New Zealand dominance of rugby league paving way for second Kiwi team in NRL

[Goddo]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...kiwi-team-in-nrl/story-e6frexnr-1226150868432

NEW Zealand's incredible dominance of rugby league in recent years is paving the way for a second Kiwi team to enter an expanded NRL competition.

Exactly 10 years after the Warriors went broke and almost folded, the World Champions, Four Nations trophy holders and now grand finalists are producing enough players in a population of almost 4,5 million to easily support two clubs.

The same population in Sydney supports nine NRL clubs.
NRL boss David Gallop last night told The Daily Telegraph a second team from New Zealand was a possibility down the track.

"It's amazing considering they were gone 10 years ago ... they were insolvent," Gallop said. "The club is greatly indebted to the private owners (Eric Watson) who breathed life into them when they were gone back in 2001.

"It's great to see them doing well.

"With the number of players they are producing I would see it as a possibility down the track."

The NRL has plans to expand the competition in 2015 and former Kiwi coach and Test halfback Gary Freeman believes a second New Zealand side should be based out of Wellington in the next three to five years.

"I'd think you'd find a lot of Kiwi stars at NRL clubs would be tempted to go home," Freeman said.

"There's no question there's enough interest and enough in development of players for a second Kiwi team.

"If it was going to happen for 2015, it needs a professional bid team working now to get it happening."

Perth, the Central Coast and a second Brisbane team are the favoured options for an expanded NRL competition at this stage.

"There was a bid from Wellington back in 2005 but the Gold Coast was the better option at the time," Gallop said.

"We haven't heard from them since so there's no new bid on the table.

"The Warriors are making inroads in a small market so we need to be careful not to dilute a good thing. We already extract good television revenue for rugby league from New Zealand but they keep producing great players so who knows what might happen."

Kiwi rugby league chairman Scott Carter, who replaced Colin Love as international board chairman, told The Daily Telegraph last night New Zealand still needed more time.

"Rugby league is undergoing a renaissance in New Zealand with solid growth in playing numbers," Carter said.

"But we're having to build the support base around that player systems, coaching, refereeing and competition structures.

"The Warriors and Auckland Rugby League have worked hard over a number of years to get to where they are, but in time I do believe another city will be able to support a professional league club in the NRL."

Makes sense. Two kiwi teams mean you can fill an early Saturday timeslot every week.

 

[Panther_Daz]

There needs to be two teams so the local Kiwi talent can stay in NZ.

There simply isn't enough positions up for grabs for them at the Warriors to stay there.

Look at the ages of their First Grade squad/side for 2011. It highlights the fact that there is not many positions at all up for grabs in the next 2-3 years.

Locke 22, Vatuvei 25, Brown 25, Ropati 26, Inu 24, Tupou 21, Maloney 25, Johnson 21, Lillyman 27, Packer 21, Rapira 24, Matulino 22, Mateo 27, Mannering 25, Luck 29, Taylor 21, Ta'ai 24, Steve Rapira 22, Fisiiahi 20.

Didnt include hookers Hohaia and Heremaia who are leaving this year. However there won't be a Hooker position available with Nathan Friend joining in 2012. Mara (21) and Godinet (23) will push for the bench utility/hooker position.

Also didn't include the likes of Seymour, Berrigan, Moon and Latimore who are also leaving this season.

 

[flamin]

If a Sydney team went belly up would a NZ city support them?

 

[Izz]

If a Sydney team went belly up would a NZ city support them?

Move the Sharks to Christchurch

 

[hitman82]

Move the Sharks to Christchurch

No way - we'd lose Brown! :lol:

 

[Izz]

No way - we'd lose Brown! :lol:

He could be their marquee signing and their mascot!

 

[hitman82]

I'd surprised he hasn't got CHCH tattooed on his neck yet

 

[BuffaloRules]

NRL boss David Gallop last night told The Daily Telegraph a second team from New Zealand was a possibility down the track.

Typical clear decisive message from the Fearless Leader....

 

[Bobby DIGital]

There should be 4 teams in NZ.

 

[Purple Haze]

a second NZ team has a strong case in growing the game internationally. and SkyNZ would almost certainly increase their TV deal on the back of more local games

 

[smithie]

New Zealand is starting to turn into another Brisbane, a wealth of talent and fans but only one team.

We need national teams playing out of Westpac Stadium, Wellington; NIB Stadium, Perth; Bluetongue Stadium, Central Coast; and a second team playing out of Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane.

None of this can happen until a redistribution of Sydney clubs occurs. Wellington Sharks perhaps?

 

[Gibbo]

This could be a start for a couple of more NRL games at least

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/sport/rugby/5587306/League-park-Crusaders-new-home

JOSEPH JOHNSON
NEW DIGS: Addington's Rugby League Park will be the home of the Crusaders Super rugby team for the forseeable future.




