What Sydney and NSW should have looked like

[Matiunz]

Post war was a missed opportunity to have sorted the Sydney problem out. I would have looked at areas of need and then essentially keep the NSWRL teams as is in the NSW cup and created ‘New’ teams based on a NSEW model.
Old fans can still watch their teams in NSW cup, and the comp can move into the future without the weight of politics.

NRL teams
1.Cowboys
2.Broncos
3. South Queensland Seagulls (Crushers/Chargers merger)
4. Newcastle
5. Northern Eagles (bears/Manly as feeders)
6. Sydney Roosters (easts/balmain feeders) servicing Eastern suburbs/cbd /inner west
7.Souths Dragons (play home in bunnies colours w/white , away in St George strip with accent of green. St George/souths feeders)
8.Eels
9. Panthers
10. Wests to Campbelltown in a Merger with Bulldogs servicing Liverpool area
11. Illawarra Sharks (Sharks and Steelers Feeders)
12.Canberra
13.Storm
14.Adelaide
15.Perth
16. NZ

Then With Expansion
17. Dolphins
18. NZ 2

19.PNG

20?

 

[MugaB]

Post war was a missed opportunity to have sorted the Sydney problem out. I would have looked at areas of need and then essentially keep the NSWRL teams as is in the NSW cup and created ‘New’ teams based on a NSEW model.
Old fans can still watch their teams in NSW cup, and the comp can move into the future without the weight of politics.

NRL teams
1.Cowboys
2.Broncos
3. South Queensland Seagulls (Crushers/Chargers merger)
4. Newcastle
5. Northern Eagles (bears/Manly as feeders)
6. Sydney Roosters (easts/balmain feeders) servicing Eastern suburbs/cbd /inner west
7.Souths Dragons (play home in bunnies colours w/white , away in St George strip with accent of green. St George/souths feeders)
8.Eels
9. Panthers
10. Wests to Campbelltown in a Merger with Bulldogs servicing Liverpool area
11. Illawarra Sharks (Sharks and Steelers Feeders)
12.Canberra
13.Storm
14.Adelaide
15.Perth
16. NZ

Then With Expansion
17. Dolphins
18. NZ 2

19.PNG

20?

Basically what we got now, but souths and bulldogs have been replaced with Perth and Adelaide... swell

 

[Matiunz]

Basically what we got now, but souths and bulldogs have been replaced with Perth and Adelaide... swell

Not exactly no, looking at a few solutions to the reunification mistakes.
Consolidating SQ rather than cull 2 teams.
Keeping a regional team (Illawarra) rather than essentially absorbing it into Sydney.
Not throwing away Northern Sydney to appease a small peninsula team.
Cleaning up the overlapping and competing territories in inner Sydney.
Persisting with expansion/National footprint teams rather than ceding territory.
But do continue with the good ol LU ‘discussion’ technique

 

[MugaB]

Not exactly no, looking at a few solutions to the reunification mistakes.
Consolidating SQ rather than cull 2 teams.
Keeping a regional team (Illawarra) rather than essentially absorbing it into Sydney.
Not throwing away Northern Sydney to appease a small peninsula team.
Cleaning up the overlapping and competing territories in inner Sydney.
Persisting with expansion/National footprint teams rather than ceding territory.
But do continue with the good ol LU ‘discussion’ technique

Technique is fine, what isn't fine is the northern eagles failed miserably, gold coast and crushers were both basketcases, and merging the roosters with balmain and not take the tigers name would be disastrous... as for Perth and Adelaide they could've blossomed into anything, but we'll never know

 

[bazza]

should have kept 22 teams and had 2 divisions with promotion and relegation

Initial year 1998 would have had

NRL1
Manly
Newcastle
Parramatta
Central Coast Bears
Roosters
Brisbane
Cronulla
Canberra
Bulldogs
Penrith

NRL2

Illawarra
Gold Coast
Balmain
Magpies
Saints
Souths
Crushers
Warriors
Perth
Adelaide
Cowboys
Melbourne

would have all major centres covered and still keep "traditional" teams to either thrive or wither
Would also allow expansion sides like NZ2 or another Brisbane team to join

 

[Wb1234]

Should’ve had a break away league of all the massive intestate clubs and a few Sydney clubs

that would’ve dwarfed a Sydney centric comp

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Chargers had money in the bank when they were culled. News Ltd wanted SEQ to be reserved for the Broncos.

 

[flippikat]

Now, this is a really interesting question - and the answer depends A LOT on when you take the starting point for rationalization.

