NRL Expansion. Ideas and opinions.

[titoelcolombiano]

The suits at the ARLC can't see past Sydney

I agree with your comment but they need to wake up because large parts of Sydney are starting to see past rugby league on their watch.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Rationalisation is inevitable if the NRL wants to continue to grow (and keep up with other sports as they go global while we're still fighting to go national), relegation is the way for the NRL to go about this, drop the clubs that you don't want in the NRL anymore down into a lower tier comp and replace them with new clubs from new markets.

Rather than relegation, what you could do is create an new higher level competition and just choose not to invite a few team. They are still in the same comp they were previously, the comp is simply of a diminished statue...

This was the plan with Super League, but the biggest missed opportunity was in 1987 before Brisbane was introduced. If, at the time, they had created a new comp called the ARL and invited the 3/4 biggest Brisbane teams, they could then have invited a select number of NSWRL clubs to this new national comp as well.

Fans of teams that missed out would still have been grumpy (so new Sydney United and BRL United would have been necesary as well) but the big shift would have been enough justification for the new comp and the restricted promotion.

What the NRL lacks ATM is justification for a new comp that they can promote only the select clubs into. Without another comp to merge with, i dont know what justification they could come up with...

 

[Stallion]

Rather than relegation, what you could do is create an new higher level competition and just choose not to invite a few team. They are still in the same comp they were previously, the comp is simply of a diminished statue...

This was the plan with Super League, but the biggest missed opportunity was in 1987 before Brisbane was introduced. If, at the time, they had created a new comp called the ARL and invited the 3/4 biggest Brisbane teams, they could then have invited a select number of NSWRL clubs to this new national comp as well.

Fans of teams that missed out would still have been grumpy (so new Sydney United and BRL United would have been necesary as well) but the big shift would have been enough justification for the new comp and the restricted promotion.

What the NRL lacks ATM is justification for a new comp that they can promote only the select clubs into. Without another comp to merge with, i dont know what justification they could come up with...

If that occured we would not be discussing rugby league as a top flight and popular sport in Australia.Think you are missing the attachment people have for the game through their clubs. This is the advantage rugby league has over other codes in Sydney. I repeat neglect and poorly targeted development has created the diminishing interest in rugby league. Reducing the top flight club presence in Sydney is shear lunacy.

 

[Perth Red]

So much attachment only 15,000 fans bothered to support two of those clubs in a finals game. You over estimate clubs fanbases me thinks.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

If that occured we would not be discussing rugby league as a top flight and popular sport in Australia.Think you are missing the attachment people have for the game through their clubs. This is the advantage rugby league has over other codes in Sydney. I repeat neglect and poorly targeted development has created the diminishing interest in rugby league. Reducing the top flight club presence in Sydney is shear lunacy.

Didnt hurt RL in Brisbane when the Broncos swept in and relegated the dozen top-flight local teams to a second division comp.

 

[Stallion]

Didnt hurt RL in Brisbane when the Broncos swept in and relegated the dozen top-flight local teams to a second division comp.

Totally different. To join what? The NSW rugby league! A pinnacle of rugby anywhere in the world. The highest supported domestic rugby competition in the world. All due to the majic chemistry and respect of the great rivalry and parochialism amongst the Sydney clubs. That stuff just doesnt fall off the back of a truck! With your logic it does! ? Go figure?

 

[Vee]

Didnt hurt RL in Brisbane when the Broncos swept in and relegated the dozen top-flight local teams to a second division comp.

Really? Is that what you think?

 

[BuderusIsaBeast]

With the news the Wests Tigers are only playing 3 games at Campbeltown and leichardt, 4 at ANZ and 2 elsewhere shows the club badly needs a permanent home. He first step for mine is moving the Wests Tigers to Perth. I agree Campbeltown is an important area for rugby league but the Tigers are only serving it by playing 3 games there next year. Let the Rabbitohs or another club take some games there and move the Tigers to Perth

 

[Stallion]

With the news the Wests Tigers are only playing 3 games at Campbeltown and leichardt, 4 at ANZ and 2 elsewhere shows the club badly needs a permanent home. He first step for mine is moving the Wests Tigers to Perth. I agree Campbeltown is an important area for rugby league but the Tigers are only serving it by playing 3 games there next year. Let the Rabbitohs or another club take some games there and move the Tigers to Perth

What about the West Magpies to Perth and have the Balmain Campbelltown Tigers?I think their is alot to be gained about having locality names. Still think the Sydney Roosters should be the East Sydney Roosters. (Thats my team) Or is their too much common sense in that idea? It would reinvigorate the West Magpies / Perth and reclaim the iconic Balmain name back to the top flight along with Campbelltown in the name to acknowledge the area as well.

