NRL Expansion. Ideas and opinions.

[flippikat]

Is it a safe bet that mergers in the NRL are completely off the table now??

I don't think they're actively being sought by the NRL, nor any of the clubs right now.. and it's hard to think of many that make geographical sense (not that it's been a priority in the past!)

As it stands, the clubs have secured funding from the NRL to give them a shot a sustainability, but the NRL has warned that the flip side to this is "No more bailouts"

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/nr...-pulled-plug-on-handouts-20180208-h0vsaa.html

Maybe NRL should have money aside as an incentive for joint ventures or relocation of Sydney teams in the event that one hits the wall (financially)...?

 

[Marlins]

Ok.

Out of interest do you think that expansion franchises like Perth, Adelaide and the crushers etc should be new entities and not re-locations?

Either for Perth/Adelaide. Brisbane 2 should come from a Brisbane based QLD cup team

 

[Walter sobchak]

Either for Perth/Adelaide. Brisbane 2 should come from a Brisbane based QLD cup team

Are Ipswich and Logan classed as Brisbane? Because these areas alone have big populations that are annually growing and projected to reach nearly 500,000 by 2035.

 

[Marlins]

Are Ipswich and Logan classed as Brisbane? Because these areas alone have big populations that are annually growing and projected to reach nearly 500,000 by 2035.

I would consider them to be to.

 

[T-Boon]

Are Ipswich and Logan classed as Brisbane? Because these areas alone have big populations that are annually growing and projected to reach nearly 500,000 by 2035.

I think relocate the Broncos to Perth and bring in Ipswich, North Brisbane and a 3rd not Logan.

 

[Walter sobchak]

I would consider them to be to.

I only ask because I think there’s definitely room for a 2nd team in Brisbane city itself and another team from either Logan or Ipswich or both could possibly be covered under the south Queensland umbrella with a new stadium.

 

[Marlins]

I only ask because I think there’s definitely room for a 2nd team in Brisbane city itself and another team from either Logan or Ipswich or both could possibly be covered under the south Queensland umbrella with a new stadium.

Wether it would be the Jets or Dolphins i would have them playing majority of their games out of Suncorp.

 

[Walter sobchak]

Wether it would be the Jets or Dolphins i would have them playing majority of their games out of Suncorp.

Yes. Suncorp for Brisbane2 is the only option and a no-brainer.

 

[Timbo]

Yes. Suncorp for Brisbane2 is the only option and a no-brainer.

I don't know.

I was thinking if you brought in Redcliffe or Ipswich as the 'North Brisbane Dolphins' or 'West Brisbane Jets' and could secure funding for a boutique 22-25k seat stadium in their geographic area, you could do a split of 10/2, with ten matches in their heartland and derbys vs. the Broncos and Titans at Suncorp. All finals to be played at Suncorp, of course.

Would help anchor the club to the community, create a point of difference to the Broncos and cause less issues for the cap.

One thing the new Brisbane side cannot be is generic. You need to give the locals a sense of identity and a reason to follow them ahead of the Broncos.

 

[Marlins]

I don't know.

I was thinking if you brought in Redcliffe or Ipswich as the 'North Brisbane Dolphins' or 'West Brisbane Jets' and could secure funding for a boutique 22-25k seat stadium in their geographic area, you could do a split of 10/2, with ten matches in their heartland and derbys vs. the Broncos and Titans at Suncorp. All finals to be played at Suncorp, of course.

Would help anchor the club to the community, create a point of difference to the Broncos and cause less issues for the cap.

One thing the new Brisbane side cannot be is generic. You need to give the locals a sense of identity and a reason to follow them ahead of the Broncos.

If the Dolphins got the nod. They could take a few games to their current home ground. Might need another upgrade. I think capacity is only around 12k.

 

[Timbo]

If the Dolphins got the nod. They could take a few games to their current home ground. Might need another upgrade. I think capacity is only around 12k.

Yeah, that was my thought process too.

I think it'd be silly to start them out playing at Suncorp full time if a 20-25k venue could be made available. The Bronco's average 30k, but they're also 30 years old. Early in their existence, I don't imagine they'd be drawing massive crowds against clubs like Canberra or Melbourne. You also have the Suncorp venue cap to deal with.

 

[Walter sobchak]

I don't know.

I was thinking if you brought in Redcliffe or Ipswich as the 'North Brisbane Dolphins' or 'West Brisbane Jets' and could secure funding for a boutique 22-25k seat stadium in their geographic area, you could do a split of 10/2, with ten matches in their heartland and derbys vs. the Broncos and Titans at Suncorp. All finals to be played at Suncorp, of course.

Would help anchor the club to the community, create a point of difference to the Broncos and cause less issues for the cap.

One thing the new Brisbane side cannot be is generic. You need to give the locals a sense of identity and a reason to follow them ahead of the Broncos.

Not sure about the stadium in Ipswich in terms of quality but the redcliffe ground has just been upgraded hasn’t it? Surely they could get an extra $10-15 million from the local government or private investment to bring the ground upto NRL standard in terms of capacity?

