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New Zealand 2 will deal a massive blow to NZ rugby

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12,411
Southerners are people below Dunedin. A Cantab or someone from the west coast or higher wouldn't refer to themselves as "southerners".




Because they don't exist. Millions need to be spent on junior pathways so they do.



And you would be wrong. A quarter have a "tie" to NZ, but 25% are not necessarily NZ native.



What is it with Australians who think the "Anti Auckland" thing is real?? You guys really have zero idea.

And half the games away from their "base"?
- Goodbye to good timeslots for TV
- Goodbye season ticket holders.
- Hello to double the accommodation and transport costs for 2-3 squads and support staff.
- Goodbye to Juniors who's schooling and home life is wrecked.

You are mental if you think that a club like that would work ANYWHERE with the distances involved.
There's a reason the Cowboys have only taken a few games to Cairns in their 27 year history.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
65,411
There's a reason the Cowboys have only taken a few games to Cairns in their 27 year history.
Its literally a model no one in world sport uses, but it will somehow work in NZ? I think the problem is people are realising there probably isnt another city in NZ capable of hosting an NRL club so they think cobbling a few cities together will answer that problem.
 

Matua

Bench
Messages
4,528
A league forward with bad hands played centre in a union World Cup

anyway is a team based in Wellington and playing games in Hamilton Dunedin and ch a good idea or should it only be based on the southern island and ignore Wellington and Hamilton

or Wellington and Hamilton only and ignoring the South Island
And he shouldn't have because he wasn't good enough and it contributed to their poor performance as a team. Meanwhile you're talking up a guy for the Dolphins who was barely amateur level in rugby.

A team based in Wellington and playing games in Hamilton makes little sense. That's the equivalent of forming a team based in Canberra and playing games Newcastle. In all honesty they need to just pick one of Wellington and Chch and hope they can build a fanbase.
 

Matua

Bench
Messages
4,528

Wb1234

Referee
Messages
21,765
If he's the standard for future AB then every U20 rugby player in NZ is a FAB. The media do love a bit of hype. He didn't even make the schools Baabaas team (which is essentially the second XV of schoolboy rugby players who don't make the NZ Schools squad).
With all blacks spots limited and indeed not many kiwi super rugby teams then I’m sure they will miss a lot of excellent players

you should be happy the nrl is improving the kiwi playing depth this guy could’ve got lost

and the dolphins guy has raw talent but even now his body is still not ideal for rugby league
 

Matua

Bench
Messages
4,528
With all blacks spots limited and indeed not many kiwi super rugby teams then I’m sure they will miss a lot of excellent players

you should be happy the nrl is improving the kiwi playing depth this guy could’ve got lost

and the dolphins guy has raw talent but even now his body is still not ideal for rugby league
I'm more than happy for any guys who can pick up contracts, just pointing out Oz league media tend to overhype some of these players.
 
Messages
12,411
Its literally a model no one in world sport uses, but it will somehow work in NZ? I think the problem is people are realising there probably isnt another city in NZ capable of hosting an NRL club so they think cobbling a few cities together will answer that problem.

The only way we could have a second team in New Zealand is if the ARLC sets it up and funds it. That's not going to happen.

At this stage our only real option is to bring in the Pirates and leave the competition at 18 teams or add Adelaide and the Firehawks.

If the limit for the NRL is 18 clubs then the game will need to get rid of two or three clubs from Sydney to grow the game in other markets. A third Brisbane team and trams in Adelaide and Perth would provide a greater return than having nine small clubs in Sydney. The Dolphins are already drawing more money from sponsorship than every Sydney club and will provide two derbies at Lang Park that generate huge crowds and TV ratings. Sydney's small clubs cannot provide that.
 

SpaceMonkey

Immortal
Messages
37,540
Its literally a model no one in world sport uses, but it will somehow work in NZ? I think the problem is people are realising there probably isnt another city in NZ capable of hosting an NRL club so they think cobbling a few cities together will answer that problem.

Both the Hurricanes and Chiefs often move a few games each super rugby season.
 

Wb1234

Referee
Messages
21,765
I'm more than happy for any guys who can pick up contracts, just pointing out Oz league media tend to overhype some of these players.
Realistically I’m happy if union gets the best players

with our training systems we will turn the sevens into tens

the dolphins guy is getting a lot of wraps from people who watched him last season I’ve seen his highlights he goes good
 

Te Kaha

First Grade
Messages
5,998
Both the Hurricanes and Chiefs often move a few games each super rugby season.

Not for a few years now. The Canes only move preseason games and 1 game a year. And the Chiefs aren't moving any this year. And both the chiefs and canes alternate venues were only 3 odd hours drive away. Not a six hour drive, or a flight or a boat ride and 4 or 7 hour drive.

Trying to have a club do games in Chch, Wellington, Dunedin and Hamilton is madness.
 

SpaceMonkey

Immortal
Messages
37,540
Do they? More than one, every season, with a goal of being seen as more than a one city team?
Super Rugby franchises are regional rather than purely city based - so yeah the team identity is more than just the home city. But they do still retain a main home base where the bulk of games are played and where the team is based.

Personally I think 2/3 - 1/3 split could potentially work, with either Christchurch or Wellington as the primary home ground but a commitment from the start to take 4 or so games a year to the second city. Would also help solve the issue with the limited number of night games available at Wellington.

It would also help if the Warriors reverted to officially being an Auckland franchise- they really are in all but name anyway. That would leave a second side to have a more general southern NZ identity. Would also allow for a fairly equitable catchment split with the Warriors essentially representing the upper North Island and the second side the rest of the country, which would be approximately 50/50.

The issues that Te Kaha keeps raising still apply though. there is a huge lack of grassroots and junior development structure in NZ, and until that it addressed the country will struggle to develop consistently good teams, as opposed to just providing raw athletes to the Australian system.
 

Wb1234

Referee
Messages
21,765
Super Rugby franchises are regional rather than purely city based - so yeah the team identity is more than just the home city. But they do still retain a main home base where the bulk of games are played and where the team is based.

Personally I think 2/3 - 1/3 split could potentially work, with either Christchurch or Wellington as the primary home ground but a commitment from the start to take 4 or so games a year to the second city. Would also help solve the issue with the limited number of night games available at Wellington.

It would also help if the Warriors reverted to officially being an Auckland franchise- they really are in all but name anyway. That would leave a second side to have a more general southern NZ identity. Would also allow for a fairly equitable catchment split with the Warriors essentially representing the upper North Island and the second side the rest of the country, which would be approximately 50/50.

The issues that Te Kaha keeps raising still apply though. there is a huge lack of grassroots and junior development structure in NZ, and until that it addressed the country will struggle to develop consistently good teams, as opposed to just providing raw athletes to the Australian system.
The new club will have its own junior teams which should also play in the Australian system so from first grade down to under 16s that’s places for another one hundred plus kiwi players
 

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