Major expansion U-turn is needed

[mongoose]

How much would it cost the Aus Gov to fund RL junior development programs in New Caledonia, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and PNG with teams in the Queensland Cup?

If it can be done at a fraction of the price of an PNG NRL team then it is something worth looking at.

If PNG gets an NRL team, funded by the Aus Gov, then what's stopping Fiji from wanting one?

New Caledonia, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji have about 1 million people between them. The idea that the pacific islands are a massive market for League to take advantage of is false.

 

[MugaB]

New Caledonia, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji have about 1 million people between them. The idea that the pacific islands are a massive market for League to take advantage of is false.

Who's talking about a market? Having a Ron Massey level team in each of those islands, can bring more players into the game from those regions than having a zero presence

 

[Jetka100]

I have said it in another thread, but a full time team in PNG is a pipe dream. It should be a Western Brisbane team playing 4 games a season in PNG using the Fed Govt funding to develop playing pathways as well as educational opportunities. This should be team 18. Teams 19 should be Perth and they can do that in some type of arrangement with the Bears and they can also help develop the game in Adelaide. Team 20 should be South NZ with a focus on also developing pathways in the Pacific with Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and the Cook Islands. Consideration should be given to some salary cap concessions or increases in squad size for local PNG and Pacific players. Trying to have full time teams in places like Adelaide or Port Moresby would just be burning money. Cairns or Central QLD are also not sufficient in size to support teams, especially at a Corporate level.

 

[Canard]

New Caledonia, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji have about 1 million people between them. The idea that the pacific islands are a massive market for League to take advantage of is false.

And the Australian Government isn't going to fund RL programs, IF it was going to fund something it would be aid to assist with poverty, drinking water and schooling.

As many others have stated New Caledonia is a French territory also.

 

[johnny plath]

I'm yet to meet an Israeli that wasn't a supremacist.

How do you meet so many diverse people in your basement

 

[Perth Red]

I already answered the question, not the BS line you toe the line/come up with, the NRL provides 15m grant for its players to each club (Not the govt) it also gives another 5mil for staff, coaches for the team (also not the govt) this comes out of the broadcasters money,
Govts are wanting to help provide the infrastructure around the team, not the team itself, they cannot do that,
for an example the NRL could put a team in Broome and it would have the same salary cap as The Dragons or Dolphins for example (who aren't able to spend it all anyways) I'm not sure why you think this "team and its players" will be bankrolled by govts, the infrastructure will be, like upgrades to the stadium, creating coe ot training grounds etc, as for players nrl pays for that... all the other clubs would spew if they were paid directly by the govts ffs

You're incorrect. The NRL gives clubs a grant of $18-19mill dependent on what reserves and womens teams they run. The clubs then have to generate $12-20mill in their own revenue to meet their costs.
The problem for PNG is can they generate that $12-20mill revenue or is that where they are going to need Govt support to fill a gap? And if it is needed what happens if and when that Govt support stops?
The problem for the NRL is will PNG add $20mill plus to the next tv deal to cover the cost of the grant, and will PNG be able to build a competitive squad so they add to the NRL competition?

Answer those and I guess we'll know the viability of a PNG NRL club.

 

[MugaB]

You're incorrect. The NRL gives clubs a grant of $18-19mill dependent on what reserves and womens teams they run. The clubs then have to generate $12-20mill in their own revenue to meet their costs.
The problem for PNG is can they generate that $12-20mill revenue or is that where they are going to need Govt support to fill a gap? And if it is needed what happens if and when that Govt support stops?
The problem for the NRL is will PNG add $20mill plus to the next tv deal to cover the cost of the grant, and will PNG be able to build a competitive squad so they add to the NRL competition?

Answer those and I guess we'll know the viability of a PNG NRL club.

So the player salary are not paid for by the NRL slice of pie out of the broadcast money?, and yes I'm sure png will have reserves and a women's team also,.
Did you forget we talked about Santos and Coke being two of their promenant sponsors for the past decade for the hunters, I'd suggest that would carry on, and thensome, but again we are talking png, not South African Rugby, so to derail this thread

 

[Wb1234]

New Caledonia, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji have about 1 million people between them. The idea that the pacific islands are a massive market for League to take advantage of is false.

