Who will be the next Sydney clubs to merge ?

[mearsey]

Heard talk on Talkin Sport that Parra - Penrith might be the next Sydney clubs to form a " super club " with the AFL Greater Western Sydney team coming in , your thoughts ..

 

[neovo89]

To be honest who cares won't be use!

 

[morgandogs]

parra penrith unlikley i would think but i could see parra rebranding as parra wenty eels and epnrtih windsor panthers. i dont think more clubs will merge more likely to add on small clubs to names or fold with penrith and sharks most likely to fold.

 

[bert]

Heard talk on Talkin Sport that Parra - Penrith might be the next Sydney clubs to form a " super club " with the AFL Greater Western Sydney team coming in , your thoughts ..

A lot will depend on the next broadcast rights deal. The amount of the handout to clubs should increase thus avoiding the need to merge for financial benefit

 

[mearsey]

With the 2 clubs that have merged now won premierships and NRL looking to expand thought would make good light discussion . Plus the new poker machine laws coming in might put added strain on Sydney clubs . I am in no way endorsing that the dogs merge . But the junior catchment would stretch from west of Homebush to Broken Hill , Penrith have several leagues clubs and Parras board a joke , or would it be a mess like the Northern Eagles

 

[ouwet]

parra penrith unlikley i would think but i could see parra rebranding as parra wenty eels and epnrtih windsor panthers. i dont think more clubs will merge more likely to add on small clubs to names or fold with penrith and sharks most likely to fold.

The NRL will never allow Penrith to fold! It's to important of an area for RL (Juniors and now with the AFL team).

Sharks can easily be eaten up by St George Illawarra (Junior areas) and relocation for them will be good!
Ideal situation for the NRL IMO would be:

Current 16 teams (Except for Sharks being in Adelaide)
2nd Brisbane Or Central QLD team
Perth Reds

18 Teams... This will take the game nationally!

Central Coast IMO is a waste for a team! They got Newcaslte 45 minutes up the road and all the Sydney teams starting from 1 hour down the road.

Let's be honest... AFL isn't going to have a team on the CC... Union tried it and it failed! Mariners made the GF this year and averaged 7,700!

 

[CBDog]

Its no use throwing good money after bad.....no amount of money to the Sharks will fix their problem long term.

They should merge with StGeorge.......release Illawarra from their pain with StMerge and reform their own competition, FG side again, South Coast Steelers or whatever. Just a thought, could they be successful.?
A lot has changed since their merge and maybe they could make a fist of it. They could make up the even number with the other side being considered coming into the comp.

 

[MAD DOG]

St George Illawarra to MERGE with Wests Tigers !!!!!!

 

[Mr Invisible]

Actually a decent idea CBDog.
+ Cronulla and Illawarra merge and become South Coast Steelers.
+ North Sydney Bears merge with C/Coast Bears & Centurions and become North (Central) Coast Bears.
+ Wests Tigers needs to change to South Western Tigers. No use being around Leichardt area.
+ South Sydney clash areas with Roosters and should change to Sydney City Rabbitohs.
Problem is that St George is still almost coming into Roosters/Bulldogs/Souths territory.

 

[mearsey]

The NRL will never allow Penrith to fold! It's to important of an area for RL (Juniors and now with the AFL team).

Sharks can easily be eaten up by St George Illawarra (Junior areas) and relocation for them will be good!
Ideal situation for the NRL IMO would be:

Current 16 teams (Except for Sharks being in Adelaide)
2nd Brisbane Or Central QLD team
Perth Reds

18 Teams... This will take the game nationally!

Central Coast IMO is a waste for a team! They got Newcaslte 45 minutes up the road and all the Sydney teams starting from 1 hour down the road.

Let's be honest... AFL isn't going to have a team on the CC... Union tried it and it failed! Mariners made the GF this year and averaged 7,700!

