Expansion ??

Berkeley_Eagle · Oct 30, 2004

The National Rugby League might consider expanding its competition to Perth and Adelaide in coming years, chief executive David Gallop said yesterday.

While the NRL's current focus is to continue dominating Australia's east coast, Gallop would love the league to become national. "We would love us to have a national coverage - total national coverage," he said at a Committee for Sydney business lunch yesterday.

"But dominating the heartland is more important at the moment. We are a few years away [from considering expansion to Perth and Adelaide]."

"In some respect, we are envious of the AFL's national competition, but NSW, and Queensland make up over half of Australia's population and we clearly dominate in those states.

"I think on that basis we would go to the Gold Coast and Central Coast before we reached Adelaide and Perth. We want to continue to concentrate on our heartland."

Gallop said the Super League forays into Perth and Adelaide in the mid-'90s were not a failure in the NRL's eyes.

"It's problematic to say Perth and Adelaide teams failed. Although they closed down [at] that point of time, other clubs had their backs to the wall, including clubs still in competition," he said. "It's not necessary to say we failed in Perth and Adelaide."

The NRL boss outlined the success rugby league is enjoying and detailed the growing popularity of the sport.

"It's in front and trending upwards," he said. "In fact, our game is experiencing record growth. Crowd averages have set all-time highs for the second year running and you only have to look to this year's grand final to see the way rugby league captures the media spotlight, and the way it reaches into every part of this city's [Sydney's] fabric."

Gallop noted the most watched television programs in Sydney this year were the NRL grand final and two of the three State of Origin games.

I honestly think it should be Central coast or maybe Wagga (close enough for 2nd melb team but still in nsw, takes in all the Sw area of nsw then)
before they go down that path again

Stranger · Oct 30, 2004

No NSW or QLD teams will enter befor a WA,SA or NT team... Maby in years to come we might have a tazzy team.

blaine train · Oct 30, 2004

some people are dreaming....maybe perth and adelaide but nt and tas...thats crazy

Stranger · Oct 30, 2004

:roll: we are talking about the future :roll:

maby 10 years maby 20 years but it will happen.

innsaneink · Oct 30, 2004

Wagga Wagga :lol: :lol:

dimitri · Oct 30, 2004

perth and adelaide has to happen

they should never have been killed in the first place

Broncodroid · Oct 30, 2004

"I think on that basis we would go to the Gold Coast and Central Coast before we reached Adelaide and Perth. We want to continue to concentrate on our heartland." - David Gallop

Do not skip over the above quote.

We are a long way off expanding to Perth and Adelaide again in my view, for crying out loud, the powers to be cannot make a clear cut decision on 3 very good Franchise bids on the GC, CC and NZ, all areas with brilliant Rugby League supprt...Now, Perth and Adelaide are being mentioned, 2 cities that are not exactly League illiterate and with the NRL to revisit the Melbourne contract in 5 years, this is another uphill battle.

The dream is awesome, reality is harsh and this is some time off, sadly, I will be nearing 50 no doubt before Brisbane play Perth in their innaugral game.

Bengal · Oct 30, 2004

Berkeley_Eagle said:
While the NRL's current focus is to continue dominating Australia's east coast, Gallop would love the league to become national. "We would love us to have a national coverage - total national coverage," he said at a Committee for Sydney business lunch yesterday.

Three points here either hes
1) Talking through a hole in is a*se
2) Omitting the fact that expansion (in the NRLs eyes) will be at the expense of existing teams
3) His idea if coming years actually means no time soon!

Berkeley_Eagle said:
While the NRL's current focus is to continue dominating Australia's east coast, Gallop would love the league to become national. "We would love us to have a national coverage - total national coverage," he said at a Committee for Sydney business lunch yesterday.

Whos we? The News component of the NRL? The ARL component?...

Berkeley_Eagle said:
The NRL boss outlined the success rugby league is enjoying and detailed the growing popularity of the sport.

"It's in front and trending upwards," he said. "In fact, our game is experiencing record growth. Crowd averages have set all-time highs for the second year running and you only have to look to this year's grand final to see the way rugby league captures the media spotlight, and the way it reaches into every part of this city's [Sydney's] fabric."

Gallop noted the most watched television programs in Sydney this year were the NRL grand final and two of the three State of Origin games.

This was always going to happen; such is the irresistible drawing power of the game. The unfortunate thing about all this increased popularity is that its not translating into what really counts in this world - $$$$$. Thats money that the development of the game desperately needs!

Surandy · Oct 30, 2004

Revisit the Melbourne contract in 5 years? The NRL have said Storm has a contract til the end of 2011, as I understand it the same as the other teams in the competition.

Is 2011 in 5 years time? Damn, I must have slept through a couple of years! #-o :roll: #-o

dimitri · Oct 30, 2004

Copa · Oct 30, 2004

Four more locations doesn't necessarily mean 4 more teams in the comp....

God-King Dean · Oct 30, 2004

I'd also like to see a Wellington team

God-King Dean · Oct 30, 2004

Tasmania's genes are too distorted to play a physical game ;-)

Bomber · Oct 30, 2004

I reckon there is absolutely no reason why there can't be a 20 team competition in the next 25 years. The growth of population in Australia and New Zealand should make it viable to introduce teams from Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Central Coast and Wellington all by 2022.

In my opinion, the Gold Coast needs to be the first team in (2007) followed by Central Coast and Wellington (2012) and Perth and Adelaide together (2022)

God-King Dean · Oct 30, 2004

I think our first-priority should be with the States that already play RL, then move on to others

strong_latte · Oct 30, 2004

Immortal said:
Tasmania's genes are too distorted to play a physical game ;-)

Just in regard to your statement about roosters fans with "juniors" written under their names, do you realise you yourself are dubbed a 'junior' by this board????

Bengal · Oct 30, 2004

Bomber said:
I reckon there is absolutely no reason why there can't be a 20 team competition in the next 25 years. The growth of population in Australia and New Zealand should make it viable to introduce teams from Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Central Coast and Wellington all by 2022.

In my opinion, the Gold Coast needs to be the first team in (2007) followed by Central Coast and Wellington (2012) and Perth and Adelaide together (2022)

There is one reason against a 20 team comp

It's called News Corp

If it's in their plans it'll be sweet, if not - forget it!

I'll stick by my (cynical) view that in the next 2-5 years at least, if you want to talk about expansion, think of which teams need to go to accomodate them first, because as recent history shows then that's the only way its going to happen.

realredhillboy · Oct 31, 2004

adelaide and perth are good ideas
gold coast allready has two teams, maybe we should look at strengthening grass roots football before doing something that will destroy it even further. the two teams "burleigh bears and tweed heads seagulls will go down the drain if the gold coast is admitted.
burleigh just recently won the queensland cup final. the qrl and arl should be doing its best to get fans behind these teams. why not improve and improve grassroots league in queensland and expanding to afl states.

Berkeley_Eagle · Oct 31, 2004

innsaneink said:
Wagga Wagga :lol: :lol:

:roll: :roll:

only a suggestion, who would you prefer then,
a 2nd nz team (no thanks)
Perth (been there done That)
Adelaide(possiblility in 10 years )
2nd brisbane team(broncos wont let that happen)

chemicalbrother · Oct 31, 2004

Stranger said:
No NSW or QLD teams will enter befor a WA,SA or NT team... Maby in years to come we might have a tazzy team.

Well the AFL and the NRL are not National comp because they don't have team in tassie yet.

Expansion ??

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