Expansion versus relocation: Why it’s time for NRL to seriously consider moving some of the nine Sydney-based clubs

[Alan79]

Who writes this shit. For a start teams have spent up to a century developing their infrastructure and a somewhat local fan base. So the idea of relocating a few hundred KMs away is going to mean they'd need another large sum of money for stadiums, training facilities and a headquarters for their office staff. Next the players that chose to play for them are going to require either new residences and to face the idea of suddenly having to relocate hundreds of kilometres from their families, uproot their kids education etc. All in the hopes that it'll suddenly start making the junior systems better where they're currently amateurish.

In the meantime I think that lifelong supporters who live within range are going to be pissed off enough that many are going to fall back to token support. Relocating teams is a really bullshit idea. I can only imagine this idea is being dreamed U to benefit a team with zero nursery in Sydney as they'd suddenly have access to more juniors rather than having to go interstate to recruit youngsters.

If we want to develop more talent the NRL needs to invest in these areas long before thinking about getting cubs established there. Maybe have 6-8 regional teams that they invest heavily into coaching and developing talent. If there's a draft of any sort it should be reliant on the teams that are in currently neglected states. Have two games where the players get exposure and access to elite coaching. Then at the end of each season give NRL clubs a chance to sign them if the players are willing to relocate. In 5-10 years if that's producing NRL level players, then introduce an NRL team. Fuck having magic round in Brisbane every year. Move it to a neglected area and allow support to grow.

 

[TwinTurbo]

There is more than enough evidence to suggest that mergers don't work. Manly/Norths lasted, what, a week, StGeorge/Illawarra is a basket case and somehow West/Tigers is even worse. There is too much history, 100 + years in many cases, that can't be ignored. Plus there are 2 revenue streams which means that there is a constant ongoing battle over which of the 2 entities gets the most say. It's a political minefield.

The NRL would have no balls (or the money) for the legal confrontation if they tried to exclude one of the existing teams. They lost the Souths fight and trying it on with us, for example, would be even more of a disaster, we have more than enough funds to fight them in every court in the land.

There are only 3 proposals that work, the Bears being the pathways club and a new team somewhere else, maybe WA since there is a lot of League support there. SA is not even worthwhile considering, too small, no money and no League support.

The other is PNG, the Australian Government will pay for that, to keep China out of PNG and after all League is their National Sport.

Lastly the Pacific Islands, duplicate the Union's Moana Pacifica combination. Much like PNG, it's a keep China out funding proposition.


Always a Bulldog

 

[Kempsey Dog]

Why do they focus on teams performing poorly on-field when it comes to relocation?

It makes no sense. A club can be playing shit, but still be able to stand on its own two feet financially.

Exactly. Souths were dog shit when they came back... Knights absolute trash recently also. Being a victim due to 'timing' would suck. West Tigers (not being self sufficient without magpies) and Sharks (drug scandal) should have been relocated or done with a long time.

 

[bricktamland]

8 premierships I doubt we’d be moved

 

[CroydonDog]

AFL seems to have had some success with relocation. I remember being in South Melbourne one year when Swans were doing well (it was finals time I think), and Swans banners flag etc were everywhere. Brisbane Lions (nee Bears) crowds rival the Gronkos.

If you do it right, relocation can work, but it really needs both the "old" and "new" to embrace it. Bears (or Jets) and, say, Perth might be just be able to do that.

 

[DaBulldog]

AFL seems to have had some success with relocation. I remember being in South Melbourne one year when Swans were doing well (it was finals time I think), and Swans banners flag etc were everywhere. Brisbane Lions (nee Bears) crowds rival the Gronkos.

If you do it right, relocation can work, but it really needs both the "old" and "new" to embrace it. Bears (or Jets) and, say, Perth might be just be able to do that.

I agree, I’ve been a fanatic of the bulldogs for 50 years. I moved across to Perth about 20 years ago. Based on what I’ve witnessed Perth are screaming out for a rugby league teams these days. All the games I’ve been to over here get decent crowds now. We can’t be too bad a place as Perth stadium held state of origin.

 

[CroydonDog]

I agree, I’ve been a fanatic of the bulldogs for 50 years. I moved across to Perth about 20 years ago. Based on what I’ve witnessed Perth are screaming out for a rugby league teams these days. All the games I’ve been to over here get decent crowds now. We can’t be too bad a place as Perth stadium held state of origin.

HBF Park looks like a decent stadium too, and in a good location.

 

[DaBulldog]

HBF Park looks like a decent stadium too, and in a good location.