Population of the entire act is 435k

think before you post

 

[Brian potter]

Population of the entire act is 435k

think before you post

How many square miles is the ACT compared to those countries in the pacific ?

 

[MugaB]

How many square miles is the ACT compared to those countries in the pacific ?

Why does that matter, are we playing dots on a map again or are we trying to recruit pacifika players to choose league over union

 

[Canard]

Population of the entire act is 435k

think before you post

Why does that matter, are we playing dots on a map again or are we trying to recruit pacifika players to choose league over union

It matters.

Investment in areas with a dense population base is far more cost effective and an efficient use of time and money.

Putting aside that Canberra's economy would be about 10 times that of the entire pacific, setting up infrastructure in 5 or 6 tiny islands separated by 100s (if not thousands) of kilometers of ocean would be a huge investment that would require massive duplication of resources.

 

[Brian potter]

Why does that matter, are we playing dots on a map again or are we trying to recruit pacifika players to choose league over union

The logistics would be a huge headache for such a team or are you talking about a team for each country?

 

[MugaB]

The logistics would be a huge headache for such a team or are you talking about a team for each country?

Each does there own aka the Fijian silktails, Ron Massey cup

 

[Perth Red]

New Caledonia, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji have about 1 million people between them. The idea that the pacific islands are a massive market for League to take advantage of is false.

For the NRl to expand into lucrative markets without strong Rl jnrs it will take a deepening of the talent pool well. Developign the game in some of these islands may be a source of that future talent. They'll never host NRl clubs but they may be able to supply the NRl a new pool of players. I'd view PNG the same way.

 

[Maximus]

It matters.

Investment in areas with a dense population base is far more cost effective and an efficient use of time and money.

Putting aside that Canberra's economy would be about 10 times that of the entire pacific, setting up infrastructure in 5 or 6 tiny islands separated by 100s (if not thousands) of kilometers of ocean would be a huge investment that would require massive duplication of resources.

If we've learnt anything from the PNG thread, it's that throwing a few million at kids to make them go to school and learn rugby league will solve all the economic problems of poverty and lack of infrastructure.

 

[Canard]

I think the amount of Union talent coming from these island nations is somewhat overblown anyway.

Isn't the bulk of all the Samoan and Tongan Union players development happening in NZ anyway? Just like it is for League players of similar descent here?

 

[MugaB]

For the NRl to expand into lucrative markets without strong Rl jnrs it will take a deepening of the talent pool well. Developign the game in some of these islands may be a source of that future talent. They'll never host NRl clubs but they may be able to supply the NRl a new pool of players. I'd view PNG the same way.

Correct, something I've been trying to tell you for years regarding branching into those markets or SA/WA, it's fine to want to put teams there, but the player pool needs to expand, if they are getting properly promoted thru a link from these island nations, into an nrl feeder system/club then the pool increases, of course you'd expect Perth and Adelaide to be doing the same also, after they received a licence, but a better chance of that happening if they start now

 

[Brian potter]

Each does there own aka the Fijian silktails, Ron Massey cup

The silktails are getting pumped every game in the jersey flegg comp and Fiji has a population of 1 million so I would genuinely fear for the likes of Tonga and Samoa with populations of 100k and 200k respectively.

having said all that it’s still a better option than giving the pacific an NRL team.

 

[MugaB]

The silktails are getting pumped every game in the jersey flegg comp and Fiji has a population of 1 million so I would genuinely fear for the likes of Tonga and Samoa with populations of 100k and 200k respectively.

having said all that it’s still a better option than giving the pacific an NRL team.

Well they were doing ok in the Ron Massey cup a few years back, they were winning games well then, I remember covid stuffed a bit of it up, they must have gotten bumped up, they'll get better the more they play good opponents, I think this is the first year in flegg

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

New Caledonia, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji have about 1 million people between them. The idea that the pacific islands are a massive market for League to take advantage of is false.

South Pacific produces more RL and RU players than Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth.