Todd Greenberg has pretty much said one Sydney team will be relocated.

[Perth Red]

I can’t remember what I thought tbh. Probably that it was a novelty.

Good luck replicating that though. It was the right people in certain positions that has endured, mainly Bellamy and the big 4. If they didn’t have quick and sustained success, it might be a different story.

Melbourne isn’t a million miles away from RL heartland like Perth either. Only a few hours to the riverina etc.

RL is historically far stronger in WA than in Victoria. Not many know but WA played a touring GB side in 1954!

I do agree though it will be important the club has some success asap. Don't expect a GF or a premiership in first few years but a competitive side making the 8 is important. The Force's biggest undoing was their pathetic performances on the pitch. Off the pitch they were pretty well run.

Ideally we would see NRL come up with a strategy and see a WA NSW cup team entered next year to start developing some good young talent ready for 2022/23. Bring back whatever WA players have hit the NRL by then as well as a sprinkling of SL quality players. As I've said before the really innovative approach would be to set up a Pirates academy in PNG and bring their best players into the Perth set up to develop long term without weakening the existing Jnr pathways of the east coast.

 

[Stallion]

Could you please provide the source / evidence to link the rise in Shute Shield crowds to the Bears demise when the two events happened 17 years apart.

You fool! It takes more than a few years for people to change a culturally accepted norm! When the Bears were kicked out, rugby league lost 100000s of fans. You don't believe this , however when a longstanding footy club is axed due to a flawed agreement: it hurts . The sports fans have gone to alternate codes as a result of the Bears axing. You deny this constantly. Yet it's quite normal for disenfranchised fans to do so. THEY LEAVE rugby league ! They go elsewhere. 10000 crowds at local union games would not have happened in northern Sydney had the Bears been in the top flight . This doesn't compute with you. But it's quite rational and really natural . If the sport has been abandoned a response does occur and its well and truelly occured in northern Sydney.

 

[Perth Red]

You fool! It takes more than a few years for people to change a culturally accepted norm! When the Bears were kicked out, rugby league lost 100000s of fans. You don't believe this , however when a longstanding footy club is axed due to a flawed agreement: it hurts . The sports fans have gone to alternate codes as a result of the Bears axing. You deny this constantly. Yet it's quite normal for disenfranchised fans to do so. THEY LEAVE rugby league ! They go elsewhere. 10000 crowds at local union games would not have happened in northern Sydney had the Bears been in the top flight . This doesn't compute with you. But it's quite rational and really natural . If the sport has been abandoned a response does occur and its well and truelly occured in northern Sydney.

Can you explain why the second tier of rugby union can get 10000 fans to a game but the Bears in the second tier cant get 1000? did their 100000's fans just drop them because they werent in the top flight despite still being in existence? doesnt sound like much of a fanbase to me. I followed my team through two relegations into the third tier!

 

[Stallion]

Can you explain why the second tier of rugby union can get 10000 fans to a game but the Bears in the second tier cant get 1000? did their 100000's fans just drop them because they werent in the top flight despite still being in existence? doesnt sound like much of a fanbase to me. I followed my team through two relegations into the third tier!

Yes. Top.flight status. You take that away ! You have taken not only the self respect a but also its fans! You just don't get that! But it matters big time on Australia. Tell you what I follow the Roosters and Knights . Of they were shafted like the Bears they would lose my support as well and plenty of other fans would leave too.

 

[siv]

Can you explain why the second tier of rugby union can get 10000 fans to a game but the Bears in the second tier cant get 1000? did their 100000's fans just drop them because they werent in the top flight despite still being in existence? doesnt sound like much of a fanbase to me. I followed my team through two relegations into the third tier!

2nd Tier RU ?

Waratahs are the same Tier as SOO

What you call 2nd Tier is the same level as NRL

RU reserve grade is played on FG game day as is 3G and 4G

 

[Stallion]

2nd Tier RU ?

Waratahs are the same Tier as SOO

What you call 2nd Tier is the same level as NRL

RU reserve grade is played on FG game day as is 3G and 4G

And if you really want to get accurate: Any "top level" union would only make local suburban rugby league level as far as playing ability is concerned if that!

