Yep, I don’t disagree NZ2 is a good expansion candidate, however all the negativity around ‘but AFL’ in regard to Perth could have once been said in regard to NZ outside out of Auckland with a ‘but Union’. Union’s historically been incredibly dominant; time, presence and some misfortune on Union’s part and now a 2nd team looks like it could be viable.
There are a few differences edging New Zealand 2 ahead of Perth.
RU in Australia and New Zealand is in a very precarious position due to the game's growth in France and Japan. We're in a position to make serious inroads in RU territory.
AwFuL is richer than NRL and has the money to fund expansion in Queensland and NSW and prop up its heartland. Adding an NRL team in Perth ain't going to hurt fumbleball at all. The main casualty of a Perth-based NRL team is the Western Force, but they're f**ked regardless of whether we expand into WA.
Another thing that places NZ2 ahead of Perth is Polynesians have the perfect somatotype for RL and RU. In contrast, Western Australians follow fumbleball wirh a zealtous passion and probably have a better somatotype for fumbleball. I am yet to see any tangible evidence that a Perth-based team will change this. Perth Rat and his mates point to participation rates in 1995, then contradict themselves by saying we should ignore the Western Reds' poor crowds due to it being a different city in a different era.
It seems people on here want the next team to be in Perth because they're insecure about fumbleball?
Expansion isn't meant to be a dick measuring contest with fumbleball.
The purpose of expansion is to make the game stronger and richer. The only reason V'landys is fast tracking expansion is because our last deal was blown out of the water by AwFuL and we need to find a way to narrow the gap in 2028.
Do you have any evidence that adding a team in Perth by 2028 will lead to a significant gain in broadcast revenue?
We've got Simon Fordham, Head of Strategy WWOS telling Media Spy that the Ch9 network believes Brisbane can support another team and are in favour of it getting one. I haven't heard him or anyone else from Ch9 push for a Perth-based team.