Expansion Issue - FINAL

[fourxman]

For mine CC is not the priority as most people have mentioned.

In my mind the order of expansion would be:

Perth -> Wellington -> Sunshine Coast -> Adelaide -> Central Coast

I think Central Coast is a place that may deserve a go but expanding into new markets is more important.

 

[eels_fan_01]

Personally i wouldn't like to see another NSW team however i would like to see someone relocate to that area.

Either South Sydney or the Roosters would be good i reckon, at this point in time i wish it was Souths because then it would mean less NRL games at Telstra.

 

[ozzie]

Rubbish. The CC population is roughly 298,000. The Canberra population is roughly 340,000 and then you include Queanbeyan which is to Canberra what Tweed Heads is to the Gold Coast, and you get 380,000... and that's not including the nearby regional towns of Cooma, Yass, Bungendore, Crookwell and Goulburn which are all part of the Canberra local competition and supporter base.

Townsville's population is roughly 145,000, but then you need to include all the nearby centres that the Cowboys draw from. They support towns in the north of Queensland such as Mackay, Cairns and Rockhampton.

With the Central Coast, the 298,000 is it. That includes all the small towns up there, whereas Canberra and Townsville are drawing from bases of 500,000+

Do your research next time.

i wouldn't put the majority of people in Yass in your fan base. We only play in the Canberra Comp because we have to. Most people in town either follow Brisbane, St George or teams like Roosters, Melbourne etc

 

[Loudstrat]

You're comparing 1 team verses 10 teams. You're really stretching the situation there, GC people had no alternative teams compared to a place that had 9 alternatives.

8000 people show up for a game in Sydney or 8000 show up for a game in Perth. Not much to lose really, Sydney crowds are so poor they more than justify an existence in both Melbourne and Perth, maybe there would be poor crowds...but at least there would be room for growth. Same cannot be said for Sydney.

Yet Sydney is growing at a faster rate than Perth? Another 2.1 million by 2020 I read recently.

 

[Loudstrat]

Rubbish. The CC population is roughly 298,000. The Canberra population is roughly 340,000 and then you include Queanbeyan which is to Canberra what Tweed Heads is to the Gold Coast, and you get 380,000... and that's not including the nearby regional towns of Cooma, Yass, Bungendore, Crookwell and Goulburn which are all part of the Canberra local competition and supporter base.

Townsville's population is roughly 145,000, but then you need to include all the nearby centres that the Cowboys draw from. They support towns in the north of Queensland such as Mackay, Cairns and Rockhampton.

With the Central Coast, the 298,000 is it. That includes all the small towns up there, whereas Canberra and Townsville are drawing from bases of 500,000+

Do your research next time.

Yep. Researched. Central Coast had 306376 in the 2001 census. Catchment would include Sydney's North Shore - esp Hornsby. And if you include Rocky as a considerable contributor to Townsville, you may as well add everywhere from Lismore to Bega to Cobar into the CC stats. Therefore about 5.9 million.

The other thing about Canberra is that it isn't necessarily a League town. The public service draws people from all over Australia, therefore many come with AFL allegiances. PLus, there is direct winter competition from the Brumbies.

The Central Coast is league area. There is no winter sport competition.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

1 thing i never really understand is how so many people have Wellington high up on the list. NZ at this current time can't sustain more than 1 side imo, and are having enough issues trying to get 1 going ok. A 2nd side would probably have a big impact on the amount of Warriors support as well.

Perth, Adelaide, CC Bears, should all come before Wellington

 

[j5o6hn]

I think you may find that Perth is growing at a faster rate than SEQ,we are getting NSW people for work,109000 watched the well delayed S of O and between 15 to a high point of 33000 watch the 9 Sunday football

 

[dallymessenger]

Formmonths, there have been a million "where do we expand" threads. But, rugby league fans are missing one key issue which is crucial to the credibility of rugby league: - the next team to be included in any expansion has to be the Central Coast Bears. If not, then one of the great frauds ever perpetrated in Australian sport will continue - and this is a terrible stain for a game that keeps talking "tradition".

The excuses and arguments against a CC Bears team have always been weak. The "bankrupt" at criteria time - absolute lie. The broken promises by the NRL - disgraceful. In terms of grounds, support from 3 regions, financial backing, juniors etc - it is the best contender by miles. It would not rely on pokies support or only one millionaire. It would be a very smart decision by the NRL and give league a huge boost against rival codes which, as the Mariners have shown, are a serious threat.

Even now, the criteria is being shown for the joke it is. Brookvale Oval was regarded as a supeior ground to North Sydney Oval in the criteria - yet Manly have been whining for years for money to completely redo their ground.

It is a simple decision that would help to put rugby league on the map in a big way. It would also be a message to other codes that rugby league takes its tradition seriously and will protect its territory.

For the NRL to keep rejecting the CC Bears - but, at the same time, offer $8 million for a relocation - is simply stupid and short-sighted.

im want the central coast bears in, but not before perth.

toss of a coin between wellington and CC after that.

id probably go wellington then CC bears in with another queensland team in around 2018

 

[skeepe]

Yep. Researched. Central Coast had 306376 in the 2001 census.

And it had 298,000 in the 2006 census. Looks like it's shrinking, not growing.

