Western Corridor NRL bid

[Perth Red]

After the white elephant of Robina are the Qland govt really likely to splash out another $250mill on a regional stadium? Surely NQ are next in line meaning an Ipswich stadium could be decades away?

 

[CC_Roosters]

As I understand it, Brisbane Roar are the creation of the old Hollandia/Brisbane Lions club based out at Richlands, which is getting towards the vicinity of Ipswich.

So it would appear that Gallop's thought bubble would be encroaching on traditional Roar territory. Not that he is probably aware of such matters.

It is laughable though that he talks about expansion in SEQ when the Roar are teetering on the brink of collapse.

I did forget about their finacial troubles, would be a big call for the FFA to plonk a team in SEQ with the roar in their present state. They could not really have been more successful before this season, so to be struggling financially and crowds around 11-12k at suncorp would definitely have doubts on their viability. Learning from past mistakes i would hope the nrl contribute some of the stadium fundd to get a management stake in the ground and therrfore drcent rates for the tennant

 

[Lockyer4President!]

After the white elephant of Robina are the Qland govt really likely to splash out another $250mill on a regional stadium? Surely NQ are next in line meaning an Ipswich stadium could be decades away?

Bit harsh to call it a white elephant mate, the GC filled it a few times before the troubles. The Suns stadium however...

Gallop's 30k stadium comment doesn't make sense to me. There are enough issues getting major projects like the Cross River Rail, Eastern Busway, T'ville Stadium (and others I'm sure to be forgetting) over the line first. He must know a stadium that large would be a decade+ away yet surely the A-League would expand earlier than that?

 

[insert.pause]

An NRL side could play out of Suncorp comfortably, people are coming from Ipswich and Logan now to go to Broncos games, I don't think a stadium is really necessary. Gives those fans who already support out of town teams twice as many opportunities to see them play live, as long as scheduling is smart enough to avoid the same teams playing in Brisbane within 6wks it shouldn't impact Broncos crowds, the derby would be instant sell out twice a year.

 

[Rodney]

Bit harsh to call it a white elephant mate, the GC filled it a few times before the troubles. The Suns stadium however...

Gallop's 30k stadium comment doesn't make sense to me. There are enough issues getting major projects like the Cross River Rail, Eastern Busway, T'ville Stadium (and others I'm sure to be forgetting) over the line first. He must know a stadium that large would be a decade+ away yet surely the A-League would expand earlier than that?

Gallop is, as usual, all talk.
His job description is to try and make noise and provide masturbation material for the true believers.

The A-league might expand in the next decade but definitely not in Brisbane.
The goal for the league now should be to hold onto its current franchises and fanbase and consolidate the wave of popularity its managed to catch.
There are a few potential spots for expansion but they'd be regional cities such as Canberra and Woolongong they wouldn't think of trying to cut up the Roar's fan base.
They're struggling enough as it is, he's talking out his arse.

I think this is on a similar tier to the Cronulla A-league bid.
Gallops embracing a fringe suggestion to get his competition in the news.

 

[The Voice of Reason!]

Hard to imagine an a league side being successful out there though, from my limited knowledge i dont think ipswich and surrounds has a history tied to the game like say parts of sydney, melbourne and newcastle although happy to be corrected on that.

http://blog.library.ipswich.qld.gov.au/lh/2010/04/29/ipswich-rugby-league-celebrates-100-years/

This year Ipswich Rugby League celebrates 100 years. However, it was reported by Queensland Times journalist ?Five Eighth? in 1930 that football had been alive and well in Ipswich long before 1909. The first official game recorded was on 9th October 1909, and the match between a Brisbane Metropolitan representative side that consisted of interstate and international players, and a side selected from Ipswich Rugby Union players was played at the North Ipswich Reserve. The Brisbane side won 43 to 10.

Ipswich affiliated with Queensland Rugby League officially in 1910. In this same year Ipswich entered the Brisbane competition and won the Premiership against Toombul as well as winning both the senior and junior competitions. The growing Ipswich competition suffered a disruption during the outbreak of World War I but when full competition resumed in 1917 the game continued to flourish.

