NRL NRL Expansion

[wizard of Tauranga]

I say this as a lover of both codes.

Rugby Union now feels like it being run by a bunch of old dudes that are too “sophisticated” for their own (our) good. With a whole bunch of elitism

Participation has been falling for years. At my rugby club 12 years ago there were 5 full teams. (As, Bs, Cs, 21s, u85s). Now, there’s 2, hopefully 3 next year. On top of that, a significant portion of the club is over 25. When participation typically drops off at the senior amateur level. (Careers, families, recurring injuries etc).
Plus, the local “competitions” aren’t competitions. They’re training grounds………. Where the governing unions literally convince local players from certain clubs to go to certain other clubs.

League on the other hand, looks like it’s cranking. Every kid talks about “the Wahs”. It kinda brought a smile to my face sitting in the changing room and all these 18-22 year olds were talking about the NRL and the Warriors. No one cares about Super Rugby.

Loads of “Penrith fans” lol. They probably didn’t know Penrith existed 5 years ago.

If the South Island gets a team. That could be the hammer blow. Rugby union won’t suddenly collapse. But with financial pressure and competition by European and Japanese clubs. A second NZ NRL team will dilute the ABs (the only thing keeping Union relevant) even further.

You all know deep down how fickle NZ sports fans are. What happens when a diluted ABs can no longer compete with the world the way they once did? Rugby Union will be ripe for the taking.

A bunch of old wankers blackmailing kids in schools is a different matter. One that’ll sort itself out I think.

Seriously, if I was the NZRU. I’d try hire Peter V’landys. He just seems to get shit done.

Fundamentally league creates individual stars which flows into marketing and hype when players move clubs, which all drives engagement and interest.

Rugby is about no one being biggest than the game/ team and loyalty to the team. Individualism is suppressed.

NRL has 16 team brands and perhaps 100 star player brands. Union has 5 super rugby brands and about 3-4 real star player brands. This highlights where NRL has so much more engagement and drives interest in the opposition team which union doesn’t have. This is where kids want to be like the star individuals which league offers plenty of.

I was drawn big time into league about 2008 with radio sport and Steve Price on the radio every week discussing the game. The accessibility of league players is light years ahead of union.

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

Fundamentally league creates individual stars which flows into marketing and hype when players move clubs, which all drives engagement and interest.

Rugby is about no one being biggest than the game/ team and loyalty to the team. Individualism is suppressed.

NRL has 16 team brands and perhaps 100 star player brands. Union has 5 super rugby brands and about 3-4 real star player brands. This highlights where NRL has so much more engagement and drives interest in the opposition team which union doesn’t have. This is where kids want to be like the star individuals which league offers plenty of.

I was drawn big time into league about 2008 with radio sport and Steve Price on the radio every week discussing the game. The accessibility of league players is light years ahead of union.

Agree with a lot of this.

A major reason NZ rugby (ABs) is so successful atm is because it’s set up as a pyramid.
From Schools-Rugby Clubs-Provincial Unions-Super Rugby-All Blacks.

Union is being disrupted on all of those levels. Like a drip slowly washing away a rock.
School kids influenced (through social media mostly) flows on to Club rugby which has seen participation nosedive. Every club had an under 21s 10 years ago, not anymore. Hell there isn’t even a Cs (reserves) grade anymore, at all.
People often dismiss the Club sceen as kinda irrelevant in the development of professional rugby’s talent. Bullshit. They use it as training/recovery ground for injured Super rugby and All Blacks especially the wider squad.
I’ve played against active All Blacks and Super Rugby players many times…..
A degrading of that (through participation) will have a flow on effect for super rugby but especially…… for the Provincial Unions.

The Provincial Unions are a quickly becoming completely irrelevant, just look at the crowds. But they use the local clubs as tolls more than members of the union. Some Provincial unions will convince players from certain clubs to leave and go to certain other clubs or you won’t have the chance to play for your province. The Super Rugby franchises mostly only send their players to a select few clubs, only if a certain player has a connection to whatever club is this “kinda” (and I do mean kinda) ignored.

