as "Victorian rules". Local fumbleball clubs defected to rugby union in the 1880s and 1890s. At one stage there were no fumbleball clubs in the 1890s. The game tried to restart in the 1900s, but hit a huge stumbling block when rugby league came to Brisbane in 1909. Over time rugby league became the dominant sport, starting after WWI when the local rugby union competiton ceased to exist until the 1930s.

SEQ has been flooded with interstate migrants from Victoria and South Australia over the last 40 years. It's definitely helped fumbleball grow its supporter base in the region. Thankfully, there's been just as many migrants from NSW settle in SEQ over this period. The large population of New South Welshmen in SEQ makes Lang Park the perfect place for Magic Round. It also strengthens the case for a third NRL team in Brisbane. Providing more opportunities for NSWRL fans based in SEQ to see their teams play is a good thing. Having four clubs in SEQ will allow Sydney teams to make money from selling "SEQ Membership" packages.

 

[Wb1234]

What really f**ked fumbleball in Queensland was lack of representative fixtures and migration. There were plenty of Victorians in Brisbane's 60,000 population in the 1990s. New South Welshmen and Brits began immigrating to Brisbane in large numbers. Locals enjoyed the Queensland vs NSW rugby union matches. Queensland wasn't very competitive in the fumbleball representative matches, so public interest waned. People also took umbrage at the game being known as "Victorian rules". Local fumbleball clubs defected to rugby union in the 1880s and 1890s. At one stage there were no fumbleball clubs in the 1890s. The game tried to restart in the 1900s, but hit a huge stumbling block when rugby league came to Brisbane in 1909. Over time rugby league became the dominant sport, starting after WWI when the local rugby union competiton ceased to exist until the 1930s.

SEQ has been flooded with interstate migrants from Victoria and South Australia over the last 40 years. It's definitely helped fumbleball grow its supporter base in the region. Thankfully, there's been just as many migrants from NSW settle in SEQ over this period. The large population of New South Welshmen in SEQ makes Lang Park the perfect place for Magic Round. It also strengthens the case for a third NRL team in Brisbane. Providing more opportunities for NSWRL fans based in SEQ to see their teams play is a good thing. Having four clubs in SEQ will allow Sydney teams to make money from selling "SEQ Membership" packages.

What helped rugby league (and union before it) in Brisbane and Sydney was tours by nz and England

twice afl tried for a merged code code especially early on as they wanted to benefit from England tours

funny thing is was when gb used to tour. Australia in those early days they would play rugby union rules in nsw and qld and afl rules in victoria
Lol

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

I’m using facts for discussion, he’s using supposition.

badically his argument is because brisbane gets more people watching afl than Perth gets for nrl there’s no point building the game in wa. It’s complete nonsense. ARL has a market in brisbane as it’s spent a century and a shed load of investment building it. Perth has low tv ratings for nrl because it hasn’t. Simple as that.

You're the one using supposition to build a bullshit narrative. I've stated the long history of fumbleball in Queensland to disprove your bullshit claims about investment being the reason the Lions draw decent attendances.

What really helped fumbleball grow its participation rate in Queensland was its reintroduction in the GPS system in the late 1990s after almost 100 years in exile. The main casualty of this decision was rugby union.

What are the odds of getting the GPS system in Perth to accept rugby league into its curriculum?

The GPS system in Brisbane and Sydney discriminate heavily against rugby league.

Like I said earlier, you don't know anything about rugby league in this country. Nor do you understand Australia's sporting landscape. Do everyone a favour and stop talking about things you don't understand.

Despite fumbleball's long history in Queensland, its contribution to AwFuL television ratings and game day attendances are dwindled by every other state.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

There’s only 5,400 juniors in Cronulla region,and that’s supposed to be second biggest rl nursery in Sydney!

You need to stop comparing small cities with entire states.

How many juniors are there in Hull?

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Storm were playing in arguably the worst stadium in the country until 2010... They also compete with 9 (10 if you include Geelong) very well supported AFL clubs.

Using your argument, a Perth-based NRL team will be based at a dump and competing against two very well supporter AwFuL clubs. The Eagles are so well supported there's a waiting list just to become a ticketed member.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

What helped rugby league (and union before it) in Brisbane and Sydney was tours by nz and England

twice afl tried for a merged code code especially early on as they wanted to benefit from England tours

funny thing is was when gb used to tour. Australia in those early days they would play rugby union rules in nsw and qld and afl rules in victoria
Lol

It shows how valuable Origin is to rugby league. The game needs to double down on strengthening the Brisbane vs Sydney rivalry. It's what drives interest in the game.

 

[Wb1234]

It shows how valuable Origin is to rugby league. The game needs to double down on strengthening the Brisbane vs Sydney rivalry. It's what drives interest in the game.

