Redcliffe most likely to be the next expansion team according to the Telegraph

[axl rose]

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/remote/check_cookie.html?url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/peter-vlandys-believes-brisbane-needs-a-second-nrl-team/news-story/1ac3e448c51f372c76d8d9787a79da76
vlandy’s a fan of a 2nd brissy side, argh not so much Perth.

Paywalled, can you post it. Cheers.

 

[Marlins]

New ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys has revealed plans to launch a second NRL team in Brisbane to ensure the health of State of Origin and crush the rival AFL code in the key Queensland market.

In his most candid interview since succeeding Peter Beattie, V’landys has laid bare his strategic blueprint, outlining his desire for a 17-team premiership and why Brisbane – not Perth – is the next region in line to receive an NRL licence.

For the past decade, NRL bosses have dithered on expansion and failed to capitalise on the mostly pathetic performances of AFL’s Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns in the south-east Queensland sector.

But now, as the Lions claw back to title credibility, V’landys – viewed as a visionary administrator not afraid to make the tough calls – will ramp up plans for a second Brisbane team to join forces with the Broncos in dominating the AFL in Queensland.

Lauded as the man who saved horse racing with his commercial nous, V’landys is primed to bring a new corporate edge to the NRL.

Rugby league’s next broadcast deal is due in 2023 and the new ARLC chairman concedes there is no guarantee the NRL will better its current $1.8 billion contract if it maintains the status quo with 16 teams.

Beattie identified Redcliffe as a potential home for a new NRL team, but the city-based Brisbane Bombers have been chasing a licence since 2011 and are ready to pounce if the code decides to expand.

Previous regimes have pushed for the NRL to expand to a new frontier in Perth, but V’landys believes Brisbane’s metropolitan market of 2.1 million people can sustain a second team to coexist with the Broncos.

“Queensland is our market – we need a game every week in Brisbane,” V’landys told The Sunday Mail.

“I can see 17 teams in the next broadcast deal working.

“I am not going to pre-empt the ARL Commission’s decision, but having a second team in Brisbane is 100 per cent an option.

“This is only my view, but Brisbane can sustain a second team, no question.

“The NRL is a billion-dollar business and I will be doing everything possible to make Queensland even stronger.”

V’landys’ views on Perth are compelling. There has been a concerted push for the NRL to revisit Perth as part of their expansionary footprint following the axing of the Western Reds after three seasons of operation between 1995-97.

Two decades on, Perth is flexing its muscle. Western Australia’s new $1 billion Optus Stadium hosted State of Origin for the first time in June and rugby league will return to Perth next year with the relaunch of the NRL Nines.

But V’landys is not convinced the NRL will take off in AFL-dominated Perth. He wants to reward generations of diehard league fans in Queensland.

“We want to dominate the market in Queensland,” he said. “Forget wasting millions in rusted-on AFL states.

“We must undertake a full analysis (of growth markets) but Perth does not have a huge league audience. Then there is the concern around flying NRL players five hours when we already hear criticism of player workloads and how taxing the season is on the stars of the game.

“I am unashamedly a massive fan of Queensland because it’s our second strongest rugby league market.

“I have great admiration for Bruce Hatcher (QRL chairman). He has been a warrior for the game of rugby league in Queensland and that must be recognised.

“If you are running rugby league as a commercial operation, which we are, you want to be putting a lot of money and effort into Queensland.”

While mindful of the AFL threat in Queensland, V’landys’ more pressing concern is maintaining the success of the NRL’s golden egg – State of Origin.

Traditionally, about 15 per cent of NRL-contracted players are eligible for Queensland. But if the Blues embark on a five or six-year dynasty in the coming seasons, it would be a crushing blow for an Origin concept that thrives on Queensland punching above its weight.

“Queensland is the state that we must grow to take rugby league to another level and continue the importance of State of Origin,” V’landys said.

“Our elite game is State of Origin. We need Queensland as strong as possible for the sake of the Origin competition.

“I had a good chat with Ben Ikin (QRL board member and former Queensland Origin player) about this.

