Expansion Through the Second Tier

[titoelcolombiano]

Ok so let's say tomorrow the ARLC announce that they are going to build a second tier RL competition that will be fully professional (with a much lower salary cap than the NRL), will have a game a week televised on FTA and the rest will be on Fox and that are accepting all applications provided that they are not affiliated with any current NRL club. Who do you pick as the best strategic options for this league?

I'll start (I'm assuming that any existing NRL ties are severed once the club enters this comp):

International Clubs:
PNG Hunters
Kaviti Silktails
Pacfique XIII
Christchurch Bulls
Wellington Orcas

QLD Clubs:
Central QLD Capras
Sunshine Coast Falcons
Brisbane Tigers
Ipswich Jets

NSW Clubs:
Central Coast Somethings
North Sydney Bears
Newtown Jets

Rusted on AFL States' Clubs:
Adelaide Rams
Melbourne 2
West Coast Pirates or State Rep Team

The SA, Vic & WA teams are hopefully a turning point in the pathways for local players even if they get flogged for the foreseeable future. Before the airfare argument comes up, there are many professional comps much less valuable than this one that fly teams from Perth to NZ and the three non-NZ international teams are fully Government funded and are also critical pathways for the pacific countries they represent.

 

[Perth Red]

I’d go two conferences to reduce costs

northern
png
cairns
sunshine coast
fiji
3 brisbane clubs (tigers, seagulls, jets)
christchurch

southern
gosford
3 Sydney clubs (bears Newtown wenties)
Adelaide
perth
melbourne
darwin

$3mill salary cap, $4mill nrl grant.no feeder clun arrangements allowed.

would cost the nrl around $75mill a year To fund and run.

when you think that’s equivalent one big name soccer players annual wages it puts it into perspective!

 

[Diesel]

If the NRL can afford this, it’d a great idea.

I guess this is where conferences could come in to save costs, especially for the QLD & NSW teams. If you’re going for a Pacific XIII, based them in NZ so you have 4 teams based there, Canterbury, Wellington & Auckland, Pacific 13
PNG joins QLD.

 

[TheGrifter]

It's a great idea and could work.

I would start small and expand over time.

PNG Hunters
Sunshine Coast Falcons
Ipswich Jets
Brisbane Firehawks
Wynnum Manly Seagulls
Newtown Jets
North Sydney Bears
Illawarra Steelers
Western Suburbs Magpies
Perth

$1.5m salary cap and $1.5m club grant. Travel costs would be $1.5-2m per year for the whole league.

Total cost for the NRL would be around $17m per year. But they are already paying most of these clubs 500k per year to run QLD/NSW cup sides so extra outlay is probably around $12-13m per year.

 

[joshreading]

I would make a NZ based NRL2 Conference

Tonga rep (Auckland or Hamilton based)
Samoa rep (Auckland or Hamilton based)
Auckland Vulcans
Wellington
Christchurch
Kaviti Silvertails.

This would draw on the PAC Islands base and reduce travel costs to some degree.

The weight of NRL qualification will make this competition an attractive proposition against the Mitre10 cup imo. Not as strong but certainly it will attract attention.

I would play a 15 game main season (3 games etc as series) before the top enter the finals of NRL2.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Adelaide Rams
Brisbane Firehawks
Central Coast Bears
East Coast Seagulls
Ipswich Jets
Northern Territory Crocodiles
Pacific XIII
PNG Hunters
Sunshine Coast Falcons
Sydney Jets
West Coast Pirates
Western Sydney Magpies

 

[Perth Red]

What’s the salary cap for nsw/qrl cup?

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I’d go two conferences to reduce costs

northern
png
cairns
sunshine coast
fiji
3 brisbane clubs (tigers, seagulls, jets)
christchurch

southern
gosford
3 Sydney clubs (bears Newtown wenties)
Adelaide
perth
melbourne
darwin

$3mill salary cap, $4mill nrl grant.no feeder clun arrangements allowed.

would cost the nrl around $75mill a year To fund and run.

when you think that’s equivalent one big name soccer players annual wages it puts it into perspective!

This is the kind of league where conferences would make a lot of sense.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Adelaide Rams
Brisbane Firehawks
Central Coast Bears
East Coast Seagulls
Ipswich Jets
Northern Territory Crocodiles
Pacific XIII
PNG Hunters
Sunshine Coast Falcons
Sydney Jets
West Coast Pirates
Western Sydney Magpies

I like the idea of an NT side in a comp like this. It's a good way of getting them involved in RL at a professional level when they clearly will never be able to field an NRL level side.