The 1920s and 1930s were considered the ?Golden Years? for Rugby League in Ipswich. The enthusiasm, foresight, and financial support from Jacky Stephenson was thought to be largely responsible for those years. Stephenson was also involved with Queensland Rugby League, and to quote ?Five Eighth?, ?lent able assistance in putting Ipswich and Queensland on the football map of the world?.

 

[I Bleed Maroon]

If this actually happens, the NRL license has to go to the Jets. They have a well established history in the region, their current team is firing and their brother pairing coaches are breaking new ground in Rugby League. Why shouldn't they be allowed to chance their arm in first grade with the same strategies?

 

[RL The greatest game]

An NRL side could play out of Suncorp comfortably, people are coming from Ipswich and Logan now to go to Broncos games, I don't think a stadium is really necessary. Gives those fans who already support out of town teams twice as many opportunities to see them play live, as long as scheduling is smart enough to avoid the same teams playing in Brisbane within 6wks it shouldn't impact Broncos crowds, the derby would be instant sell out twice a year.

I think if were smart as a game we could have the best of both worlds with another club playing out of suncorp and another new club in another part of Qld.

 

[Perth Red]

The argument for an NRL expansion team to be based west of Brisbane was given a huge boost yesterday when Ipswich defeated Newcastle in the State Championship.

And he believes it puts an exclamation mark on the Ipswich bid to have the fourth Queensland NRL team located in the city 40km west of Brisbane.
“It’s not for us to make that decision. I’m just a coach. But I personally believe we need another team in the southeast corner of Queensland and it needs to be in the western corridor,” Walker said.
“The Broncos have been a huge success so we don’t need to dilute that. The western corridor deserves a team. We’re national champions now.”
The western corridor bid team was assembled in August 2010. Former NRL chief Daivd Gallop toured the region then and stressed the importance of establishing an NRL side in the Ipswich-Logan corridor.
He was famously quoted as saying the NRL should expand “where the fish are biting”.
But he is no longer head of the NRL. The earliest it could happen would be after 2018, when the new broadcast deal comes into play.
Walker’s older brother and Ipswich co-coach, Shane Walker, also wants an NRL team based in Ipswich. He said it would be a more sustainable alternative than the Brisbane Bombers or Perth’s Western Pirates bid.
“They can certainly sustain a team,” Shane said. “And when a football team plays football like that, people want to come and watch.”
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spo...556877293?sv=d2f6fd872fa8ca3bd14e0d7dbdd6bd30

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

It's a no brainier. Ipswich has won the Brisbane RL, ISC and state championship.

Elevate them to the NRL, walker brothers coaches. Play out of Lang park until we get a stadium at Springfield.

It just must happen.

Brisbane bombers has no soul.

 

[bobmar28]

They just won the state championship and then the superbowl of NSW-QLD state championships.
Ipswich Jets for the NRL.

 

[Band On The Run]

It's a no brainier. Ipswich has won the Brisbane RL, ISC and state championship.

Elevate them to the NRL, walker brothers coaches. Play out of Lang park until we get a stadium at Springfield.

It just must happen.

Brisbane bombers has no soul.

Agree, but putting an extra grandstand on North Ipswich Reserve probably is more logical, right next to Riverlink, Ipswich train station and a bridge away from the CBD.

Having worked in Ipswich streets and shopping centres I find it very hard to believe Ippy doesn't have their own team while Penrith, Cronula etc. does (nothing against them but believe Ipswich would be off-field success straight up)

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Agree, but putting an extra grandstand on North Ipswich Reserve probably is more logical, right next to Riverlink, Ipswich train station and a bridge away from the CBD.

Having worked in Ipswich streets and shopping centres I find it very hard to believe Ippy doesn't have their own team while Penrith, Cronula etc. does (nothing against them but believe Ipswich would be off-field success straight up)

Yeah but isn't the Springfield site right near the Springfield station and Orion shopping centre? Orion is going to be one of the biggest shopping centres in the state.

