NRL NRL Expansion

[Sixagain]

Can you elaborate on that? The History of Rugby League Clubs book says (repeated by Wikipedia):
'the crushing $10 million debt that hung over the club (from having to pay the airfares for all visiting teams) at the end of the season led to Super League axing the Perth Reds on 1 October 1997.'

From memory it was Brad Mellon who was the CEO of the Western Reds that disputed that the club was in debt and inferred that the club was actually in a heathy condition with the cavette being if it was forced to continue to pay visiting teams airline bills then it would fold.
I'm going purely off memory on this one which is 25 years ago so i very well maybe be incorrect here.

 

[Matiunz]

From memory it was Brad Mellon who was the CEO of the Western Reds that disputed that the club was in debt and inferred that the club was actually in a heathy condition with the cavette being if it was forced to continue to pay visiting teams airline bills then it would fold.
I'm going purely off memory on this one which is 25 years ago so i very well maybe be incorrect here.

Basically all of the 95 sides had the crippling caveat of paying both their own and visiting teams airfares and accomodation. It’s no coincidence the teams went to superleague as it was unsustainable. All of the expansion clubs struggled financially but Perth should have been persevered with instead of being cut

 

[Shogun]

The Bears should be reinstated & I think the Dragons should divorce Illawarra & relocate to Gosford but since neither of those are gonna happen, Perth + the Bears would be smart because they'd have support when they play in Sydney something like the Warriors enjoy.

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

I think that Perth team is going to really struggle. At least without the old strategic state, we got a lot riding on this, refereeing decisions. I.e. Melbourne.

Question; do you think the Melbourne Storm would still be around if they weren’t so successful? Like…….. Melbourne Rebels????
You do realise despite all their success the Storm are not that financially successful. They were losing millions for years.

I wrote this in an earlier post. Have you noticed that there aren’t many Wallabies playing for the Western Force? And I mean ever. And apparently the Wallabies that play for the rebels only want to go to the Brumbies, Warratahs and Reds.

Why would anyone seriously wanna go to Perth? Seriously? Only young men looking for opportunities and old men looking for one last cheque.

I reckon they struggle to recruit more than the Warriors do. (Or the Keas would)

Haha I tell you what, depending on some theoretical very generous financial incentives for players. Even PNG might find it easier.

 

[Wrighty]

I think that Perth team is going to really struggle. At least without the old strategic state, we got a lot riding on this, refereeing decisions. I.e. Melbourne.

Question; do you think the Melbourne Storm would still be around if they weren’t so successful? Like…….. Melbourne Rebels????
You do realise despite all their success the Storm are not that financially successful. They were losing millions for years.

I wrote this in an earlier post. Have you noticed that there aren’t many Wallabies playing for the Western Force? And I mean ever. And apparently the Wallabies that play for the rebels only want to go to the Brumbies, Warratahs and Reds.

Why would anyone seriously wanna go to Perth? Seriously? Only young men looking for opportunities and old men looking for one last cheque.

I reckon they struggle to recruit more than the Warriors do. (Or the Keas would)

Haha I tell you what, depending on some theoretical very generous financial incentives for players. Even PNG might find it easier.

They get good crowds when the NRL takes a game there. Not countering your points though.

 

[Shogun]

Why would anyone seriously wanna go to Perth? Seriously? Only young men looking for opportunities and old men looking for one last cheque.

Could say the same about the Warriors, Maloney & Luke come to mind

Average Perth crown sizes 95-97
13,390
8,262
8,981

source rugbyleagueplanet.com

 

[Falcon]

There is an element of ‘Build it and they will come ‘ with expansion. League is riding a wave of popularity at the moment so strategically it’s the right time to pull the trigger. The more time expansion sides to get to ensure the back office locked in and the foundations of a solid base to build a club are undertaken, the better chance of success come recruitment and establishing pathways.

