Don't forget about us - Bears ready to step up if Knights go under
CENTRAL COAST BEARS say they'll be ready to fill the breach should the financial crisis engulfing Newcastle force them from the NRL.
The Knights' long-term future is clouded after the Australian Tax Office moved to wind up the Nathan Tinkler-owned Knights and the Newcastle Jets franchises, as well as parent company Hunter Sports Group, over unpaid debts of $2.7 million. Should Tinkler lose control of the Knights, there are fears coach Wayne Bennett would also move on. The Knights and HSG have only recently reached a compromise which allows more time to complete an audit and extend the club's $20 million bank guarantee.
Bears boss Greg Florimo said his prospective franchise would be prepared to fill the void if the NRL revoked Newcastle's licence. ''It would be disrespectful to our members if we didn't explore every opportunity that presents itself,'' Florimo said. ''We've said all along that we're ready to go and we originally prepared ourselves for 2013. That mark's not going to occur but I think there are still some twists and turns in this whole expansion debate to play out. One of those twists may be the viability of some of the current clubs. If an opportunity were to come up then yes, we would pull out all the stops to be ready to jump in.''
The hopes of expansion franchises were dealt a blow during negotiations for the game's television deal, when broadcasters made it clear their appetite for more games wouldn't be matched by a dollar commitment that would make new clubs feasible. The ARLC's strategic plan also put the issue on the backburner.
But the Bears are undeterred and are prepared for whatever opportunity presents itself. ''Newcastle and the Central Coast are similar demographics in that they are rugby league heartlands; there is great support for both teams in both areas,'' Florimo said. ''If there were to be a team playing out of Central Coast Stadium, it would be heavily supported, perhaps just as fervently as Newcastle is.
''If this one opportunity presents itself, we owe it to our members and stakeholders to look down that avenue and see if there is a definite opportunity.'' Florimo believes the Bears could assemble a team within 18 months. '' It would depend on who is available,'' he said. ''If you want to be competitive from day one, most of the blue-chip players are signed up until the end of 2014. It wouldn't be ideal, but realistically we could pull something together for 2015.''
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...ts-go-under-20121215-2bgd6.html#ixzz2FArXjno2
Gotta love Flo...
Tried dancin' on the Gold Coast Titans grave earlier in the year.
Now trying to dance on Newcastle's grave.
There will be no expansion. Not the Bears not anybody. At least for the foreseeable future.
Not in the next 4 years at least. Beyond then it's hard to FORESEE one way or the other because a lot of circumstances can change.You must have a shorter foreseeable future than most.
And that is why I hate the Bears.
Maybe he should just not answer any questions asked and be mute during interviews for media or as he see's it, opportunities to get the brand name out. He didn't state he wants the Knights to die, he just stated that in the unlikely event that they did. But you're right, it's predictable but not as much as your next "Perth is a shoe-in", "stupid NRL for not expanding, I'm gonna have a cry" posts.Lol, I was waiting for this story to come out, flo is certainly predictable!
Oh don't worry the feelings are mutual mate.And that is why I hate the Bears.
Then I hope you do not support any team which joined the Super League. Because they shat on the entire competition. Helped kill off clubs and in the end made way for the likes of Melbourne and another Gold Coast attempt... Clubs whose intergrity is quite clearly worth more than Wests, Balmain, Illawarra and Norths....Exactly right...
I supported the Bears bid until the numerous reports they did about coming in 'when' the Sharks collapsed, and then the Titans, and now the Knights.
I will not support a bid that is willing to shit on every other team to get in the competition.
Maybe he should just not answer any questions asked and be mute during interviews for media or as he see's it, opportunities to get the brand name out. He didn't state he wants the Knights to die, he just stated that in the unlikely event that they did. But you're right, it's predictable but not as much as your next "Perth is a shoe-in", "stupid NRL for not expanding, I'm gonna have a cry" posts.
Oh don't worry the feelings are mutual mate.
Then I hope you do not support any team which joined the Super League. Because they shat on the entire competition. Helped kill off clubs and in the end made way for the likes of Melbourne and another Gold Coast attempt... Clubs whose intergrity is quite clearly worth more than Wests, Balmain, Illawarra and Norths....
But in the end, like I said he just said what he said in the event that it happens which we all know won't happen. Better to be ready then not ready. You play the lottery to win, you most likely almost close to certainly won't though.
Because all you ever hear from the bears is how hard done by they were and how much it hurts to lose your team, then they'll take any opportunity to push someone else over the cliff. It's also conveniently glossed over that the bears themselves played a large part in their demise.
Where has the Central Coast bid ever tried/pushed/attempted to get a NRL team to die/be replaced/moved so the Bears can enter?
All I have ever seen is the Bears saying things along the lines of "If any team folds, we'll be ready".