Expansion

1967Sharks said:

We should relocate.

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Need a couple less Sydney teams.

The South-Eastern City Cock-Hares?

The Southern Steel Dragon Sharks?

The Greater Western OR Cumberland-Nepean Peelers?

I think the Sharks are on the way up TBH. After years of hearing that Souths would die, move to Central Coast, etc...that baton was based to Cronulla-Sutherland. But I think they're on the way to handing it on.

I actually think SW Sydney really needs a team. Liverpool/Campbelltown pretty much ignored.

In all seriousness, a Sydney team should look to relocate to Brisbane. In fact, I'd even say two. West of Brisbane. North of Brisbane / Sunshine Coast.

Think of the benefits:
* Less teams in Sydney.
* 2 more teams in Brisbane.
* Sydney affiliation remains, so old supporters can follow when the Brisbane XXX's play in Sydney.
* People in Brisbane probably already support said Sydney team.
* Memberships could be done so you'd have the Brisbane supporter base for 12 games, and then rig the draw so they play at least 8 games in Sydney, so they still have a presence.

Anyway...

Off the table for 5 years according to reports in the paper today.....

All 16 NRL club chief executives have received briefings about the strategic plan, but the full details remain a closely guarded secret continuing the strong corporate governance that has developed under rugby league's new structure.

LOL.

The same paper who said in the morning Sandow resigned with Souths, then quickly changed the copy.

Bit off topic but.....I would like to know where the player talent would come from if there ever is expansion ? Frankly, the Under 20's is a bit of a joke in my opinion as a lot of these young blokes can't make the step up. I would love to see a reserve grade again where you can mix the young blokes with some seasoned players to gain a bit of experience.

Some U20s games actually out-rate A-League, Super 15 and AFL matches. LOL! But the merits are debatable.

* I think they will try and shore up NSW and QLD Cup and Regional footy first.
* Ensure all current NRL teams are as strong as can be - or cull ones who aren't and fix others.
* Perhaps then look at Reserve / U23-20's.
* There is also a lot of players 80-100 in UK - debatable on level of talent, but you could make a first grade team out of it that I still reckon would beat 1/2 your current NRL teams.
* Central QLD and Perth (who have been doing this since 2007), and Central Coast Bears, all have junior grades and are building up the kids - which apparently, if you believe CQ and Perth, the NRL told them to concentrate on (which makes it even more interesting they might say expansion is off the agenda for now...hmmm...) [[ We won't argue that here, but fair few RL supporters in Perth are miffed to say the least because TV, sponsors and WA govt may or may not have been led on by NRL]].

For mine, why not take a Test to Perth? NZ and Australia would be good? Or the next Four Nations?

Hell, I think soon you will see SoO matches coming out of other cities each and every year. If a city is willing to pay $$$$ to host it, I for one [I don't go to SoO, I love it on TV] don't mind if they play it somewhere else and get good coin to put in the coffers.

I lean to Perth also, because it's an expansion market, the Reds were once there and didn't fail [technically, they became Melbourne Storm] and this time the costs wouldn't be absorbed by the Pirates like they had to back in 1995-1997. The word is out there, they have a decent WA comp, the media and govt are onside, NIB Stadium is being re-developed in to a nice ground. It brings new sponsors to the game, fan, money [read: mining money] in to the game. PLUS - if they played on Friday night, it could be the 2nd game and actually be LIVE. OR live Sunday Night Footy!!! Ch 9 would love it...and remember they just got taken over by banks who are going to maximise every cent out of their assets now - hence THURSDAY night footy. Think about it...why 1 live and 1 delayed, when you can have 2 live, on 2 different nights and get all that revenue.

I also think Brisbane needs a 2nd team.

I would also spend more $$$ on ensuring Cowboys, Warriors, Storm and Raiders became as attractive as possible. No offence to clubs who buy up all Canberra's talent, but far out they would have a sweet team if they kept all those players down there.

And I'd rather the ARLC be choosy, take their time, and patiently grow a region. Would rather another Broncos success story than a Crushers disaster.