 

[greenBV4]

Waratahs are the same Tier as SOO

What you call 2nd Tier is the same level as NRL

I wouldn't call origin a "tier", its a series of representative matches

NRL is the top tier competition of league in the region, and super rugby is the top tier competition of union.

 

[Perth Red]

Yes. Top.flight status. You take that away ! You have taken not only the self respect a but also its fans! You just don't get that! But it matters big time on Australia. Tell you what I follow the Roosters and Knights . Of they were shafted like the Bears they would lose my support as well and plenty of other fans would leave too.

No I don’t get it. For me my club is for life, regardless of what league it is playing in.

 

[Perth Red]

2nd Tier RU ?

Waratahs are the same Tier as SOO

What you call 2nd Tier is the same level as NRL

RU reserve grade is played on FG game day as is 3G and 4G

Super 15 is top tier. State comps are second tier. You could lay argument that nrc is second tier and shite shield is actually a third tier Comp. Which makes stallions claims even more ludicrous.

 

[Stallion]

No I don’t get it. For me my club is for life, regardless of what league it is playing in.

Well rugby league fans do. And the neutrals even moreso! It's time you did get it. Very differing scenarios and cultural divides are at play. Maybe a tad too sophisticated for your thought processes! ?

 

[Jimmy Wiggle]

Well rugby league fans do. And the neutrals even moreso! It's time you did get it. Very differing scenarios and cultural divides are at play. Maybe a tad too sophisticated for your thought processes! ?

@Stallion, why do you presume to speak for all rugby league fans. I have a lot of friends who’s main team is in Qld cup and they watch nrl for the players rather than the teams.

As for why Manly v Warringah get a decent crowd in the Shute shield, how does that have anything to do with North Sydney’s demise? Wouldn’t those people be Manly Warringah supporters?

 

[Perth Red]

@Stallion, why do you presume to speak for all rugby league fans. I have a lot of friends who’s main team is in Qld cup and they watch nrl for the players rather than the teams.

As for why Manly v Warringah get a decent crowd in the Shute shield, how does that have anything to do with North Sydney’s demise? Wouldn’t those people be Manly Warringah supporters?

Stallion logic: tens of thousands of disgruntled bears fans have flocked to clubs that don’t play in their region or represent their region in sports that rugby league fans have traditionally detested.

 

[Stallion]

@Stallion, why do you presume to speak for all rugby league fans. I have a lot of friends who’s main team is in Qld cup and they watch nrl for the players rather than the teams.

As for why Manly v Warringah get a decent crowd in the Shute shield, how does that have anything to do with North Sydney’s demise? Wouldn’t those people be Manly Warringah supporters?

It's all relevant. And that's your perception about speaking on behalf of rugby league fans. My opinion just like yours is valid.. I'll take that as a wrap! I accept your point on following certain players. That's a significant aspect as well. It's moreso the respect for what the players you follow are playing for with respects to what club that is also very important. If the club is lowly regarded (2nd grade status from top grade) the interest follows accordingly . And good on you for following certain players. Their are all sorts of reasons why people follow a footy club. And yours is one of them. The respect of the club be it North Sydney or others were put to the sword by an unfair superleague 'agreement '. That's what's negatively affected the best rugby league comp in the world over the past twenty years.

 

[Jimmy Wiggle]

It's all relevant. And that's your perception about speaking on behalf of rugby league fans. My opinion just like yours is valid.. I'll take that as a wrap! I accept your point on following certain players. That's a significant aspect as well. It's moreso the respect for what the players you follow are playing for with respects to what club that is also very important. If the club is lowly regarded (2nd grade status from top grade) the interest follows accordingly . And good on you for following certain players. Their are all sorts of reasons why people follow a footy club. And yours is one of them. The respect of the club be it North Sydney or others were put to the sword by an unfair superleague 'agreement '. That's what's negatively affected the best rugby league comp in the world over the past twenty years.

