Interview with the Welsh banker: crowds, golden point, judiciary...

[Perth Red]

You simply don't get it, they don't need to be bigger than RL in Qland and nsw, they don't even need to be close to same size. What they do need and are doing slowly but surely is a strong presence, media coverage, perception of being popular in every Australian city etc. can you honestly sit there and say that afl isn't significantly bigger in Sydney and Brisbane now than it was in in the 70's?

I'm sure the likes of you chortled when they announced the swans and lions Relocations, now those clubs have attendances and memberships we could only dream about a NRL club having in non RL cities. Make no mistake this is a war, a very long and insidious war, the code that wins the public perception of being Australia's national footy code will reap massive dividends down the track. Keep you head buried, it will likely be your grandkids playing afl not NRL that will suffer.

 

[Last Week]

You simply don't get it, they don't need to be bigger than RL in Qland and nsw, they don't even need to be close to same size. What they do need and are doing slowly but surely is a strong presence, media coverage, perception of being popular in every Australian city etc. can you honestly sit there and say that afl isn't significantly bigger in Sydney and Brisbane now than it was in in the 70's?

I'm sure the likes of you chortled when they announced the swans and lions Relocations, now those clubs have attendances and memberships we could only dream about a NRL club having in non RL cities. Make no mistake this is a war, a very long and insidious war, the code that wins the public perception of being Australia's national footy code will reap massive dividends down the track. Keep you head buried, it will likely be your grandkids playing afl not NRL that will suffer.

And expansion will solve all of that.

 

[elbusto]

You simply don't get it, they don't need to be bigger than RL in Qland and nsw, they don't even need to be close to same size. What they do need and are doing slowly but surely is a strong presence, media coverage, perception of being popular in every Australian city etc. can you honestly sit there and say that afl isn't significantly bigger in Sydney and Brisbane now than it was in in the 70's?

I'm sure the likes of you chortled when they announced the swans and lions Relocations, now those clubs have attendances and memberships we could only dream about a NRL club having in non RL cities. Make no mistake this is a war, a very long and insidious war, the code that wins the public perception of being Australia's national footy code will reap massive dividends down the track. Keep you head buried, it will likely be your grandkids playing afl not NRL that will suffer.

ffs mate its posts like this that drives us all to despair.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Didn't they move the Swans to Sydney just so they could show Sunday arvo games on telly because back in the day, they couldn't play footy on a Sunday in Melbourne?

I don't think that move was ever about getting a team engrained in to the Sydney psyche. Super League gifted them that. The same Super League Perth swapped to when the ARL let them in the first time around, took the handful of gold to be 'loyal' to and ultimately were sacrificed so News could bring in a Melbourne franchise for TV.

 

[cleary89]

f**k off back to big poofy oerth red

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

Didn't they move the Swans to Sydney just so they could show Sunday arvo games on telly because back in the day, they couldn't play footy on a Sunday in Melbourne?

I don't think that move was ever about getting a team engrained in to the Sydney psyche. Super League gifted them that. The same Super League Perth swapped to when the ARL let them in the first time around, took the handful of gold to be 'loyal' to and ultimately were sacrificed so News could bring in a Melbourne franchise for TV.

Maintain the rage, Hatter!

 

[DiegoNT]

You simply don't get it, they don't need to be bigger than RL in Qland and nsw, they don't even need to be close to same size. What they do need and are doing slowly but surely is a strong presence, media coverage, perception of being popular in every Australian city etc. can you honestly sit there and say that afl isn't significantly bigger in Sydney and Brisbane now than it was in in the 70's?

I'm sure the likes of you chortled when they announced the swans and lions Relocations, now those clubs have attendances and memberships we could only dream about a NRL club having in non RL cities. Make no mistake this is a war, a very long and insidious war, the code that wins the public perception of being Australia's national footy code will reap massive dividends down the track. Keep you head buried, it will likely be your grandkids playing afl not NRL that will suffer.