Catchment would include Sydney's North Shore - esp Hornsby. And if you include Rocky as a considerable contributor to Townsville, you may as well add everywhere from Lismore to Bega to Cobar into the CC stats. Therefore about 5.9 million.

Clutching at straws. What other teams are there around Rockhampton? None. Around Bega? Canberra, St George-Illawarra, hell all the Sydney teams. Lismore is closer to Newcastle than the CC.

The other thing about Canberra is that it isn't necessarily a League town. The public service draws people from all over Australia, therefore many come with AFL allegiances. PLus, there is direct winter competition from the Brumbies.

The Central Coast is league area. There is no winter sport competition.

So what?

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Raising a new team on the CC is going backwards, Re-locating a sydney team to the CC is moving forwards..

It's a simple concept, a no brainer, not worth arguing over..

 

[dallymessenger]

Raising a new team on the CC is going backwards, Re-locating a sydney team to the CC is moving forwards..

It's a simple concept, a no brainer, not worth arguing over..

what if no sydney team moves there though?

does the central coast deserve a team in their own right then?

and if they do why not the bears.

not before perth and maybe wellington.

but after that why not.

i doubt any sydney club will be moving to gosford.

they all see their futures in sydney

 

[gho]

1 thing i never really understand is how so many people have Wellington high up on the list. NZ at this current time can't sustain more than 1 side imo, and are having enough issues trying to get 1 going ok. A 2nd side would probably have a big impact on the amount of Warriors support as well.

Perth, Adelaide, CC Bears, should all come before Wellington

Wellington needs to be high on the list to improve rugby league coverage in New Zealand. Currently it is an Australian game with a token NZ side, but if you increase to two sides you'll boost the profile of the game and Wellington vs. Aukland will be like Cowboys vs Broncos big drawing games which could hook people onto League. The actual support would increase for the warriors, sure the supporters from Wellington who probably hadn't been to a warriors game would drop, but support within Aukland would increase due to the extra rivalry.

I also think that SEQ will get another side in the next two licenses simply because thats were the money is, and everything is in place for it. CC is for NRL what Tasmania is for AFL, AFL chose to fight it out in the Gold Coast despite the lack of support, and NRL will fight it out in Perth.

 

[Perth Red]

If we could convince the NZ TV to give us another $8mill for the rights to all Wellington games then it costs the NRl nothing (in fact gives them more income) and we get more Kiwi players, a new area to fight RU and a derby for the Warriors. Only doubts are level of corporate support and if the Australian NRL teams could survive losing Kiwi players!

 

[girvie]

The great thing about the Central Coast Bears is that it would embrace Sydney's North Shore as well as the Central Coast.

This is a population of 800,000.

This combined area is larger than all other NSW teams in the Nrl!

 

[Perth Red]

2013 WA Reds
2015 Wellington Boots
2017 Q'land Dolphins

That for me should be the plan but i see no signs that the NRL has any plan or any intention of positioning itself for that to happen.

I get the feeling that in 10 years we will still be discussing who should be in or be repalcing a couple of bankrupt teams!

 

[Chapsta]

It's time for the Bears to be in the Nrl again.

Spot on.

 

[otori]

2013 WA Reds
2015 Wellington Boots
2017 Q'land Dolphins

That for me should be the plan but i see no signs that the NRL has any plan or any intention of positioning itself for that to happen.

I get the feeling that in 10 years we will still be discussing who should be in or be repalcing a couple of bankrupt teams!

What region do they Queensland Dolphins play in? Redcliffe expansion?

You do get the feeling that the Sydney clubs would rather go bankrupt than move.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Wellington needs to be high on the list to improve rugby league coverage in New Zealand. Currently it is an Australian game with a token NZ side, but if you increase to two sides you'll boost the profile of the game and Wellington vs. Aukland will be like Cowboys vs Broncos big drawing games which could hook people onto League. The actual support would increase for the warriors, sure the supporters from Wellington who probably hadn't been to a warriors game would drop, but support within Aukland would increase due to the extra rivalry.

I also think that SEQ will get another side in the next two licenses simply because thats were the money is, and everything is in place for it. CC is for NRL what Tasmania is for AFL, AFL chose to fight it out in the Gold Coast despite the lack of support, and NRL will fight it out in Perth.

I see what you are saying, but i still struggle to agree with Wellington being so high up on the list

The minimal times the Warriors have gone well, they have gotten pretty huge and there is a buzz around about them and the profile increases, but as soon as they lose 1 or 2, that disappears and it all turns into ripping them apart again.

imo, 1 strong NZ team will be more successful in lifting league than 2 sides around the middle of the comp, or 1 strong and 1 weak side.

1 day it maybe it should happen, but it should not be higher up the list than the CC

 

[LeagueXIII]

Ok then let's move Norths there.

 

[Blind Freddy]

To the people saying the people of the CC should just drive an hour or 2 to get to games......How can you expect the people from the CC to drive to Sydney to watch a game of footy whilst all teams in Sydney fail dismally at attracting their own fans and people that live closest to the stadiums in Sydney in strong numbers right now?? ....... Pot calling the kettle black??

What should happen is any area that can successfully sustain a team no matter where it's location is should be welcomed into the comp. Survival of the fittest. Why should what will undoubtedly be a successs and heal a deep wound for the sport be held back because of the inept managment of the current clubs?? Kind of encourages the bad mangement doesn't it?