WA- did we miss the boat ?

[siv]

4 teams joining in 95 was a mistake

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Not true for the the Reds, our team in 1995 had plenty of experience mixed with some very good youngsters. Avg age was about 26

https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/arl-1995/western-reds/summary.html

O'Neill must have pissed under the table at the casino at the end of 95. What was he given the arse for at the Reds in 97?

I know he shit in some one's shoe that year, but wasn't he playing for Souffs?

 

[Perth Red]

O'Neill must have pissed under the table at the casino at the end of 95. What was he given the arse for at the Reds in 97?

I know he shit in some one's shoe that year, but wasn't he playing for Souffs?

Early 97 got done for drunk driving in perth, reds had a get out clause of he misbehaved and they booted him, he then signed for stuffs. The shoe incident was on pre season tour in 99. Shame, he was a very talented player.

 

[Dragonwest]

With the West Coast Pirates being removed from SG Ball in 2021 it will set the bid back even further.

Covid makes it not viable. Expecting East Coast tours late next year.

The real question is whether the Pirates are better playing Harolds or SG Ball? Would Harold Matts stop us losing the best 6 players from each age group to the Force or over East at the younger age. Also, should the Pirates look at the playing in QLD instead of NSW.

 

[Perth Red]

Covid makes it not viable. Expecting East Coast tours late next year.

The real question is whether the Pirates are better playing Harolds or SG Ball? Would Harold Matts stop us losing the best 6 players from each age group to the Force or over East at the younger age. Also, should the Pirates look at the playing in QLD instead of NSW.

i think nsw is probably cheaper and easier logistically. Flight time is less and the clubs are mostly in the Sydney unlike qlnd where they are more geographically spread out. I don’t think harolds is a good investment, I’d much rather see an elite 16’s comp in perth for the top kids, more investment in coaching and facilities etc.

a lot of kids in perth play both codes and will go where the best career opportunity is, until the nrl gets off its expansion backside that is going to be the Force.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

O'Neill must have pissed under the table at the casino at the end of 95. What was he given the arse for at the Reds in 97?

I know he shit in some one's shoe that year, but wasn't he playing for Souffs?

He crapped in Jeremy Schloss' shoe. That was in 1999.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

He crapped in Jeremy Schloss' shoe. That was in 1999.

That's right. It was such a long time ago I forgot the dates.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

That's right. It was such a long time ago I forgot the dates.

LOL I bet Jeremy Schloss hasn't forgotten.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

LOL I bet Jeremy Schloss hasn't forgotten.

Didn't O'Neill try to light up a kid who was dressed up in a costume when he was playing in England?

It happened on a boat. O'Neill undressed down to his undies, swam to shore and hitchhiked back to Port Macquarie.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Dad slams 'boofhead' O'Neill for putting son's life in danger
January 25, 2004 — 11.00am

Julian O'Neill's problems with alcohol have hurt only his reputation and career until this point, but now they have nearly resulted in serious injury to a teenage boy.

A drunk O'Neill tried to set fire to a boy wearing a dolphin costume on board a cruise at Port Macquarie with his English team Widnes on January 15.

Only the intervention of one of the cruise operators, who knocked O'Neill's flaming cigarette lighter away from the suit, prevented possible serious injury to Danny Lazarus.

As reported in The Sydney Morning Herald yesterday, the man who stopped O'Neill in his tracks, Gerry Byron, has written a letter of complaint to Widnes football club. The Sun-Herald has obtained a copy of the letter.

Byron and Dave Lazarus, the father of Danny, who run Wizbang Entertainment, advertised the cruise in the local area for families to join the Widnes team on board their boat.

In the letter of complaint Byron wrote: "Unfortunately, there is always one person who spoils it for everyone and once again it seems the habitual offender Julian O'Neill has left a mark on our town for all the wrong reasons.

"We have purchased a dolphin suit as a mascot for our boat for our cruise.

"The suit is worn by my business partner's 13-year-old son who interacts with the children on board.