 

[T-Boon]

Ok so let's say tomorrow the ARLC announce that they are going to build a second tier RL competition that will be fully professional (with a much lower salary cap than the NRL), will have a game a week televised on FTA and the rest will be on Fox and that are accepting all applications provided that they are not affiliated with any current NRL club. Who do you pick as the best strategic options for this league?

I'll start (I'm assuming that any existing NRL ties are severed once the club enters this comp):

International Clubs:
PNG Hunters
Kaviti Silktails
Pacfique XIII
Christchurch Bulls
Wellington Orcas

QLD Clubs:
Central QLD Capras
Sunshine Coast Falcons
Brisbane Tigers
Ipswich Jets

NSW Clubs:
Central Coast Somethings
North Sydney Bears
Newtown Jets

Rusted on AFL States' Clubs:
Adelaide Rams
Melbourne 2
West Coast Pirates or State Rep Team

The SA, Vic & WA teams are hopefully a turning point in the pathways for local players even if they get flogged for the foreseeable future. Before the airfare argument comes up, there are many professional comps much less valuable than this one that fly teams from Perth to NZ and the three non-NZ international teams are fully Government funded and are also critical pathways for the pacific countries they represent.

I use to have a thread call B-League that was to do with this. It was a great thread.
I think the game would benefit through the roof from having a powerful lower tier that is100% Independent and essentially in competition with the NRL.
Firstly it would improve coaching immeasurably as there would be way more depth in coaching positions/thoughts/philosophies/strategy.
All coaches below first grade are currently just essentially employees of the first grade coaches.
I would have slightly different rules for the lower tier much like there are slightly different rules between NFL and college ball.

 

[T-Boon]

It's a great idea and could work.

I would start small and expand over time.

PNG Hunters
Sunshine Coast Falcons
Ipswich Jets
Brisbane Firehawks
Wynnum Manly Seagulls
Newtown Jets
North Sydney Bears
Illawarra Steelers
Western Suburbs Magpies
Perth

$1.5m salary cap and $1.5m club grant. Travel costs would be $1.5-2m per year for the whole league.

Total cost for the NRL would be around $17m per year. But they are already paying most of these clubs 500k per year to run QLD/NSW cup sides so extra outlay is probably around $12-13m per year.

Also make it just 12 rounds.
Less is more in sports.

 

[MugaB]

I like the idea of an NT side in a comp like this. It's a good way of getting them involved in RL at a professional level when they clearly will never be able to field an NRL level side.

If NT has anything to do with the NRL, then they'll be definitely called NT Gators... crocs is too Australian... can't have that

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

I like the idea of an NT side in a comp like this. It's a good way of getting them involved in RL at a professional level when they clearly will never be able to field an NRL level side.

The QRL need to foster a stronger relationship with the NTRL. Providing NT RL players with a pathway to the Maroons will give locals a reason to choose RL over fumbleball.

An NT team played in the old Queensland Statewide League for a season or two in the early 1990s.

 

[Perth Red]

The biggest problem with second tier idea is the nrl clubs and the nrl do pnt want the support diluting for the nrl. How many people who currently follow an nrl team would switch to a second tier club if one existed? How many would stop watching nrl games on tv and follow the second tier games instead? That is how the nrl and it’s clubs will think so it’s anon starter.

 

[TheGrifter]

What’s the salary cap for nsw/qrl cup?

500k in Qld Cup last I heard, not sure about NSW Cup.

 

[Vee]

What’s the salary cap for nsw/qrl cup?

About $400k according to Pride coach Ty Williams.

 

[Perth Red]

500k in Qld Cup last I heard, not sure about NSW Cup.

I’m guessing that doesn’t include the dual registered players for the nrl feeder clubs?

 

[T-Boon]

The biggest problem with second tier idea is the nrl clubs and the nrl do pnt want the support diluting for the nrl. How many people who currently follow an nrl team would switch to a second tier club if one existed? How many would stop watching nrl games on tv and follow the second tier games instead? That is how the nrl and it’s clubs will think so it’s anon starter.

Agreed it would need to go it alone.

 

[AdelaideRLFC]

I think a 2nd division would be an excellent initative.

 

[Gobsmacked]

I think a 2nd division would be an excellent initative.

I totally agree. I think it could a cap of 2 million with a grant of 3. That gives everyone a base salary/ fully professional. Should be restricted to areas at least 100 km away from any existing NRL club.
Conference system.
Qld: Mackay
Cairns
Rockhampton
PNG
Toowoomba
Sunshine Coast
Darwin
NSW: Central Coast
Dobbo
Port Macquarie
Coffs harbour
Tamworth
Bathurst
FIJI
These are big areas that'll never be big enough for an NRL team.

A solid 12 team comp that with local sponsorship opportunities, local tv deals could be almost self sustainable after a few years.
NRL needs to look at this!