We were all supposed to be playing basketball by now.
What about union, they had there war chest, they were going to take over. They even expanded into perth and Melbourne.
Soccer's sleeping giant has been set to wake up during the last decade. It's already fallen from its lofty heights of its asian cup triumph from just this year.
The Lions were taking over Queensland after their 3peat of flags. Just over a decade later they are really struggling. They may get memberships/crowds of about 20k but that's the sum total of all their fans in Brisbane.
The swans have been successful and have found their niche, almost similar to Melbournes niche in the nrl, but gws has shown that theirs not enough support for 2 afl clubs in Australia's biggest city.
Nrl isn't going to expand just to beat their chests and try win some PR war. When the nrl expands, these new clubs will be added on their own merit, whether they have the support needed to support a club and if they can grow the game. Nrl is being sensible about expansion

 

[The Mad Hatter]

We were all supposed to be playing basketball by now.
What about union, they had there war chest, they were going to take over. They even expanded into perth and Melbourne.
Soccer's sleeping giant has been set to wake up during the last decade. It's already fallen from its lofty heights of its asian cup triumph from just this year.
The Lions were taking over Queensland after their 3peat of flags. Just over a decade later they are really struggling. They may get memberships/crowds of about 20k but that's the sum total of all their fans in Brisbane.
The swans have been successful and have found their niche, almost similar to Melbournes niche in the nrl, but gws has shown that theirs not enough support for 2 afl clubs in Australia's biggest city.
Nrl isn't going to expand just to beat their chests and try win some PR war. When the nrl expands, these new clubs will be added on their own merit, whether they have the support needed to support a club and if they can grow the game. Nrl is being sensible about expansion

Netball mate.

I remember a Swifts player saying they had more people to a netty game (mind you it was a semi final or grand final) than a club match next door at ANZ.

 

[adamkungl]

At least 2 expansion bids are giving every indication that they would do better than some of the existing clubs.

We can't halt progress indefinitely while we wait for every club to start rolling in cash. If it can't happen now with the NRL the richest Rugby competition in the world, it simply never will - there will always be another excuse.

If you can't see the need for top grade Rugby League to expand beyond it's heartlands you're a fool.

 

[DiegoNT]

Gold Coast Titans gave every indication they'd do better then the other nrl teams to and now it's one of the 4 clubs needing nrl help.
Yes the game needs to grow behind the heartlands, but at the same time we can't lose those heartlands either. Yes it'd be great to grow the game in places like perth, but what's the point of trying to reach out to that many fans when you are going to lose just as many from booting out current teams?
Clubs like cronulla and souths show things can turn around relatively quickly for struggling clubs.
Look at the 4 clubs that are currently in trouble, dragons, newcastle, titans and tigers. Can we afford to lose clubs that service the hunter and illawarra regions. Can we afford to lose west sydney/campbelltown area and gold coast/ south east Queensland areas? Aren't the Tigers and Titans the direct competition to the afl expansion clubs a few in here are so worried about.
Basketball tried rapid expansion, the nbl almost died.
Soccer tried rapid expansion 2 of their expansion teams died in infancy and now 2 of their foundation clubs ( jets and roar) are in deep trouble.
Even the mighty afls recent expansion hasn't quite worked. Their 2 expansion clubs are leaking money, they are bringing the Lions down with them and its having an effect on old Melbourne clubs like the demons and bulldogs.
Wouldn't it make sense to add expansions clubs to a strong and settled league. We are only just recovering from the double whammy of super league and the gallop era, shouldn't we give our clubs a few years chance in this new era before we kick them and their fans to the curb

 

[Last Week]

At least 2 expansion bids are giving every indication that they would do better than some of the existing clubs.

We can't halt progress indefinitely while we wait for every club to start rolling in cash. If it can't happen now with the NRL the richest Rugby competition in the world, it simply never will - there will always be another excuse.

If you can't see the need for top grade Rugby League to expand beyond it's heartlands you're a fool.