Actually HBF Stadium got upgraded a few years ago for the Western Force in the rugby. Some games could be played there and if it’s a really big game they could try and get Perth Stadium. Even the Rugby Leagues 9s was held at the HBF stadium and they got decent crowds. A lot of kiwis go to the games and also the English. Also people that moved across for business would go. When Perth Stadium first got built there was a double header with Bulldogs, Storm, Warriors and Rabbitohs. The place was full and a lot of the crowd had jerseys so there was plenty of actual fans there. Hopefully Perth will get taken seriously this time, not just get used when they needed a big stadium during covid.

 

[Cappuccino]

Exactly. Souths were dog shit when they came back... Knights absolute trash recently also. Being a victim due to 'timing' would suck. West Tigers (not being self sufficient without magpies) and Sharks (drug scandal) should have been relocated or done with a long time.

Cronulla was a case for relocation for a good 15yrs plus.

 

[Flanagun]

Western Sydney only needs one club, tbh. Just merge us all. We could become the biggest glamour club in all of sport. Bugger than Man U.

 

[Dogmonster]

Bring Perth Bears in, then we get a later game Sunday night as well, Super Saturday and Super Sunday praise the lord.

 

[Kelpie03]

Amalgation has not been successfull, re. Balmain+ western Suburbs, St George+ Illawara, with the passion our fans have it would be total disaster.
I believe that Realocation would be an even bigger failure, for 2 reasons
AFL fans are AFL fans as much as they are fans of their own club.
With the NRL the fans are much more fanatical about their club and much less for the game.

 

[SexBomb]

Norths to Gosford finally for a Central Coast team.
Split Wests and Balmain.
Wests to Perth.
Balmain to PNG.
Split St George Illawarra.
St George and Cronulla together form a South Sydney team.'
Souths to 2nd NZ team.
Illawarra and Canberra form a South Coast team.

6 Syd based teams reduce numbers here.
New teams to establish strongholds on the eastern Seaboard and offer WA what was taken away from them in the Reds.
PNG is already partially funded.

Brisbane
Nth Qld cows
Gold Coast
Redcliffe

NZ Nth Isl
NZ Sth Isl (Souths)

PNG (Balmain)

WA (Wests Magpies)

Melbourne

Newcastle
Central Coast (Norths)
Southern shires (Illawarra/Canberra)

Penrith
Parra
US
Manly
Easts
Southern Sydney (St George/Cronulla)

One more team, a far greater spread of team bases, and kills the bye.

 

[Malla]

Expansion is needed.

If I hear another brain dead flog like Gallen or Joey saying it won't work I'm going to punch myself in the throat

 

[Chris Harding]

Honestly at the moment any town would close their blinds and curtains if we rolled into town.

Especially Coffs Harbour.

 

[Chris Harding]

Why do they focus on teams performing poorly on-field when it comes to relocation?

It makes no sense. A club can be playing shit, but still be able to stand on its own two feet financially.

Why would any city want a wooden spoon team?

 

[Chris Harding]

Expansion is needed.

If I hear another brain dead flog like Gallen or Joey saying it won't work I'm going to punch myself in the throat

It won't work. Expansion is killing the game.

 

[Chris Harding]

How about they fuck off one of 3 Mexican clubs to Perth....

1.Storm (nobody gives a fuck about NRL down in Mexico City.
2. Rorters with their 3 sombrero fans
3. Souffs....who wear the Mexican national team colours and take all the dole bludgers with them...

Easy to target us when we aren't a powerhouse like we were cause of shit ***** who brought the club to its knees. That will change soon, but in the meantime go get fucked and write a real story....

Dragons to St.Helens.

 

[Chris Harding]

NRL needs a radical shift to save the sport. Its just so boring. In this day and age you dont just need a good product on the field, but you need the spectacle off it.

1. Two Sydney teams need to be canned, and the comp needs to go back to 16 teams. You need to license a new club in Perth, and take the short term hit on it. There is a true appetite for sport there, I've seen it first hand and the silly argument people almost bring up is how it failed in the past, forgetting that the states population has almost doubled in that time. Tigers/Dragons would be the most vulnerable.


2. In my opinion it’s borderline idiotic that there isn’t an NRL draft. It would be the easiest way to bring more fans into the game. The excitement a draft generates is insane and the money that would follow would allow league to then increase the salary cap which would bring more players into the game. Obviously there would be a short term loss but in the long term the gains would be substantial.

You would have new talk shows anaylzing the draft picks, you'd have struggling sides having something to feel excited about, and you could create a proper connection between players and fans.

You could then reformat the NRL nines comp and that would be a way for the clubs to showcase their recently drafted players in a competition that would allow them to showcase their skill and generate excitement leading into the season.

If anything the NRL has the easiest path to a draft out of any sport in the world within its current format considering 65% of its teams reside within 1 hour of each other, and the whole comps is on the east coast, so you wouldn't require players relocating all that much.

I've been a fan of the draft for years. Don't know why we don't use it.

 

[Malla]

It won't work. Expansion is killing the game.

I trust you will now outline how and why expansion is killing the game