Has expansion actually brought in any more money?

[mongoose]

I dont see any evidence that this is the case. if you're theory is correct then having nine NRL clubs in Sydney should mean that the AFL has virtually zero presence there, but that is not the case. Different people will follow different sports for a whole variety of reasons. RL seems to struggle to grasp this concept, hence why it continues to stagnate and not develop itself in new markets that it sees as rusted on to other sports.

That just means 9 is not enough!! its needs to 11 or 12

 

[Perth Red]

That just means 9 is not enough!! its needs to 11 or 12

At least, heck should be one in every suburb then there'd be no room for afl lol.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

That’s only because they don’t have a side that represents that area. Think about it: would you follow a sport if you didn’t have a team that you could watch live or very little access to it on TV. It would be analogous to me saying that nobody would ever buy my product when I don’t sell to that area.

It is rather a perverse argument and you could only determine the veracity of that perspective once you have a team there.

Also, nobody has ever succeeded without taking a risk

The elephant in the room is nine teams in Sydney. For there to be teams in Adelaide and Perth, plus additional teams in Brisbane and NZ, then there will need to be rationalisation in Sydney. Nine teams in Sydney vs two in Brisbane is lopsided and a continuation of the NSWRL's delusions of grandeur and disrespect for the QRL. Brisbane shouldn't have to settle with just two teams because Sydneysiders are greedy and want to have more than it's capable of supporting. For years we've had broke Sydney clubs playing out of mid-20th century facilities while the world's best RL stadium sits empty most of the time.

 

[Colk]

The elephant in the room is nine teams in Sydney. For there to be teams in Adelaide and Perth, plus additional teams in Brisbane and NZ, then there will need to be rationalisation in Sydney. Nine teams in Sydney vs two in Brisbane is lopsided and a continuation of the NSWRL's delusions of grandeur and disrespect for the QRL. Brisbane shouldn't have to settle with just two teams because Sydneysiders are greedy and want to have more than it's capable of supporting. For years we've had broke Sydney clubs playing out of mid-20th century facilities while the world's best RL stadium sits empty most of the time.

In a perfect world you’d have five or six. You would have relocated about 3 or 4 of them and maybe merged 1 or 2 others when the war/peace happened. Sure you might have lost supporters but you would have gained more than you lost in those other areas and they would be bigger clubs due to them being one team in the area.

Now I just don’t see it happening. Clubs would have to be otherworldly negligent to go under seeing that they are given such sums every year and you would have to have a different administration with a completely different mindset.

The best chance now is to go to 20 to 22 sides, reduce the amount of expenditure per club and hope that they pick the right areas to expand to (3rd Brisbane, Perth, NZ, Adelaide)

In a perfect world, you’d relocate one Sydney side to Adelaide and then have new sides in Perth, NZ and maybe a 3rd side in Brisbane or somewhere else international. That would be a solid 20 team competition covering pretty much everything you want (increased international exposure plus a presence in every major Australian market. And it wouldn’t be impossible over say a 15 year period to do that.

 

[Perth Red]

Really the only thing stopping a 22 comp is A) can the NRL afford the grant B) is there enough talent production C) is there enough sponsors

One sure way to make it more viable would be a total expenditure cap to stop the arms race. When you have some clubs spending $23mill and some spending $35-40mill a year it means its very hard to bring in new clubs with confidence they can bring in enough revenue to keep up or not spend themselves into oblivion trying to keep up.

Cap total expenditure at $25mill. With a $13mill grant that only leaves $12 mill a year to earn. Every club should be able to manage that comfortably. That would mean you could bring 5 new clubs in and not have to worry about them surviving financially.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

In a perfect world you’d have five or six. You would have relocated about 3 or 4 of them and maybe merged 1 or 2 others when the war/peace happened. Sure you might have lost supporters but you would have gained more than you lost in those other areas and they would be bigger clubs due to them being one team in the area.

Now I just don’t see it happening. Clubs would have to be otherworldly negligent to go under seeing that they are given such sums every year and you would have to have a different administration with a completely different mindset.

The best chance now is to go to 20 to 22 sides, reduce the amount of expenditure per club and hope that they pick the right areas to expand to (3rd Brisbane, Perth, NZ, Adelaide)

In a perfect world, you’d relocate one Sydney side to Adelaide and then have new sides in Perth, NZ and maybe a 3rd side in Brisbane or somewhere else international. That would be a solid 20 team competition covering pretty much everything you want (increased international exposure plus a presence in every major Australian market. And it wouldn’t be impossible over say a 15 year period to do that.

If the competition remains at just two Brisbane teams with nine in Sydney then my passion for the game will drop substantially. I also want the Broncos out so another BRL club can have their spot. Ideally there would be three BRL clubs and no silly American brands that tarnish the history of RL in Queensland.