 

[snake77]

There is an element of ‘Build it and they will come ‘ with expansion. League is riding a wave of popularity at the moment so strategically it’s the right time to pull the trigger. The more time expansion sides to get to ensure the back office locked in and the foundations of a solid base to build a club are undertaken, the better chance of success come recruitment and establishing pathways.

They seem ambitious about it with some of the dates being mentioned.

The Dolphins probably could have used another year and they had a decent starting base in terms of capital, having a team already, location and inaugural coach. The debate was for another year as they were struggling to fill out their roster. They already were pushing the rules in terms of approaching players under contract. Something for the NRL to consider. As the contracting system is from November.

You raise a good point though. If they know when each team would enter. Release the schedule so the clubs can get organized in preparation before things ramp up as it gets closer.

 

[Wellington Taniwha]

There is an element of ‘Build it and they will come ‘ with expansion. League is riding a wave of popularity at the moment so strategically it’s the right time to pull the trigger. The more time expansion sides to get to ensure the back office locked in and the foundations of a solid base to build a club are undertaken, the better chance of success come recruitment and establishing pathways.

They’ve got a population of 2 million. Lots of expat kiwis and Queenslanders and new south welshmen. I think they’d have a good base - pathways might take longer to build like Melbourne, but I think they’d survive. The issue for me is the travel. 7 hour flight from NZ and 4 hours from the east coast.

I was thinking about this the other day, 20 teams. 4 conferences. Play every team once plus your conference team home and away.

PNG
Nth queensland
Brisbane
Dolphins
GC

Newcastle
Manly
Penrith
Parramatta
Wests


Souths
Easts
Cronulla
St George
Canterbury

Canberra
Melbourne
Perth Jets/Bears
Auckland warriors
Southern Kea

23 game season plus finals. 27 games is too many and how teams end up playing teams twice makes no sense at the moment.

 

[Inruin]

They’ve got a population of 2 million. Lots of expat kiwis and Queenslanders and new south welshmen. I think they’d have a good base - pathways might take longer to build like Melbourne, but I think they’d survive. The issue for me is the travel. 7 hour flight from NZ and 4 hours from the east coast.

I was thinking about this the other day, 20 teams. 4 conferences. Play every team once plus your conference team home and away.

PNG
Nth QLD
Brisbane
Dolphins
GC

Newcastle
Manly
Penrith
Parramatta
Wests


Souths
Easts
Cronulla
St George
Canterbury

Canberra
Melbourne
Perth Jets/Bears
Auckland warriors
Southern Kea

23 game season plus finals. 27 games is too many and how teams end up playing teams twice makes no sense at the moment.

I like the idea.

not so sure about the team splits, though i get the rational.

just think that this pool will end up with far to many miles to cover while others don't get many at all.

Canberra
Melbourne
Perth Jets/Bears
Auckland warriors
Southern Kea

 

[WahsaurusRex]

Bit of sweaty nerd vibes with the excel sheet lol, but did this a while ago now-


(The East is kissed on the dick travel-wise compared to the others, but with Uncle Nick there, you would expect nothing less haha)

Have it so you play your own division home and away each year, then you play one division all home games, another division all away.

Round it up to 20 games by playing one team in the division you aren't playing home and away or something similar. Both to bump the total games played up, but also so if the schedule doesn't align with a grand final rematch or another big rivalry game, you can still force it in there.

 

[Matiunz]

Bit of sweaty nerd vibes with the excel sheet lol, but did this a while ago now-

View attachment 8250
(The East is kissed on the dick travel-wise compared to the others, but with Uncle Nick there, you would expect nothing less haha)

Have it so you play your own division home and away each year, then you play one division all home games, another division all away.

Round it up to 20 games by playing one team in the division you aren't playing home and away or something similar. Both to bump the total games played up, but also so if the schedule doesn't align with a grand final rematch or another big rivalry game, you can still force it in there.

My biggest gripe with conferences is you disadvantage some teams and advantage others too much, even now I don’t like that some teams are played more than once in a season where others are just the once.
Conferences opened up a big can of worms when super rugby implemented it.