“He gave a presentation to me recently and he was spot on and so insightful. He was brilliant. He made it clear that we don’t need Queensland strong for the NRL only, we need Queensland strong for State of Origin.

“My job is to maximise the return on the broadcast deal to keep the game profitable.

“Like it or not, we are in the entertainment industry and we are here to entertain. The Queensland market is a key part of our success moving forward.

“I can see many benefits to having another team in Brisbane for young Queensland kids to aspire to play for.”

 

[TheDalek079]

Sounds like an intelligent person. No reason to be spending millions in a shit hole like Perth for a team doomed to fail

 

[flippikat]

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/remote/check_cookie.html?url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/peter-vlandys-believes-brisbane-needs-a-second-nrl-team/news-story/1ac3e448c51f372c76d8d9787a79da76
vlandy’s a fan of a 2nd brissy side, argh not so much Perth.

Yeah, but if there's gonna be a 2nd Brisbane club & no relocation or relegation to achieve it, then that makes for a 17-club competition with byes all over the place.

There's got to be a plan for an 18th team, and from what's in the public domain (the best developed bids we know of) that would have to either be Perth or Central Coast.

 

[BuffaloRules]

Seems pretty definitive on the record statements from V’landys..

Not sure if it’s the right call or not, but at least there is a position now and people wont continue to waste effort and I assume money on a Perth bid that isn’t going to happen..

On the 17 teams/ bye issue... not ideal but it’s not like we haven’t had uneven number of teams in the comp before..

 

[Starkers]

People likely said the same about Melbourne 20 years ago. They have cut through now, now doubt. If you could achieve that in Adelaide, Perth and Wellington also, happy days.

Suspect there is less faith in the people in those areas than the desire to expand to them.

 

[BuffaloRules]

I have generally always supported the concept of a Perth team, as I think the benefits of opening up new time zones for the Eastern states for live games is a big plus..

The thing that has always concerned me about Perth though are the pretty much non existent ratings for NRL over there outside of Origin and the GF...

It shows such a low interest base to try to grow the game from...literally a few thousand only watching your typical game on FTA..... The game doesnt get much love from the local media either..it’s either ignored or derided..

Now I know that the AFL has to start from low bases in Sydney and SEQ,( and if we are honest their TV ratings are still nothing to crow about in the northern states) but there is a difference that people from the AFL states move to NRL states in much greater numbers than vice versa and they bring their love of their game with them and drill it into their kids so the starting base to build from was there..

It’s a tough one and perhaps in these uncertain times of future TV money, the opportunity for Perth in the short term at least looks to have passed..

 

[axl rose]

“I had a good chat with Ben Ikin about this.

“He gave a presentation to me recently and he was spot on and so insightful. He was brilliant.

God help us all.

 

[axl rose]

but there is a difference that people from the AFL states move to NRL states in much greater numbers than vice versa and they bring their love of their game with them and drill it into their kids so the starting base to build from was there..

.

This is a very good point. This is why QLD needs to be shored up. the amount of permanent 'flight' from Sydney to the South East Qld is astronomical, many of which are traditional league followers. 1 or 2 Sunday afternoon games in Brisbane the whole year, excluding Magic Round, is beyond a joke.

 

[Pippen94]

Firstly, there're plenty of ways to differentiate a club from others that have been implemented very successfully other than just geographic differences. The Fibros and the Silvertails is a great example from RL.

Secondly, nobody is saying that a second Brisbane team should be a carbon copy of the Broncos and target the same audience as they do.

All that is being said is that any new Brisbane team should be centrally located (i.e. accessible to the most people possible) and engage as large a market as possible, and not be a small club from an area on the outskirts of the city that is A. hard to get to for the majority of the rest of the city and B. not really appealing for people outside of the clubs immediate suburb to support.


Actually I'm saying the exact opposite!

I'm saying that nobody from Parramatta and surrounds would support a new Granville team, because the Eels have the more central location (i.e. it's easier to support them), with the more established brand, and Granville isn't really big enough to support it's own club (i.e. it'd be reliant on support from the rest of the Eels market) nor would it have the means to successfully crack into the Eels market.