As soon as a governing body/union starts doing that. The “competition” is no longer a competition.
Just imagine if it was found that the NRL was actively convincing players to leave the Warriors to go the Melbourne or Penrith? There’d be corruption lawsuits galore.
Btw, I’m not arguing the rights and wrongs of it. I’m saying that’s what happens.

We all know what’s going on with Super Rugby. It’s a joke.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Fundamentally league creates individual stars which flows into marketing and hype when players move clubs, which all drives engagement and interest.

Rugby is about no one being biggest than the game/ team and loyalty to the team. Individualism is suppressed.

NRL has 16 team brands and perhaps 100 star player brands. Union has 5 super rugby brands and about 3-4 real star player brands. This highlights where NRL has so much more engagement and drives interest in the opposition team which union doesn’t have. This is where kids want to be like the star individuals which league offers plenty of.

I was drawn big time into league about 2008 with radio sport and Steve Price on the radio every week discussing the game. The accessibility of league players is light years ahead of union.

The study of NRL Commissioner Pete Rozelle is pretty amazing. He fought the traditionalists who wanted to keep the sport "pure". His mentality was without fans there's no pro sport. He more than double the # of team and increased avg attendance 50%. Made it Americas games.

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

Anyone able to post this?

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=DTWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailytelegraph.com.au%2Fsport%2Fnrl%2Fnrl-expansion-papua-new-guinea-to-become-19th-team-with-historic-inprinciple-agreement%2Fnews-story%2Fe2dc263590b60f3e6a679e3cb73d061d&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=GROUPA-Segment-2-NOSCORE

 

[MrFrankWhite]

https://archive.md/PdXiz

 

[MrFrankWhite]

NRL expansion: Papua New Guinea to become 19th team with historic in-principle agreement​

Papua New Guinea is set to make history by entering the NRL premiership, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reaching an in-principle agreement with the ARL Commission.
Peter Badel, Brent Read and Michael Carayannis

4 min read
September 18, 2024 - 4:00PM
News Sport Network
https://archive.md/PdXiz#share-tools

Brent Read, Pamela Whaley, and Tyson Jackson take a look at the finals games and what the blockbuster head-to-head games will look like next weekend.
Papua New Guinea is set to make history by entering the NRL competition in a $600 million expansion coup for rugby league.
This masthead can reveal the federal government has reached an in-principle agreement with the ARL Commission as prime minister Anthony Albanese backs a 10-year funding plan for PNG to become the NRL’s 19th team.
As first revealed by this masthead last October, ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys was in talks with Albanese to launch a PNG team as part of the federal government’s ‘soft-diplomacy’ strategy in the Pacific.
Now the dream has been realised, with the NRL and the federal government shaking hands on the biggest expansion deal in the code’s 116-year history.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has reached a $600m in-principle agreement with the ARL Commission that would see Papua New Guinea enter the NRL. Picture: PMO
In a landmark moment for rugby league, Papua New Guinea will be added to the big league in 2028, 12 months after the Western Bears are slated to join the Telstra Premiership as the 18th team.
Well-placed sources say the ARL Commission and its chairman, V’landys, are satisfied with the federal government’s terms to sufficiently fund a Pacific NRL team for a decade until 2037.
Reluctant to take the gloss off the NRL finals series, a formal announcement is expected after the grand final.
The 19th team expansion celebration is set to coincide with the Australian PM XIII’s clash with PNG in Port Moresby on a gala weekend for the Pacific nation.
In May, V’landys feared the PNG venture could collapse over a funding dispute, but Australia’s National Security Committee of Cabinet has ratified a $600m proposal — clearing the path for Papua New Guinea to join the big league.
Under the historic Pacific agreement, the existing 17 NRL clubs will be given a $60 million sweetener — about $3.5m per franchise — as part of a PNG licence fee that will be shared among the current teams.
In an exclusive interview with this masthead recently, Albanese stressed the federal government’s funding would go beyond just a PNG football team.
“This is a game changer for our relationship with Papua New Guinea,” Albanese said.
“The aim would be for any government funding to be aimed at economic development in schools. It’s not just for the NRL team and to pay Alex Johnston (Souths winger) to play for PNG.

