TWO new Brisbane teams

[Colk]

I agree that it has been challenging with COVID-19 and that clubs haven’t had a membership history but some are clearly better than others at this like Souths, Parramatta etc whereas certainly clubs like Cronulla and Manly have never had big support and never likely to based on location mainly and facilities secondly. I think those clubs would benefit from being relocated to areas with have better facilities and have more room for growth and ambition

 

[Colk]

Furthermore, we shouldn’t be looking at excuses anymore. I’d rather six well supported clubs in great facilities and getting great crowds rather than having 2-3 big clubs and six small ones playing at terrible grounds and averaging around 10k per match

 

[Perth Red]

Yes and we have seen plenty of 30k plus ones as well

only on public holidays, and there is only so many of them in a season! Id say less than 10% of sydney derby games draw 20k plus, and thats probably being generous. Its a massive missed opportunity, if your going to have half the comp in one city you should at least be trying to maximise the benefits that could come with that.

 

[Santino Patane]

When did expansion threads turn into the “I wish everything would be like the mid ‘80’s” space?

I mean, let’s not just stop at getting rid of those meddlesome non Sydney teams, let’s make sure all polyester and sleeves below the forearms on jerseys are banned. Synthetic footballs- if an animal wasn’t killed and turned into a ball that could only be kicked off a Bondi’s finest sand then you need to go and shove it.
If you’re not banging down a tobacco corps’ finest at half time whilst dreaming of holding up their trophy at the end of the season whilst sucking down a Toohey’s New (or old if the old boy gave you some options), then your bloody Unaustralian.
And if you don’t come from God’s country smack bang where Captain Phillip decided to start this nation, then you don’t deserve a say in the game of Rugby League.

 

[Colk]

I know it’s almost like those Sydney teams didn’t just die because they ran out of money. A Sydney comp would obviously generate the sandbox amount of money as a national comp

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

I still think Brisbane 3 has a strong chance of getting in by 2028. It all depends on how the Dolphins go. Wouldn't surprise me if Bennett was the inaugural coach of Brisbane 3.

 

[Colk]

Depends if News Ltd allow it. The Dolphins were given preference because of where they are located, so they’d have to change their stance. Either that or News Ltd disinvests themselves.

Another factor is the GC. If they start winning comps and gaining greater popularity etc then that’s also another reason.

So yeah it is a chance

 

[flippikat]

Pretty sure that happened in 1997 & lost millions

Ahh but Superleague DIDN'T take the top 4-5 Sydney clubs at that time - they didn't sign Manly or Norths or the Roosters.

 

[flippikat]

What the NRL could do is bribe/fund the Sharks and Bulldogs to play like 4 home games in Perth and Adelaide starting from 2022, for the foreseeable future, if those two teams refuse to relocate there... and that would stoke the fires of RL interest in those two cities. Kind of like how the NFL forces teams to play in London (about 4 games every year) and they’ll be doing Germany/etc soon too. NRL could do that.

Exactly. The NRL has left the "home away from home" games up to the clubs for way too long - there needs to be a determination from the NRL that we're gonna see X number of games in Perth per year & Y number of games in Adelaide, and Z number of games in New Zealand outside Auckland (once travel allows) - and MAKE IT HAPPEN.

That's a big part of groundwork for expansion teams there - building a following for the game.

 

[blaza88z]

I still think Brisbane 3 has a strong chance of getting in by 2028. It all depends on how the Dolphins go. Wouldn't surprise me if Bennett was the inaugural coach of Brisbane 3.

I can't see the Titans lasting if they put another team in Brisbane, the "3rd" team would have to South based, if it's going to be in Brisbane given that Redcliffe are apparently focusing on the north side.

Another team on the doorstep of the Titans who are already struggling, I don't think it's sustainable and I don't even think you could call that expansion. Maybe they could justify putting a team out in Central QLD but that's not Brisbane then is it?

I think the next team in the NRL has to be a team in a place where one doesn't already exist, Perth or something.

 

[flippikat]

I think the next team in the NRL has to be a team in a place where one doesn't already exist, Perth or something.

Gotta be Perth next, as any other location doesn't offer the same population size in one market.. and the timezone offers a lot of options for game scheduling too.

 

[MugaB]

Gotta be Perth next, as any other location doesn't offer the same population size in one market.. and the timezone offers a lot of options for game scheduling too.