 

[flippikat]

If the competition remains at just two Brisbane teams with nine in Sydney then my passion for the game will drop substantially. I also want the Broncos out so another BRL club can have their spot. Ideally there would be three BRL clubs and no silly American brands that tarnish the history of RL in Queensland.

The only way I can see that happening is that if a Qld Cup side BUYS the Broncos & rebrands them, in addition to a new (3rd Brisbane) team joining.

Now, I don't think the Broncos current owners are in any mood to sell, ever.. and if they did sell to an established club, a rebrand is risky business.

 

[mongoose]

If the competition remains at just two Brisbane teams with nine in Sydney then my passion for the game will drop substantially. I also want the Broncos out so another BRL club can have their spot. Ideally there would be three BRL clubs and no silly American brands that tarnish the history of RL in Queensland.

it's been 1 brisbane team and 9 sydney teams for the best part of 33 years and your passion will drop now?

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

it's been 1 brisbane team and 9 sydney teams for the best part of 33 years and your passion will drop now?

My interest has been waning for years. I've gone from watching every game studiously to only giving a shit when the Cowboys and Broncos play. When the Cowboys and Broncos aren't playing I get distracted and do housework or projects around the home. I'm no longer a staunch defender of the game. For the first time in decades I'm watching the NBL and considering going to see the Bullets play at Nathan. I'm just disillusioned with the game because it's the same old status quo that ruffles my feathers. I used to see hope of a fair and even playing field when the game separated itself from News Ltd in 2012, but the way the ARLC has catered to Sydney ever since has made it clear that it will never be anything but an over glorified Sydney competition.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

The only way I can see that happening is that if a Qld Cup side BUYS the Broncos & rebrands them, in addition to a new (3rd Brisbane) team joining.

Now, I don't think the Broncos current owners are in any mood to sell, ever.. and if they did sell to an established club, a rebrand is risky business.

It's a long shot. Hopefully Easts get in and shake things up.

 

[RL The greatest game]

Junior development in all areas is the key to future expansion

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Junior development in all areas is the key to future expansion

It would be good if Melbourne pulled their finger out and started producing some local juniors.

 

[RL The greatest game]

It would be good if Melbourne pulled their finger out and started producing some local juniors.

In Victoria it would be

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

In Victoria it would be

All they've done is poach the best juniors from Queensland, NSW, NZ, PNG and Fiji.

 

[Colk]

All they've done is poach the best juniors from Queensland, NSW, NZ, PNG and Fiji.

The elephant in the room is the salary cap and the way the transfer system works. The most successful two sides haven’t had juniors because they have realised that it would be difficult for them due to the variety of reasons and that there is no long term advantage for them to do that.

If you had a draft or some other mechanism rather than a one size fits all salary cap, you could incentivise the Storm to produce Victorian talent.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

The elephant in the room is the salary cap and the way the transfer system works. The most successful two sides haven’t had juniors because they have realised that it would be difficult for them due to the variety of reasons and that there is no long term advantage for them to do that.

If you had a draft or some other mechanism rather than a one size fits all salary cap, you could incentivise the Storm to produce Victorian talent.

The Storm sum up everything I hate about Melbourne. The place produces bugger all classy athletes in any sport but wants to have the best athletes from interstate and internationally to move to Melbourne so they can dominate everything.

Melbourne doesn't produce decent racing car drivers, but it has the F1 at one of the worst tracks in the world. Australia's best racing car driver from the last 30 years is Queensland's Will Power. The event should go back to Adelaide.

Melbourne hasn't produced a world class grand slam winning tennis player in half a century, but it want to have the Australian Open every year, despite temperatures in Melbourne around January being too extreme to hold outdoor sporting events like tennis and a known breeding ground for bushfires. Three of Australia's last grand slam champions are from Queensland. Pat Rafter. Sam Stosur. Ash Barty.

The Federal Government subsidised unsustainable industries in Victoria for decades so that the wankers could make cars that didn't sell well, meanwhile businesses up north who were on hard times were given no aid and went bust.

The Victorian Government makes millions each year from visitors traveling to their horrible capital city to watch the F1 and Australian Open. I think it's only fair that Victorians pay an extra 25% in income tax, to be distributed amongst the other states and territories, as reparation for all of the money and quality events they've stolen from the rest of the country. Queensland and NSW should get the bulk of it as we've kept Australia competitive in the Olympics, tennis and cricket.

 

[marshall stalin]

The elephant in the room is the salary cap and the way the transfer system works. The most successful two sides haven’t had juniors because they have realised that it would be difficult for them due to the variety of reasons and that there is no long term advantage for them to do that.

If you had a draft or some other mechanism rather than a one size fits all salary cap, you could incentivise the Storm to produce Victorian talent.