I don't think there's anyone on here who doesn't genuinely want the NRL to expand. We all want the game to grow. But I for one am not about to blast the ARLC or Smith for the stance of trying to strengthen the current clubs more before bringing in two new clubs who will be on shaky ground to start off with. It's in their mandate to look after the current clubs and the state competitions. Complaints against them for not supporting Tasmania Rugby League and not pushing further in the other affiliated states are fair game and we deserve answers for that, especially Tasmania.

I also believe that we haven't heard anything definite about expansion from ARLC or Smith because it is likely being used as a bargaining chip in the TV rights negotiations. My reasons for thinking that are because the game has kept its cards close to their chest, but they also started negotiations very early with the broadcasters.

Now it's likely that they started negotiating early in order to get the jump on AFL and also wanted a chunk of the $150million sale of Channel 9 studios (the game received $50million of that as part of the deal). But, should a deal with Fox be done in the next few months, which is very possible, and the new deal starts at the conclusion of this one, why, that gives us 2 years to create 2 brand new clubs.

If the new deal starts next year or the year after, it's possible it may take another 5 years before expansion starts or it could happen mid contract.

 

[Perth Red]

f**k off back to big poofy oerth red

Lol, obvious but typical. No ability to debate a point so just imagine that someone with a different opinion must be an afl fan. I've spent more money attending RL matches this year than you'd spend in a decade I'd hazard to guess!

 

[t-ba]

Does the fact I've flown intercontinentally for 3 matches in the last 6 years qualify me to call you a whiny one track issue bitch?

 

[Phil McGrawhan]

You simply don't get it, they don't need to be bigger than RL in Qland and nsw, they don't even need to be close to same size. What they do need and are doing slowly but surely is a strong presence, media coverage, perception of being popular in every Australian city etc. can you honestly sit there and say that afl isn't significantly bigger in Sydney and Brisbane now than it was in in the 70's?

I'm sure the likes of you chortled when they announced the swans and lions Relocations, now those clubs have attendances and memberships we could only dream about a NRL club having in non RL cities. Make no mistake this is a war, a very long and insidious war, the code that wins the public perception of being Australia's national footy code will reap massive dividends down the track. Keep you head buried, it will likely be your grandkids playing afl not NRL that will suffer.

You have no grasp on reality .
No matter how much they sugar coat this turd of a sport ...it's still a turd .
& if you think my grandkids will be playing afl you are f**ked in the head .

Will RL just cease to exist?
Will there only be one choice of sport for kids in the future ?
The soft option for the weedy little kids will be sokka or afl .
The other kids who like a rough contact sport will play RL .

You are repeating the same bullshit that was repeated by the AFLOL media/ officials & fans over a decade ago .
Shows how little brain matter you have .

 

[Perth Red]

Does the fact I've flown intercontinentally for 3 matches in the last 6 years qualify me to call you a whiny one track issue bitch?

As long as you don't call me an afl fan you can call me whatever makes you feel better. :roll:

 

[Perth Red]

You have no grasp on reality .
No matter how much they sugar coat this turd of a sport ...it's still a turd .
& if you think my grandkids will be playing afl you are f**ked in the head .

Will RL just cease to exist?
Will there only be one choice of sport for kids in the future ?
The soft option for the weedy little kids will be sokka or afl .
The other kids who like a rough contact sport will play RL .

You are repeating the same bullshit that was repeated by the AFLOL media/ officials & fans over a decade ago .
Shows how little brain matter you have .

Kids will play what ever there mates are into in school and what the school pushes in its sports programs. That may be RL or it may be afl, depends which code invests the most in that area over a long period of ti e and what exposure there is in that region.

 

[cleary89]

Lol, obvious but typical. No ability to debate a point so just imagine that someone with a different opinion must be an afl fan. I've spent more money attending RL matches this year than you'd spend in a decade I'd hazard to guess!

I highly doubt it