New Zealand 2 will deal a massive blow to NZ rugby

[Perth Red]

The battle for the hearts and minds of Kiwi rugby league fans has become a civil war, with a demand for the Warriors to re-bid for their licence to remain in the NRL.

The call comes from South Island Kea boss David Moffett, who has taken a shot across the Warriors' bows after his proposed franchise was knocked back by the NRL.

Both Moffett's franchise and the Graham Lowe-headed Orcas were rejected by the NRL, with Papua New Guinea becoming the next team set to enter the big league.
Moffett's call follows a statement from the Warriors that New Zealand won't be ready for another NRL team for at least a decade, prompting an angry tirade.
And he didn't hold back in an exclusive interview with Wide World of Sports.

"After 30 years of unfulfilled promises and missed opportunities, it's time for the NRL to take a hard look at the state of rugby league in New Zealand," Moffett said.

"The Warriors have long held an unchallenged position as the country's sole NRL representative, yet their track record raises serious questions about whether they've maximized the potential of that privilege.

"With the emergence of The South Island Kea and their ambitious, well-funded bid, the NRL has a golden opportunity to evaluate what's truly best for the future of rugby league in New Zealand.

"To ensure the sport's growth and sustainability, the league should require the Warriors to re-bid for their license - providing a direct comparison between their historical performance and the transformative vision of The South Island Kea.

"The Warriors' record speaks for itself - one grand final appearance in 30 years, limited grassroots development, and minimal contribution to expanding rugby league's footprint.
"Despite holding an effective monopoly, the club has failed to translate its position into consistent on-field success or significant off-field growth.

"The current structure of the Warriors does little to elevate the domestic game. Pathways for players, investment in facilities, and grassroots development remain stagnant. Their reliance on feeder teams traveling to Australia underscores a lack of genuine engagement with the broader rugby league community in New Zealand.

"Contrast this with the South Island Kea, whose bid is built on bold, actionable commitments. We propose investing in Pacific Island pathways to nurture emerging talent, boosting grassroots participation to grow the game nationwide and building a truly national footprint, leveraging state-of-the-art facilities in Christchurch and Dunedin to expand the game's reach."

At this stage, Perth are the other region in line to join the NRL as the game's decision-makers eye off a 20-team competition by the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane.

'Civil war' erupts as Warriors called out for NRL 'failure'

'Unfulfilled promises'

www.nine.com.au

 

[Matiunz]

The battle for the hearts and minds of Kiwi rugby league fans has become a civil war, with a demand for the Warriors to re-bid for their licence to remain in the NRL.

The call comes from South Island Kea boss David Moffett, who has taken a shot across the Warriors' bows after his proposed franchise was knocked back by the NRL.

Both Moffett's franchise and the Graham Lowe-headed Orcas were rejected by the NRL, with Papua New Guinea becoming the next team set to enter the big league.
Moffett's call follows a statement from the Warriors that New Zealand won't be ready for another NRL team for at least a decade, prompting an angry tirade.
And he didn't hold back in an exclusive interview with Wide World of Sports.

"After 30 years of unfulfilled promises and missed opportunities, it's time for the NRL to take a hard look at the state of rugby league in New Zealand," Moffett said.

"The Warriors have long held an unchallenged position as the country's sole NRL representative, yet their track record raises serious questions about whether they've maximized the potential of that privilege.

"With the emergence of The South Island Kea and their ambitious, well-funded bid, the NRL has a golden opportunity to evaluate what's truly best for the future of rugby league in New Zealand.

"To ensure the sport's growth and sustainability, the league should require the Warriors to re-bid for their license - providing a direct comparison between their historical performance and the transformative vision of The South Island Kea.

"The Warriors' record speaks for itself - one grand final appearance in 30 years, limited grassroots development, and minimal contribution to expanding rugby league's footprint.
"Despite holding an effective monopoly, the club has failed to translate its position into consistent on-field success or significant off-field growth.

"The current structure of the Warriors does little to elevate the domestic game. Pathways for players, investment in facilities, and grassroots development remain stagnant. Their reliance on feeder teams traveling to Australia underscores a lack of genuine engagement with the broader rugby league community in New Zealand.

"Contrast this with the South Island Kea, whose bid is built on bold, actionable commitments. We propose investing in Pacific Island pathways to nurture emerging talent, boosting grassroots participation to grow the game nationwide and building a truly national footprint, leveraging state-of-the-art facilities in Christchurch and Dunedin to expand the game's reach."