"The suit is very difficult to get into and is impossible to get out of without any assistance.

"The suit is made completely from nylon and foam rubber and cost our business $5000 to purchase.

"Mr O'Neill thought it would be amusing to hold his burning cigarette lighter to the dorsal fin of the costume while it was being worn by my business partner's son.

"Fortunately, I saw what was happening and stopped it immediately.

"I hate to think what could have happened if the flames had taken hold of the suit."

Dave Lazarus also blasted O'Neill.

"Julian was behaving like a boofhead again and for most of the time he was just being a pest," Lazarus said.

"He thought he was just being funny, but then he tried to light up the suit that my son was wearing and I'd hate to think what could have happened if my business partner Gerry hadn't stepped in.

"A stupid act like that could have had fatal consequences because that suit is highly flammable.

"I feel very sorry for Julian O'Neill because he clearly has a problem with alcohol but if this is the final nail in his coffin he's only got himself to blame. He's got to start acting like a role model because of the position he is in as a high-profile footballer."

O'Neill stripped to his underpants and jumped into the Hastings River after trying to light the suit. He swam to shore and is believed to have hitchhiked back to Port Macquarie.

Lazarus said jumping off the boat "again is setting a bad example for the kids".

"Here was a bloke who had been drinking leaping into a river," he said. "That is a dangerous act."

Byron said in his letter: "Mr O'Neill finished off his one-man show by stripping down to his underwear, diving into the river and swimming ashore.

"This contravenes the waterways authorities laws of our state and could jeopardise our ability to operate in the future."

O'Neill also threw a beer bottle into the river and smoked inside the boat. "The entire town of Port Macquarie has got a story about Julian O'Neill after his stay there," Lazarus said.

"Wherever you go people are talking about things he did.

"His teammates have apologised for what he has done and they were embarrassed about his behaviour."

Byron concluded his letter to Widnes by slamming O'Neill, who has often claimed to be reformed and "off the drink".

"It appears to me that Mr O'Neill has a major problem using alcohol to socialise," he wrote.

"Obviously that is no secret in Australia. He needs to be reminded that if you have one beer or 20 beers you are still responsible for your own actions.

"If drinking makes you turn into a clown, then maybe it is time to give it up."

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/da...ting-sons-life-in-danger-20040125-gdi837.html

 

[Perth Red]

From Facebook

I have to strongly disagree with part of V’Landys argument here.

Have your second Brisbane team sure, but there is one “rusted on” AFL city going through somewhat of a Rugby League Renaissance that the game must capitalise upon soon.

That city is Perth.

During the “Greenberg Era” the National Rugby League invested heavily in Perth, taking a 1st round doubleheader over there in 2018 that drew over 30,000 in attendance and the 2nd game of the 2019 State of Origin series which drew a sell-out crowd.

While the 2020 Perth Nine’s didn’t do flash hot, it drew about as big a crowd as the World Nine’s at BankWest Stadium the previous October.

The problem there was not the city, but the fact that Nine’s tournaments are designed for two long days which isn’t necessarily fan-friendly.

One of the key components of a successful expansion club is its grassroots system.

In 2018, Western Australia saw a 16.7% growth in participation at grassroots.

And by the end of 2019, Western Australia had a better grassroots participation rate in Rugby League than Victoria did when the Melbourne Storm came into the competition in 1998.

Some would argue that the timezone difference and travel for players would make a Perth based side a bad idea.

I’d argue that those people haven’t considered the fact that the West Coast Eagles won the AFL Grand Final in 2018, the Perth Glory won the A-League Premier’s Plate in 2019, and the Perth Wildcats are the back-to-back defending champions of the NBL.

Thus disproving the myth that a Perth based side can’t be competitive due to the travel, not to mention the fact that three-hour timezone difference works in the favour of television networks.

For example, a Perth based game can be scheduled for the family-friendly time of 4:30 PM locally, while it would fit into the 7:30 PM prime-time television slot over on the East Coast where ratings will be high.

