Where should the next NZ NRL team be?

[***MH***]

Canterbury. You can never have too many Canterbury sides!

 

[JB]

Wellyz.

Issac Luke captain.

Steve Kearney coach.

Done.

 

[PaulyTom]

So will they put a bid in for the possible 2013 expansion?????

Is it a little late?

 

[adamkungl]

not 2013...2018 or so

 

[hitman82]

Canterbury. You can never have too many Canterbury sides!

I think the current team is called the Canterbury Bulls. Would make a sweet confusing match up with the Doggies.

 

[Loudstrat]

I think if someone from NZ made some serious noise about a second club it would be the best expansion option. Brisbane/Ipswich just doesn't know what the f*ck it's doing, Perth will need considerable long term patience, and has already shafted the code once. CC is the best current option by a zillion miles yet for expansion's sake fails compared to NZ.

I reckon a second NZ side should model itself on the Wests Tigers. 6 home games at Christchurch, 6 at Wellington, and one rotating between Waikato and Rotorua, maybe Dunedin. This would maximise crowds.

I reference these thoughts on the Dogs game in Christchurch that drew a good crowd in sh*t weather, the good crowds Parra have drawn at Waikato v NZ, and the fact that this bid would offer our only chance to get at team in a colder climate - increasing the variation in playing conditions to include English conditions rather than another Aussie hard, fast,dry track. Variations in conditions mean variations in performances - advantage for those that like cooler conditions. Minor consideration, but anything that adds variety to the comp is a good thing.

NZ brings ample juniors and a great marketing base. I think in the race to make the NRL 'national', NZ provides by far a greater opportunity to achieve that. And given the success of the national team, It deserves more than just the erratic Warriors.

 

[BuffaloRules]

NZ needs a second team....

I dont think they will get there by 2013, but hopefully for the next time ( assuming 2018?)

I think the Warriors will have won the comp by then, so hopefully that will give the game in NZ a further boost.

I'm not sure of having the even split between Christchurch & Wellington... I think you would have to favour one over the other with the majority of games..

I'd probably go for Christchuch at the moment over Wellington.

 

[Perth Red]

Southern Orcas playing 8 games in Welly and 4 in Christchurch. Bid developed by the NZRL similair to the way the WARL has developed the Reds bid. The money is there to pay for it now, NRL takes alot more $'s out of NZ through the TV contract than it puts back in through the Warriors. NZ should not be subsidising Australian RL imo.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Southern Orcas playing 8 games in Welly and 4 in Christchurch. Bid developed by the NZRL similair to the way the WARL has developed the Reds bid. The money is there to pay for it now, NRL takes alot more $'s out of NZ through the TV contract than it puts back in through the Warriors. NZ should not be subsidising Australian RL imo.

Yes but if it weren't for the Australian clubs, who exactly would the Warriors play?

 

[joshreading]

Perth will need considerable long term patience, and has already shafted the code once.

Actually 'the code' shafted them. When kicked out they had quite comparable crowds to a number of Sydney teams.

IN regards to New Zealand. I think a 'Southern' team playing 5 games out of Wellington and Christchurch each with games in Dunedin and Taranaki.
This would give a broad corporate and fan base. They can still all hate Auckland together. The Junior talent is clear already. You could
have a team full of Locals quite quickly (and supplying more players into the NRL)

There is no reason a side like this could not get average crowds over 20 thousand PLUS because they would be playing away from their 'homes' so
often there would be more incentive for TV. A number of the Super15 teams play in a couple venues so there is no reason this couldn't work.

 

[shiznit]

if a NZ city gets the nod in the next couple of years... they need to sign SBW...

the press will be over them instantly... and there would be an instant rivalry with the dogs

 

[Loudstrat]

OK. Colours?

Black is taken (I prefer the Wariors in blue and green personally, with Penrith and Wests in black already)

Wellington league is yellow and white from memory? Christchurch union is Red and Black

Possible clashes with what CC and Perth are planing if you combine those colours, and obviously Wests.

 

[BDGS]

it should be whatever city has higher junior numbers and support behind it.
They can also play 3-4 games a year in the other city and be called 'Southern NZ something'.