Needs to be where the fish are being fished,
PNG/Cairns... no point bringing a perth team that wil never compete at the same level as the wooden spooners, its not a circle jerk of WA don't have juniors, they don't have the talent to compete, and until they do, they'll just be cannon fodder, even if your transplanting a Nrl 1st grade 30 man squad, eventually the juniors beneath that will need to step up, and right now they aren't going toe to toe with jim beam cup standard..
I keep saying the 3 SEQ bids were fine as they are all clubs already running successful QCup clubs, any one of them could challenge the mediocre sides in the NRL with the current Qcup side they already have, adding 13mil grant of marquee players will make them a standard NRL side, maybe even a powerhouse.
But Perth has to have what Melbourne had when they started, 3 teams fall over to funnel those players into one perth side then set up a feeder club in central QLD forever until, WA juniors become better at winning at reserve grade level

 

[Perth Red]

Needs to be where the fish are being fished,
PNG/Cairns... no point bringing a perth team that wil never compete at the same level as the wooden spooners, its not a circle jerk of WA don't have juniors, they don't have the talent to compete, and until they do, they'll just be cannon fodder, even if your transplanting a Nrl 1st grade 30 man squad, eventually the juniors beneath that will need to step up, and right now they aren't going toe to toe with jim beam cup standard..
I keep saying the 3 SEQ bids were fine as they are all clubs already running successful QCup clubs, any one of them could challenge the mediocre sides in the NRL with the current Qcup side they already have, adding 13mil grant of marquee players will make them a standard NRL side,
But Perth has to have what Melbourne had when they started, 3 teams fall over to funnel those players into one perth side then set up a feeder club in central QLD forever until, WA juniors become better at winning at reserve grade level

or we partner with PNG
As Storm have shown for 2 decades, and Roosters to some degree, you dont need massive Jnr numbers. Difference is Perth is already producing Jnrs who are going on to NRL grade without a club so that will only improve with one.
There's 25 clubs currently playing in NSW and Intrust Cup and only 17 NRL sides. There's room there for another partnership with a WA club. Start up will be like anyone else. Dolphins are about to sign a full first grade squad from existing clubs talent. WA will be no different. When Perth comes in it will have an U18's side and a reserve grade side in NSW cup. Within a few years the talent will be coming through even more than now. Believe it or not there are kids in WA playing RL and some of them are talented!

PNG is a developing country and putting a pseudo PNG side in a different country that is already the territory of an existing NRL club is NEVER going to happen lol

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

I can't see the Titans lasting if they put another team in Brisbane, the "3rd" team would have to South based, if it's going to be in Brisbane given that Redcliffe are apparently focusing on the north side.

Another team on the doorstep of the Titans who are already struggling, I don't think it's sustainable and I don't even think you could call that expansion. Maybe they could justify putting a team out in Central QLD but that's not Brisbane then is it?

I think the next team in the NRL has to be a team in a place where one doesn't already exist, Perth or something.

Rockhampton is never getting a team.

Perth is the only place in Australia, outside of Brisbane, that is a legitimate candidate.

Sadly, it will all come down to what the broadcasters want. News Ltd won't want Bris 3 but will see NZ 2 as potentially boosting their Sky Sports package. The only way I can see News Ltd wanting Bris 3 is if it helps reduce the amount of Broncos games on Ch9.

Ch9 won't want Perth or NZ2 but will throw more money at Bris 3 if The Dolphins are a ratings success. Having three teams in Brisbane lines up nicely with Ch9's three weekly games.

The clubs won't want a third Brisbane team, but fans of non-Brisbane teams who live in SEQ will welcome another opportunity to see their team play live.

 

[Perth Red]

I can see Brisbane 3 in 20 years or so when NRL goes to 20 teams. Titans are still a bit of a basket case after 14 years so it is going to take time for THE Dolphins to find their feet and see what impact it has on Brisbane RL scene. There does def seem scope for a third team down the track covering the South region. News Ltd insistence on the winning bid being THE Dolphins should tell you all you need to know about if they will ALLOW a third Brisbane team that will eat into their Broncos market.

 

[MugaB]

or we partner with PNG
As Storm have shown for 2 decades, and Roosters to some degree, you dont need massive Jnr numbers. Difference is Perth is already producing Jnrs who are going on to NRL grade without a club so that will only improve with one.
There's 25 clubs currently playing in NSW and Intrust Cup and only 17 NRL sides. There's room there for another partnership with a WA club. Start up will be like anyone else. Dolphins are about to sign a full first grade squad from existing clubs talent. WA will be no different. When Perth comes in it will have an U18's side and a reserve grade side in NSW cup. Within a few years the talent will be coming through even more than now. Believe it or not there are kids in WA playing RL and some of them are talented!

