Hello, I'm The Doctor
First Grade
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In fairness to Perth Red the 2014 review was put up in 2012 when the Sydney clubs were pressing the ARLC pre David Smith to delay expansion.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...for-new-nrl-club/story-e6frg6n6-1226508501243
When David Gallop was CEO expansion was earmarked to start in 2013 and the ARLC then spoke of 2015 before the decided end of 2014 review. Grant clearly said that they would act quickly. You would expect that given this was put on the table back in 08 or 09 by the NRL that they would have a 90% idea on what they wanted so I think the bid teams could have fairly expected the review to complete by the end of 14 and a decision moving forward.
If there is going to be expansion that wont be till 2018 so they can have something to bargain with for more TV money so that the NRL can fill its obvious plan to be one of Australia's biggest employers!
You cant blame the ARLC for that. Expansion may have been on the table since '08 and teams may have been looking to enter the comp in 2013, but this was all said and done by the bids, NOT the ARLC.
Hell, the ARLC wasnt even established until 2012 and even then they were focused on stabalising their organisation and replacing people they deemed wrong for the new regime. That on top of the fact that Gallop did nothing on expansion in the lead up to the ARLC, obviously thinking it was something to discuss AFTER the new board took office.
For once it would e nice to see the NRL not shoot from the hip on expansion. Since '82, how many of our new teams have dropped out thanks to poor planning?!?! Why rush again when their is absolutely nothing to be gained...