News The Brisbane Sharks? QRL boss wants Sydney club to move rather than add 17th team

steeliz

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link: NRL news: Expansion, Cronulla Sharks relocation, Brisbane, 17th team (foxsports.com.au)


Queensland Rugby League chairman Bruce Hatcher wants the NRL to consider relocating a Sydney club to Brisbane, rather than expand the competition by adding a 17th team.

His suggestion came on the same day the Australian Rugby League Commission had to postpone a meeting with the three franchises bidding to win the NRL’s 17th licence.

The ARLC will instead focus its immediate energy on the current COVID crisis which on Monday saw all teams go back to strict bubble rules of last year.

The ARLC wants to expand the NRL by putting a third team in southern Queensland, which would share Suncorp Stadium as a home ground with the Broncos.

The idea is to get a game played at Suncorp Stadium every week, with the two teams alternating from round to round.

Hatcher told The Daily Telegraph he believes the talent pool in rugby league isn’t deep enough and the game’s finances would struggle to prop up another club.

He was asked which club he would relocate.

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“Do you want me to get my head lopped off further? I think I will bring Cronulla up here,” Hatcher told the newspaper..

“Look, honestly, it is none of my business (which team is relocated).

“I am just saying it is a business model that will work and they straddle two markets and they get to play games in Sydney and they play games up here.”

It’s a story that infuriated senior The Daily Telegraph journalist Phil Rothfield.

Rothfield - a staunch Sharks fan - slammed the idea his beloved club could be moved out of NSW.

“He needs a HIA (head injury assessment), Bruce Hatcher,” Rothfield said.

“The Sharks, who own a golf club, have $20 million in the bank, own their club, own their ground.”


NRL 360 host Paul Kent, though, can see the logic in Hatcher’s argument.

“If you were designing the NRL competition right now from scratch, you would not have Cronulla and St George where they are,” Kent said.

“I think it’s logical, from Bruce Hatcher’s point of view, to relocate Cronulla given they are totally surrounded geographically by St George Illawarra, and over time the (Dragons) would just assume that area.

“The one... St George is not a Sydney suburb like Cronulla is, and why not just move St George up to Brisbane, they can still be the Dragons, and then let Cronulla just assume that area.”

Rothfield also isn’t keen on that idea.

“I don’t want to move one single Sydney club,” he said.

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EzyB

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Just proves what a fucking tool Rothfield is. What would you move St. George when they have already been merged with Illawarra? Its like moving 2 teams.
He’s bias to his beloved sharks.
 
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CroydonDog

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Just proves what a fucking tool Rothfield is. What would you move St. George when they have already been merged with Illawarra? Its like moving 2 teams.
Financially, the Sharks are probably in a better position than the Drags TBH.
 

Cappuccino

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Just proves what a fucking tool Rothfield is. What would you move St. George when they have already been merged with Illawarra? Its like moving 2 teams.
What lol

Rothfield was against moving either club, or any Sydney club.

It was Kent who suggested moving Saints.

Rothfield also shot that down too

“I don’t want to move one single Sydney club,” he said.
 

MatstaDogg

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What lol

Rothfield was against moving either club, or any Sydney club.

It was Kent who suggested moving Saints.

Rothfield also shot that down too

“I don’t want to move one single Sydney club,” he said.
His point still stands that Frothfield is definitely a fucking tool, that bit can't be denied.
 

BELMORE

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Financially, the Sharks are probably in a better position than the Drags TBH.
Yeah back when frizell was at the dragons his wife told me the club had to have all their functions at the stadium because they couldn’t afford any venues lol
 

alchemist

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a 17th team makes no sense... an added team, added expense, 30 more FG standard players to be found etc. but no actual additional game and hence, no added revenue
 

TwinTurbo

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The sharks will run out of real estate land to sell soon
Then where will the money come from?
Poker machines, thousands of poker machines, more poker machines than you can poke a stick at.


Always a Bulldog
 

Malla

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Poker machines, thousands of poker machines, more poker machines than you can poke a stick at.


Always a Bulldog
Also they own their stadium dont they? Not sure what $$ that brings in tho, or if its worth it to own a stadium with operating and overhead costs involved. Probably cheaper to lease throughout the year.
 

Nasheed

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Poker machines, thousands of poker machines, more poker machines than you can poke a stick at.


Always a Bulldog
but you need azns and lebs there to get true dollar out of them and Aussies turfed them out back in 2005,
 

EB18

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Fuck the sharks relocate them. Better still kick them out of the comp. There supporters a bunch of racist dogs anyway.
 

Dogna88

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Sydney has to many teams. Surely 1 has to relocate or be merged. Its not about how rich the club is, its about spreading talent and the thinning out of members.

Cronulla is the obvious choice.

Geographically the dogs and bunnies are small. Possible merge with them or relocation. (Obviously dont want it to happen)

Manly would be another one. Split their territory with parra and easts.

Or fuck the tigers to qld and dogs take Canterbury to Campbelltown. Bunnies can have Leichardt
 

DaBulldog

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Also they own their stadium dont they? Not sure what $$ that brings in tho, or if its worth it to own a stadium with operating and overhead costs involved. Probably cheaper to lease throughout the year.
Yes their one of the only teams in the league that own the land and the stadium too.
 

Nasheed

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Sydney has to many teams. Surely 1 has to relocate or be merged. Its not about how rich the club is, its about spreading talent and the thinning out of members.

Cronulla is the obvious choice.

Geographically the dogs and bunnies are small. Possible merge with them or relocation. (Obviously dont want it to happen)

Manly would be another one. Split their territory with parra and easts.

Or fuck the tigers to qld and dogs take Canterbury to Campbelltown. Bunnies can have Leichardt
If it were up to me.
I’d merge Cronulla and dogs. Keep the colour scheme and neighbours.
Souths stand-alone but relocate to SWS so it’s true south Sydney
Tigers become inner west tigers
Easts get merged with manly as a Sydney coastal team or die off after Nick goes.

I’ll bring in central coast and Perth.
 
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