I certainly hope V’Landys does not view Perth as a “rusted on” AFL city.

 

[Perth Red]

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Perth has built the infrastructure from the bottom up and already provide players to the NRL. There's a supporter base there to want to see live RL. A team in Perth will work and should have been added to the NRL 5 or 10 years ago alongside Brisbane 2.

 

[MugaB]

Perth has built the infrastructure from the bottom up and already provide players to the NRL. There's a supporter base there to want to see live RL. A team in Perth will work and should have been added to the NRL 5 or 10 years ago alongside Brisbane 2.

Geez you've changed your tune lately, have you been drinking the WA coolaide?
I agree being the 4th largest Australian city, it should have some representation, and facts and figures of the past one off crowd numbers for one off games being played in the pouring torrential rain, shouldn't count, what should count is the population size and the fact that it only needs 1% of that population to turn up to games consistently to be worth keeping, which most sydney teams cannot do even with a city of 5 million split between rougly 9 clubs, perth should be a slam dunk!!! Even a Melbourne 2 should be feasable, but the home city of ALF is a lot more narrow minded towards RL, even though they proclaim to be "sporting capital".

1% .....isn't that such a small number, yet we have teams like Canberra, Newcastle and Townsville with a significantly lot less population, that can consistently fill their stadiums with a hell of a lot more percentage wise of their own populace. SEQ is a no brainer, can even do 2 teams, as long as they aren't near each other (morton bay, brisbane city)
Perth, Adelaide, Auckland2, PNG
Those are my other hotspots for a franchises, ones that have the population to justify a team.
Trouble is Adelaide and PNG need a lot of financial help, the others could all start up overnight provided there was a bid existing that was financially self sufficient, as the NRL will just be handing them a licence, and asking the networks to fund their respective cap.

I reckon any new bid should have to play in the reserve grades first, for example is the PNG hunters, then be able to fund themselves for that year, travel, accommodation etc, staff, prior to the licence been given out and then when the ARLC push the broadcasters for the extra game, they can add them in as one of the NRL grants.
The crushers played in 1994 in the QRL
Same theory should apply, any new team wanting in the NRL, should not only form a bid, but should already be playing in some form preferably for reserve grade

 

[mongoose]

It's a no brainer for me. From my experience Perth is not as "rusted on" AFL as Melb or Adelaide. There is definitely a market for League there and they would relish the chance of beating east coast teams at their own game.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Geez you've changed your tune lately, have you been drinking the WA coolaide?
I agree being the 4th largest Australian city, it should have some representation, and facts and figures of the past one off crowd numbers for one off games being played in the pouring torrential rain, shouldn't count, what should count is the population size and the fact that it only needs 1% of that population to turn up to games consistently to be worth keeping, which most sydney teams cannot do even with a city of 5 million split between rougly 9 clubs, perth should be a slam dunk!!! Even a Melbourne 2 should be feasable, but the home city of ALF is a lot more narrow minded towards RL, even though they proclaim to be "sporting capital".

1% .....isn't that such a small number, yet we have teams like Canberra, Newcastle and Townsville with a significantly lot less population, that can consistently fill their stadiums with a hell of a lot more percentage wise of their own populace. SEQ is a no brainer, can even do 2 teams, as long as they aren't near each other (morton bay, brisbane city)
Perth, Adelaide, Auckland2, PNG
Those are my other hotspots for a franchises, ones that have the population to justify a team.
Trouble is Adelaide and PNG need a lot of financial help, the others could all start up overnight provided there was a bid existing that was financially self sufficient, as the NRL will just be handing them a licence, and asking the networks to fund their respective cap.