At this stage, Perth are the other region in line to join the NRL as the game's decision-makers eye off a 20-team competition by the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane.

'Civil war' erupts as Warriors called out for NRL 'failure'

'Unfulfilled promises'

www.nine.com.au

Whilst still not great one of his points is wrong in that the Warriors have 2 GF appearances.
Plus they should really focus on getting NZ right before making bold claims about what they’re going to do in the pacific and Caribbean etc.

 

[Wb1234]

I'm curious now ... who am I meant to be?? I can assure you and whoever - I'm reasonably new here and have no idea who you think I am. lol. Jaffaland is commonly used down here to describe Aucklanders as is Dorklander.

Someone here pretended to be from there apparently

Talking up rugby league juniors in nz is a red flag to some of our kiwi posters on here lol

 

[Wb1234]

Moffatt should get the license if he can get investors

Copy the crusaders and be the benchmark

The problem for league in nz is for so long it’s been hitched to the wagon of an average nrl side which has fleeting moments of success

 

[Matua]

I'm curious now ... who am I meant to be?? I can assure you and whoever - I'm reasonably new here and have no idea who you think I am. lol. Jaffaland is commonly used down here to describe Aucklanders as is Dorklander.

Gob, who originated this thread, firstly claimed to be in the South Island and intending to move there to live, still not sure whether true or not, then he had a period as a multi claiming to be a South Islander.

Your first post I responded to was similar in style to his type of posting, and then your reluctance to say what school you went to seemed fishy at the time.

Also, as Matiunz says we all get accused of being others, I think every NZer on this thread has been accused of being a poster called Te Kaha at some stage, so you've done well to avoid that.

So to my question earlier, what has happened to Aranui? I was living in Chch in 2001 (a one year sentence clearly for heinous crimes I committed in a previous life) and they were a big deal as a league school then. Did St Thomas just gobble up all their players?

 

[Matua]

Moffatt should get the license if he can get investors

Copy the crusaders and be the benchmark

The problem for league in nz is for so long it’s been hitched to the wagon of an average nrl side which has fleeting moments of success

This is not so easily done. The Crusaders benefited from being a one NPC team franchise in the early days of Super and as such were able to more easily attract players and build a dynasty, the new league team will not have that same benefit in the early days.

But, they should get Steve Tew on board, he knows how to build a dynasty.

 

[Wb1234]

This is not so easily done. The Crusaders benefited from being a one NPC team franchise in the early days of Super and as such were able to more easily attract players and build a dynasty, the new league team will not have that same benefit in the early days.

But, they should get Steve Tew on board, he knows how to build a dynasty.

80 percent of the clubs in the nrl are basically useless

If clubs are set up right from the start then success follows

It’s no coincidence all the teams coming into the nrl are copying the Penrith juniors system

A chch team won’t be saddled with the baggage of the warriors

Warriors need a kick up the bum and this will give it to them

Once the dolphins came in the broncos crowds and membership boomed cause they were worried about losing market share

Did Moffatt do much in his time at the nzru ?

 

[T to the T]

Moffatt should get the license if he can get investors

 

[LightLizard]

Gob, who originated this thread, firstly claimed to be in the South Island and intending to move there to live, still not sure whether true or not, then he had a period as a multi claiming to be a South Islander.

Your first post I responded to was similar in style to his type of posting, and then your reluctance to say what school you went to seemed fishy at the time.

Also, as Matiunz says we all get accused of being others, I think every NZer on this thread has been accused of being a poster called Te Kaha at some stage, so you've done well to avoid that.

So to my question earlier, what has happened to Aranui? I was living in Chch in 2001 (a one year sentence clearly for heinous crimes I committed in a previous life) and they were a big deal as a league school then. Did St Thomas just gobble up all their players?

hahah so a year in paradise eh.. You obviously haven't been back since? It is a brand new city - practically totally rebuilt (finally - 11 fkn yrs) after the quakes. Yep schools finally waking up and having league as an "inhouse" sport instead of 100% Union. Only taken 80yrs hahha so more schools more teams more compitition.

