25th anniversary of expansion

[Man_of_Steel_1982]

Today marks 25 years since the NSWRL voted to expand beyond Sydney. On the 13th of December 1980, the Illawarra Steelers were granted entry as the competition's 13th team.

The league wanted another new club to keep numbers even. Newcastle, the logical option, surprisingly weren't interested. The front runners were Canberra and Campbelltown (before Wests moved there), with Canberra being granted entry in February 1981. The clincher for the Raiders was the offer to pay Sydney clubs traveling expenses thanks to the support of the Queanbeyan Leagues Club.

 

[PARRA_FAN]

It was the start of the growing game, when Illawarra and Canberra came in, Rugby League continued to expand. Not long after it was going interstate, then we had Brisbane, Gold Coast, Newcastle, Auckland, Perth, North Qld (Townsville), Melbourne.

Hopefully in years to come we'll continue to expand in places like Wellington, Adelaide, Central Coast and back to Perth for another shot.

 

[sooperdooper]

It was the start of the growing game, when Illawarra and Canberra came in, Rugby League continued to expand. Not long after it was going interstate, then we had Brisbane, Gold Coast, Newcastle, Auckland, Perth, North Qld (Townsville), Melbourne.

Hopefully in years to come we'll continue to expand in places like Wellington, Adelaide, Central Coast and back to Perth for another shot.

we dont need central coast!
they are a mere hour from sydney and a mere hour from newcastle!

 

[Follow Me Up To Carlton]

Today marks 25 years since the NSWRL voted to expand beyond Sydney.

A dark day for Rugby League.

 

[Bomber]

A dark day for Rugby League.

Typical blinkered attitude.

 

[Timmah]

we dont need central coast!
they are a mere hour from sydney and a mere hour from newcastle!

You support Parramatta. A mere 25 minutes from Sydney. A mere 10 minutes from Canterbury, a mere 20 minutes from Penrith.

:roll: Central Coast deserves a team and neglecting the area is short sighted and foolish.

 

[The Preacher]

God this hurts, but I have to agree with Dodge.

I'd rather have a team on the Central Coast than have a team in bloody Melbourne.

At least the Central Coast is a league area, Melbourne never has been and never will be.

 

[gregstar]

God this hurts, but I have to agree with Dodge.

I'd rather have a team on the Central Coast than have a team in bloody Melbourne.

At least the Central Coast is a league area, Melbourne never has been and never will be.

agree.

 

[Hoggy]

And the Swans weren't getting crowds of 40k in their first few years either.

 

[Knightmare]

we dont need central coast!
they are a mere hour from sydney and a mere hour from newcastle!

That's like saying we don't need Gold Coast because they're only an hour south from Brisbane. The Central Coast has the biggest junior league nursery in NSW, behind Parramatta and Penrith. Only a true fool would continue to ignore them.

 

[Knightmare]

And the Swans weren't getting crowds of 40k in their first few years either.

23 years and 1 Premiership on and still most people in Sydney wouldn't know a Swans player if they rear-ended them in traffic.

 

[Hoggy]

Well with a population of over 5 million, I would assume that the majority of Sydney siders wouldn't even know who Brett Kimmorley is either.

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

God this hurts, but I have to agree with Dodge.

I'd rather have a team on the Central Coast than have a team in bloody Melbourne.

At least the Central Coast is a league area, Melbourne never has been and never will be.

Okay Dennis.

 

[Timmah]

No, but I'm sure they all have a fair idea who Andrew Johns is.

 

[sixtynine]

You support Parramatta. A mere 25 minutes from Sydney. A mere 10 minutes from Canterbury, a mere 20 minutes from Penrith.

:roll: Central Coast deserves a team and neglecting the area is short sighted and foolish.

i agree with you here

 

[Timmah]

Okay Dennis.

:|

Typical Newcarsehole arrogance. I'm glad all Knights fans aren't like you.

The Central Coast needs a team. Provide an argument as to why it shouldn't that doesn't involve your insecurities.

 

[sooperdooper]

You support Parramatta. A mere 25 minutes from Sydney. A mere 10 minutes from Canterbury, a mere 20 minutes from Penrith.

:roll: Central Coast deserves a team and neglecting the area is short sighted and foolish.

10 min from canterbury? haha what jet do you fly in?
a mere 20 minutes from penrith? what jet was that?

there are enough teams that are 'regional' not to need another team from sydney, there are simply just not enough good reasons to have a new team there

 

[Starkers]

they've got a stadium, strong junior base and a foundation club waiting for rebirth. i'd say that's a fair case for inclusion.

 

[sooperdooper]

That's like saying we don't need Gold Coast because they're only an hour south from Brisbane. The Central Coast has the biggest junior league nursery in NSW, behind Parramatta and Penrith. Only a true fool would continue to ignore them.

are there 5 or so other teams within an hour of the gold coast?
the jnrs on the central coast are really weak, this can be seem from the great efforts of the central coast rip in the nswrl jersey flegg
they had a chance with northern eagles and failed

 

[Timmah]

10 min from canterbury? haha what jet do you fly in?
a mere 20 minutes from penrith? what jet was that?

there are enough teams that are 'regional' not to need another team from sydney, there are simply just not enough good reasons to have a new team there

Road maps are clearly beyond your comprehension. If you can't get from Parramatta to Penrith on the M4 in 20 mins you have trouble.