Papua New Guinea is set to make history when it becomes the NRL’s 19th team in 2028. Picture: NRL photos
“We’re definitely behind the NRL bid and, importantly, Prime Minister (James) Marape in PNG is very much behind an NRL team.
“To have a PNG NRL team, we would need to get the pathway and infrastructure right.
“It’s an important part of economic development and getting young people engaged in PNG.
“This is not just about sport in itself, it’s building people-to-people relations and economic development for PNG, that’s the way the government sees it.
“I was in PNG in January and you see kids and adults all wearing State of Origin jumpers and jumpers of NRL clubs.
“The support there is fanatical.”

Loading embed...
The NRL has gone overseas before by adding the New Zealand Warriors in 1995, but PNG’s admission is rugby league’s most significant offshore project in more than 30 years.
V’landys is currently visiting the 17 NRL clubs to explain his expansion masterplan and have buy-in from the existing franchises as the code marches towards a 20-team league by the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
The addition of PNG and Perth Bears gives the NRL additional content ahead of fresh broadcasting negotiations for the code’s next TV rights deal from 2027.
The ARL Commission is already receiving some funds from the federal government, who began pumping money into the NRL’s coffers in August to prepare for the historic launch of PNG in 2028.

PNG’s admission is rugby league’s most significant offshore project in more than 30 years. Picture: NRL Photos
The clubs will also be major benefactors of rugby league’s ambitious Pacific growth project.
Of the $600m proposal, the federal government has agreed to an upfront licence fee of $60 million, the proceeds of which will be paid directly to the 17 clubs to assuage fears they could suffer financially from fresh expansion.
Once the $60m is distributed to the clubs, that will leave $540m of government funding to be allocated to setting up – and sustaining – PNG as the NRL’s 19th team.
During high-powered negotiations, the NRL has been told $29m per year will be given to the football arm of the PNG franchise for a period of 10 years - a total of $290m.
The remaining $250 million will be allocated to social welfare and education programs in PNG.
The federal government has made it clear to the NRL that the PNG investment is for a 10-year term only, by which time the 19th team would be totally self-sufficient.
There were suggestions the PNG team could have a full-time base in Cairns but V’landys made it clear in May that Port Moresby will be the headquarters of the 19th team operation.
“The team will definitely be based full-time in Papua New Guinea,” he said.
“If you want it to work, you don’t base it in Australia.
“How are the people of PNG going to engage with their team when it’s based in Cairns?
“You have to have the team full-time in PNG and we’re also not going to affect the ecosystem in North Queensland where the Cowboys have been so successful and that’s their heartland.

The inaugural NRL Bid Championships were held in Goroka, PNG, in July. Picture: Mathias Yoba
“The whole purpose of this exercise (expanding the league) is to provide support for the whole of PNG beyond just rugby league, there will be social and educational benefits as well for their country.”
Albanese believes a 19th NRL franchise can have educational benefits for PNG, bolstered by the use of ‘soft diplomacy’ via a government-financed sporting team to keep China at bay in the Pacific.
The $600m investment is not solely for a new NRL team, but part of a wider social, economic and educational blueprint to strengthen a nation of 10 million where rugby league is the No.1 sport.
The next step will be devising plans for a rugby league ‘mini-city’ compound to be built in Port Moresby, which will house Australian NRL stars and their families.
The NRL will also hold talks with the PNG government to discuss the possibility of tax incentives to encourage Australian-based players to relocate to Port Moresby as foundation players for the 19th team.

