Matiunz
Contributor
Didn’t South’s actually lose the court case but the NRL let them in anyway because of the public backlash?
NRL NRL Expansion
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Worried2Death
Contributor
Can't remember the details now, just how great it felt without them.
Souths lost the first case, took it to a higher court and won as I recall. But maybe once people who didn't even like Souths ("come on, NRL, let the Rabbitohs back in, they're shit and it means we can win at least one game a season!" logic talking?) joined the campaign to get them back in, the NRL may have gone "Ah, fuck it, it's not worth the aggro!" and they didn't really argue the case as hard as they might have...
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The biggest crimes the RL overlords committed was reducing the number of clubs down from 22 across both comps in 97 down to ultimately 14 in 2000
View: https://youtu.be/BnKw_iLfngY
View: https://youtu.be/BnKw_iLfngY
Matiunz
Contributor
Find it interesting out of the teams cut
Hunter really were surplus to requirements.
Dragons/Steeler, Magpies/Tigers continued under different names
South’s came back pretty quickly
Gold Coast are back
Crushers (aka Brisbane 2) are essentially back in the form of the Dolphins.
Reds and Norths look to be back soon
Which only really leaves us with Adelaide out from from where we were 25 odd years ago with only maybe PNG and NZ2 added
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The NRL is on the verge of agreeing terms with the Western Australian government on a deal that has saved expansion and paved the way for the Perth-based Bears to become the code’s 18th team.
This masthead can reveal ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys held urgent talks with the WA government on Thursday, which included WA premier Roger Cook and treasurer Rita Saffioti.
There were fears expansion could collapse after the NRL rejected a slew of expansion bids a fortnight ago, including a proposal from a Perth-based consortium to form the Western Bears.
But well-placed sources say the NRL is set for an 18th team in 2027 after V’landys held positive talks with WA powerbrokers to ensure a Perth-North Sydney Bears alliance is not dead.
It is understood Cook and Saffioti found critical common ground with V’landys, heightening confidence at Rugby League Central that expansion to Perth will go ahead as planned.
The WA government had initially baulked at a $120 million grassroots funding request, but premier Cook wants an NRL presence in Perth and V’landys is on the brink of sealing the deal.
The development came as the existing 17 clubs backed a $60 million licence fee for Papua New Guinea. It means a strategic plan for a 19-team NRL competition by 2028, including the Perth Bears and PNG, is now back on track.
A faction of NRL outfits had raised concerns over whether the $60m participation levy was sufficient, but the 17 clubs are now on board in a massive shot in the arm for V’landys’ 20-team expansion masterplan.
It is understood the North Sydney Bears were informed of the fresh developments on Thursday afternoon in a huge fillip for their hopes of a premiership revival.
V’landys has already guaranteed that the Bears will be part of a team in Perth.
While the talks with Cook and Saffioti were positive, there is no guarantee that the deal will be done in time to include it as part of a joint expansion announcement with Papua New Guinea.
However, there is genuine hope that expansion to Perth and PNG as part of a long-term plan to expand to 20 teams can be confirmed before the end of the year, most likely early in December.
The final ARL Commission meeting of the year is scheduled to be held next week with expansion at the forefront of everyone’s minds as they race to get the process finalised before Christmas.
PNG is on the verge of being confirmed with negotiations in the final throes, but expansion to Perth looked in jeopardy before V’landys and Cook held talks on Thursday aimed at smoothing the waters for a Bears revival.
The clubs have been kept informed of negotiations via their newly-formed advisory group and are believed to be supportive of the NRL’s plans given they will be handsomely rewarded for backing expansion.
The NRL has reached an in-principle agreement with PNG on a $600 million funding deal to be bankrolled by the Federal government and successful talks with the WA government is now the final piece in the expansion puzzle.
This and Ben Hunt. Fucking tired of seeing flip-flopping articles about it this offseason
Give me Latrell is in the fitness of his life, X player posted themselves doing coke, training the house down articles already, the usual stuff lol
This masthead can reveal ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys held urgent talks with the WA government on Thursday, which included WA premier Roger Cook and treasurer Rita Saffioti.
There were fears expansion could collapse after the NRL rejected a slew of expansion bids a fortnight ago, including a proposal from a Perth-based consortium to form the Western Bears.
But well-placed sources say the NRL is set for an 18th team in 2027 after V’landys held positive talks with WA powerbrokers to ensure a Perth-North Sydney Bears alliance is not dead.