PNG is a developing country and putting a pseudo PNG side in a different country that is already the territory of an existing NRL club is NEVER going to happen lol

Yes i agree, you don't need massive junior numbers, if your juniors are good, WA juniors are not, hence why i keep saying currently the area that isn't serviced in the Qcup currently is cairns and PNG, i don't see the cowboys going to port moresby to get players from the hunters, when they probably should... anyways keep on talking about WA and linking up with a country thats basically 6 hours away for your talent, if your want a license under PVL, you need to be competitive at junior level, not go and borrow from others

 

[siv]

Furthermore, we shouldn’t be looking at excuses anymore. I’d rather six well supported clubs in great facilities and getting great crowds rather than having 2-3 big clubs and six small ones playing at terrible grounds and averaging around 10k per match

Problem is its not up to you to decide

Today you would say Dogs should be kicked out

But agree all clubs should have a minimum capacity venue eg 25k, else everything else cannot grow

 

[Perth Red]

Yes i agree, you don't need massive junior numbers, if your juniors are good, WA juniors are not, hence why i keep saying currently the area that isn't serviced in the Qcup currently is cairns and PNG, i don't see the cowboys going to port moresby to get players from the hunters, when they probably should... anyways keep on talking about WA and linking up with a country thats basically 6 hours away for your talent, if your want a license under PVL, you need to be competitive at junior level, not go and borrow from others

We had two debut in NRL this season. Its not that the kids arent good, they just arent exposed to the level of competition and coaching etc that the other pokie backed SG ball sides have. That will come with more investment and an NRL club providing better support. A lot of the best kids here play union and League and head to Union as there are currently better opportunities. I seem to recall two WA Jnrs debuting for the Panthers not long ago. All them Jnrs and your own club is picking up WA talent lol.

Doesnt matter how far away pNG is, deosnt matter to Storm that Sunshine coast is other end of country. There are a lot of mining companies and related businesses with interests in PNG and WA, getting them to sponsor jnr programs in PNG that feed into the Pirates would be a great way to make it happen. The kids could be learning a mining trade as well as working towards NRL
Cairns is Cowboys fanbase, why would you want to put another club in there? Would make no sense.

Like I said there are 25 potential reserve grade sides in second tier and 17 NRL clubs. Plenty of opportunity for WA to partner with somewhere else to bolster talent development. Its very outdated and suburban thinking to believe jnrs have to come from within a stones throw of your pokie den. EPL clubs have jnr programs all over the world for talent development.

 

[MugaB]

We had two debut in NRL this season. Its not that the kids arent good, they just arent exposed to the level of competition and coaching etc that the other pokie backed SG ball sides have. That will come with more investment and an NRL club providing better support. A lot of the best kids here play union and League and head to Union as there are currently better opportunities. Doesnt matter how far away pNG is, deosnt matter to Storm that Sunshine coast is other end of country. There are a lot of mining companies and related businesses with interests in PNG and WA, getting them to sponsor jnr programs in PNG that feed into the Pirates would be a great way to make it happen. The kids could be learning a mining trade as well as working towards NRL. Cairns is Cowboys fanbase, why would you want to put another club in there? Would make no sense.

Cairns as a town, has a healthy rivalry with Townsville, Its basically 4 hours away by car, and has a stadium upgrade on the way.
If PNG wants a pathway, which they already have thru the QCup hunters, why do they needs WA when they can have their own bid to represent themseves, not travel 6 hours west to play for a transplanted team

 

[Perth Red]

B

Cairns as a town, has a healthy rivalry with Townsville, Its basically 4 hours away by car, and has a stadium upgrade on the way.
If PNG wants a pathway, which they already have thru the QCup hunters, why do they needs WA when they can have their own bid to represent themseves, not travel 6 hours west to play for a transplanted team

Because they are NEVER getting in the NRl lol Have you seen how conservative the NRL is? You honestly think they have a cat in hells chance of been admitted when the NRL is so risk averse??? Id love for the NRl to have the money and the balls to admit a PNG side, Id love for PNG to have development pathways that means they could realistically be a Port Moresby club, Id love for them to have the wealth in their country to be financially viable. But sadly it aint so and wont be in my lifetime.

Cairns is Cowboys. They arent going to allow a rival club to set up base there.

The Hunters in the Intrust Cup, the Pirates in NSW cup. Pirates academy in PNG developing the best kids and Pirates in SG Ball with the best WA and PNG U18's. That would be a cracking development framework for a new WA club.