News 'A second team in Brisbane by 2023': V'landys confirms NRL expansion bombshell

[steeliz]

NRL news, NRL expansion in Brisbane, Peter V'landys (nine.com.au)


ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys has confirmed the league will move ahead with plans to add a 17th team to the competition in time for the 2023 season.

A decision on the new franchise, which will finally give Brisbane its second NRL team, could be made as early as June, according to V'landys who detailed the developments to the Sydney Morning Herald.

"It's very realistic to say that we'll have a second team in Brisbane in 2023," V'landys said.

"From what I've seen and the presentations that have been given to me, they are well advanced. If I said 2022 they'd be ready. They've been doing work for years. There's no reason why we can't be up and running in 2023.

"The one thing that I am impressed with is how advanced these bids are. They are not mucking around. They are serious. If we came to a decision in June this year, that would give them a year and a half. It's plenty of time. If it's going to happen, it's going to happen mid this year."


The bids vying for the NRL's new opening include the Brisbane Bombers, Brisbane Firehawks (Easts Tigers), Ipswich and Redcliffe Dolphins.


Last year, V'landys and NRL chief Andrew Abdo reportedly travelled to the United States where it is believed they received the blessing for expansion from News Corp co-chairman Lachlan Murdoch, who last year rubber-stamped Foxtel's pay television rights extension until 2027.

While the NRL is still yet to secure a free-to-air television deal beyond 2022, the code believes the addition of a new franchise will be of interest to Nine.

The new team will cost the NRL around $12 million as part of its distribution to all clubs.



Last year, V'landys revealed on Nine's 100% Footy that the league was only interested in expansion if it was in Brisbane.

V'landys said the game's intentions were to avoid "rusted AFL states" and focus on improving the NRL's stranglehold on the Queensland market.

"If there is a 17th team, it will be in Brisbane, no doubt about that," V'landys told Nine's 100% Footy.

"That's where the market is, that's where we are strong. No good spending a lot of money in rusted on AFL states in my view.

"You want to go to the states where you have the nurseries and have the population that loves the game.

 

[Heckler]

Lachlan Lewis Dylan Nappa will definitely be targets. Pay day for them for sure.

 

[KambahOne]

It's been touted before and never got off the ground. Will be interesting to see if this one does.

 

[B-Train]

Fuck V'Landys has a negative vision for the game. Why expand and get new fans? And they wonder why the AFL shits all over them.. There's this place called Perth. It's kind of big. It has a lot of people. It has a good stadium. It has a population made up of South Africans, Poms Kiwis and people from Sydney and Brisbane that support the NRL and have wanted a Rugby League team for a decade plus. They offers a whole new time slot and more marketing/sponsor opportunities.

But hey, lets have a "national" competition with 14 teams in two states and neglect the rest of the country and the one other state that actually is a viable option for a team and which would help the game grow..

I don't mind adding another Brisbane team but they need to add Perth as well and make it a 18 team comp or get rid of/relocate the useless Titans or Sharks once and for all.

 

[Alan79]

There's barely enough quality players in the comp as it is. Any expansion plans should come after the NRL invests in grass roots programs to help keep talent flowing into the game.

I don't really follow the AFL, but where they've opened up new markets, they've also invested in getting the game off the ground with kids and teenagers from the limited amount I've read. The NRL is somewhat short sighted and lazy in thinking that they're the chosen one and don't need to make inroads with youngsters.

So it's not surprising that they're not taking risks and looking at established areas. The days when league is the dominant sporting code might not last forever if the NRL doesn't alter their thought process.

 

[B-Train]

There's barely enough quality players in the comp as it is. Any expansion plans should come after the NRL invests in grass roots programs to help keep talent flowing into the game.

I don't really follow the AFL, but where they've opened up new markets, they've also invested in getting the game off the ground with kids and teenagers from the limited amount I've read. The NRL is somewhat short sighted and lazy in thinking that they're the chosen one and don't need to make inroads with youngsters.

So it's not surprising that they're not taking risks and looking at established areas. The days when league is the dominant sporting code might not last forever if the NRL doesn't alter their thought process.

That's where Perth is different though. They actually have decent junior league participation numbers. And the NRL has teased them for years with regular season and trial games there as well as Tests and Origin games which are always drawing huge crowds. They've been told they'd be getting a team eventually for ten plus years and now you have V'Landys completely ruling it out.

This is how you alienate and lose tonnes of fans and potential fans just like they did with Bears/Central Coast supporters and now that's more of an AFL/Soccer area than it ever was.

 

[TwinTurbo]

There's barely enough quality players in the comp as it is. Any expansion plans should come after the NRL invests in grass roots programs to help keep talent flowing into the game.

I don't really follow the AFL, but where they've opened up new markets, they've also invested in getting the game off the ground with kids and teenagers from the limited amount I've read. The NRL is somewhat short sighted and lazy in thinking that they're the chosen one and don't need to make inroads with youngsters.