 

[WA Warrior]

View attachment 9580View attachment 9582View attachment 9581

NRL expansion: Papua New Guinea to become 19th team with historic in-principle agreement​

Papua New Guinea is set to make history by entering the NRL premiership, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reaching an in-principle agreement with the ARL Commission.
Peter Badel, Brent Read and Michael Carayannis

4 min read
September 18, 2024 - 4:00PM
News Sport Network
https://archive.md/PdXiz#share-tools

Brent Read, Pamela Whaley, and Tyson Jackson take a look at the finals games and what the blockbuster head-to-head games will look like next weekend.
Papua New Guinea is set to make history by entering the NRL competition in a $600 million expansion coup for rugby league.
This masthead can reveal the federal government has reached an in-principle agreement with the ARL Commission as prime minister Anthony Albanese backs a 10-year funding plan for PNG to become the NRL’s 19th team.
As first revealed by this masthead last October, ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys was in talks with Albanese to launch a PNG team as part of the federal government’s ‘soft-diplomacy’ strategy in the Pacific.
Now the dream has been realised, with the NRL and the federal government shaking hands on the biggest expansion deal in the code’s 116-year history.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has reached a $600m in-principle agreement with the ARL Commission that would see Papua New Guinea enter the NRL. Picture: PMO
In a landmark moment for rugby league, Papua New Guinea will be added to the big league in 2028, 12 months after the Western Bears are slated to join the Telstra Premiership as the 18th team.
Well-placed sources say the ARL Commission and its chairman, V’landys, are satisfied with the federal government’s terms to sufficiently fund a Pacific NRL team for a decade until 2037.
Reluctant to take the gloss off the NRL finals series, a formal announcement is expected after the grand final.
The 19th team expansion celebration is set to coincide with the Australian PM XIII’s clash with PNG in Port Moresby on a gala weekend for the Pacific nation.
In May, V’landys feared the PNG venture could collapse over a funding dispute, but Australia’s National Security Committee of Cabinet has ratified a $600m proposal — clearing the path for Papua New Guinea to join the big league.
Under the historic Pacific agreement, the existing 17 NRL clubs will be given a $60 million sweetener — about $3.5m per franchise — as part of a PNG licence fee that will be shared among the current teams.
In an exclusive interview with this masthead recently, Albanese stressed the federal government’s funding would go beyond just a PNG football team.
“This is a game changer for our relationship with Papua New Guinea,” Albanese said.
“The aim would be for any government funding to be aimed at economic development in schools. It’s not just for the NRL team and to pay Alex Johnston (Souths winger) to play for PNG.

Papua New Guinea is set to make history when it becomes the NRL’s 19th team in 2028. Picture: NRL photos
“We’re definitely behind the NRL bid and, importantly, Prime Minister (James) Marape in PNG is very much behind an NRL team.
“To have a PNG NRL team, we would need to get the pathway and infrastructure right.
“It’s an important part of economic development and getting young people engaged in PNG.
“This is not just about sport in itself, it’s building people-to-people relations and economic development for PNG, that’s the way the government sees it.
“I was in PNG in January and you see kids and adults all wearing State of Origin jumpers and jumpers of NRL clubs.
“The support there is fanatical.”

Loading embed...
The NRL has gone overseas before by adding the New Zealand Warriors in 1995, but PNG’s admission is rugby league’s most significant offshore project in more than 30 years.
V’landys is currently visiting the 17 NRL clubs to explain his expansion masterplan and have buy-in from the existing franchises as the code marches towards a 20-team league by the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
The addition of PNG and Perth Bears gives the NRL additional content ahead of fresh broadcasting negotiations for the code’s next TV rights deal from 2027.
The ARL Commission is already receiving some funds from the federal government, who began pumping money into the NRL’s coffers in August to prepare for the historic launch of PNG in 2028.

PNG’s admission is rugby league’s most significant offshore project in more than 30 years. Picture: NRL Photos
The clubs will also be major benefactors of rugby league’s ambitious Pacific growth project.
Of the $600m proposal, the federal government has agreed to an upfront licence fee of $60 million, the proceeds of which will be paid directly to the 17 clubs to assuage fears they could suffer financially from fresh expansion.
Once the $60m is distributed to the clubs, that will leave $540m of government funding to be allocated to setting up – and sustaining – PNG as the NRL’s 19th team.
During high-powered negotiations, the NRL has been told $29m per year will be given to the football arm of the PNG franchise for a period of 10 years - a total of $290m.
The remaining $250 million will be allocated to social welfare and education programs in PNG.
The federal government has made it clear to the NRL that the PNG investment is for a 10-year term only, by which time the 19th team would be totally self-sufficient.
There were suggestions the PNG team could have a full-time base in Cairns but V’landys made it clear in May that Port Moresby will be the headquarters of the 19th team operation.
“The team will definitely be based full-time in Papua New Guinea,” he said.
“If you want it to work, you don’t base it in Australia.
“How are the people of PNG going to engage with their team when it’s based in Cairns?
“You have to have the team full-time in PNG and we’re also not going to affect the ecosystem in North Queensland where the Cowboys have been so successful and that’s their heartland.

