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http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24076201-10389,00.html
Darren Lockyer says rugby league should expand but slowly
Article from: The Courier-Mail
Darren Lockyer
July 26, 2008 12:00am
RUGBY league has to spread its frontiers according to its own timetable, not be rushed into action by rival sports.
The Super League in Europe added teams from Salford and Wales.
Soccer took another step to adding a team from Townsville as well as the Gold Coast.
The AFL and their clubs are still in a debate about how effectively it can cultivate the west of Sydney as well as bring in a Gold Coast club in 2011.
That's all happened in the one week.
The sporting landscape surrounding NRL clubs is changing quickly.
I firmly believe the NRL should admit expansion clubs from Perth, to open up new money to rugby league, and a fourth team from Queensland.
The crowds and support for the three Queensland clubs makes it a bit of a no-brainer and I know NRL boss David Gallop is aware of the possibilities.
The west of Brisbane extending through to Ipswich or a team from Central Queensland, tapping into the mining boom and the enthusiasm for the game in cities such as Mackay and Rockhampton, would be the two best Queensland options.
But the NRL doesn't have to plant its flag into new areas simply because the AFL and soccer is doing so.
We need to get the game's backyard in Sydney secured before we expand. Some of the Sydney clubs are struggling financially and the game needs them to stay in the competition because they have history.
The Gold Coast is a city growing at a great rate, but the AFL and soccer organisations might find the Titans like an Olympic marathon leader who just can't be run down.
The AFL wants to win hearts and minds in western Sydney. Knowing how fervent the fans are in Penrith, Campbelltown and Parramatta, I reckon they have years of hard work in front of them.
There's nothing more counter-productive for a football code than expanding unsuccessfully.
But it does open up opportunities for young league players and creates more upper-level contracts for elite NRL players, as the Titans presented a fresh, well-paying challenge for Scott Prince and Luke Bailey.
In the shorter term, the two new Super League teams could mean four or five more top-shelf NRL players take up really big money to leave our competition.
I also couldn't help noticing that when the rugby union people were looking to promote their Bledisloe Cup Test, one player heavily featured was Timana Tahu. Another was another league convert Ryan Cross.
THE renewal of grapple tackle allegations against Storm players will have one positive for the premiers consolidate an "us against them" feeling in the club in the countdown to the finals.
Dragons coach Nathan Brown stirred the debate this week by claiming their next meeting with Melbourne could be a "bloodbath" and he would tell his players to employ "eye for an eye" tactics.
These grapple tackle allegations against Storm players come up from time to time. My view, all the way through this, is that if player welfare is being endangered, the referees and the game needs to crack down with penalties and suspensions which are deterrents.
There's no doubt Craig Bellamy likes to slow teams down and win the ruck battle. It's important that a close eye is kept on it.
But the "Grapple" and 'chicken wing" tackle issues this year have created a valuable "us and them" mentality among the Storm.