 

[Von]

A second NZ team sounds very appealing to me.
A NZ derby would be great. Definately add to the overall league.
Would also allow a live NZ match every Saturday night into the Aussie east coast at 5.30pm. Great way to start Super Saturday, followed by an east coast game, followed by a Perth game. ALL LIVE!

And I agree with Loudstrat, a combined South Island bid sharing games between Christchurch & Wellington could be very successful, much like Wests/Balmain sharing venues.

GO FOR IT BROS!

 

[flippikat]

OK. Colours?

Black is taken (I prefer the Wariors in blue and green personally, with Penrith and Wests in black already)

Wellington league is yellow and white from memory? Christchurch union is Red and Black

Possible clashes with what CC and Perth are planing if you combine those colours, and obviously Wests.

Warriors:
I'd like to see them revert back to being Auckland Warriors, with a blue, black & white jersey (Blue & white being Auckland's traditional colours in NZ sport, with Black added to distinguish from the Bulldogs)

Wellington:
Traditional Wellington sporting colours are yellow & black - here's a pic of a player from the Wellington Orcas in the National Competition.
http://static2.stuff.co.nz/1284289530/370/4121370.jpg
So, something like that but more yellow? (like Castleford Tigers in the ESL)

Christchurch:
The Canterbury Bulls team looks something like this:
http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/2009+NZRL+Premiership+Grand+Final+Canterbury+XI-kfeZBV7fl.jpg
Obviously there would be a clash with the Bears (if both were in the NRL), but it's nothing that a decent away jersey can't fix.. or alternatively putting some white in there..

Now there's no certainty that a 2nd NZ team will take it's provincial colours anyway - if the team splits it's home games between centres, it might be more desirable to select a NEUTRAL colour scheme that shows no bias towards one centre.

Besides, it's a club side - not a provincial/rep side, so you don't HAVE to go with provincial colours - case in point, the Gold Coast Titans.

 

[God-King Dean]

Minto.

 

[BDGS]

A second NZ team sounds very appealing to me.
A NZ derby would be great. Definately add to the overall league.
Would also allow a live NZ match every Saturday night into the Aussie east coast at 5.30pm. Great way to start Super Saturday, followed by an east coast game, followed by a Perth game. ALL LIVE!

And I agree with Loudstrat, a combined South Island bid sharing games between Christchurch & Wellington could be very successful, much like Wests/Balmain sharing venues.

GO FOR IT BROS!

you could do 4 games, all live.

5.30pm kick off NZ (3.30pm EST)
5.30pm kick off East Coast (5.30pm EST)
7.30pm kick off East Coast (7.30pm EST)
7.30pm Kick off West Coast (9.30pm EST)

all LIVE.

 

[ozbash]

I think Christchurch would be great - for the reasons already mentioned. Natuaral rivalry between Auckland and also gives a team on the north and south island.

yep, go along with this. You'd get a lot of people coming over from the West Coast as well.


Nth Syd Bears should be next cab off the rank though..

 

[adamkungl]

How do NZ people feel about a Christchurch-Wellington side? Would that get support or be seen as a 'cash in' or some kind of cop out?

 

[flippikat]

I think

How do NZ people feel about a Christchurch-Wellington side? Would that get support or be seen as a 'cash in' or some kind of cop out?

It has some pros and some cons.. with a 24-round season, you get 12 home games (assuming no byes)

Assuming an even split of home games, that's only 6 games each for Wellington and Christchurch.. you'd have to re-think the model for season-ticket holders.

Perhaps as well as the "both venues" full season ticket, offer a "Wellington only" and a "Christchurch only" package at reduced rates - with the option to add-on games at the other home venue?

For instance, I'm 30 mins away from Wellington. If we had a shared side with Christchurch I'd but a Wellington-games ticket, but I'd definately be interested in adding-on a ticket for one of the Christchurch games (a mid-winter get-away for a weekend). I couldn't fly down to Christchurch for all the other home games though :-(

A set-up I'd like to see is having the team based in one of those cities (lets say 8 home games in Wellington), has a 2nd home nailed-down in the other (3 permanent home games in Christchurch) and the remaining home game on a rotating roster (in alternate years it's taken to Dunedin, New Plymouth, Napier & Palmerston North), or have a bidding system for it.