 

[Diesel]

Springfield is going to be the second CBD in Ipswich so either location theoretically works as its close to town

 

[CC_Roosters]

Agree, but putting an extra grandstand on North Ipswich Reserve probably is more logical, right next to Riverlink, Ipswich train station and a bridge away from the CBD.

Having worked in Ipswich streets and shopping centres I find it very hard to believe Ippy doesn't have their own team while Penrith, Cronula etc. does (nothing against them but believe Ipswich would be off-field success straight up)

The nrl is so unbalnced its not funny. Being from the uk it doesnt really compute with me that all of the professional eggs are in one basket i.e 16 nrl clubs of which 9/16 are in one metropolitan region. I dont want to see sydney clubs removed for places if similar population i do want to see is a pyramid with multiple professional levels peaking at the nrl. The excuse that certain areas cant afford to field professional sides is made redundant by TV generated revenue after all without a central grant could the sutherland region support a pro side any more than say ipswich,central coast or sunshine coast to name a few large centres, i think not.

 

[Band On The Run]

Yeah but isn't the Springfield site right near the Springfield station and Orion shopping centre? Orion is going to be one of the biggest shopping centres in the state.

Never even heard of that. Orion was a ghost town when I was there. Riverlink is crazy busy

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Never even heard of that. Orion was a ghost town when I was there. Riverlink is crazy busy

Stage 2 of the Orion development is almost completed which will make it the 9th largest shopping centre in qld. So it's already on track to rival the bigger centres in the state and still has a few stages to go. The whole precinct is massive with the massive new lagoon recreational area which rivals Southbank in the city.

 

[JAMES_FOO]

i like the idea

 

[paulmac]

Ipswich Jets to the NRL,with Brothers (Ipswich) & Toowoomba back into the Q Cup to act as feeder clubs.

 

[Perth Red]

IPSWICH co-coach Ben Walker says Brisbane needs a second NRL team after watching Sydney clubs complete their biggest raid on Queensland talent in 28 years.

ARL Commission chairman John Grant on Saturday delivered a blow to Queensland’s hopes of a fourth NRL team, admitting he didn’t see “expansion on the rise in the near future”.

Grant questioned the depth of talent required for a 17th NRL team, arguing the addition of more clubs would dilute the current NRL playing pool by around 12 per cent.

But Walker says the decimation of his title-winning Jets side in recent weeks is evidence the Intrust Super Cup can deliver sufficient talent for another NRL team in Brisbane.

Sydney-based NRL clubs have swooped on five Ipswich players following their Intrust Super Cup and NRL State Championship victories. Kurt Capewell and Josh Cleeland have joined Cronulla, Rod Griffin and Billy McConnachie have linked with Wests Tigers, while Manly has snared gun hooker Matt Parcell.

A sixth Jets star, fullback sensation Carlin Anderson, has been picked up by the Brisbane Broncos.

Walker is rapt for his Ipswich stars, but says the NRL must provide more opportunities for Queensland talent to chase their NRL dreams closer to home.

“I have never been one to buy into the argument that there isn’t enough talent for another Queensland team in the NRL. That is just garbage,” Walker said.

“The people who say that are ignorant to the quality of players in the Intrust Super Cup.
“With the amount of talent that comes out of this competition, we could easily field another Queensland team in the NRL.
“A key point to note is that if there was another Queensland team, we wouldn’t be losing our best young kids to Sydney clubs.

“The Intrust Super Cup should be a pathway to Queensland NRL teams and Ipswich has proven year on end that we are producing players in our region that are up to NRL standard.”

Broncos coach Wayne Bennett is not convinced the NRL is ready for a 17 or 18-team competition in the foreseeable future.

“Expansion has to be handled delicately,” he said.

“The AFL have diluted their product by bringing in expansion teams and we have to be so careful that we don’t do the same thing.

“Is there justification for expansion? Of course there is. But we had a wonderful finals series this year and to put two more teams together, you would have to find a minimum 60 more players.

“They would largely come from the teams already in the competition so that weakens their rosters.”

http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/ben...need-second-team/story-e6frf3ou-1227589421125