So, what starting point are we looking at here.. late 1997 (post Superleague)? Early 1990s (in the run-up to the 1995 "grand expansion")? Mid 1980s (spurred by the VFL's relocation of the Swans & their shift to an expansionary mindset)?

 

[Perth Red]

Now, this is a really interesting question - and the answer depends A LOT on when you take the starting point for rationalization.

So, what starting point are we looking at here.. late 1997 (post Superleague)? Early 1990s (in the run-up to the 1995 "grand expansion")? Mid 1980s (spurred by the VFL's relocation of the Swans & their shift to an expansionary mindset)?

the time to have done it was late 80's and early 90's. The ARL knew it had too many clubs in Sydney to allow for supported expansion nationally and into NZ. Alas they didnt push hard enough then to sort Sydney out. Needed to get them down from 11 clubs to around 6 or 7.

 

[flippikat]

the time to have done it was late 80's and early 90's. The ARL new it had too many clubs in Sydney to allow for supported expansion nationally and into NZ. Alas they didnt push hard enough then to sort Sydney out. Needed to get them down from 11 clubs to around 6 or 7.

I agree. Ideally, between the 1988 & 1995 expansions was the best window for doing it.

The problem is that the administration of the day didn't have enough money/resources to provide a big carrot for any club(s) willing to relocate or merge, given that big TV money was still half a decade or so away (could that have been sped-up & used for things relocation grants to spread-out the teams?)

in all likelihood, it probably would've taken some stern resolve to force weaker clubs to "make the right choice" - and that would've created a hell of a lot of unrest in clubland.

 

[Vlad59]

Possibly the most pointless thread on this forum.

 

[Chins get the wins]

the time to have done it was late 80's and early 90's. The ARL new it had too many clubs in Sydney to allow for supported expansion nationally and into NZ. Alas they didnt push hard enough then to sort Sydney out. Needed to get them down from 11 clubs to around 6 or 7.

You know nothing about our sport

 

[Vlad59]

You know nothing about our sport

This thread is just another excuse for him to whinge.

 

[Wb1234]

Possibly the most pointless thread on this forum.

Showing again when it comes to expansion pommies are clueless

 

[MugaB]

the time to have done it was late 80's and early 90's. The ARL new it had too many clubs in Sydney to allow for supported expansion nationally and into NZ. Alas they didnt push hard enough then to sort Sydney out. Needed to get them down from 11 clubs to around 6 or 7.

Just like how english super league needed to sort out the 2 hull situation huh? How on earth do you have an opinion on the state of the arl in the 90s, when ESL is so backwards with their clubs and choices of them in their comp, you keep losing its famous brands to relogation...
Anyways you can't talk about expansion nationally here, when esl fumbled the French and Canadian sides theyve had

 

[Wb1234]

Just like how english super league needed to sort out the 2 hull situation huh? How on earth do you have an opinion on the state of the arl in the 90s, when ESL is so backwards with their clubs and choices of them in their comp, you keep losing its famous brands to relogation...
Anyways you can't talk about expansion nationally here, when esl fumbled the French and Canadian sides theyve had

They haven’t killed off les Catalans just yet but making them pay travelling clubs costs plus paying a bond of around 500k pounds to compete in the challenge cup are a start

and they are still only a guest in the comp not a fully fledged member

 

[MugaB]

They haven’t killed off les Catalans just yet but making them pay travelling clubs costs plus paying a bond of around 500k pounds to compete in the challenge cup are a start

and they are still only a guest in the comp not a fully fledged member

Which wont last as soon as the Australian talent stops filtering over there or they retire on good coin here, instead of the last ditch stints over there

 

[Wb1234]

Which wont last as soon as the Australian talent stops filtering over there or they retire on good coin here, instead of the last ditch stints over there

Their salary cap is four million Aussie dollars and there’s a few clubs who can’t afford to spend that

hull kr can but for ten years were losing between 500 k to 800 k pounds pa

their owner threatened to walk away and the whole club could’ve gone under

 

[MugaB]

Their salary cap is four million Aussie dollars and there’s a few clubs who can’t afford to spend that

hull kr can but for ten years were losing between 500 k to 800 k pounds pa

their owner threatened to walk away and the whole club could’ve gone under

Then merger or relegate... don't waste that precious licence... it could go to a new york franchise (aka the perf pirates)

 

[Canard]

Any fan of the NRL can't have an opinion on expansion.

The NRL has had one expansion in 17 years, and before that one in the preceding 10.