We keep getting lip service about NZ2 but I’ll be sceptical until it’s actually announced. NRL want to have its cake and eat it too- just watch Ipswich come in first
NRL NRL Expansion
- Thread starter rugged
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juju
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I think with the new stadium in Christchurch, the momentum league now has in the country (and union declining) it's looking almost certain it's going to happen.
With the success of Wellington if it would be a scenario of a southern bid now.
Pretty intriguing ...
I used to think the same but theres been a lot stirred up recently about the financials not stacking up, don’t be surprised if NRL go for the cash cow in Ipswich and continue to get its NZ player base anyway.
Was surprised to learn despite the sell outs Warriors rank near the bottom for profit and there are concerns NZ2 may eat into this, despite NZ2 likely having decent crowd numbers this highlights that may not be enough.
Also the rumblings of AFL taking over Qland with the success of the Bears and the rise of the Suns- that’s a pissing contest the NRL takes seriously.
Think NZ2 would be better for the game but saying it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if they got over looked
The amount of tickets and merch the warriors sell, and the fact that the NRL grant funds the whole first grade squad and coaches, these junior programmes must be seriously expensive for the club not to be making mad profits.
You can just see NZ2 being owned by a group of people with good intentions but who will not spend over and above on pathways like Alpha has, and the team is just an also ran, relying on warriors re-treads and retirement contracts.
I always bring this up, but the fact that the Knights (for example) can be a truly mediocre pro sports team, but are owned by a local gaming trust, with huge turnovers that can just tip money in whenever required.
New Zealand doesn't have anything like those sort of funds just washing around.
In short, the NRL should give them the license and additional funds if they want to try and kick union while its down, and give the warriors more too, what if alpha has a heart attack, whats that succession look like? but they won't.
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Cces
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Every home game for the 4 pathway teams is in essence an "away" game in a financial sense because we pay the opposition flights and accomodation as part of being a NSWRL affiliate. Well, that's my understand anyway
2031 would be the ideal year to launch a 2nd NRL team as that is when NZ rugby is forecast to collapse financially
Registrations are up across the country eh.
There are a number of new albeit tiny rural new clubs, I am thinking about Hauraki where I know of a bunch of brand new League clubs that have struck deals with the local Union clubs to use their grounds and have a comp when the Union season ends.
Te Aroha Mavericks, Whangamata Whai, Ngatea Tohora, Mercury Bay have recently put a mens team together, Thames have a new Juniors league, Waihi Sharks and the return of the Hauraki Tigers to the Waikato senior mens comp.
Add to that the junior success of TMM and Taines little village of Taharoa on the other coast and the Waikato is seeing geographical spread of the code.
Even though some of these outfits are tiny back yard voluntary little social clubs the point is they are forming grass roots where League never had a spread.
What I notice in League town Huntly is the Park across the road which is just a public reserve has men and women, Fathers and sons using cones and doing shuttle runs and up downs every day.
That shit only started last year......
Interesting thing with the new clubs not in competition with union seasons- I wonder how many of those players aren’t just players doubling up?
I know when I played I was more than happy to play both, always wondered if it would be worth shifting the league season like Superleague did in Uk to not bother competing with a code competing for players- let them play both
It’s quite a culture shock seeing the money in some of the Aus grass roots clubs- certainly an eye opener and you wonder how NZ could ever compete with the resources they have. That’s not even taking into account the leagues clubs and the money they bring
Most of them will be playing both codes.
The radical change is having the support of the Union clubs. It ain't like when I was at high school and we had to sneak around playing club league or face censure.
Times have really changed.
For me League basically didn’t exist in my home province during school age, there was a bit of a club scene to play after but it was pretty poorly run and they were more than happy to host us “Rugby guys” as they needed the numbers to make up a team.
In another province we’d have league players whose availability was solely based on whether the opposition could get a team together to play against.
For all the growth league has had it really needs to up its game and tap into the provinces (particularly at a school age level)
Yeah the secondary schools tourney is making big inroads there eh. Which can only happen with community pressure on traditionally Union schools and the acquiescence and or retirement of the old guard, the gate keepers in the schools that wouldn't dream of allowing league teams in schools, and of course the scheduling to play league when Union finishes.
Women though, are the biggest drivers of change. That is a massive surge in the League code on all levels from players to coaches, support etc. If people have doubts about the impact of the up the WAHS thing, it has gone from a viral Kiwi sub culture to a movement, Women especially want to be part of the WAHS excitement and that NRLW side has given them an alternative to Netball, Rugby, Football etc.
The Warriors hype is real, makes me laugh when stuffy old duffers say they don't like the WAHS name. They really don't get it, that to the youth culture, the WAHS means excitement, good vibes, and most of all, packed out stadiums.
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