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18th club, whose next?

titoelcolombiano

First Grade
Messages
5,842
Fair point, and if Perth are team 18, PNG (with all the Government subsidies ) team 19, and team 20 is held to the same conditions as Perth then it maybe swings the odds a little towards Brisbane 3 as they could get their hands on $30mil more easily than NZ 2.

Unless the NRL overrides club expectations of a big cash injection on the grounds that they deem NZ 2 the bigger priority for whatever strategic reason.
There were rumours of a mystery third NZ bid with money behind it. I don't think investors would be hard to find. The NRL clubs make good money and the game's finances are very sound.

With regards to Brisbane 3, the Tigers have the money now, however, the NRL will probably only consider them after the 19th team is up and running to give the Dolphins a good chance to carve out their fan base.
 

titoelcolombiano

First Grade
Messages
5,842

player pool
Its counter-intuitive, but this is actually very good for the English game. A stronger national team is the way to really reach new fans / viewers over there.

The best way to improve the national team? A core group of 15-20 top Englishmen in the NRL backed by a professional SL.
 
Messages
14,551
For many pages on expansion threads, there has been so much focus on North Sydney, with the colours, logo, games at NSO, pathways etc

A question you raised is "How much money does North Sydney have"? A more relevant question should be, Can a Perth standalone club be financially viable?

One of the reasons why the NRL gave the green light to the Dolphins is because they have assets and are in a heartland state.


WA isn't a heartland state, so straight away there is a challenge. No doubt a healthy club grant and improved HBF Park would help, but the club still needs more, because they are not in a rugby league state.

So does Perth, West Coast Pirates, or whatever the team is called have the money to prosper on their own in AFL territory?
That's a good question. For months I spoke about the trouble of starting up a club in a rusted on fumbleball state.

Cumins will need to have a very good business plan.

How much will Cumins and Bears be able to put towards an NRL club?

Who will hold the whip hand?

If North Sydney allocates more resources to the club than Cumins then they have a legitimate right to demand some games are played in Sydney. How that impacts the club's marketability in Perth is up for debate.
 

flippikat

Bench
Messages
4,756
There were rumours of a mystery third NZ bid with money behind it. I don't think investors would be hard to find. The NRL clubs make good money and the game's finances are very sound.

With regards to Brisbane 3, the Tigers have the money now, however, the NRL will probably only consider them after the 19th team is up and running to give the Dolphins a good chance to carve out their fan base.
You know, I wouldn't be surprised if the NRL's thinking "Hey, let's keep Brisbane 3 in our back-pocket until such time as we need a guaranteed sugar-hit".

Now that could be...
* team 20 if Perth & PNG are both REALLY sluggish to begin with (I mean REALLY BAD)

or

* One of teams 21 & 22 if Perth, Christchurch & PNG are tracking well & the NRL want to add a risky option (say Adelaide or Fiji or NZ 3) plus a safe option (Brisbane 3) for teams 21 and 22

or

* Replacement for a failed expansion team.. eg if PNG collapses in a heap

or

* (long shot) Brisbane 3 as an option to relocate or replace a Sydney club.

Brisbane 3 might be considered the "bench player" in expansion.
 

titoelcolombiano

First Grade
Messages
5,842
You know, I wouldn't be surprised if the NRL's thinking "Hey, let's keep Brisbane 3 in our back-pocket until such time as we need a guaranteed sugar-hit".

Now that could be...
* team 20 if Perth & PNG are both REALLY sluggish to begin with (I mean REALLY BAD)

or

* One of teams 21 & 22 if Perth, Christchurch & PNG are tracking well & the NRL want to add a risky option (say Adelaide or Fiji or NZ 3) plus a safe option (Brisbane 3) for teams 21 and 22

or

* Replacement for a failed expansion team.. eg if PNG collapses in a heap

or

* (long shot) Brisbane 3 as an option to relocate or replace a Sydney club.

Brisbane 3 might be considered the "bench player" in expansion.
You could be right there.

With all due respect to the people of PNG, God I hope something happens that makes the NRL bid a dead duck. They aren't ready for the NRL and the NRL isn't ready for a project like that.

I'd love to see
18. Perth Bears (healing two SL war wounds)
19. South Island NZ
20. SEQ Western Corridor (final piece of the QLD puzzle at NRL level)

Then much further down the track...

21. Adelaide
22. Wellington
23. Central Coast (if this is a relocation rather than a new team, then Fiji gets a run)
24. PNG
 

Dragonwest

Juniors
Messages
1,708
That's a good question. For months I spoke about the trouble of starting up a club in a rusted on fumbleball state.