Repeated post

ch0pzta said:

I agree fully, i've been following their Facebook page for a while and they are very active, even unveiled a new jersey today.

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Can you please put a link on here as I can't seem round find the page thanks

Brett. said:

Bit off topic but.....I would like to know where the player talent would come from if there ever is expansion ? Frankly, the Under 20's is a bit of a joke in my opinion as a lot of these young blokes can't make the step up. I would love to see a reserve grade again where you can mix the young blokes with some seasoned players to gain a bit of experience.

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The under 20's matches are great attacking spectacles but do leave a bit to be desired in defence. I can't really comment on the quality of the NSW Cup but the QLD Cup is of a very high standard with several QCup players just having been picked up by NRL clubs for 2013. Until the season just gone several NSW based NRL sides had a QLD cup feeder club and were using those matches to toughen up the younger players but the NSWRL has then made a rule that if a club wants to play in the Jersey Flegg or SG Ball rep sides then they have to be a feeder for a NSW Cup side. I think this effectively forced alot of Sydney based clubs to cut ties with their QLD feeders.

For mine, I'd love to see the winner of the NSW and QLD cup play a Super Bowl Final prior to the NRL Grand Final each year.

I'd also like to see a knockout cup for teams 9-16 in the NRL over the course of the finals.

Example.
Week 1
9 gets to pick their opponent from 13-16
Then 10 from 3, 11 from 2 and 12 plays the remaining team.

4 go in week 1.
2 go in week 2.
Cup Final (week before NRL)

Keeps teams playing, fans interested and gives a 'big match' on the 3rd week of the finals on the Sunday.

Just a thought.

I don't mind the NSW cup v Q cup winners but I think a knockout comp got teams 9-16 will take huge emphasis away from the finals and it would be less of an achievement to make the top 8

Being on the Central Coast and being involved in Junior football here I would love to have a local team and know it would be successful which obviously should be the heaviest weighted criterea in any expansion decision not necessarily romantic ideas like PNG. The CC has all the right infrastructure; masses of Juniors, a purpose built ground, solid crowds etc etc.

That being said I am a realist and for the development of the game long term I think expansion should firstly be into WA then a 2nd NZ team and the probably another Brisbane team to knock that unfair monopoly on the head. I don't know how to kill off any Sydney teams but 1 or 2 less in Sydney would in the long term also bring major benefits. Maybe the Rooster could even attract a crowd if there was less Sydney teams.....expanding on that smart arse comment perhaps given their lack of juniors and supporters they should be the first to go.... just thinking out loud don't go ballistic.

Also bring back reggies, I would love to get more value out of my season tickets by watching the bulk of my clubs 2nd tier playing before 1st grade and or Play NYC games mid week on a Wednesday and as a curtain raiser to that have a mid week knockout comp like the old AMCO cup for the NSW / QLD cup sides and include the CRL's better teams in it and use it for experimental rules.

Too much footy is not enough.

Ross

hobo said:

Being on the Central Coast and being involved in Junior football here I would love to have a local team and know it would be successful which obviously should be the heaviest weighted criterea in any expansion decision not necessarily romantic ideas like PNG. The CC has all the right infrastructure; masses of Juniors, a purpose built ground, solid crowds etc etc.

That being said I am a realist and for the development of the game long term I think expansion should firstly be into WA then a 2nd NZ team and the probably another Brisbane team to knock that unfair monopoly on the head. I don't know how to kill off any Sydney teams but 1 or 2 less in Sydney would in the long term also bring major benefits. Maybe the Rooster could even attract a crowd if there was less Sydney teams.....expanding on that smart arse comment perhaps given their lack of juniors and supporters they should be the first to go.... just thinking out loud don't go ballistic.

Also bring back reggies, I would love to get more value out of my season tickets by watching the bulk of my clubs 2nd tier playing before 1st grade and or Play NYC games mid week on a Wednesday and as a curtain raiser to that have a mid week knockout comp like the old AMCO cup for the NSW / QLD cup sides and include the CRL's better teams in it and use it for experimental rules.