So it's not surprising that they're not taking risks and looking at established areas. The days when league is the dominant sporting code might not last forever if the NRL doesn't alter their thought process.

Any comparison between the NRL and the AFL needs to include the huge number of differences. For example they have a player draft which they manipulate to support new teams into the competition by giving them guaranteed early picks. They also distribute the money unevenly to support teams that they believe need support, for example the Gold received $27m in 2019 whilst West Coast received only $11m. It will be interesting to see the 2020 distributions as the AFL were hopeless at getting past the Covid problems whilst the NRL found a way.

Go Dogs

 

[Alan79]

That's where Perth is different though. They actually have decent junior league participation numbers. And the NRL has teased them for years with regular season and trial games there as well as Tests and Origin games which are always drawing huge crowds. They've been told they'd be getting a team eventually for ten plus years and now you have V'Landys completely ruling it out.

This is how you alienate and lose tonnes of fans and potential fans just like they did with Bears/Central Coast supporters and now that's more of an AFL/Soccer area than it ever was.

Ideally the central coast, NZ and Perth would be good locations. The Titans aren't that strongly supported and I think a second Brisbane team might struggle to compete for supporters too.

 

[TwinTurbo]

Fuck V'Landys has a negative vision for the game. Why expand and get new fans? And they wonder why the AFL shits all over them.. There's this place called Perth. It's kind of big. It has a lot of people. It has a good stadium. It has a population made up of South Africans, Poms Kiwis and people from Sydney and Brisbane that support the NRL and have wanted a Rugby League team for a decade plus. They offers a whole new time slot and more marketing/sponsor opportunities.

But hey, lets have a "national" competition with 14 teams in two states and neglect the rest of the country and the one other state that actually is a viable option for a team and which would help the game grow..

I don't mind adding another Brisbane team but they need to add Perth as well and make it a 18 team comp or get rid of/relocate the useless Titans or Sharks once and for all.

A few things;
1. There are a lot of league supporters in Brisbane that don't support the Donkeys, that would support an alternative. There's 2.5m people in Brisbane metro, so more than enough to support 2 teams.
2. Perth has only the one rectangular stadium, which holds 20k (where the Glory play). There have been numerous proposals over decades for a larger rectangular stadium but they have never got off the round.
3. The axing of the Western Force Super Rugby in 2017 killed the most recent proposal. If they are allowed back into Super Rugby then it might be revived for the umpteenth time.
4. Flying time to Perth from Sydney is almost double that to Auckland. It effectively takes a day out of the recovery time for players which makes scheduling more difficult. Plus 6 hours in a plain is not good for recovery on its own.
AND
5. As a Bulldogs supporter, the most important, it removes the huge advantage the Donkeys have in so many areas being a one team one town. From sponsorship, advertising, TPA's, junior player recruitment etc etc.


Go Dogs

 

[B-Train]

A few things;
1. There are a lot of league supporters in Brisbane that don't support the Donkeys, that would support an alternative. There's 2.5m people in Brisbane metro, so more than enough to support 2 teams.
2. Perth has only the one rectangular stadium, which holds 20k (where the Glory play). There have been numerous proposals over decades for a larger rectangular stadium but they have never got off the round.
3. The axing of the Western Force Super Rugby in 2017 killed the most recent proposal. If they are allowed back into Super Rugby then it might be revived for the umpteenth time.
4. Flying time to Perth from Sydney is almost double that to Auckland. It effectively takes a day out of the recovery time for players which makes scheduling more difficult. Plus 6 hours in a plain is not good for recovery on its own.
AND
5. As a Bulldogs supporter, the most important, it removes the huge advantage the Donkeys have in so many areas being a one team one town. From sponsorship, advertising, TPA's, junior player recruitment etc etc.


Go Dogs

I'm not against a second Brisbane team and understand why they want one, I think just Perth is essential to the growth of the competition. The NRL need to be more expansive and progressive and not insist on returning the comp to essentially the NSWRL and QRL.. The Central Coast never gets mentioned but they deserve a team as much as another Brisbane team.

Ideally they add two teams and relocate one. Move the Titans to Brisbane and add Perth and the Central Coast Bears.

Or if they want 17, move the Titans to Brisbane and add Perth. The Titans offer no value to the competition. A second Brisbane team would only deplete their small fanbase further and kill the Titans within years anyway.

 

[bullanth]

Fuck V'Landys has a negative vision for the game. Why expand and get new fans? And they wonder why the AFL shits all over them.. There's this place called Perth. It's kind of big. It has a lot of people. It has a good stadium. It has a population made up of South Africans, Poms Kiwis and people from Sydney and Brisbane that support the NRL and have wanted a Rugby League team for a decade plus. They offers a whole new time slot and more marketing/sponsor opportunities.

But hey, lets have a "national" competition with 14 teams in two states and neglect the rest of the country and the one other state that actually is a viable option for a team and which would help the game grow..

