Kurt Angle said it best.
Melbourne - 2nd highest tv ratings....from australias second biggest city ATM. You want to give ALL that and what comes with it UP?
I am glad none of you anti melbourne fools run the nrl.
The storm are building a supporter base, and it takes time - but just like the tv ratings facts, the fact that the storm get more to some games than a lot of sydney clubs must be another bitter pill for some sydney people.
Melbourne are here to stay, just you know that they are a growing club....growing and already worth more to the nrl than some sydney teams.
You dont own the competition sydney people....its no longer the NSWRL/arl fake name.....that competition died back in 1996. It died largely because (for all the struggle that went on) people didnt accept that the times were changing and that if they embraced change for the better and took the best of it, things would end up being fantastic.
This is the NRL.
And guess what my tip is guys on your precious grand final.....my tip is that one day in the next couple of decades, you will see the grand final rotating around the country.
For some of you dorks who dont know me, a lot of what I say actually ends up happening. And in a lot of cases people argue with me black and blue that it won't - until it actually happens.
Melbourne are not going anywhere, and they will soon become if they havnt already one of the NRL's most valuable sides in all the key areas.
Another tip. Cronulla's days are numbered. As are sydney city's.
Somewhat linked to this is the inclusion of Perth, a third SE QLD team and a 2nd NZ team within 15 years. A central coast team is very unlikely within 20 years.
If you look back on the history of this forum and rleague.com, you'll see that in 1998 i predicted (as aussie_cull) league would take 30 years to recover properly....and I also think international rl by 30 years from that date will be something VERY good (by todays standards, i dont know how it will rate along side other sports)
I am not pshycic, you anti melbourne dorks, I am just being real and doing the sums, allowing for management and polical jousting and people's (in the nrl anyway) general laziness and procrastination.
Thats with Melbourne, league to be national and progressing in the extra markets within 15 years, and international with good teams around within 25 (5 good teams).
Thats because thats how long this sh!t takes, boyz.
Just like the pay tv people....they knew WAY BACK in 1996 people would pay to watch league and sport....and it ended up happening because they knew and believed in it then carried it out....well people high up in the game (not me) must know it all too.....so watch it happen.