What has any of what you have written got to do with rugby league fans not supporting lower levels of rugby league? You & your friends might not but others including myself & a lot of friends do. You can’t just make blanket statements & expect no one to question them. FWIW I think most rugby league fans will still watch rugby league, NRL fans may not if they lose their club

 

[Stallion]

What has any of what you have written got to do with rugby league fans not supporting lower levels of rugby league? You & your friends might not but others including myself & a lot of friends do. You can’t just make blanket statements & expect no one to question them. FWIW I think most rugby league fans will still watch rugby league, NRL fans may not if they lose their club

Guarantee , just as what's happened to North Sydney, the axed NRL club's fans will hibernate as with the Bears fans or abandone the code altogether . That's what's going on. A basic dilution of the supporter bases in Sydney. If you can't see that you're not looking hard enough!

 

[Jimmy Wiggle]

Guarantee , just as what's happened to North Sydney, the axed NRL club's fans will hibernate as with the Bears fans or abandone the code altogether. That's what's going on. A basic dilution of the supporter bases in Sydney. If you can't see that you're not looking hard enough!

I’m a Souths-Logan Magpies supporter, I live stream them as much as I can. I watch NRL, don’t really support a side but still I still watch.
Now while some Bears supporters may be lost to the game, they can still support their team like I support mine.
I hope no other Sydney club is lost but I also hope that the Bears don’t come back unless it is in a true expansion area

 

[Stallion]

I’m a Souths-Logan Magpies supporter, I live stream them as much as I can. I watch NRL, don’t really support a side but still I still watch.
Now while some Bears supporters may be lost to the game, they can still support their team like I support mine.
I hope no other Sydney club is lost but I also hope that the Bears don’t come back unless it is in a true expansion area

Trust me and others. That is not happening. And the numbers are much greater than South-Logan. Clubs like the Bears received massive exposure and notoriety thru tv exposure in the 70s,80s & 90s. This is a significant and major difference to compare. I respect Soutgs-Logan and various other rugby-league. But the ones that were part of the boom exposure period mentioned do not come near the popularity gained over that period in the BIG LEAGLE. Suppose it's a place in time thing however it's reality.

 

[siv]

I wouldn't call origin a "tier", its a series of representative matches

NRL is the top tier competition of league in the region, and super rugby is the top tier competition of union.

NSW Origin a state representative team for NSW

Waratahs is the same in NSW for RU and have been since 1874. You only have one team in NSW and one in QLD

Just because 3 nations state/provisiional comps merged does not alter this

As the layer above both is kangaroos or wallabies and has been since 1908

FG rugby are the same clubs playing 1900 as they are today

Same as NRL and FG RL in 1908 to today bar expansion

NRC is caught inbetween. Trying to be RL style regional expandion with a few token city rep teams. Ie the SL War model

But when comparing crowds

Use NSW v QLD in both cases

Easts v Manly
Parramatta v West Harbour(Parra v Wests-Tigers)

Or NRC Brisbane v Qld country (Broncos v cowboys)

For a apples v apples comparison

 

[siv]

@Stallion, why do you presume to speak for all rugby league fans. I have a lot of friends who’s main team is in Qld cup and they watch nrl for the players rather than the teams.

As for why Manly v Warringah get a decent crowd in the Shute shield, how does that have anything to do with North Sydney’s demise? Wouldn’t those people be Manly Warringah supporters?

What you see with the demise if the Bears has been the following

RU has cemented it pressence in the North Shore - be it Northern Suburbs Gordon Eastwood West Harbour and these are bookended by Parramatta and manly and Warringah

I have many friends on the North Shore

Old St George fan supports Cricket & Swans
Some follow Norths rugby
Some the Waratahs

But none moved to other RL teams they walked away from the game and took their kids with them

 

[Stallion]

What you see with the demise if the Bears has been the following

RU has cemented it pressence in the North Shore - be it Northern Suburbs Gordon Eastwood West Harbour and these are bookended by Parramatta and manly and Warringah

I have many friends on the North Shore

Old St George fan supports Cricket & Swans
Some follow Norths rugby
Some the Waratahs

But none moved to other RL teams they walked away from the game and took their kids with them

Thanks Siv. It helps with some "on the ground" facts being informed of. Personally I know plenty of Bears fans that have brushed rugby league. However they have all stated they would follow the Bears if they were back in the top flight be it as the Central Coast Bears(logical and more local ) or some more adventurous franchise elsewhere.