It is understood Cook and Saffioti found critical common ground with V’landys, heightening confidence at Rugby League Central that expansion to Perth will go ahead as planned.
The WA government had initially baulked at a $120 million grassroots funding request, but premier Cook wants an NRL presence in Perth and V’landys is on the brink of sealing the deal.
The development came as the existing 17 clubs backed a $60 million licence fee for Papua New Guinea. It means a strategic plan for a 19-team NRL competition by 2028, including the Perth Bears and PNG, is now back on track.
A faction of NRL outfits had raised concerns over whether the $60m participation levy was sufficient, but the 17 clubs are now on board in a massive shot in the arm for V’landys’ 20-team expansion masterplan.
It is understood the North Sydney Bears were informed of the fresh developments on Thursday afternoon in a huge fillip for their hopes of a premiership revival.
V’landys has already guaranteed that the Bears will be part of a team in Perth.
While the talks with Cook and Saffioti were positive, there is no guarantee that the deal will be done in time to include it as part of a joint expansion announcement with Papua New Guinea.
However, there is genuine hope that expansion to Perth and PNG as part of a long-term plan to expand to 20 teams can be confirmed before the end of the year, most likely early in December.
The final ARL Commission meeting of the year is scheduled to be held next week with expansion at the forefront of everyone’s minds as they race to get the process finalised before Christmas.
PNG is on the verge of being confirmed with negotiations in the final throes, but expansion to Perth looked in jeopardy before V’landys and Cook held talks on Thursday aimed at smoothing the waters for a Bears revival.
The clubs have been kept informed of negotiations via their newly-formed advisory group and are believed to be supportive of the NRL’s plans given they will be handsomely rewarded for backing expansion.
The NRL has reached an in-principle agreement with PNG on a $600 million funding deal to be bankrolled by the Federal government and successful talks with the WA government is now the final piece in the expansion puzzle.
This and Ben Hunt. Fucking tired of seeing flip-flopping articles about it this offseason
Give me Latrell is in the fitness of his life, X player posted themselves doing coke, training the house down articles already, the usual stuff lol
Worried2Death
Contributor
Squawk Tuaaaaaaaah! Up the parrots
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Might be a long shot oh a Wahs forum, but can anyone shed some light on what the obsession with making the ‘Bears’ happen is? I get they’re an original club, but no one keeps banging on about bringing back the Glebe Dirty Reds.
Sydney doesn’t need another team, so they somehow glom on to a new one in Perth? I just don’t get why you wouldn’t want a team with a new identity? The only pluses seem to be the hope the old fanbase gets into a team that’s in another state by virtue of being ‘bears’ and you don’t need to bankroll organising a new logo/motto for a team.
Sydney doesn’t need another team, so they somehow glom on to a new one in Perth? I just don’t get why you wouldn’t want a team with a new identity? The only pluses seem to be the hope the old fanbase gets into a team that’s in another state by virtue of being ‘bears’ and you don’t need to bankroll organising a new logo/motto for a team.
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That sheds a lot of light! Thanks. Good to know they’ve been grinding away in the lower grades.
Also remember there will be a political aspect. NRL powerbrokers want WA. Ergo Bears is an attractive bid.
Oh yeah, I totally get the WA appeal - just couldn’t figure the link between Perth and the Bears.
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Does anybody think that they’ll appoint another Qld side alongside PnG and Perth? Bad luck for the South Island
Wrighty
Contributor
Yes. I don't think the numbers add up for the South Island. Auckland has nearly 2 million people. Christchurch 450 000. I think Vlandys will take note. It is not the initial years they will be worried about. It will be after 7-8 years and the team isn't winning maybe will people show up? I always thought it should be a joint Wellington / CHCH bid. Even if CHCH gets most of the games.
Would be interesting to know what the current QLD sides would prefer - more in-state rivalries (bigger crowds and ratings) vs potentially diluting their fan bases (and possibly losing dollars and eyeballs long term)
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Wrighty
Contributor
Here are the Other Cities with Census 2023 population counts
Dunedin 135 000 - big enough to host a game
Queenstown - 47,808 - not big enough to host a game
Nelson - 52,584 - not big enough to host a game
Invercargill - 57,900 - not big enough to host a game
How many games is each CHCH bid promising to Dunedin and the other South Island Cities.
