N.C. said:I wouldn't say that the Central Coast doesn't care about the Soccer - there seems to be a fair amount of grass roots support and I think that is one reason the Mariners are settling in here. I take the point that the media jumped on a bit of a bandwagon at the end of the A-League season but I think you are kidding yourself if you think the support for the Mariners was entirely manufactured. I think you need to bear in mind that it was an innaugural season...
damn straight. 25 odd clubs, massive junior participation, it's the dominant code in terms of what people actually play. there's a heap of senior divisions, the participation at senior and junior levels would take a turd from a great height on what rugby league has.
this isn't to say that the coast doesn't care about league. i grew up there and it was always a big deal - lots of people play soccer but follow league, it's just that not many people i knew actually played the game.
i reckon an nrl team would go alright in gosford, but i think it'd have to be a new thing, not just the bears. because a large proportion of the coast population moved from somewhere in else to the coast (my family moved from the st george area) they've either got attachments to other teams or at the very least animosity to other teams - the manly vs bears thing not the least of them. but the dynamic of the league is that there's probably more call for a relocated club or to go in through dead mens' boots, and i'm not sure whether the nrl is willing to go there...
gold coast is the better call at the moment, because it's a new club that fills a gap.