NRL NRL Expansion

The South Island Kea bid team have released a video. Picture: Supplied
Te Waipounamu Kea
 
The continued radio silence of from the alternative ChCh based NRL bid is interesting.
Maybe still bruised from announcing all would be revealed during the Las Vegas seasonal launch … which never happened.
Maybe the movie star the bid team suggested they were courting was Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and he still needs to be convinced what ChCh is cooking.?
 
Neither of the South Island bids are impressing at this point. The OG bid has been quietly building grassroots connections but seems undeveloped in other areas. The Moffett bid still seems like Moffo’s thought bubbles and some AI videos.
I think you’re right on both fronts Fonzie.
It would be nice to see some encouragement from the NRL in helping one of these bids come to fruition on the back of rugby unions well documented problems and the NRL in conjunction with the Warriors riding a wave of popularity.
 
Since PNG are the likely 18th team I think the SI KEA should join the 💙 Mighty NSW Cup. Dolphins and PNG both played QLD Morons Cup first so I think that makes sense.
 
I am against the Kea due to the inability to attract talent. If you think Auckland is a tough sell to lure Australians to move to with its 1.7 Million people try luring someone born and raised in Sydney to Christchurch with its 400K.
This South Island bid is not about what is good for the game of rugby league in New Zealand. It is about some South Island Entrepreneurs spotting a business opportunity.
if the Keas go ahead they are going to be either
a) A lunch pail team full of no names that punches above their weight to finish tenth every year
b) A ghetto team that only defeats PNG.
 
I am against the Kea due to the inability to attract talent. If you think Auckland is a tough sell to lure Australians to move to with its 1.7 Million people try luring someone born and raised in Sydney to Christchurch with its 400K.
This South Island bid is not about what is good for the game of rugby league in New Zealand. It is about some South Island Entrepreneurs spotting a business opportunity.
if the Keas go ahead they are going to be either
a) A lunch pail team full of no names that punches above their weight to finish tenth every year
b) A ghetto team that only defeats PNG.
Haha good one Wrighty!

I'll forgive you this time as I know you're only new to the game.
 
I am against the Kea due to the inability to attract talent. If you think Auckland is a tough sell to lure Australians to move to with its 1.7 Million people try luring someone born and raised in Sydney to Christchurch with its 400K.
This South Island bid is not about what is good for the game of rugby league in New Zealand. It is about some South Island Entrepreneurs spotting a business opportunity.
if the Keas go ahead they are going to be either
a) A lunch pail team full of no names that punches above their weight to finish tenth every year
b) A ghetto team that only defeats PNG.
South Island population 1.2 million, many top NRL players from there could be attracted home, same as they were for the Warriors.
Local junior pathways will take a while to bring through talent but if they get a top coach to set it up anything's possible isn't it Wrighty? What if Bellamy agrees to do it, what then.

And besides, PNG will be making finals more often than not because of... you know, geopolitical reasons. No point in the Aussie govt spending all that money to combat Chinese soft power if they're not winning.
 
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Local junior pathways will take a while to bring through talent but if they get a top coach to set it up anything's possible isn't it Wrighty? What if Bellamy agrees to do it, what then.
Bellamy has been on the verge of retirement for years, cannot see this being viable.
 
I am against the Kea due to the inability to attract talent. If you think Auckland is a tough sell to lure Australians to move to with its 1.7 Million people try luring someone born and raised in Sydney to Christchurch with its 400K.
This South Island bid is not about what is good for the game of rugby league in New Zealand. It is about some South Island Entrepreneurs spotting a business opportunity.
if the Keas go ahead they are going to be either
a) A lunch pail team full of no names that punches above their weight to finish tenth every year
b) A ghetto team that only defeats PNG.
Facts.

People talking about attracting talent. Bruh. AK is s shithole, ChCh is a hole in the ground that should be demolished. I cant underestimate how unattractive living in NZ is after living anywhere else at all.
 
South Island population 1.2 million, many top NRL players from there could be attracted home, same as they were for the Warriors.
Local junior pathways will take a while to bring through talent but if they get a top coach to set it up anything's possible isn't it Wrighty? What if Bellamy agrees to do it, what then.

And besides, PNG will be making finals more often than not because of... you know, geopolitical reasons. No point in the Aussie govt spending all that money to combat Chinese soft power if they're not winning.
1.2mil for 1/2 the country, now how is that attracting anyone?
 
I think you’re right on both fronts Fonzie.
It would be nice to see some encouragement from the NRL in helping one of these bids come to fruition on the back of rugby unions well documented problems and the NRL in conjunction with the Warriors riding a wave of popularity.
The NRL will invest in NZ but not directly to a bid, they will invest in the development of the code in NZ right up to 💙 Mighty NSW Cup and then let the best bid capitalise until the investment is stable and sustainable.
It was written in a sanctioned report by Shane Richardson over a decade ago and has been revisited by the NRL and recently leaked to the media..
 
I'd love a second team in NZ. However, Im sceptical of it happening because of the travel required for Aussie teams.

Listen to any player for any team, other than the warriors and they'll say that they hate travelling over here.

It'll also really mess with TV/match scheduling and even audience targeting.
 
I'd love a second team in NZ. However, Im sceptical of it happening because of the travel required for Aussie teams.

Listen to any player for any team, other than the warriors and they'll say that they hate travelling over here.

It'll also really mess with TV/match scheduling and even audience targeting.
Just curious as to how you think it will mess with the TV/match scheduling? Very doubtful we would play the same day (unless playing against each other). Our home games tend to be the 3PM, 5:30PM and 6PM Aussie times. Not that hard to schedule these since these times can play on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
 
Just curious as to how you think it will mess with the TV/match scheduling? Very doubtful we would play the same day (unless playing against each other). Our home games tend to be the 3PM, 5:30PM and 6PM Aussie times. Not that hard to schedule these since these times can play on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
I’d say NZ2 would have an almost mortgage on the Fri 6pm(Aus) game, Fri night drink crowd finish work, pre load then go to the game would be quite attractive you’d think
 
My only concern with the NRLs push to improve the grass roots in NZ is purely self serving to improve their player pool for Aus sides. Do we really give a shit if Roosters/Souths have a few more quality NZers playing for them if the Warriors and NZ2 get the dregs?
 

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