Daily Telegraph Article Today - Gallop For Expansion

[dimitri]

A good article today

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...gaining-momentum/story-e6frexnr-1225883418217

NRL boss David Gallop's push for a Perth team to be included in an expanded NRL competition will gather momentum today when he addresses a business lunch in Western Australia. Gallop last night said he would talk up moves for Perth to return to the competition for the first time since the Western Reds played in Super League.

"They've got a lot going for them," Gallop said. "They've got a booming economy and they get good crowds whenever we play over there.

"The Western Australian Rugby League has a new administration and there has been a good growth in junior numbers.

"They would also offer the game a new timeslot for broadcasting because of the time difference.

"And they have a great stadium already in place."

The NRL has considered an expansion for 2013 when a new television deal will be in place.


The Central Coast Bears are favourites to be the first new team if the competition is expanded, leaving Perth or a second team from Brisbane as the other candidates.

If Perth happened to get the nod it would be their second venture into rugby league's big time.

The Western Reds - with Mark Geyer their marquee signing - played at the WACA ground with moderate success before reasonable crowds, but folded when peace was restored to the game in 1998.

 

[petetheileet]

Great to hear!!!!

only good things can come of it!

ROFL at the mention of Geyer as their marquee singing..

Brad Mackay would have ate up a bit of their money also!

 

[dimitri]

Great to hear!!!!

only good things can come of it!

ROFL at the mention of Geyer as their marquee singing..

Brad Mackay would have ate up a bit of their money also!

haha yeah definitely

considering he was the captain!!!

also Matthew Rodwell the halfback!

 

[Brutus]

Contrast some of these statements to what he said about Perth just a year ago.

Let's just hope they don't just replace the Storm. Having Melb and Perth in a national comp would be truly fantastic.

The AFL can have Adelaide and we'll continue to have New Zealand instead.

 

[Brutus]

Bring back Adrian Barich and the real Tim Horan.

 

[dimitri]

Contrast some of these statements to what he said about Perth just a year ago.

Let's just hope they don't just replace the Storm. Having Melb and Perth in a national comp would be truly fantastic.

The AFL can have Adelaide and we'll continue to have New Zealand instead.

Thats what im worried about

It was poor last time to just shut up shop in Perth then ship to Melbourne

To do the same again is just ridiculous!

The NRL and its clubs need to seriously invest in the future.

The Storm have showed with their successful membership numbers that it can work.

 

[taste2taste]

League is already strong in CC and QLD, i'd much preffer Perth come in the NRL first and Wellington not too far behind, expanding should be about venturing into new markets.

 

[Brutus]

League is already strong in CC and QLD, i'd much preffer Perth come in the NRL first and Wellington not too far behind, expanding should be about venturing into new markets.

True.

CC is not expansion.

 

[adamkungl]

Great news! Now go through with it

 

[Drew-Sta]

True.

CC is not expansion.

It's preventing expansion by Soccer and the AFL though.

Which is still important.

 

[Perth Red]

yipppeeee! Only took 3 years for him to wake up to our potential but better late than never.

Just need the RL fans of Perth to get out to the game on Saturday and send another strong message. Things are looking good!

 

[DC_fan]

It's preventing expansion by Soccer and the AFL though.

Which is still important.

I don't see the AFL putting a team at Gosford

 

[Brutus]

it's preventing expansion by soccer and the afl though.

Which is still important.

wtf?

 

[Noa]

Personally Im not a massive fane of the CC bid, if Illawarra failed and Newcastle at times keeps it head above water why do we think CC will be some huge success. But I can hear the parrots now if CC looked like missing out. Would rather see Perth and Wellington get in, think theyd add the most to the "brand".

 

[Loudstrat]

CC would get better long term crowds than Perth and Wellington. Look at what underlines "expansion" - money. The CC would rake in money at least equal to the other two - and you don't have a long battle to get crowds from converted fans of more entrenched competitions.

 

[butchmcdick]

I don't see the AFL putting a team at Gosford

I am sure the way they are talking they believe they could put a team in Dubbo, throw a few hundred million at it and boom

 

[Eels Dude]

The people up the Coast would embrace a CC side just like that. They've already got a great stadium and rugby league is big up there. As long as it's their own side not some half relocation like last time it'll be no risk. Perth is the next best option. Hopefully around 2013 to 2014 we could have an 18 team competition.

 

[Perth Red]

In the ideal world it would be Perth and Brisbane 2 imo. If you took the emotion of the Bears out of the equation would there still be such support for a Gosford team?
Regardless of what I or anyone else thinks if the NRL decides to expand by 2 in 2013 it will def be WA Reds and CC Bears I'm sure. I don't see any of the other two bids being close.

 

[Rockin Ronny]

In the ideal world it would be Perth and Brisbane 2 imo. If you took the emotion of the Bears out of the equation would there still be such support for a Gosford team?
Regardless of what I or anyone else thinks if the NRL decides to expand by 2 in 2013 it will def be WA Reds and CC Bears I'm sure. I don't see any of the other two bids being close.

No - if you become Gallop's best mate like King Searle did, you can get whatever you like.

 

[Perth Red]

CC would get better long term crowds than Perth and Wellington. Look at what underlines "expansion" - money. The CC would rake in money at least equal to the other two - and you don't have a long battle to get crowds from converted fans of more entrenched competitions.

you have no evidence of this at all, its just your opnion. The games being palyed in Gosford are not exactly packing the joint out and that is with travelling Sydney/Newcastle fans.

Perth will be about a core of RL fans (15K paying fans) then attracting other sports fans. You will rarely "convert" a fan of one sport to another totally but you can get them to like both sports. Difference is we have the population to attract 20K plus over the longer term.