I never suggested that it was regional and unless either Sydney is rationalised or the whole structure of the competition is changed, both of which are extremely unlikely happen, a third Brisbane/surrounding region club is probably a really bad idea for the time being. But that is another discussion.


I don't understand what Canberra has to do with the discussion...

Fibros & silvertails was geography based. Ipswich v broncos would fill that void. A second corporate entity like bombers would not.
Tigers had less supporters in Campbell town than dolphins in Morton bay, yet now dominate there. Dolphins could do same in their council area.
As much as you bag redcliffe it has more going for it than Canberra an existing club.

 

[Pippen94]

Well.. if Redcliffe DO get the nod, I hope the NRL ask them to change (or at least tweak) their colours into something distinctive in the NRL. No such worries with Ipswich/West Brisbane if they get the nod.

No keep it the same - away jerseys will avoid clash. Remember steelers.

 

[jim_57]

“We want to dominate the market in Queensland,” he said. “Forget wasting millions in rusted-on AFL states.

“We must undertake a full analysis (of growth markets) but Perth does not have a huge league audience. Then there is the concern around flying NRL players five hours when we already hear criticism of player workloads and how taxing the season is on the stars of the game.

Great way for V'landys to encourage new supporters from Perth & Adelaide, even Melbourne, Tassie & Darwin for that matter.

Such an unnecessary statement, AFL heartlands have thrown millions at a NSW dominated game by bidding for State of Origin and other NRL games but then the Chairman comes out with a statement like this. Hardly going to encourage any news fans in Perth, Melbourne and the host of this year's Origin Adelaide.

The laughable thing is why he even thought it necessary in the first place, why talk down one expansion option to make your favourite look better when you could simply talk up the amount of competition for expansion spots and the merits each offer.

Seems like Rugby League will continue to be plagued by inward looking lack of ambition for another few years at least while this guy is in charge. 18th team will probably be Central Coast after we're told Wellington, Perth, Adelaide etc are all doomed.

 

[ReddFelon]

Vlandys sounds like a mong with his "hurr durr rusted on AFL states", if the dopey genius knew anything he'd know that WA isn't an "AFL" state the way Victoria and SA are. The key reason the AFL teams dominante is because they're the code that got the most financial support from head office.

If Brisbane #2 is doomed to happen so that muh Queenslandaaaaaarrrhhhss can have a second team, then put in in Springfield with the new secondary CBD and call them the Isotopes.

 

[The Great Dane]

Fibros & silvertails was geography based.

No it wasn't, it was based on class.

The upper class Sea Eagles with silver spoons in their mouths, living in their big houses in the ritzy part of town, and buying up all the best players vs the working class Magpies, who lived on the wrong side of the tracks in their fibro houses, who couldn't afford to keep all their best players at the club because the Sea Eagles would buy as many of them as possible out from underneath them.

Ipswich v broncos would fill that void. A second corporate entity like bombers would not.

Ipswich shouldn't happen for a very long time (maybe never), and you keep bringing up the Bombers but nobody is suggesting that the Bombers is a good fit for the second Brisbane club or that they should get a license.

Tigers had less supporters in Campbell town than dolphins in Morton bay, yet now dominate there.

LOL.

If you think that the Tigers are dominating Campbelltown I'd hate to see what your definition of mediocrity is, let alone failure.

Dolphins could do same in their council area.

You know when you played footy that local club that is more successful than the others that everybody loves to hate? In Morton bay that's the Dolphins.

Expecting people to suddenly start supporting a club that they hate with a passion in large numbers is simply unrealistic, it would take generational change before that happened for the Dolphins, and the NRL can't afford to wait generations for a club to become cemented, especially when competition like the Broncos is just down the road.

As much as you bag redcliffe it has more going for it than Canberra an existing club.

Firstly there is a difference between bagging the Dolphins, or for that matter Redcliffe, and simply saying that they aren't the right fit for an NRL license at the moment.

