NRL NRL Expansion

[John Nick]

Ben Ikin Chief of QLD Rugby League reckons an Ipswich team is ready to go
These guys have been in the starting blocks forever
I don’t know if there’s enough quality players to supply 20 teams

Jeez aren't halves going to be even more expensive than they already are

 

[kos]

Jeez aren't halves going to be even more expensive than they already are

I see Ben Farr from our NSW cup side last year is playing for Tweed Heads

 

[John Nick]

I see Ben Farr from our NSW cup side last year is playing for Tweed Heads

Been to see him play yet Kos??

 

[kos]

Been to see him play yet Kos??

No only read about it this week
Been meaning to try and catch Paul Roach at Burleigh Bears.

 

[sup42]

Glad to see my old team the Bears return, shame it is way off in Perth, hope that works out.

 

[kos]

Glad to see my old team the Bears return, shame it is way off in Perth, hope that works out.

Article in ‘The Australian’ suggests Brad Arthur is a shoe in for coach and they will target South African and Argentinian rugby players as well as league players
It’s behind a paywall so I can’t post it

 

[John Nick]

Glad to see my old team the Bears return, shame it is way off in Perth, hope that works out.

Yeah I have my doubts about the wisdom of this venture. Has failed before and I am not convinced anything much has changed.

 

[kos]

Yeah I have my doubts about the wisdom of this venture. Has failed before and I am not convinced anything much has changed.

That was during Super League?

 

[WA Warrior]

That was during Super League?

Also 30 years of Kiwi migration and East Coast relocation to Perth will help.

 

[John Nick]

That was during Super League?

Yes I understand. Western Reds.
WA is a major stronghold for AFL

 

[John Nick]

Also 30 years of Kiwi migration and East Coast relocation to Perth will help.

They will have to start out strongly to capture audience and building a team that has immediately successful will be tough with the limited numbers of quality players especially halves

 

[WA Warrior]

They will have to start out strongly to capture audience and building a team that has immediately successful will be tough with the limited numbers of quality players especially halves

100% Won’t be easy.
Only 18 months until preseason and they haven’t got anything, No CEO, Coach etc.
You’re right AFL is religion here, can’t Fucken stand the game.
Uphill battle for sure but that’s the first hurdle getting the License.

 

[John Nick]

100% Won’t be easy.
Only 18 months until preseason and they haven’t got anything, No CEO, Coach etc.
You’re right AFL is religion here, can’t Fucken stand the game.
Uphill battle for sure but that’s the first hurdle getting the License.

Yes mate and I agree with you and hope for the sake of the game it's successful.
I was on the Gold Coast early days when they were trying to get established.
3 or 4 different teams iirc before they got established. They didn't have any competition from AFL in those days

 

[Falcon]

Taking off my one eyed patch, any genuine expansion opportunity will need to be underwritten by the NRL taking the view that facilities are first class, league is on a upward trajectory and rugby is there for the taking at the moment as league rides a wave of increased popularity. Canterbury Bulldogs have a signed relationship with the regional rugby league, The Roosters have a partnership with the growing Rollestion college, currently 2000+ students and locality promoting both oval ball codes ( Akld schools take note) in a quickly expanding city fringe suburb of ChCh earmarked to be 30000 in the next 4 years, and the current secondary school champions of the last two years are also out of ChCh. Will they win the comp in the first 3 years, probably not, but they have a good chance of being very competitive if expertly managed from the outset - off the field.

 

[juju]

I could Capewell going to the bears.

Would be just the sort of pro you’d want on a two year deal as a foundation.

 

[Fonzie]

Ben Ikin Chief of QLD Rugby League reckons an Ipswich team is ready to go
These guys have been in the starting blocks forever
I don’t know if there’s enough quality players to supply 20 teams

If NRL Europe goes ahead there will be two squads of players cut from super league at the same time the new nrl teams start up

 

[Matiunz]

I think a 3rd team for Brisbane will be a strong push. This will be tight between CHCH and Brisbane #3

The standard to get your bid across the line seems to be incredibly high. These are some blue chip bids that have been backed.
PNG is resourced and cashed up by the Australian Federal Government. Try competing with that bid. They also have millions of fans.
Western Australia funded by their government. Again try competing with that.
If that is any indicator of the bar then the CHCH bid is way way way off the pace. Brisbane 3 is behind the 8 ball too. Whoever gets position 20 will be the final expansion you would think for a ten or 15 year horizon.
Both bids had better start working their Jacksies off to strengthen their value proposition.

They ‘could’ come in and would probably be the easiest to set up but I don’t think they’ll go back there so soon. Broncs were highly against another Broncs team for a long time and the Dolphins need time to establish themselves- you can already see the gloss coming off the shiny new toy and a new team I think would quickly relegate them to an ‘also rans’, Titans I think would also feel the pressure of another local competitor massively

 

[Matiunz]

Yeah I have my doubts about the wisdom of this venture. Has failed before and I am not convinced anything much has changed.

It does have a bit of a ‘wests tigers’ unhappy marriage feel about it but Perth was an unfortunate victim of superleague cost cutting, should have stuck with them back then and they’d be established

 

[Shogun]

Yeah I have my doubts about the wisdom of this venture. Has failed before and I am not convinced anything much has changed.

Gold Coast have more than doubled their average crowd sizes since they came back, so there's hope

Only 18 months until preseason and they haven’t got anything, No CEO, Coach etc.

Would expect majority of Nth Sydney board members to relocate. Billy Moore's on the board.

It does have a bit of a ‘wests tigers’ unhappy marriage feel about it but Perth was an unfortunate victim of superleague cost cutting, should have stuck with them back then and they’d be established

They were $10 m in debt. Newscorp cut their loses and brought in Melbourne which was ballsy invading the home of convict football

I don't think S Katoa will get back in the Sharks team. Bears might have their #5 and Val Te Whare #4 if his attitude is right

 

[Wrighty]

They ‘could’ come in and would probably be the easiest to set up but I don’t think they’ll go back there so soon. Broncs were highly against another Broncs team for a long time and the Dolphins need time to establish themselves- you can already see the gloss coming off the shiny new toy and a new team I think would quickly relegate them to an ‘also rans’, Titans I think would also feel the pressure of another local competitor massively

Thanks for this post. Very interesting indeed.
I am not close to the dynamics of Queensland rugby league
1) Are Gold Coast and Cowboys seen as potential cross impacts from Brisbane 3 (Ipswich)?
2) Why can Sydney hold up 7 or 8 teams but it is an issue for Brisbane to have 3?

Greater Sydney Google says population 5.5M
Brisbane 2.8M

Not enough people in Brisbane compared to Sydney? I understand Brisbane is just as much into league as Sydney. No difference in the intensity of the fans.