 

[LightLizard]

80 percent of the clubs in the nrl are basically useless

If clubs are set up right from the start then success follows

It’s no coincidence all the teams coming into the nrl are copying the Penrith juniors system

A chch team won’t be saddled with the baggage of the warriors

Warriors need a kick up the bum and this will give it to them

Once the dolphins came in the broncos crowds and membership boomed cause they were worried about losing market share

Did Moffatt do much in his time at the nzru ?

to be perfectly honest, I don't really know. I know that while he was head of Welsh Rugby, he tried to turn it into NZ Rugby. He changed the whole scene over there by introducing regional teams - nearly started a bloody cival war between clubs..

Welsh Rugby Union​

[edit]
Moffett was the CEO of the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) from 2002 to 2005.[5] He took up his post at the WRU on 2 December 2002 having beaten off over 100 other applicants to the job, and immediately set about controlling the WRU's finances who were by this time heavily in debt (around £55 million) due to poor management of funds and expenditure on facilities such as the Millennium Stadium. Moffett created an 18-man board of directors, replacing a 27-man committee as part of his streamlining of administration at the Union.

Moffett also gained backing to dismiss the Wales 'A' Team, long considered an important development side playing at a level just below that of full international level, in order to save money and develop rugby players at a higher level.

WELSH Regional Rugby​

[edit]
However the most controversial decision Moffett took was the introduction of regional rugby to Wales. After much discussion with the clubs, he got his wish and for the 2003–04 season five regions were created, some jointly owned by two of the former clubs and two (Llanelli Scarlets and Cardiff Blues) were owned by only one club, prompting complaints of favouritism from supporters of the other clubs. During the 2003–04 season 50% of the ownership of the Celtic Warriors region was given to the WRU by Leighton Samuel who had acquired the Pontypridd share because that club was effectively bankrupt. At the end of the 2003–04 season Leighton Samuel, the owner of the other 50% of the region sold his share to the WRU. Following the WRU's decision to become 100% shareholders in the club; they found it had debts of about £300,000 although payment of most of that was able to be deferred. With the lowest support base of all the new provincial teams and determined to eradicate Welsh Rugby's financial difficulties, the Celtic Warriors team was dissolved leaving just four regional teams; this had been Moffett's original intention. Moffett was able to dissolve the Celtic Warriors with the help of WRU Chairman David Pickering by getting the remaining four regions to give £312,500 each to buy off Leighton Samuel. Samuel alleged that he only sold his share in the Warriors to the WRU because they agreed to keep the region going. The WRU denied this but Leighton Samuel took them to court and the WRU settled out of court. The regions each receive over £3 million a year from the WRU, although originally Llanelli Scarlets and Cardiff Blues received less than the others, as a punishment for going alone.

With regard to the debt caused by the Millennium Stadium, on 24 November 2004, it was announced that Moffett had secured a deal with Barclays Bank to repay £45 million over 35 years and for the remaining £10 million of the debt to incur no interest and not to be repaid unless the WRU or the Millennium Stadium Plc default or sell the stadium or enter into partnership with a third party within the said period of thirty-five years. As part of this deal with Barclays, the WRU Group cleared its debt to BT for the land on which the stadium was built. He also secured permission from the Millennium Commission, who had provided a grant for the construction of the stadium to obtain a sponsor for naming rights of the stadium on condition that the word Millennium remained in the name.

 

[LightLizard]

Whilst still not great one of his points is wrong in that the Warriors have 2 GF appearances.
Plus they should really focus on getting NZ right before making bold claims about what they’re going to do in the pacific and Caribbean etc.

He (Moffett) was once offered the CEO job as head of the EPL (English Premiership Football) in the early 2000s (5 or 6, I think) so he knows about running huge sports stuff - along with his mouth.

 

[Wb1234]

He (Moffett) was once offered the CEO job as head of the EPL (English Premiership Football) in the early 2000s (5 or 6, I think) so he knows about running huge sports stuff - along with his mouth.

He was boss of the nrl and wasn’t the worst we’ve had

People on here blame him for club mergers here when it was decided before he was appointed

English fans who know what Andrew chalmers is like all speak poorly of him

 

[Matiunz]

The battle for the hearts and minds of Kiwi rugby league fans has become a civil war, with a demand for the Warriors to re-bid for their licence to remain in the NRL.

The call comes from South Island Kea boss David Moffett, who has taken a shot across the Warriors' bows after his proposed franchise was knocked back by the NRL.