Cumins will need to have a very good business plan.

How much will Cumins and Bears be able to put towards an NRL club?

Who will hold the whip hand?

If North Sydney allocates more resources to the club than Cumins then they have a legitimate right to demand some games are played in Sydney. How that impacts the club's marketability in Perth is up for debate.
I've heard some real positive news concerning potential state government funds being set aside for a CoE and about major mining businesses inquiring about sponsorship already.
 

Centy Coast

Juniors
Messages
1,429
Lol, George and Tom played 1 year for the bears before first grade, hardly a pathway. Next thing you know any kid that ever stopped at Wyong Maccas for a happy meal will be counted as going through the bears pathways.
Still played a full season of NSW Cup with the Bears to prepare for NRL with the Rabbitohs as they weren’t ready for that level of competition, that’s what a feeder club system does or reserve grade if you have your own which the Rabbitohs didn’t at that time, Joseph Suallii and Sam Walker were also broken in before via NSW Cup before making their NRL debuts.
So if a player comes through and plays for the Raiders NSW Cup team in 2023 and then makes his NRL debut in 2024 with the Raiders what is the difference ?.
Absolutely “NOTHING” genius.
Anyway atleast the Bears and the Raiders have one thing in common with Origin 2nite, neither has any players playing lol.
 
Last edited:

AlwaysGreen

Immortal
Messages
49,175
Still played a full season of NSW Cup with the Bears to prepare for NRL with the Rabbitohs as they weren’t ready for that level of competition, that’s what a feeder club system does or reserve grade if you have your own which the Rabbitohs didn’t at that time, Joseph Suallii and Sam Walker were also broken in before via NSW Cup before making their NRL debuts.
So if a player comes through and plays for the Raiders NSW Cup team in 2023 and then makes his NRL debut in 2024 with the Raiders what is the difference ?.
Absolutely “NOTHING” genius.
Anyway atleast the Bears and the Raiders have one thing in common with Origin 2nite, neither has any players playing lol.
That's not a pathway 🤣🤣. The Burgess brothers are a product of the English system not North Sydney Shore Central Coast and to claim otherwise is ridiculous.

Not sure what your last sentence has got to do with anything.
 

Centy Coast

Juniors
Messages
1,429
That's not a pathway 🤣🤣. The Burgess brothers are a product of the English system not North Sydney Shore Central Coast and to claim otherwise is ridiculous.

Not sure what your last sentence has got to do with anything.
Yes the Burgess twins came from the English system but clearly were not up to NRL standard, that is why they played for the Bears NSW Cup before making their NRL debuts.
 

AlwaysGreen

Immortal
Messages
49,175
Yes the Burgess twins came from the English system but clearly were not up to NRL standard, that is why they played for the Bears NSW Cup before making their NRL debuts.
That isn't a pathway. It's the last stepping stone at best. I wonder how many others you are claiming after they stopped for a quick piss at Gosford.
 

flippikat

Bench
Messages
4,756
I'd love to see
18. Perth Bears (healing two SL war wounds)
19. South Island NZ
20. SEQ Western Corridor (final piece of the QLD puzzle at NRL level)

Then much further down the track...

21. Adelaide
22. Wellington
23. Central Coast (if this is a relocation rather than a new team, then Fiji gets a run)
24. PNG
So would I - HOWEVER if Brisbane 3/SE Western Corridor is part of the "push to 20",
then that means the NRL doesn't have a safe choice in that next phase beyond 20

- PNG, Fiji are very very risky - from security, infrastructure & economic angles.
- Adelaide is right into the heart of AFL-land, a gamble there.
- Further NZ teams would be in a RU-dominant country with smaller cities & a big risk of cannibalising Warriors support if it's somewhere in the North Island
- Brisbane would be "full" - more NRL teams there after the Broncos, Dolphins & Western Corridor risk oversaturation
- A 2nd team in Melbourne or Perth risks cannibalising support for their existing club
- Regional locations (eg Central Queensland) might still be too small

The one option in THAT scenario that could be worthwhile to hold "in the back pocket" as an expansion cash-cow may be Central Coast, depending on how that grows in the next decade or so?
 

AlwaysGreen

Immortal
Messages
49,175
Let me educate you
NRL pathways =
Harold Matthews U17’s
S.G.Ball U19’s
Jersey Flegg U21’s
NSW Cup
Lol, you really are dense which is a surprise. They played 1 year in NSW Cup for souths feeder club at the time. To claim they went through the Bears pathways is a f**king long bow.

You've lost even more credibility with this effort.

The Burgess twins came from the bears pathway 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Ridiculous stuff from the stalker.
 
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