NRL's growth mindset points to 18th team. And it ain't Perth.

[Wb1234]

That was something that was actually discussed in the late 90’s I believe (not sure how serious those discussions were though). In hindsight, it would have been a lot better outcome than the Wests Tigers have been but anyway.

Hypothetically, it would have been interesting and probably more fruitful for the competition if a few Sydney teams were relocated rather than dissolved/merged. The only merger that has worked (barely really) is the Dragons and that was because it was a takeover, they had the same colours and they were relatively geographically adjacent. Wests Tigers haven’t worked and Northern Eagles was a disaster.

I’m ex Balmain that would’ve been far superior

dragons are seen to have killed off the Steelers and have little future in Sydney so it’s another failed merger

the obvious solution was to boot Cronulla and keep the dragons and Steelers as stand alone entities

 

[Colk]

I’m ex Balmain that would’ve been far superior

dragons are seen to have killed off the Steelers and have little future in Sydney so it’s another failed merger

the obvious solution was to boot Cronulla and keep the dragons and Steelers as stand alone entities

I thought the Steelers were pretty much bankrupt at that stage?

Well they have apparently had a few chances to boot Cronulla. I believe at one stage it was between them and Newtown (not sure if that is correct but it was before I was born and remembering reading that from somewhere.

Cronulla could have relocated at the very least but anyway

 

[Perth Red]

Look in a perfect world you would have had a semi merger between the QRL and NSWRL back when SOO started and Newtown kicked the bucket.

You would have then had the scope to have 4 or 5 QLD sides or at the very least allowed that many to enter the NSW Competition.

Anyway there are plenty of similar hypotheticals to be made about this great game - what if Super League didn’t happen, what if Perth and Adelaide and a few others weren’t cut, what if Sydney teams relocated instead of merged, what if we just kept expanding and a few teams died of national attrition.

We have got what we have got. We’re not in a bad position and there is potential if we have a long term strategy and make good decisions from here on in.

That’s the thing, get a team in Adelaide, perth, brisbane3 and nz2 over the next 20 years and with the nrls regional teams we can rightly lay claim to being the countries only truly national competition. removes one of those key factors why we remain behind afl And give us massive opportunity to brand the game differently and change the current east coast sport perception. Throw in some serious investment in increasing participation in Vic, sa, nt and wa and bingo.

 

[Perth Red]

He also said if any Sydney club goes broke they won’t receive any more handouts

I mean the sharks have gone on to win a premiership and have hundreds of millions in assets now maybe it was the right decision not to cut them

Sharks net assets are $47mill, stop Exaggerating

 

[Colk]

That’s the thing, get a team in Adelaide, perth, brisbane3 and nz2 over the next 20 years and with the nrls regional teams we can rightly lay claim to being the countries only truly national competition. removes one of those key factors why we remain behind afl And give us massive opportunity to brand the game differently and change the current east coast sport perception. Throw in some serious investment in increasing participation in Vic, sa, nt and wa and bingo.

We could tackle both union in NZ and Pacific and AFL domestically. That could be the goal. We might not beat them individually in either of those markets but being a strong second choice in both those markets means you would have a significant footprint in both which neither fumbleball or union could really lay claim to.

 

[MugaB]

That was something that was actually discussed in the late 90’s I believe (not sure how serious those discussions were though). In hindsight, it would have been a lot better outcome than the Wests Tigers have been but anyway.

Hypothetically, it would have been interesting and probably more fruitful for the competition if a few Sydney teams were relocated rather than dissolved/merged. The only merger that has worked (barely really) is the Dragons and that was because it was a takeover, they had the same colours and they were relatively geographically adjacent. Wests Tigers haven’t worked and Northern Eagles was a disaster.

Confused with easts of syd roosters, with easts tigers of brisbane... the late 90s mergers were the possibility of roosters/tigers merger

WB was talking about EASTS brissy Tigers and Balmain

 

[Colk]

Confused with easts of syd roosters, with easts tigers of brisbane... the late 90s mergers were the possibility of roosters/tigers merger

WB was talking about EASTS brissy Tigers and Balmain

No, I’m pretty sure it was talked about. There was talk of the Crushers/Chargers and the Tigers.

 

[Pippen94]

Confused with easts of syd roosters, with easts tigers of brisbane... the late 90s mergers were the possibility of roosters/tigers merger

WB was talking about EASTS brissy Tigers and Balmain

Bris East, chargers & Balmain. Never going to happen because tigers wouldn't move from Sydney & Broncos/news didn't want bris2

 

[Wb1234]

Confused with easts of syd roosters, with easts tigers of brisbane... the late 90s mergers were the possibility of roosters/tigers merger

WB was talking about EASTS brissy Tigers and Balmain

Yes

 

[Wb1234]

I thought the Steelers were pretty much bankrupt at that stage?

Well they have apparently had a few chances to boot Cronulla. I believe at one stage it was between them and Newtown (not sure if that is correct but it was before I was born and remembering reading that from somewhere.

