Why little mention of the CQ NRL bid?

[Billythekid]

We already have 2 team in SE QLD and if anything the AFL is going backwards there. I think at some point we may want a 3rd team there (probably in Brisbane) but i hardly think the AFL threat is a reason to be rushing in there.

 

[Perth Red]

I'm always confused by how the afl is taking over an area without placing an afl team in it but for rl to hold the area it must have a NRL team based there. Makes no sense!

 

[SunnyCoast85]

I'm always confused by how the afl is taking over an area without placing an afl team in it but for rl to hold the area it must have a NRL team based there. Makes no sense!

I think the issue is the AFL talent scouts are willing to regularly travel far and wide to poach young talent and most Sydney NRL scouts think Qld stops at the Sunshine Coast. A lot of youngsters in regional Qld are switching to AFL as they're seeing mates get picked up in high school, even though there's no national team past Brisbane, there's opportunity. Whereas young fellas persisting with Rugby League are stuck with no NRL side close by to aspire to and little chance for all but the states best to get a look in elsewhere.

 

[El Diablo]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl...150453522?nk=65f18ba4c9394713daa978fe4b83a814

NRL expansion: Central Queensland bid boss warns NRL to take action or watch AFL dominate

Laine Clark
AAP
December 09, 2014 9:03PM

CENTRAL Queensland bid boss Denis Keeffe says he has received an assurance by NRL CEO Dave Smith that they will one day be granted a franchise.

But Keeffe warned if they were not in the competition in five to 10 years’ time the AFL would “dominate” their region.

Keeffe has been encouraged by renewed expansion talk that emerged from the recent NRL competition committee meeting in Sydney.

While still considered to be several years away, the NRL is believed to be keen to expand to an 18-strong competition to ensure a fairer draw for teams and stand alone weekends for State of Origin.

Keeffe believed Smith would put expansion on the agenda again by mid-2015.

Reports claimed Wellington, Perth, Gosford or a second Brisbane franchise were contenders for two new spots.

But Keeffe was unconcerned, saying Smith told him the NRL knew the importance of a franchise in the “league heartland” of Rockhampton when he visited the region in October.

“He said in the fullness of time we will have our own NRL club — he just didn’t know when or how,” Keeffe said.

“It doesn’t matter what some journalist says in Sydney. It matters what the decision-makers say.

“If they expand I am sure we will get a team so it’s nice to hear them talking about it again.” But Keeffe hoped Rockhampton’s already five-year-old bid would receive the green light sooner rather than later due to the AFL threat.

He believed the AFL had pumped millions into the area and was committed to establishing a franchise in the region by 2020.

“I have said to senior NRL officials who think `we have that area locked up, let’s look at some sexy market’ that if they come back in five to 10 years’ time you will find a different market altogether — it’s as simple as that,” Keeffe said.

According to Keeffe the AFL has spent more money on its Gold Coast Suns academy in nearby Mackay than the QRL has for all of its development programs this year.

The Suns have academies from Rockhampton to Cape York in the north.

“People might say `oh, he’s throwing up the AFL bogeyman again’ — I am not saying this to scare anyone,” Keeffe said.

“(But) if you read their statements and their policies which I have, they say there will be an AFL side in regional Queensland by 2020 and they are well down the road.

“They use words like `dominate’. I don’t like using those sorts of words — I think we should co-exist.

“But I don’t think they want to co-exist with anyone.”

The Central Queensland bid is backed by one of the state’s richest men Geoff Murphy, they have a business plan already audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers, junior development programs in place for the region and plans to build a 20,000-seat stadium.

“We have made a compelling argument,” he said.

 

[CC_Roosters]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl...150453522?nk=65f18ba4c9394713daa978fe4b83a814

I cannot believe this bid continues along this line, if this is all they have to offer as an argument then bugger off. I don't even think the afl are dumb enough to plunk a team in rural queensland with no history of the sport and small junior base and only ex-pat fans in waiting

A quick check of afl capricornica shows 6 junior clubs at under 13 level, stretching from Gladstone to Yeppoon. Taking over indeed:sarcasm:

 

[juro]

Surely not even the AFL would be stupid enough to stick a team in central Queensland. Given the money they are losing with their latest 2 expansions, it would be suicide!

 

[Perth Red]

Lol, perth will get a third team before cq ever gets an afl club. He "believes". Is this guy Rothfield?

He believed the AFL had pumped millions into the area and was committed to establishing a franchise in the region by 2020.

Build a stadium, get some 20k crowds and this bid may be taken seriously.

 

[Nerd]

I think the issue is the AFL talent scouts are willing to regularly travel far and wide to poach young talent and most Sydney NRL scouts think Qld stops at the Sunshine Coast. A lot of youngsters in regional Qld are switching to AFL as they're seeing mates get picked up in high school, even though there's no national team past Brisbane, there's opportunity. Whereas young fellas persisting with Rugby League are stuck with no NRL side close by to aspire to and little chance for all but the states best to get a look in elsewhere.

Your argument doesn't make any sense. You're saying teenagers are switching to AFL because there is not enough NRL teams in QLD? Last time I looked there was 3 NRL teams and 2 AFL teams. Lets also not forget that both AFL teams are on financial life support and wouldn't be around except for the funding they get from the AFL itself.

 

[Perth Red]

How many AFL players have come from this region? If anything he should be screaming for more development officers and school funding IF afl is moving in.