 

[Timbo]

Not sure about the stadium in Ipswich in terms of quality but the redcliffe ground has just been upgraded hasn’t it? Surely they could get an extra $10-15 million from the local government or private investment to bring the ground upto NRL standard in terms of capacity?

Looking on googlemaps and images, it seems like a nice little stadium. If you could fund a decent grandstand on the far side, taking it 22k may not be too difficult. That would be perfect for the first 10-20 years of their existence playing non-derby and non-finals matches.

 

[Walter sobchak]

Looking on googlemaps and images, it seems like a nice little stadium. If you could fund a decent grandstand on the far side, taking it 22k may not be too difficult. That would be perfect for the first 10-20 years of their existence playing non-derby and non-finals matches.

Could the dolphins attract fans from other parts of Brisbane other than redcliffe?

 

[Marlins]

Could the dolphins attract fans from other parts of Brisbane other than redcliffe?

Under the name North Brisbane. IF they kept Redcliffe name, I’m not sure.

 

[Timbo]

Could the dolphins attract fans from other parts of Brisbane other than redcliffe?

I guess that's the question.

But, if you look at the way the AFL expanded, this is how they did it. Their first teams into Adelaide and Perth were new, generic sides - the Crows and the Eagles into Adelaide and Perth. You can look at this a bit like the Broncos, as they were displacing existing competitions in the SANFL and WAFL, the same way the Broncos were displacing the BRL. So they had to be as inclusive of all possible fans.

Their second teams into these markets were looking at traditional areas. Port Adelaide had been a dominant team in the SANFL, and the two Freemantle teams had long been WAFL powerhouses. The people who had jumped ship onto a generic new entity had already done so, and there needed to be a genuine point of difference for the second team. So looking at historical powerhouses made sense.

This is why I'm very reluctant about the Brisbane Bombers. I firmly believe there needs to be a second Brisbane team, but a generic side that's created by a marketing team that plays at Suncorp every second week while the Bronco's play away, I don't see how it doesn't become the Crushers v2.0. You need a point of difference, and I think the Dolphins give you that, and tie it in to the history of the old BRL. Even if it only picks up 15-20% of the Brisbane fanbase, it's enough that it makes it an insurgent, 'other' team.

 

[greenBV4]

I think if the dolphins were to added a great name would be "Moreton Bay Dolphins", under that name you could include the whole coastal area of Brisbane, Brisbane city itself, the growing Moreton bay region and even the sunshine coast

Play most games at Suncorp, a game or 2 at the Sunshine Coast, and a few "heritage" games at Redcliffe (similar to Belmore or Leichardt )

 

[jim_57]

I guess that's the question.

But, if you look at the way the AFL expanded, this is how they did it. Their first teams into Adelaide and Perth were new, generic sides - the Crows and the Eagles into Adelaide and Perth. You can look at this a bit like the Broncos, as they were displacing existing competitions in the SANFL and WAFL, the same way the Broncos were displacing the BRL. So they had to be as inclusive of all possible fans.

Their second teams into these markets were looking at traditional areas. Port Adelaide had been a dominant team in the SANFL, and the two Freemantle teams had long been WAFL powerhouses. The people who had jumped ship onto a generic new entity had already done so, and there needed to be a genuine point of difference for the second team. So looking at historical powerhouses made sense.

This is why I'm very reluctant about the Brisbane Bombers. I firmly believe there needs to be a second Brisbane team, but a generic side that's created by a marketing team that plays at Suncorp every second week while the Bronco's play away, I don't see how it doesn't become the Crushers v2.0. You need a point of difference, and I think the Dolphins give you that, and tie it in to the history of the old BRL. Even if it only picks up 15-20% of the Brisbane fanbase, it's enough that it makes it an insurgent, 'other' team.

Pretty spot on.

Ideally you'd be looking at either.

• 'Moreton Bay Dolphins' - Targeting Redcliffe, Moreton Bay region, Northern Brisbane Suburbs, Sunshine Coast and 'outreach' to north to Bundaberg.
• West Brisbane Jets - Targeting Ipswich, Logan, Southern & Western Brisbane suburbs and Toowoomba with outreach to South Western Queensland.

Ideally both in 20-30 years with Gold Coast looking after the Tweed and Northern NSW and you pretty much have QLD sewn up for NRL.

Unfortunately Redcliffe haven't indicated yet they're willing to let all those other areas join the party, doubt they'll be a chance unless they do though.

 

[greenBV4]

Unfortunately Redcliffe haven't indicated yet they're willing to let all those other areas join the party, doubt they'll be a chance unless they do though.

surely if the NRL said to them "you can have a license if you do this and call yourself that, no negotiations" they would compromise? They can't expect to be able to join the comp only representing Redcliffe? I don't really know Brisbane but is Redcliffe even one of the bigger suburbs/areas?

 

[T-Boon]

I don't really know Brisbane but is Redcliffe even one of the bigger suburbs/areas?

It is basically a cliff