Too much footy is not enough.

Ross

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Some excellent points Ross.

Ideally a Sydney based team relocating to the Central Coast would be great but who would it be? I don't want to nominate any teams but from everything I have read about junior devlopment and supporters base the Roosters seem to be the logical choice.

PNG definately have to be re-admitted into the QCup, I don't think they would cut it in the NRL just yet but having them playing weekly in strong second tier competition would do wonders for their national side. I think PNG is the only country to have Rugby League as their national sport!

If we want to keep calling the NRL by that name then WA have to be next. Maybe something like in the EPL where our second tier competiton has team vying for an NRL spot so the winning team or top two can get promoted and the bottom two from the NRL can get relegated.

I would also love to see regby league sevens make a comeback pre-season. For any of these ideas to owrk however all of the various Rugby League bodies need to band together more. I don't think that the NRL should have full control over say the CRL, QRL etc but maybe just a little more cohesion between these bodies will keep our great game going in the right direction!

Would love to see reserves back as well as q cup v's nsw cup, but as far as finals series between 9-16, these guys need a break. Clubs/players are already struggling with the length of the season and the teams at the bottom would be feeling it most. These clubs would be better off putting an end to a poor season and concentrating on getting themselves together for next season.

Get another team from the Central Coast or QLD where there are already solid development programs and players coming up through clubs from junior to senior level. Otherwise what you get is a team like Melbourne who in addition to abhorrent cheating also have all their feeder clubs in QLD and breed no local talent because frankly people in Melbourne don't give a shit about league.

Actually, from 2014, the Albury Thunder will play in the NSW Cup and direct Riverina talent, via affiliation, to the Melbourne Storm.

That follows the Wyong Roos joining the NSW Cup for 2013. Having a Central Coast team in that is great IMO. Wyong was always the big club back in the 80's & 90's in the CC Comp, then moved in to Newcastle Comp.

Building their identity and growing, like maybe a Redcliffe Dolphins in Brissy...why do we need whole new identities? These clubs should be encouraged to get bigger then slot in ti NRL.

From 2014 they will get a little of their talent from closer to home...so what. My point is we should be expanding with clubs who are already established in state based competitions and have programs in place to breed local talent while also supporting the game of rugby league, not teams just manufactured out of the air to try and expand the game in places where no one gives a shit about it. By all means consider ways to introduce the game into new areas and expand, but it needs to start at a more grassroots level. I think clubs or areas which have been established for years and have strong local histories should be first in line.

Melbourne was about TV, specifically pay TV.

For a team that has been manufactured, around since 1998, they won 4 comps and played 6 Grand Finals. They're fanbase is actually growing AND the Melbourne TV numbers were huge for 2012 GF. It's been a slow graft but they're coming along. They also have a beautiful stadium down there now.

I don't condone the cheating though. My point on that is, if it cost $X to have a team like that, the NRL should have realised that ALL clubs needed to have higher caps to encourage the talent. I'm not trying to be facile and sure people will say no matter how high the cap, people will cheat. Fair enough.

However, would rather watch a Storm team circa 2006-2010 than a Souths team circa 2002-2006, which appears to be Paramatta now.

I also feel for a team like Canberra and to a lesser extent Illawarra-St George, who grow a lot of talent and see it lost to Sydney teams.



OFF TOPIC : Why is that no name forwards can go to Storm, play amazing and if they move on to other clubs, do SFA?
Examples : Antonio Kaufusi, Ben Cross, Brett White, Adam Blair... Jaiman Lowe was never a world beater, now retires as a GF winning Prop. LOL!

These dopes at the NRL can't even find a CEO after six months.

Unfortunately this thread assumes the guys running the game are competent.

ooneil said:

These dopes at the NRL can't even find a CEO after six months.

Unfortunately this thread assumes the guys running the game are competent.

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John Grant seems to run the show. Why not hire a day to day chief, and let Grant take the reins.