Well... I have to say, some people here are just making up stuff based on old perceptions and misinformation.
Perhaps another location in SE QLD would be better off??
There's 600,000 people on the Gold Coast. In 1998 it was 300,000.
Only Brisbane has a larger population in Qld. FTR, the third largest is the Sunshine Coast.
Where else should rugby league be promoted in Qld but in the largest population centres?
st.phil said:
This will be 5 times unlucky for the Gold Coast...it just does not work in that city.
Sorry, but that's utter nonsense.
st.phil said:
It's a transient city - or more accurately a town.
Same. More nonsense.
The Gold Coast is the sixth largest city in Australia. Larger than Newcastle, almost twice the size of Canberra, more than twice the size of Wollongong and three times larger than Townsville. Using your logic, every one of these 'towns' shouldn't have a team.
st.phil said:
The limited amount of people who DO put there roots down up there commonly follow other clubs.
Well you've already been proven wrong on the 'limited' front. But I can attest to moving there and supporting another team, but so what? We want rugby league in a city which is populated by rugby league supporters.... right?
st.phil said:
It does not seem to capture a populous that's interested.
Where are you getting all this bs from? The local media pumps the Titans more than any other sporting team. If not for the Titans, it would be the AFL team. I know what I prefer.
st.phil said:
You can have all the acadamys, centres and business models you like - Titans have been boosting there corwd figures from day 1. Maybe a "south brisbane" team would be more the ticket.
I agree there should be another SE Qld team. But not at the expense of the second largest city in Qld. Another Brisbane team would be the ticket. But aren't you worried about them failing? It's not the Crushers were a roaring success.
In any case, you can't just pluck new clubs out of the air. Sth Brisbane aren't organised enough. Ipswich and Redcliffe have better credentials but even they will be first to admit that it's a long way off.
Agree it is a retirement or holiday destination rather than a rugby league nursery.
Defintely a holiday destination, but your other perceptions are a little out of whack. With respect, you haven't been on the GC for a long time. Or maybe never. The population has doubled over the last decade and getting younger. Plus some of the largest RL clubs and schools in Qld are on the Gold Coast.
Even the name 'Gold Coast' conjures up images of sandy beaches, schoolies weeks and meter maids in cowboy hats.. Not a football team.
Beaches yes - but didn't know that was considered anti-league.
Schoolies - perhaps in a retirement village? I jest, but I think you'll find that is confined to Surfers Paradise once a year.
Meter maids are on the way out, not even council backed anymore. And again pretty much confined to Surfers.
Suffice to say, there's a lot more to the GC than Surfers Paradise. Just like there's a lot more to Sydney than Bondi Beach.
there are a lot of Asian folk
There are Asian people all over Australia. Makes for great restaurants. But BSE, just so you know, Asian people have been known to follow Rugby League as well.
I never understood the logic behind not trying to sell the greatest game of all to people simply because on their racial background.
For example, after a game at Kogarah, a few of us went to Hurstville and had soft shelled crabs in a Chinese restaurant. All the other diners were Asian and no English was being spoken. On the wall were two big TV screens showing a replay of the game and people were into it. It shoudn't be no surprise. After all, we were in Saints territory.
Yes I am - but it's what the population is comprised off that is more in question here.
That's a backpeddle but not a retraction.
I did not know that and also find it hard to believe - I seem to remember them playing to half empty Carrah (sic) stadium and finishing equal last with Wests in 98. Not even with Searle's creative accounting could they have spun a profit that year.
When the GC franchsie was given the boot (by the NRL at the direction of the Brisbane Broncos), they had money in the bank. So much so that they handed out loans. In particular, they gave the Newcastle Knights a loan.
And geez Phil, you can't even spell Carrara.
No offence, but if you want to sound like an authority, at least try to get up to speed on the facts.
Look, Searle has made some mistakes but he isn't alone there. All this talk about giving them the flick is pretty short-sighted imo, and akin throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
If any team should go, it should be the sharks. They should have relocated to the GC when the opportunity was in the wind.
