EXPANSION
Rugby league’s plan to expand to 18 teams has won the tick of approval from the coaches, but they remain split on whether the game has enough players to support a 20-team competition.
News Corp’s annual survey of coaches and assistant coaches in the NRL has revealed that 70 per cent of coaches believe the game can accommodate 18 teams.
However, that number dips dramatically when it comes to the addition of another two teams, as has been mooted in rugby league circles amid the ARL Commission’s plans to expand the competition.
The majority of coaches – 52 per cent – believe there are not enough players to support expansion to a 20-team competition.
The NRL has already announced that Papua New Guinea will enter the NRL in 2028 after striking a $600 million deal with the federal government.
The NRL has also been locked in talks with the West Australian government over adding a team in Perth, which would carry the ‘Bears’ moniker.
A handful of consortiums from New Zealand have put their hand up to join the competition as well, along with the Brisbane Firehawks.
The NRL has parked talks with the WA government over a Perth franchise until the state election has been decided.
After the election, talks are expected to heat up again as the NRL looks to expand to 20 teams over the next decade.
If they head down that path, the coaches have raised concerns over whether the playing depth is there to support the additional teams.
The coaches also claimed that grassroots was the biggest issue in the game along with player managers. The NRL has conducted a review of their pathways program as they look to resolve some of the issues and ensure there is a pipeline of players into the NRL.