The inaugural NRL Bid Championships were held in Goroka, PNG, in July. Picture: Mathias Yoba
“The whole purpose of this exercise (expanding the league) is to provide support for the whole of PNG beyond just rugby league, there will be social and educational benefits as well for their country.”
Albanese believes a 19th NRL franchise can have educational benefits for PNG, bolstered by the use of ‘soft diplomacy’ via a government-financed sporting team to keep China at bay in the Pacific.
The $600m investment is not solely for a new NRL team, but part of a wider social, economic and educational blueprint to strengthen a nation of 10 million where rugby league is the No.1 sport.
The next step will be devising plans for a rugby league ‘mini-city’ compound to be built in Port Moresby, which will house Australian NRL stars and their families.
The NRL will also hold talks with the PNG government to discuss the possibility of tax incentives to encourage Australian-based players to relocate to Port Moresby as foundation players for the 19th team.

It all sounds good on paper but imo this will be an utter failure.
I’m hoping the NRL have polled the players if they’re willing to relocate.
I seriously can’t see whole families living in an armed compound, even for a huge salary.
How the pathways will work is another question.
I hope I’m totally wrong but from a football point of view this looks very hard to pull off.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

So we find out that Vlandtys milked the Aus Intelligence agencies for half a billion and then bribed the clubs with $3.5mliion each to go along with it.
Aus govt is bank rolling for 10 years from 2028 to 2037
Support of PNG PM Marape (IYKYK)

Well, excuse me while I accelerate my plans for my private security and intelligence company. I smell free money. MaybeTop8 this is what true neoliberalism looks like. Yeah baby!

 

[Blain]

Politics and sport should not mix. The amount of special treatment this team will need to even be competitive is going to be substantial.

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

The PNG team is clearly a long term venture, a relatively risky one, but still. 10 years of free money is a relatively long time. And 600 million dollars is a lot of money (in geopolitics, it’s nothing).

Ask yourself, what makes the NZ Warriors so valuable to the NRL? The player pool, with an elite rival code (rugby union) whose players core skill set is pretty much exactly the same. So developing players is not so much of a burden.
And of course……… The Sky TV deal.

If you’re going to get free money to set up another “Warriors” (obviously, it probably won’t be as successful). Why not?
Plus the potential commercial (it will be fairly limited) and player pool at an elite level could be worth the payoff. I actually feel in 10 years this club will be fairly well funded. Justin Olam apparently has some pretty substantial 3pd’s.

On this forum we’ve gone on and on about how safe it’ll be….. They’ve said in the article that they’re pretty much going to build their own infrastructure. Especially if they can get some tax breaks for extra incentive. It will probably still be very difficult the PNG club to attract the NRLs elite talent.
On top of all that, How many people on here would walk around the rough parts of Auckland at night? Not many……
How many people have been to America or Europe? lol. It’s hardly a paradise.

It’s actually that Perth team that I think will be a complete flop. There’s absolutely nothing pulling players all the way over there.
How many Wallabies have come from the Western Force? Fuck all…….
And from what I hear, most of the Wallabies from the Melbourne Rebels didn’t want to go there. And they didn’t.

 

[Worried2Death]

Support of PNG PM Marape (IYKYK)

What should we know about Marape, you mean the corruption and dodgy port deals?

 

[MrFrankWhite]

What should we know about Marape, you mean the corruption and dodgy port deals?