I don't mind adding another Brisbane team but they need to add Perth as well and make it a 18 team comp or get rid of/relocate the useless Titans or Sharks once and for all.

A lot of what u say is true,and well taken,but remember a country of 25 million people,over 20 million of those are on the eastern seaboard ,which encompasses the areas u speak of,I would say that 90% of the nrl revenue is in that area,I agree grow the game,but they should be doing it through Canterbury cup,jersey flegg etc,to give them the opportunity.remember that according to mr vlandys numbers,45%of nrl player numbers,come from north of the border,and the tv broadcasters would love it,having a game every week in Brisbane.

 

[B-Train]

A lot of what u say is true,and well taken,but remember a country of 25 million people,over 20 million of those are on the eastern seaboard ,which encompasses the areas u speak of,I would say that 90% of the nrl revenue is in that area,I agree grow the game,but they should be doing it through Canterbury cup,jersey flegg etc,to give them the opportunity.remember that according to mr vlandys numbers,45%of nrl player numbers,come from north of the border,and the tv broadcasters would love it,having a game every week in Brisbane.

Yeah I get the need/attraction of a second Brisbane team. I just don't like hearing him rule out and not even entertain the notion of Perth getting a team in the near future.

 

[bullanth]

Yeah I get the need/attraction of a second Brisbane team. I just don't like hearing him rule out and not even entertain the notion of Perth getting a team in the near future.

Yes I understand your frustration,I lived in Claremont between 1989/91,they had a good junior set up there at the time,but the numbers today are not what they used to have,and absolutely no media coverage.

 

[Chris Harding]

There's barely enough quality players in the comp as it is. Any expansion plans should come after the NRL invests in grass roots programs to help keep talent flowing into the game.

I don't really follow the AFL, but where they've opened up new markets, they've also invested in getting the game off the ground with kids and teenagers from the limited amount I've read. The NRL is somewhat short sighted and lazy in thinking that they're the chosen one and don't need to make inroads with youngsters.

So it's not surprising that they're not taking risks and looking at established areas. The days when league is the dominant sporting code might not last forever if the NRL doesn't alter their thought process.

It will affect the local Brisbane comp - but on the bright side, it will weaken the Broncos vice like grip on talent.

 

[alchemist]

ideally, I would like to see expansion teams in Perth and 2nd teams in NZ and Brisbane with 2 conferences, a Sydney and regional conferences... but I don't think the playing talent is available at the moment to justify an expansion from 16 teams

I also think the clock is ticking for the Gold Coast... since 1988, there has been a concerted effort to establish a viable team there from Giants to Seagulls to Gladiators to Chargers and to the current Titans... no real on field success, no real supporter base, financially unstable, poor admin etc... if it continues as is, I think that team should relocate to Brisbane

any second Brisbane team should not have 'Bombers' as their logo... too synonymous with Essendon... the 'Firehawks' name sucks... plenty of good logos still available - hawks, falcons, bulls (if you don't mind doubling up with the Sheffield Shield team), kings (NBL is irrelevant IMO), pirates, dolphins (if the team is backed by Redcliffe), wolves, Giants, reds, vipers, Jaguars, jets, bears (if you want to steal North Sydney's thunder), Vikings etc.

 

[sgodllubsti]

the upgrade to redcliffe dolphins stadium will have to make them front runners for being the new team, big fan base, huge number of juniors through all grades, good location

 

[Cappuccino]

the upgrade to redcliffe dolphins stadium will have to make them front runners for being the new team, big fan base, huge number of juniors through all grades, good location

That seems the cheapest best option from the outside lookin in

 

[Kempsey Dog]

Excellent timing for us and our cap and how we will spend up next year. Shouldn't have to worry about too much poaching

 

[KambahOne]

Bennett already lining up players for his new gig - https://www.zerotackle.com/souths-star-offered-to-rival-club-nrl-news-98428/

South Sydney superstar Latrell Mitchell has reportedly turned down a $2.4 million contract extension with the Rabbitohs, prompting the fullback to be placed on offer to the Broncos.

According to News Corp, as many as 12 NRL clubs are showing interest in the 23-year-old, with Brisbane coach Kevin Walters already holding discussions with the Souths gun.

The Rabbitohs are understood to have offered a three-year deal to their star man, with Mitchell turning down the $800,000-per-year contract offer.

Mitchell is believed to be keen on a shorter deal, with the Bunnies remaining confident they can agree to a one or two year deal.


Just in time for the new franchise to be announced with Bennett announced as coach and Fatrell the marquee signing.

Why people think Bennett has any integrity is beyond me. The bloke has more faces than a 20 sided dice.

 

[bowleggedwog]

Expansion will only work once the NRL had a strong professional 2nd grade competition..Raise the salary cap for reserve grade. Stop players going to England, than build a better plaform for player development and pathways.