The incursion of the AFL is helping drive NRL expansion
ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys is ready to make a final call on expansion Picture: Jonathan Ng
BRENT READ
7 MINUTES AGO
The AFL’s big-money incursion into southeast Queensland will be at the forefront of the ARL Commission’s expansion committee on Monday morning as they hear final pitches from the three bid teams vying to become the NRL’s 17th side.
Three years after former chair Peter Beattie notably warned the code needed to expand or die, he will be among the officials from head office sitting in on meetings with the Redcliffe Dolphins, Brisbane Jets and Brisbane Firehawks as they make one final and potentially decisive claim for the prospective 17th licence.
The Dolphins will begin the final round of meetings with their nose in front, thanks in part to the NRL’s own analysis which suggested they were the most premiership-ready of the three bidders.
The Australian understands that the NRL conducted a deep dive after receiving documentation from the three bidders and the Dolphins emerged with the edge over the rivals due to a combination of their financial clout, facilities and pathways.
Their home ground is already up to NRL standard, having hosted games in recent weeks when the competition has been played in southeast Queensland. Crucially, analysis also suggested the northern corridor was just as important to the code as the west, which is at the heart of the Brisbane Jets’ plans.
Both regions are under threat from the AFL and ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys made it very clear that protecting rugby league’s patch would play a key role in their thinking.
V’landys conceded it was the sort of decision that could define his legacy at the helm of the code. He has won widespread plaudits for his handling of the game through the Covid crisis but expansion has ramifications for rugby league’s long-term future given the AFL’s lavish spending in southeast Queensland and the need for a new team to stand on their own financial feet.
“AFL, to their credit, did a good job last year when they were up there – they went into the Department of Education, they have done everything,” V’landys said.
“They have a great strategy. I take my hat off to them. We’re not going to sit back and let Queensland wither on the vine.
“We have a responsibility to ensure that Queensland remains one of the main heartlands of rugby league in the world.”
While much has been made about the threat to rugby league in the western corridor, the north is under siege as well not only from AFL but from soccer.
According to documents seen by the NRL and The Australian, nearly $60 million has been invested on AFL and soccer facilities in the Moreton Bay region over the past five years. The Dolphins’ have a huge area to service and strength in junior numbers.
The Jets also have a big development pool but question marks around their finances while the Firehawks have struck up relationships with central Queensland and Booval Swifts – one of the biggest clubs in Ipswich – as they look to demonstrate to the ARL Commission that they are intent on growing the game.
While the ARL Commission is cognisant of the threat from the AFL, they are also wary of eating into their three existing clubs in southeast Queensland as well as the Melbourne Storm, who rely on Queensland for much of their talent.
V’landys has promised to consult the clubs before arriving at a final decision but acknowledged the clock was ticking as they looked to make a call before the grand final. The clubs will take some convincing.
They are wary of their own financial sturdiness given they are projected to lose as much as $22 million this season due to the competition being relocated.
“It is not the last step, the last step will be to convince the clubs,” V’landys said.
“I don’t want to put any timelines on it just in case something happens with Covid and we have to divert our attention.
“So we’re meeting tomorrow, they will get as long as they need and the three main factors are the business case – how they won’t be a burden and won’t need to be subsidised.
“Secondly, pathways – how are they going to improve participation, and thirdly, how are they going to increase the rugby league fan base without migrating away from existing (sides).
“We want new customers, not old customers. They are the three biggest factors. We’ll do it as quickly as we can but you have to remember this has been around now over 10 years.
“We are attacking it. Once we have attacked it, that is it. If it doesn’t come up, it won’t be revisited for several years. It will be done in the next two months.
“Hopefully within a month but it just depends on whether we need further information.”