Cronulla could have relocated at the very least but anyway

They were always broke like Newcastle

now they are owned by a multi billionaire

 

[Colk]

Bris East, chargers & Balmain. Never going to happen because tigers wouldn't move from Sydney & Broncos/news didn't want bris2

Thanks, I knew there was talk of it. You’re also right about why it didn’t happen

 

[flippikat]

Thanks, I knew there was talk of it. You’re also right about why it didn’t happen

It's a shame it didn't happen, as it would have solved multiple problems in one go - a quality rebrand of Brisbane's 2nd team, de-cluttering the Sydney map, consolidating the best players from 3 club rosters into one organization.. all wins.

This, plus a Bulldogs-Magpies joint venture would have gone a long way towards rationalizing Sydney in a more logical & planned manner than what we ended up with - with the bonus of a decent local rival for the Broncos.

 

[Colk]

It's a shame it didn't happen, as it would have solved multiple problems in one go - a quality rebrand of Brisbane's 2nd team, de-cluttering the Sydney map, consolidating the best players from 3 club rosters into one organization.. all wins.

This, plus a Bulldogs-Magpies joint venture would have gone a long way towards rationalizing Sydney in a more logical & planned manner than what we ended up with - with the bonus of a decent local rival for the Broncos.

I’d play Devils advocate and suggest that Penrith-Wests may have been a better merger. Geographically adjacent, similar colours etc. Not a fan of mergers at all - I would have preferred (in a perfect world where money wasn’t an obstacle) doing this

St George Illawarra (takeover of Steelers)
Tigers to Brisbane (replace Crushers)
GC out (they got kicked out anyway)
then pick two other Sydney teams to relocate to Adelaide and Perth (Sharks/Souths or Manly/Norths) to replace Reds and Rams
Melbourne to either be a relocation or if you wanted to set up a completely new side either merge Wests/Bulldogs or Wests/Panthers and set up the Storm

There you would have 6.5 Sydney sides, Wollongong half a side and a side each in Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Newcastle, Auckland as well as 3 in QLD (which is not perfect but one better than they ended up with). When the dust settled and in 10-20 years time we could then be putting in either a third Brisbane or GC side and another Kiwi side for 18 sides.

 

[Pippen94]

Thanks, I knew there was talk of it. You’re also right about why it didn’t happen

Mariners / chargers was the realistic one which never happened. Instead storm got mariner players & gold coast folded

 

[Wb1234]

I’d play Devils advocate and suggest that Penrith-Wests may have been a better merger. Geographically adjacent, similar colours etc. Not a fan of mergers at all - I would have preferred (in a perfect world where money wasn’t an obstacle) doing this

St George Illawarra (takeover of Steelers)
Tigers to Brisbane (replace Crushers)
GC out (they got kicked out anyway)
then pick two other Sydney teams to relocate to Adelaide and Perth (Sharks/Souths or Manly/Norths) to replace Reds and Rams
Melbourne to either be a relocation or if you wanted to set up a completely new side either merge Wests/Bulldogs or Wests/Panthers and set up the Storm

There you would have 6.5 Sydney sides, Wollongong half a side and a side each in Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Newcastle, Auckland as well as 3 in QLD (which is not perfect but one better than they ended up with). When the dust settled and in 10-20 years time we could then be putting in either a third Brisbane or GC side and another Kiwi side for 18 sides.

Agree with most of this except Penrith no merger

panthers are finally showing today what a massive club they can be. In many ways in terms of Sydney clubs they like Cronulla are still less esbltsblished if that makes sense

they had their first real success in the 80s then the death of Ben Alexander killed them off. Another fleeting grand final in 2003

the club today are so much like the club in the 90s except all the local juniors are now islanders rather than white kids

west should’ve stuck with Campbelltown the area is having a large increase of young families and is ages away from any other club

this would leave dogs as the inner west club taking in the south west

 

[Colk]

Agree with most of this except Penrith no merger

panthers are finally showing today what a massive club they can be. In many ways in terms of Sydney clubs they like Cronulla are still less esbltsblished if that makes sense

they had their first real success in the 80s then the death of Ben Alexander killed them off. Another fleeting grand final in 2003

the club today are so much like the club in the 90s except all the local juniors are now islanders rather than white kids

west should’ve stuck with Campbelltown the area is having a large increase of young families and is ages away from any other club

this would leave dogs as the inner west club taking in the south west

I agree. I don’t know what the Tigers are actually doing. I can see Canterbury taking over that south west area because the Tigers are so stupid

 

[Wb1234]

I agree. I don’t know what the Tigers are actually doing. I can see Canterbury taking over that south west area because the Tigers are so stupid

They built their 70 million coe at concord lmao

they are the closest the nrl has to gws

sad since they are both foundation clubs

 

[Bukowski]

I agree. I don’t know what the Tigers are actually doing. I can see Canterbury taking over that south west area because the Tigers are so stupid

They have no plan

 

[Colk]

They have no plan

It looks like it. Gus is a very annoying commentator but there is nothing surer than him eyeing off that area because the Tigers don’t want it

 

[flippikat]

Mariners / chargers was the realistic one which never happened. Instead storm got mariner players & gold coast folded

Yeah, Mariners/Chargers would have had a reasonable squad too if I recall correctly. I think the Chargers brand had some merit too - the teal, silver & maroon was pretty unique.

Could maybe have worked if transplanted into Brisbane as a true 2nd team there? (Assuming the Crushers still folded in this scenario)