 

[Perth Red]

Haha how do you think Balmain will pay the bills without Wests money??

If we lose the three smallest Sydney clubs we lose around 45,000 attending fans. In all honesty do you not think brisbae2, Perth and Adelaide couldnt bring more than 45,000 attending fans?

 

[Stallion]

Haha how do you think Balmain will pay the bills without Wests money??

If we lose the three smallest Sydney clubs we lose around 45,000 attending fans. In all honesty do you not think brisbae2, Perth and Adelaide couldnt bring more than 45,000 attending fans?

You will lose much more than that! And this is where differ.

 

[Perth Red]

You will lose much more than that! And this is where differ.

You haven't answered the question. Do you think Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane2 would draw bigger crowds than the three smallest Sydney clubs?

 

[Stallion]

You haven't answered the question. Do you think Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane2 would draw bigger crowds than the three smallest Sydney clubs?

I'm not into answering negative based questions. However I will elaborate an answer. Our specific issue is that you seek the destruction of Sydney clubs as your means to promote expansion. I believe that expansion can be achieved without the heartache and embarrassment to the code in eliminating its top flight club presence in Sydney.
This is the crux of the matter.

We agree on expansion, however one of us proposes weakening the code in Sydney and the other proposes additional clubs without weakening the code in Sydney?

If I had a feel for the code I would take the option that gains exponential growth and interest whilst still maintaining crucial market share in Australasia's largest city.
I reiterate I'm all for a West Australian team, a long overdue 2nd Brisbane team, and other additional clubs into the future. Whilst you want to rape and pillage the core of this great competition I seek genuine expansion.

We fundamentally differ. Hope that may be one day you will see the wisdom in maintaining the core of the game as an asset for genuine expansion and not a perceived barrier as you see it right now.

 

[davi]

The problem I have with people choosing a Sydney club to either leave the comp or be forced to relocate is they seem to use their place on the ladder and a period where the club is running in the red as their criteria.

Sharks were mentioned a couple of years ago as being the correct team to be given the punt. Now they have won a premiership are the criticisms about them being financially unstable less legitimate because their enjoying a more successful period?

 

[Diesel]

Cronulla's problem is they are in the middle of Dragons territory and have a limited market.
Manly being the only club on the north shore are a safe bet of staying and the Tigers feel like a nomad team with no true home ground.

Penrith could take over Campbelltown if Wests choose to neglect it or if, say, Souths or Bulldogs don't move or expand into the neighbourhood.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Didnt hurt RL in Brisbane when the Broncos swept in and relegated the dozen top-flight local teams to a second division comp.

I agree that the Broncos are a successful club and therefore it can be argued that the move was a good one but there is a lot of resentment in Brisbane towards the Broncos. If expansion to Brisbane was done right and all RL fans in our city were behind one NRL team you wouldn't get a ticket at Suncorp, ever. They do have a chance to rectify this with Brisbane 2 - a member owned club that are for the people will be a very popular offset and create a very spicy rivalry.

 

[Stormwarrior82]

For the first time ever in rugby league the Nrl has drawn a line in the sand and told clubs that, from this point forward we will not come to your rescue, you are on your own. This places clubs that are struggling financially now under the microscope. Tigers and manly seem most lost at the moment. So if manly don't get the developments or memberships they need there only option is to change and relocate. Tigers are the same. If the 4 different stadiums plan don't work for them and memberships drop off or don't increase they to will be in trouble. This goes for any Sydney team. In saying all that I feel if the Nrl can get the Sydney fans back on side and feel invested and at games, all teams could happily survive. I'm sure most clubs would prefer relocation over expulsion of it came down to it.

 

[Vee]

For the first time ever in rugby league the Nrl has drawn a line in the sand and told clubs that, from this point forward we will not come to your rescue, you are on your own.

But have they? I've only seen that mentioned as Dave Smith's plan, haven't seen it mentioned since then, and look how many of his reforms have been kicked to the kerb.

 

[StadiumXIII]

Bad news - Fiji looks to have missed out on 2018 but Petero still pushing to be accepted in the future. They should go ahead and decide on a name already. At least that will give the bid something to work with.

 

[T-Boon]

Bad news - Fiji looks to have missed out on 2018 but Petero still pushing to be accepted in the future. They should go ahead and decide on a name already. At least that will give the bid something to work with.

Fiji Bears