 

[Wellington Taniwha]

. The WA team in the west Sydney div works well. Not sure how st george Illawarra would like being bundled up outside of Sydney unless like someone else suggested they decamped to the central coast and left Illawarra as a standalone team again.

Super rugby conferences never really worked but NFL seems to make it work other than sometimes the 2nd strongest team goes out in the semi finals.

 

[Shogun]

like someone else suggested they decamped to the central coast and left Illawarra as a standalone team again.

That was me

The St George folks on the board want to drop the Illawarra name so they should just move somewhere cause St George isn't a suburb or anything it's just a name but if the NRL do have an interest in Gosford as a 19th or 20th team I think the Bears should hold out for that and not go with Perth

 

[Defence]

Fark yeah I reckon there's some good ideas here- someone get vlandys on the blower.
Good work team.

 

[WahsaurusRex]

That was me

The St George folks on the board want to drop the Illawarra name so they should just move somewhere cause St George isn't a suburb or anything it's just a name but if the NRL do have an interest in Gosford as a 19th or 20th team I think the Bears should hold out for that and not go with Perth

Of course it is a 50/50 split in ownership, but I was under the impression WIN Corp. were the real dick swingers between the two sides, at least in terms of money?

My idea above re: having them in the "south" was in part due to that, and in part that the bigger of their two stadiums is in Wollongong, and their training facilities are in Wollongong. If they were going to move to either full time, it would be the Gong over Kogarah, that's just my 2 cents

The WA team in the west Sydney div works well. Not sure how st george Illawarra would like being bundled up outside of Sydney

Yeah, they would def be the hardest sell if that were proposed. The way I see it, is above, but also, a Sydney-based team in the East or West Division will play "away" in Sydney 13 times in a three-year span, while the Dragons will play 8.

Easy for me to say, but 5 Sydney away games over 3 years compared to the others doesn't seem toooo bad IMO

Having to make two trips to NZ every year would be "rough", but we have had to make around as many as 24 international flights every season for decades now. They'll live lol

 

[Wellington Taniwha]

Of course it is a 50/50 split in ownership, but I was under the impression WIN Corp. were the real dick swingers between the two sides, at least in terms of money?

My idea above re: having them in the "south" was in part due to that, and in part that the bigger of their two stadiums is in Wollongong, and their training facilities are in Wollongong. If they were going to move to either full time, it would be the Gong over Kogarah, that's just my 2 cents



Yeah, they would def be the hardest sell if that were proposed. The way I see it, is above, but also, a Sydney-based team in the East or West Division will play "away" in Sydney 13 times in a three-year span, while the Dragons will play 8.

Easy for me to say, but 5 Sydney away games over 3 years compared to the others doesn't seem toooo bad IMO

Having to make two trips to NZ every year would be "rough", but we have had to make around as many as 24 international flights every season for decades now. They'll live lol

Being in the south of the city they also have a derby with Canberra which would work well. But I’m sure they would love to play Cronulla twice as well.

St George do have ties to the Rockdale/princess highway area, but a bit like Newtown Jets I’m not sure if they have a great junior system anymore. On the other hand Illawarra has a strong club system right through the south coast. Mick Cronin has a pub in gerringong. Jackson ford is from down that way.

But St George has a massive leagues club which pumps a lot of pokie money into the club as well…..NZ is on the back foot with that one…

We need sky city to be renamed the warriors leagues club and Christchurch casino, Kea club. 10 dollar schnitzels on tuesdays

 

[Wellington Taniwha]

22 team competition eventually with the central coast bears and a western Brisbane team.

 

[Falcon]

My understanding is the South Island bid will travel with the ChCh mayor to Sydney in the next 10 days to meet Peter Valandys and pitch their bid. Still eyeing 2026 but 2028 might be more realistic.

 

[SBW1]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S57pVVbl7pM