I reckon any new bid should have to play in the reserve grades first, for example is the PNG hunters, then be able to fund themselves for that year, travel, accommodation etc, staff, prior to the licence been given out and then when the ARLC push the broadcasters for the extra game, they can add them in as one of the NRL grants.
The crushers played in 1994 in the QRL
Same theory should apply, any new team wanting in the NRL, should not only form a bid, but should already be playing in some form preferably for reserve grade

Perth has a good sized population and a decent consortium bidding for a licence. It's the only non-RL city putting its hand up for inclusion. A team there will give the game a national footprint.

We need more people watching the game to command more money from broadcasters and advertisers. A Perth team can help do that.

I think Adelaide is a couple of decades away from having a team.

Brisbane 2 2023/24
Perth 2027/28

 

[MugaB]

Only issue is i feel they are already pushing towards Brisbane2, then NZ2,
There seems to be a lot of focus on the warriors to perform after the good feel story of last year, Gus now over there working out pathways, i mean the whole country has a population of 5 million, for one team it should be braining it in the NRL, just like the broncos were in the 90s when they started, but i suppose they had a few GFs and finals but lost.
Auckland 2 would be my guess, it boasts 1.7 million and a cross town local rivalry using the same stadium can generate the buzz needed to expand to Wellington or Christchurch in future years if the bids present themselves, also means a game at Mount Smart stadium every week just as proposed by the expansion into SEQ
I see that as the next logical step, before Perth

 

[flippikat]

I think Adelaide is a couple of decades away from having a team.

I'd be a bit less definite than that

Truth is, we really don't know how ready Adelaide is, because there's been no concerted effort to grow a base (viewing, playing AND coaching base) over there since the Rams folded.

Regular games there are a must, as is investment in the local league setup.. and given both of those, it may be ready sooner than you assume.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Only issue is i feel they are already pushing towards Brisbane2, then NZ2,
There seems to be a lot of focus on the warriors to perform after the good feel story of last year, Gus now over there working out pathways, i mean the whole country has a population of 5 million, for one team it should be braining it in the NRL, just like the broncos were in the 90s when they started, but i suppose they had a few GFs and finals but lost.
Auckland 2 would be my guess, it boasts 1.7 million and a cross town local rivalry using the same stadium can generate the buzz needed to expand to Wellington or Christchurch in future years if the bids present themselves, also means a game at Mount Smart stadium every week just as proposed by the expansion into SEQ
I see that as the next logical step, before Perth

I get that vibe too. Matty Johns pretty much said Brisbane 2 and South Pacific Cyclones should be the next two teams.

I think it all comes down to which teams and areas will add money to the game and its commercial partners.

Brisbane 2 and Brisbane 3 will generate money through strong crowds, ratings and sponsorship deals. NZ 2 probably won't bring in the money, at least not in the early years. Ratings in NZ aren't that good, so I don't see any interest from NZ broadcasters for a 2nd team. NZ2 would appeal to the Aussie clubs as 2 teams from NZ means none of our teams have to host the dreaded 6pm Fri pub game. That should improve crowds and gate receipts.

Perth probably won't appeal to broadcasters, but it will provide more commercial opportunities for the game's sponsors to get their brand recognised across the country. I see a real opportunity for the game to grow its player base and fanbase by adding the Pirates. It'll also land a heavy blow to Rugby Australia, as local players can earn more playing for the Pirates than the Force.

A 9th game will probably see the return of Monday Night Football, as Foxtel don't want 2 or more games being played at once.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

I'd be a bit less definite than that

Truth is, we really don't know how ready Adelaide is, because there's been no concerted effort to grow a base (viewing, playing AND coaching base) over there since the Rams folded.

Regular games there are a must, as is investment in the local league setup.. and given both of those, it may be ready sooner than you assume.

It would be good if we had a team in Adelaide, but I think there's a few hurdles in its way that will take at least 20 or 30 years to clear.

I get the impression the ARLC won't even think about Adelaide until a Perth team has been added and proven itself to be financially viable. Plus the population of Adelaide isn't that big and the grassroots down there is tiny.

I'd imagine NZ 2 and Bris 3 are ahead of Adelaide in the pecking order.