Secondly, comparing Canberra to Redcliffe is comparing apples and oranges, but I will say this, if Redcliffe came into the NRL as the second Brisbane club I'd expect that once the novelty effect wore off that they would pull similar numbers across the board to those that the Raiders pull (the only major exception being sponsorship, Redcliffe'd pull way bigger sponsors from Brisbane then the Raiders could dream of), and being a club playing the most popular sport in a big market like Brisbane, pulling numbers similar to one of the smallest regional markets, and the regional market with the most competition to boot, would be a massive failure, and a massive under achievement for the sport as a whole.

It'd be like if there was only one club in Sydney, a big club that represents the city and eastern suburbs, and choosing the second club to be specific disparate council area, like e.g. Manly Warringah, instead of one that represents all of Western Sydney.

 

[The Great Dane]

Great way for V'landys to encourage new supporters from Perth & Adelaide, even Melbourne, Tassie & Darwin for that matter.

Such an unnecessary statement, AFL heartlands have thrown millions at a NSW dominated game by bidding for State of Origin and other NRL games but then the Chairman comes out with a statement like this. Hardly going to encourage any news fans in Perth, Melbourne and the host of this year's Origin Adelaide.

The laughable thing is why he even thought it necessary in the first place, why talk down one expansion option to make your favourite look better when you could simply talk up the amount of competition for expansion spots and the merits each offer.

Seems like Rugby League will continue to be plagued by inward looking lack of ambition for another few years at least while this guy is in charge. 18th team will probably be Central Coast after we're told Wellington, Perth, Adelaide etc are all doomed.

And while all this goes on not only are the non-heartland states being left out in the cold, but country NSW and the ACT is being left to fend for it's self, and dying a slow death painful death.

If the AFL started a Canberra based club tomorrow then, no joke, it'd at least rival, if not be marginally bigger than the Raiders in support overnight. If there was a stadium that could support it in Canberra then they'd easily average 15ish thousand, if they were premiership contenders then forget about it, they'd rule the town.

Give it another decade or two of the AFL heavily promoting and backing local growth in the grassroots and the NRL continuing to ignore the region and an AFL team would dwarf the Raiders and Brumbies overnight, and that's just in Canberra and surrounds, go out west and things are getting just as bad, go down in southern NSW, and if it was a war it'd be called a brutal massacre, but the NRL aren't fighting so you can't call it a war.

It's getting to the point that if the NRL keeps 'strengthening the heartlands' at the expense everything outside of Sydney and SEQ, then not long from now everything outside of those regions is going to be at least irreparably damaged if not dead, and then the "heartlands" will be left to contend with the AFL on their own and they'll lose because of the shear wealth of resources that the AFL will have at it's disposal compared to them.

 

[mongoose]

well V'landy's has lost me with his "gotto ensure Origin is strong" and "perth too hard basket" comments.

An investigation needs to be done into the NRL if they are so bearish about expansion outside of NSW/QLD, To me it sounds like Greenburg and V'landy's are under instruction from News ltd, Ch 9 or hell, the f**king AFL. It would not surprise me at all.

 

[jim_57]

well V'landy's has lost me with his "gotto ensure Origin is strong" and "perth too hard basket" comments.

An investigation needs to be done into the NRL if they are so bearish about expansion outside of NSW/QLD, To me it sounds like Greenburg and V'landy's are under instruction from News ltd, Ch 9 or hell, the f**king AFL. It would not surprise me at all.

Sometimes I wonder why I bother supporting the game and paying these people's salaries.

Speaking of Origin, watch the neutral Origin get thrown out the window as well. Even though having a neutral venue in a 3 game series makes complete sense.

 

[tri_colours]

Expansion seems to be on way but it seems you will never please everybody.

 

[Loose Cannon]

“This is only my view, but Brisbane can sustain a second team, no question.”
- Peter V’Landys.

V’isionary.

 

[adamkungl]

Putting a 17th team in Brisbane and nowhere else isn't expansion.