Both Moffett's franchise and the Graham Lowe-headed Orcas were rejected by the NRL, with Papua New Guinea becoming the next team set to enter the big league.
Moffett's call follows a statement from the Warriors that New Zealand won't be ready for another NRL team for at least a decade, prompting an angry tirade.
And he didn't hold back in an exclusive interview with Wide World of Sports.

"After 30 years of unfulfilled promises and missed opportunities, it's time for the NRL to take a hard look at the state of rugby league in New Zealand," Moffett said.

"The Warriors have long held an unchallenged position as the country's sole NRL representative, yet their track record raises serious questions about whether they've maximized the potential of that privilege.

"With the emergence of The South Island Kea and their ambitious, well-funded bid, the NRL has a golden opportunity to evaluate what's truly best for the future of rugby league in New Zealand.

"To ensure the sport's growth and sustainability, the league should require the Warriors to re-bid for their license - providing a direct comparison between their historical performance and the transformative vision of The South Island Kea.

"The Warriors' record speaks for itself - one grand final appearance in 30 years, limited grassroots development, and minimal contribution to expanding rugby league's footprint.
"Despite holding an effective monopoly, the club has failed to translate its position into consistent on-field success or significant off-field growth.

"The current structure of the Warriors does little to elevate the domestic game. Pathways for players, investment in facilities, and grassroots development remain stagnant. Their reliance on feeder teams traveling to Australia underscores a lack of genuine engagement with the broader rugby league community in New Zealand.

"Contrast this with the South Island Kea, whose bid is built on bold, actionable commitments. We propose investing in Pacific Island pathways to nurture emerging talent, boosting grassroots participation to grow the game nationwide and building a truly national footprint, leveraging state-of-the-art facilities in Christchurch and Dunedin to expand the game's reach."

At this stage, Perth are the other region in line to join the NRL as the game's decision-makers eye off a 20-team competition by the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane.

'Civil war' erupts as Warriors called out for NRL 'failure'

'Unfulfilled promises'

www.nine.com.au

Few commentators elsewhere theorising he’s been denied and is going down spite swinging

 

[Wb1234]

Few commentators elsewhere theorising he’s been denied and is going down spite swinging

Someone else posted he’s also applied for some job in welsh rugby union right now

 

[BuffaloRules]

Like it or not …. Team 20 (NZ2) won’t be playing in the NRL until 2030 at the earliest … so there is not much reason to formally announce them for another 2 years or so …

There will be a need for the South Island bid and the Warriors to keep stoking this “fued” every once in a while to keep media interest alive in the meantime…

 

[Wb1234]

Like it or not …. Team 20 (NZ2) won’t be playing in the NRL until 2030 at the earliest … so there is not much reason to formally announce them for another 2 years or so …

There will be a need for the South Island bid and the Warriors to keep stoking this “fued” every once in a while to keep media interest alive in the meantime…

Tv deal to be negotiated which will be happening next year

Granted it won’t have a huge impact as it’s the last two years but it’s an extra game each week

 

[BuffaloRules]

Tv deal to be negotiated which will be happening next year

Granted it won’t have a huge impact as it’s the last two years but it’s an extra game each week

I guess it’s possible it’s announced next year …assume the TV deal will be finalised towards the end of 25 ….

it’s a long wait though if they don’t come in until 2030… tough to keep people excited ..

 

[Vlad59]

I guess it’s possible it’s announced next year …assume the TV deal will be finalised towards the end of 25 ….

it’s a long wait though if they don’t come in until 2030… tough to keep people excited ..

The afl team down here doesn’t start till 2028 but the level of interest particularly from the media is ongoing and at a high level. Putting aside the totally unnecessary stadium (which threatens the whole deal if it gets blocked) having a few years to wait for a team post announcement can work in your favour given what’s happening here.

 

[Foreign Legion]

Lol kick out the Warriors? Tell'm there dream'in.

 

[BuffaloRules]

The afl team down here doesn’t start till 2028 but the level of interest particularly from the media is ongoing and at a high level. Putting aside the totally unnecessary stadium (which threatens the whole deal if it gets blocked) having a few years to wait for a team post announcement can work in your favour given what’s happening here.

Good point … they also have a 5 year wait from the first announcement
….
Still got over three years to go and the name and colours already announced I understand… we’ll see how it continues …