Draft won't happen unless the players union agrees as it's already been through the court system (High Court of Aus) and deemed illegal - restraint of trade etc - The Terry Hill case as some refer it to as.

I figure one of those two successful sides is the Roosters - they have a long term partnership with the Central Coast League . Currently fielding 3 Central Coast Roosters sides in junior reps/pathways - one in Harold Matthews and sides in the Andrew Johns and Laurie Daley Cups - Central Coast Roosters won both these comps in 2021.

Not sure about the arrangement with North Sydney if it involves juniors as well or Just Norths as the NSW Cup Feeder side?

Be two areas the Roosters will look at having a permanent ongoing arrangement with one assumes.

 

[marshall stalin]

The Storm sum up everything I hate about Melbourne. The place produces bugger all classy athletes in any sport but wants to have the best athletes from interstate and internationally to move to Melbourne so they can dominate everything.

Melbourne doesn't produce decent racing car drivers, but it has the F1 at one of the worst tracks in the world. Australia's best racing car driver from the last 30 years is Queensland's Will Power. The event should go back to Adelaide.

Melbourne hasn't produced a world class grand slam winning tennis player in half a century, but it want to have the Australian Open every year, despite temperatures in Melbourne around January being too extreme to hold outdoor sporting events like tennis and a known breeding ground for bushfires. Three of Australia's last grand slam champions are from Queensland. Pat Rafter. Sam Stosur. Ash Barty.

The Federal Government subsidised unsustainable industries in Victoria for decades so that the wankers could make cars that didn't sell well, meanwhile businesses up north who were on hard times were given no aid and went bust.

The Victorian Government makes millions each year from visitors traveling to their horrible capital city to watch the F1 and Australian Open. I think it's only fair that Victorians pay an extra 25% in income tax, to be distributed amongst the other states and territories, as reparation for all of the money and quality events they've stolen from the rest of the country. Queensland and NSW should get the bulk of it as we've kept Australia competitive in the Olympics, tennis and cricket.

I think you're letting your dislike of Melbourne/Victoria cloud your judgement and reasoning.
You left out Lleyton Hewitt from Adelaide as he won 2 GS's

mmm Pat Cash has won a GS as has Dylan Alcott who won the Golden Slam last year as well (all 4 Grand slams and an Olympic Gold Medal) as well as other GS.- Both born in Melbourne

I am sure there are quite a few legend and great VFL/AFL players that Melbourne/Victoria produced though - for an example You leave out other sports people such as Shane Warne/Bill Lawry/Aaron Finch/Glenn Maxwell/Dean Jones/Ben Simmons/Andrew Bogut /Andrew Gaze/Peter Norman/Mark Viduka/Michelle Payne/Penny Taylor to name a few

 

[marshall stalin]

Perth and NZ 2 should have been added to the competition years ago.

We would have a far larger fanbase if we bit the bullet and spent money building the game in Perth and NZ 10 years ago.

I was looking at the Illawarra Steelers history the other day. I didn't realise how little financial support there is for an NRL club in Wollongong. They needed Bruce Gordon to cover the Steelers' debt and he now owns their share of the merger. We really need a professional second-tier so that smaller cities like Central Coast, Wollongong, Logan, Ipswich, Cairns, Mackay, Rockhampton and Sunshine Coast can have access to quality RL. I'd even drop three of Sydney's weaker NRL clubs to this competition and replace their spots with Adelaide, Perth and NZ 2.

Imagine this competition.

Brisbane Bengals
Cairns Cyclones
Central Coast Bears
Central Queensland Capras
Illawarra Steelers
Ipswich Jets
Logan Scorpions
Mackay Cutters
Northern Sydney Sea Eagles
Sunshine Coast Falcons
Southern Sydney Sharks
Western Sydney Magpies

Just one small problem with your idea - where does the money come from for a professional second tier comp - also if you relegate teams those teams wont be seen again. Aus doesn't have the population or the finance to fund professional second tier comps - i gather when you say professional you mean full time professionals

 

[marshall stalin]

My interest has been waning for years. I've gone from watching every game studiously to only giving a shit when the Cowboys and Broncos play. When the Cowboys and Broncos aren't playing I get distracted and do housework or projects around the home. I'm no longer a staunch defender of the game. For the first time in decades I'm watching the NBL and considering going to see the Bullets play at Nathan. I'm just disillusioned with the game because it's the same old status quo that ruffles my feathers. I used to see hope of a fair and even playing field when the game separated itself from News Ltd in 2012, but the way the ARLC has catered to Sydney ever since has made it clear that it will never be anything but an over glorified Sydney competition.

Catering to Sydney how do you think that and on what basis and facts - many NSW folk feel it's the other way around catering to QLD and ignoring Sydney and NSW