 

[The Great Dane]

Reports claimed Wellington, Perth, Gosford or a second Brisbane franchise were contenders for two new spots.

But Keeffe was unconcerned, saying Smith told him the NRL knew the importance of a franchise in the “league heartland” of Rockhampton when he visited the region in October.

“He said in the fullness of time we will have our own NRL club — he just didn’t know when or how,” Keeffe said.

“It doesn’t matter what some journalist says in Sydney. It matters what the decision-makers say.

“If they expand I am sure we will get a team so it’s nice to hear them talking about it again.” But Keeffe hoped Rockhampton’s already five-year-old bid would receive the green light sooner rather than later due to the AFL threat.

This guy's not the sort of person that we need involved with an NRL club, he takes an off handed statement about the future and assumes it's confirmation that his bid be the next club in the NRL.

I mean you could say “in the fullness of time you will have your own NRL club — I just don’t know when or how” about any bid for a club, hell I'm pretty sure that Gallop did say that it was inevitable that PNG would have an NRL team when he was in power, but that's not a promise or even a suggestion that CQ bid will certainly have one of the next two licenses.

Keeffe seems to be dangerously reactive with a propensity to suggesting overreactions (as his constant talk bout the AFL shows), not a good person to go into business with IMO.

BTW, if CQ doesn't get their team expect to see Keeffe whinging about how he was promised a license by Smith and how Smith lied to come pouring out of CQ.

 

[Mr. Sharky]

How many AFL players have come from this region? If anything he should be screaming for more development officers and school funding IF afl is moving in.

There have been no CQ players to have played in the AFL.

All of the Queensland based players to have played in the AFL have come from Brisbane and the Gold Coast with a small handful of players that have come from Cairns.

Denis Keefe is talking through his arse.

 

[Johnnie Red]

A team in CQ will NEVER be successful! Sure they will get a decent number of fans and some good sponsors most probably from the mining industry, but it will be they inability to attract and retain top class players that will ultimately see the club fail.

Just like the golden rule in real estate 'Location Location Location'...who wants to live in Central QLD?

This is the exact reason why Canberra has struggled to hold onto any top class players...no one wants to live there. The raiders have produced a wealth of talent and yet they all leave once they become established NRL players.

I believe CQ will suffer a similar fate...there is good local talent, good fans and potentially good sponsors but all of the players they produce will want to move to a big city to enjoy their $400k salaries. Just my opinion.

A team in Perth is a no brainer. West Brisbane/Ipswich and Central Coast are all much more attractive areas to start a new franchise.

 

[Perth Red]

Noone believes CQ is getting a team except the guy running the bid. The NRL needs to be up front with these areas and tell them they have no chance, end of day they already know which cities they want the next clubs if and when they expand. What they need to review is the best models for those cities and the best bids. CQ and CC need to be told to stop wasting their time and money imo.

 

[CQ Italia]

there have been at least 3 AFL players from Rocky. Zac Smith (Gold Coast FC), Gavin Urquhart (NM Kangaroos) and Paul O’Shea (Western Bulldogs) and 1 from Mackay, David Armitage (info from a friend who is an AFL supporter).... but yeah AFL is not taking over CQ, even if Mackay is getting a huge amount of funding.

I do agree there should be more development officers/staff in regional QLD

 

[Foreign Legion]

have they decided yet on the name of the CQ bid name?

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

there have been at least 3 AFL players from Rocky. Zac Smith (Gold Coast FC), Gavin Urquhart (NM Kangaroos) and Paul O?Shea (Western Bulldogs) and 1 from Mackay, David Armitage (info from a friend who is an AFL supporter).... but yeah AFL is not taking over CQ, even if Mackay is getting a huge amount of funding.

I do agree there should be more development officers/staff in regional QLD

VFL isnt going to place a national team there for the same reason the NRL wont; there are not enough people!! If a VFL takeover is the fear, then the logical response would be for the ARLC to invest in the same way the VFL are by increased funding in junior and local football, NOT a National team.....

 

[Tigers1986]

There is hardly any mention because the whole thought of expanding to Central Queensland is a poor idea. It's too remote and doesn't have any redeeming qualities that a Perth, Central Coast or 2nd Brisbane side has.

 

[The Great Dane]

There is hardly any mention because the whole thought of expanding to Central Queensland is a poor idea. It's too remote and doesn't have any redeeming qualities that a Perth, Central Coast or 2nd Brisbane side has.

A CC team is just as crazy, if not more crazy then as a CQ team.

 

[Johnnie Red]

A CC team is just as crazy, if not more crazy then as a CQ team.

The one thing that CC has over CQ is an established stadium with good facilities.
One that basis alone a CC team would have an advantage.

Neither will happen though....Perth and Ipswich are the front runners IMO

 

[The Great Dane]

The one thing that CC has over CQ is an established stadium with good facilities.
One that basis alone a CC team would have an advantage.

Fair enough, still in the long run both are bad ideas.

Neither will happen though....Perth and Ipswich are the front runners IMO

I don't know if the Ipswich bid in particular is a front runner, but a second club from Brisbane defiantly is.

I hope the NRL just goes for it and gives Perth and Wellington a run.

On the other hand they do seem to have been loosely hinting at rationalisation, so maybe they'll do all three, which'd be both ballsy and a very good move in my opinion.