That's the tip of the iceberg. He's playing us as much as Vlandys is playing the Aus government

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

How many Wallabies have come from the Western Force? Fuck all…….
And from what I hear, most of the Wallabies from the Melbourne Rebels didn’t want to go there. And they didn’t.

I think PNG will deliver more players and self fulfil it’s player pool than Melbourne or Perth ever have.

It’s an underdeveloped, league mad country with 10m potential fans and player talent.

It will be a long term development as pathways need professionalising but after 10 years there should be a steady production line of NRL standard players to fill their own team.

How’s this: I think PNG is better placed long term, with a better chance than the Warriors had, of winning the comp in its first 20 years.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

I think PNG will deliver more players and self fulfil it’s player pool than Melbourne or Perth ever have.

It’s an underdeveloped, league mad country with 10m potential fans and player talent.

It will be a long term development as pathways need professionalising but after 10 years there should be a steady production line of NRL standard players to fill their own team.

How’s this: I think PNG is better placed long term, with a better chance than the Warriors had, of winning the comp in its first 20 years.

That's definitely the NRL's line of thinking. Now outline the risks...

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

That's definitely the NRL's line of thinking. Now outline the risks...

Define what a risk is.

In regards to safety, yes PNG is not quite as “safe” as NZ or Australia I guess. But it’s not like the players are going to be out and about. Plus they’ll be in Australia every 2nd weekend.

Like I said in a previous post, how many people (or more accurately NRL players) would walk around the rough parts of Auckland at night? None……….

Other than that. What’s the risk? And the NRL is going to get free money to do it as well.

 

[WA Warrior]

Define what a risk is.

In regards to safety, yes PNG is not quite as “safe” as NZ or Australia I guess. But it’s not like the players are going to be out and about. Plus they’ll be in Australia every 2nd weekend.

Like I said in a previous post, how many people (or more accurately NRL players) would walk around the rough parts of Auckland at night? None……….

Other than that. What’s the risk? And the NRL is going to get free money to do it as well.

I think comparing Auckland or Australia to PNG is a little weird.
There are travel warnings for PNG advising not to travel there because of Kidnappings, Murders and Civil unrest.
Players I could maybe understand living in a compound but taking your family there might be a bridge too far.
Day to day lives for the Wives and children, what kind of lifestyle would they have?

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

I think comparing Auckland or Australia to PNG is a little weird.
There are travel warnings for PNG advising not to travel there because of Kidnappings, Murders and Civil unrest.
Players I could maybe understand living in a compound but taking your family there might be a bridge too far.
Day to day lives for the Wives and children, what kind of lifestyle would they have?

Hahaha ah yes, the old travel advisory.
For the record, I’ve traveled a fair bit and I use it. But…………….

Google travel to Russia and Israel.
You’ll find two very different interpretations of what “safe travel” is.

I’ll explain: For Israel, It’ll tell you “do not travel” to Gaza…… Fair enough.
But it’ll tell you to “avoid all unnecessary travel” for a lot of the rest of Israel…… Ok

Where as you do the same for Russia. And there’s a blanket “do not travel”

Where I’m getting with this. They’re tell me it’s safer to go to Jerusalem or Tel Aviv which is what? Less then a 100km away from Hezbullah held Lebanon and/or Gaza, continues to be shelled.
Rather than going to Vladivostok, Russia. Which is literally a continent away……literally.
Is that “safety” or politics.

Hahaha google travel the Los Angeles. No such warnings. At all.
You walk around LA at night (or some parts during the day lol)…… now that’ll be an experience. (Yes, I’ve been to LA).

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

WA Warrior, what are you laughing at?
Explain….

Christchurch Warrior, perhaps you could explain…………

 

[WA Warrior]

WA Warrior, what are you laughing at?
Explain….

Apologies Tohu I shouldn’t have laughed but it was because your rebuttal was all about the travel advisory’s.
My argument still remains even without the warnings, PNG is a very dangerous place and Players, Coaches, Trainers and there families are going to question if they want to live there.

 

[Christchurch_Warrior]

WA Warrior, what are you laughing at?
Explain….

Christchurch Warrior, perhaps you could explain…………

Care to explain why I need to explain.....