Rugby League Park will be the new home for the Crusaders and a possible rugby test venue for Christchurch.
Christchurch City councillors today approved a proposal for a temporary 18,600-seat stadium at the Addington venue, which will replace the earthquake-damaged AMI Stadium for now.
Ratepayers may have to pay up to $1 million to get the park into shape for rugby, rugby league and football games.
New turf, lighting and player facilities will be installed at the park.
Cr Sue Wells said it was a "great solution" as the Crusaders could not be expected to travel vast distances around the world again next season because they had no home ground.
Mayor Bob Parker agreed. "Who would stand in the way of this?"
The Canterbury Rugby Football League is the council's existing tenant and has agreed to sub-lease the ground to the Canterbury Rugby Football Union for up to six years

 

[Quidgybo]

There should be 4 teams in NZ.

Very long term, yes. Wellington, Christchurch and a second Auckland side. But we've only got a chance of seeing one of the non-Auckland sides within the next 15 years. And as has been pointed out, a lot of what happens with future expansion depends on what happens with existing license holders in Sydney. There isn't an infinite number of spots that an elite competition built on a population of 30 million can support.

Leigh.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

No way - we'd lose Brown! :lol:

Mannering's a South Islander too.

Hypothetically if you started up a "Southern" NZ franchise than covered the South Island and and the lower North Island (say everything south of the Waikato/BoP) and all of the current Warriors from those areas defected, you'd have Brown, Mannering, Packer, Matulino, Mara, & Godinet there. The Warriors have become pretty effective at picking up non-Auckland talent in recent years, there's 5 or 6 Waikato products in the team as well (the Rapira Bros, John, Penehe, Hohaha).

 

[juro]

New Zealand is dominating rugby league? Sure, they have got 3 teams playing on grand final day this year, which is impressive. But looking at it another way, they finished 6th in the regular season this year, were belted in round 1 of the finals, lucky to make it through to week 2. This is their second ever grand final. They are yet to win a premiership. They have only made the finals 7 times in their 17 seasons (including 4 of the last 5, though).

The Warriors are a pretty good team, but hardly dominant. I'd be happy for NZ to get a second team, but I wouldn't be pointing at the Warriors onfield success as a reason for it.

 

[BuffaloRules]

Ive spoken to some Kiwi mates ( Warriors fans) about NZ expansion, and they say that there isnt enough interest in a city outside of Auckland to sustain an NRL team...

I hope they are wrong, however I respect that they probably know more the situation over there than I do...

 

[SpaceMonkey]

This could be a start for a couple of more NRL games at least

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/sport/rugby/5587306/League-park-Crusaders-new-home

JOSEPH JOHNSON
NEW DIGS: Addington's Rugby League Park will be the home of the Crusaders Super rugby team for the forseeable future.




Rugby League Park will be the new home for the Crusaders and a possible rugby test venue for Christchurch.
Christchurch City councillors today approved a proposal for a temporary 18,600-seat stadium at the Addington venue, which will replace the earthquake-damaged AMI Stadium for now.
Ratepayers may have to pay up to $1 million to get the park into shape for rugby, rugby league and football games.
New turf, lighting and player facilities will be installed at the park.
Cr Sue Wells said it was a "great solution" as the Crusaders could not be expected to travel vast distances around the world again next season because they had no home ground.
Mayor Bob Parker agreed. "Who would stand in the way of this?"
The Canterbury Rugby Football League is the council's existing tenant and has agreed to sub-lease the ground to the Canterbury Rugby Football Union for up to six years

Thats is awesome news for League. If the CRL are smart they'll agree to the lease on the proviso that League games still get equal consideration for use of the venue with priority given to bigger matches (so Crusaders would probably still get first priority but NRL games would be next on the pecking order if any were brought to Christchurch in that period). At the end of that period the Crusaders and international will move back to a rebuilt AMI, and they'll be left with a fairly modern stadium of near NRL capacity- I'd imagine it shouldn't be too hard to nudge the capacity up to 20-22,000 if it was made permanent.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Ive spoken to some Kiwi mates ( Warriors fans) about NZ expansion, and they say that there isnt enough interest in a city outside of Auckland to sustain an NRL team...

I hope they are wrong, however I respect that they probably know more the situation over there than I do...

I suspect that it would be pretty borderline outside Auckland, but continued Warriors success would change that to an extent. History's shown that CHristchurch & Wellington can pull reasonable crowds for one-off games, but I suspect they'd struggle for a whole season. For that reason I think it would be smart to have the franchise use two home grounds, one in Christchurch and one in Wellington and split the home matches evenly between the two.

 

[farkew]

There should be 4 teams in NZ.

and brisbane

 

[Ron's_Mate]

Stuff Perth - League should work on being strong down the eastern edge of ANZ. Another team in Brisbane and perhaps another team from NZ or central coast.