Exactly

why is why pvl added dolphins

and needs to add more

 

[mongoose]

Using your argument, a Perth-based NRL team will be based at a dump and competing against two very well supporter AwFuL clubs. The Eagles are so well supported there's a waiting list just to become a ticketed member.

huh, you're comparing 9 to 2?

 

[mongoose]

It shows how valuable Origin is to rugby league. The game needs to double down on strengthening the Brisbane vs Sydney rivalry. It's what drives interest in the game.

yeah it drives interest in Sydney and Brisbane, no f**king shit lol

no where else though

 

[Dragonwest]

What really f**ked fumbleball in Queensland was lack of representative fixtures and migration. There were plenty of Victorians in Brisbane's 60,000 population in the 1990s. New South Welshmen and Brits began immigrating to Brisbane in large numbers. Locals enjoyed the Queensland vs NSW rugby union matches. Queensland wasn't very competitive in the fumbleball representative matches, so public interest waned. People also took umbrage at the game being known as "Victorian rules". Local fumbleball clubs defected to rugby union in the 1880s and 1890s. At one stage there were no fumbleball clubs in the 1890s. The game tried to restart in the 1900s, but hit a huge stumbling block when rugby league came to Brisbane in 1909. Over time rugby league became the dominant sport, starting after WWI when the local rugby union competiton ceased to exist until the 1930s.

SEQ has been flooded with interstate migrants from Victoria and South Australia over the last 40 years. It's definitely helped fumbleball grow its supporter base in the region. Thankfully, there's been just as many migrants from NSW settle in SEQ over this period. The large population of New South Welshmen in SEQ makes Lang Park the perfect place for Magic Round. It also strengthens the case for a third NRL team in Brisbane. Providing more opportunities for NSWRL fans based in SEQ to see their teams play is a good thing. Having four clubs in SEQ will allow Sydney teams to make money from selling "SEQ Membership" packages.

So QLD was flooded with Vic and SA immigration supporting AFL in the state.

Yet the high Kiwi, Polynesian, QLD and NSW immigration we receive here in Perth can't help sustain an NRL team?

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

huh, you're comparing 9 to 2?

You, Perth Dread and The Great Dope think 9 NRL clubs in Sydney is equal to 2 in Brisbane.

yeah it drives interest in Sydney and Brisbane, no f**king shit lol

no where else though

I guess that's why Origin is watched by millions of people around the country and has the Vic, SA and WA Govs chucking huge sums of money at the ARLC to host a game?

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

So QLD was flooded with Vic and SA immigration supporting AFL in the state.

Yet the high Kiwi, Polynesian, QLD and NSW immigration we receive here in Perth can't help sustain an NRL team?

Usint your logic, the Force should be massive. Plenty of Kiwis, Polynesians and South Africans in Perth.

In 1966 Queensland's population was below 2 million. It had more people playing fumbleball than the current participation rate for rugby league in WA.

How do you explain that?

 

[Jimmy Wiggle]

Usint your logic, the Force should be massive. Plenty of Kiwis, Polynesians and South Africans in Perth.

Using your logic Super Rugby should be massive. Plenty of Kiwis and Polynesians in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Exactly

why is why pvl added dolphins

and needs to add more

It must drive The Great Dope, mongoose and Perth Dread nuts that Queensland vs NSW draws more interest in Melbourne than Canberra vs Melbourne.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Using your logic Super Rugby should be massive. Plenty of Kiwis and Polynesians in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

Many of them play rugby union and rugby league. Come to Logan and you'll see plenty of Polynesians following the game.

There are 487 people in Perth who were born in Samoa. 212 were born in Tonga. 59,359 were born in New Zealand.

2021 People in Greater Perth who were born in Samoa, Census Country of birth QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics

www.abs.gov.au

2021 People in Greater Perth who were born in Tonga, Census Country of birth QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics

www.abs.gov.au

2021 People in Greater Perth who were born in New Zealand, Census Country of birth QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics

www.abs.gov.au

 

[Jimmy Wiggle]

Many of them play rugby union and rugby league. Come to Logan and you'll see plenty of Polynesians following the game.

There are 487 people in Perth who were born in Samoa. 212 were born in Tonga.

2021 People in Greater Perth who were born in Samoa, Census Country of birth QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics

www.abs.gov.au

2021 People in Greater Perth who were born in Tonga, Census Country of birth QuickStats | Australian Bureau of Statistics

www.abs.gov.au

No shit Sherlock, what do you think happens in Perth.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

No shit Sherlock, what do you think happens in Perth.

There's only 4.1k rugby league players in Western Australia. At least 1k of them are female.

Queensland has 65k registered rugby league players.

 

[Jimmy Wiggle]

There's only 4.1k rugby league players in Western Australia. At least 1k of them are female.

Queensland has 65k registered rugby league players.

There are 9 pathways in Queensland and 1 in WA. Do you think more opportunities will lead to more players and there is no way there are at least 1k female players, 500 maybe.