Bulldogs consider moving to Gosford
Brent Read | August 06, 2008
AS his club lurches from one crisis to the next, Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg has admitted he wouldn't be doing his job if he didn't investigate the prospect of relocating to the central coast.
Greenberg also warned other chief executives they would be silly not to explore the merits of relocation as the financial squeeze threatens the viability of clubs in Sydney.
While Greenberg said a move to the central coast had never been discussed by the Bulldogs at board level, he conceded the club had to keep its options open given the current financial climate.
The Bulldogs are yet to secure any sponsorship deals for next season, leaving the club with a potential $2 million hole in its balance sheet.
The club is also reeling from its worst season in recent memory. The Bulldogs have won only five games and are recovering from the loss of their best player, New Zealand superstar Sonny Bill Williams, who walked out in dramatic circumstances to pursue a career in French rugby union.
Only last week player manager David Riolo told The Australian the Bulldogs should consider the central coast, pointing out the club no longer played or was based at its traditional home in Belmore.
Against that backdrop, there are key figures in the club who advocate a move to the region, where a ready-made stadium, a rugby league-mad public and a golden handshake from the NRL await.
Greenberg, who also spoke about the prospects of returning to the club's former home at Belmore Oval, admitted the central coast was worth exploring.
"It's not been discussed at board level - ever," Greenberg said.
"I reckon every Sydney club NRL chief executive should be looking at Gosford.
"If you don't look at it, you haven't done your job. You would be silly not to look at it."
That statement prompted an immediate response from Manly chief executive Grant Mayer.
"I'll put my hand up. I'll be happily called silly because we're not looking at the central coast," Mayer said.
"But we wish the Buldogs the best at the central coast. The Central Coast Bulldogs has a ring to it."
While Mayer has the backing of two wealthy families in the Delmeges and Penns, the Bulldogs are forced to rely on their leagues club for financial support.
All leagues clubs in Sydney are under pressure due to falling numbers of customers in harsh economic times.
The NRL has offered $8million as a starting point to any club that relocates, but that figure could increase dramatically in plans being drawn up for the game's longer term.
There is a school of thought among some chief executives that clubs should be offered more than $30 million to move.
Former Canterbury great players are divided over the prospect of the Bulldogs shifting wholesale to the central coast.
"If they move to the central coast, that would be the worst thing they have ever done," former rugged prop Geoff Robinson said.
"They certainly wouldn't get my vote, that's for sure. If we could move back to Belmore, that would be the best move for us."
However, former premiership-winning centre Peter Mortimer said the central coast was an option worth exploring once the club was back on its feet.
"I think a move to the central coast would be premature for them at the moment," Mortimer said.
"If they don't change their thinking it won't matter where they end up, the club is not going to be a success.
"Having said that, if they get their act together, the league has a tremendous amount of incentive to go there. It would be worth considering."
The Bulldogs' current sense of frustration has only been exacerbated by their move to the Olympic Park precinct.
The club signed a two-year deal to set up its training and administration base at the venue but things haven't gone as planned.
"We have had some frustrations and roadblocks in our current situation at Sydney Olympic Park," Greenberg said.
"It certainly hasn't transpired as we would have hoped. We're looking at a range of options going forward.
"Everyone should be looking at Gosford.
"In the future, we would have to gauge the reactions of our fans to see if they wanted us to investigate it."