Interesting . I dont really want to go down the road of bringing in Perth and Adelaide again , pain in the ass with time zones , travel etc , I know Melbourne has worked but the entire Storm crowd are either nsw / qld expats or pommie / kiwi expats . I'd rather the clubs be based on the eastern seaboard . Now say Parra / Penrith were to merge we are back to 15 teams , give another 2 licences to central qld and second bris team then we are back to 17 and then central coast nsw or whoever else to fight out for 18th licence . I think cc are a good option , have that great stadium and lots of junior talent

 

[Bakes]

As long as we never merge I dont care

 

[Captain Kickass]

parra penrith unlikley i would think but i could see parra rebranding as parra wenty eels and epnrtih windsor panthers. i dont think more clubs will merge more likely to add on small clubs to names or fold with penrith and sharks most likely to fold.

I like this .... Big question = Who gets Blacktown ???

{re: Cronulla) ...... They should merge with StGeorge.......release Illawarra from their pain with StMerge and reform their own competition, FG side again, South Coast Steelers or whatever. Just a thought, could they be successful.?

I like it !

+ Cronulla and Illawarra merge and become South Coast Steelers.
+ North Sydney Bears merge with C/Coast Bears & Centurions and become North (Central) Coast Bears.
+ Wests Tigers needs to change to South Western Tigers. No use being around Leichardt area.

Like all those too ....

Parra / Wenty Eels = I like it. Do it !

Penrith Windsor Panthers = I like it. Do that too !! Area base = 500,000+

St George/Sutherland Dragons = That could work and very likely to happen IMO. Area base = 400,000+

Cronulla/Illawarra as South Coast = That might work too ! I'd prefer to see Illawarra and their 400,000+ base go it alone.

South West Tigers = Rebrand it Macarthur Magpies. the region is booming with housing (Oran park, Gregory Hills, Ingleburn Gardens, etc). Area base = 280,000+ and growing. Balmain Tigers can go it alone much like St George if Illawarra are set free.

Central Coast Bears = A Must for mine ! - Penrith, Manly and them will battle for Hornsby area. Area base = 350,000+

 

[PantherPower83]

I dont understand how Parra-Wenty Eels and Penrith-Windsor Panthers would make any difference to the structure today?!? You still have two Sydney teams there. Pointless suggestion. Parra covers the Wentworhville area anyway and Penrith cover the Windsor area, and then some. Finally, Wentworthville Magpies and Windsor Wolves arent NRL Teams, so is irrelevant in this consolidation/merge discussion.

If anything Cronulla would move up to the Central Coast - leaving the southern region to St George-Illawarra.

This would never happen - but the Rabbitohs and the Roosters - two Sydney City teams don't make sense. Plus, it'll turn two teams that I hate to just one which I can hate. I consider Redfern still part of the city.

 

[Captain Kickass]

I dont understand how Parra-Wenty Eels and Penrith-Windsor Panthers would make any difference to the structure today?!? You still have two Sydney teams there. Pointless suggestion.

At the end of the day it's as much about marketing as it is functional.

Branding. Alignment. - Those kind of concepts.
In the fight for AFL/NRL market saturation, branding those areas to encompass the neighbouring areas strengthens tribalism against GWS.

The benefits wont be seen for 5 or more years, but if you can capture the imagination of several thousand residents (and most importantly their sport playing kids) by including a generic locality in the name, the $$$ you get in return (bums on seats / merchandise) is worth it in the long run.

 

[PantherPower83]

At the end of the day it's as much about marketing as it is functional.

Branding. Alignment. - Those kind of concepts.
In the fight for AFL/NRL market saturation, branding those areas to encompass the neighbouring areas strengthens tribalism against GWS.

The benefits wont be seen for 5 or more years, but if you can capture the imagination of several thousand residents (and most importantly their sport playing kids) by including a generic locality in the name, the $$$ you get in return (bums on seats / merchandise) is worth it in the long run.

I agree with your point but disagree with the suggestion.

100% spot on that it's about marketing, branding, alignment and the need to build on the identity in the west. A three pronged attack from these clubs, IMO is much better than just one superclub.

I disagree with the fact that there should be merges or joint ventures to achieve this.

These clubs have the responsibility and should have the accountability to ensure there is effective Marketing in their respective territories. Key to this is memberships and attendance to games.

For example, in regards to Penrith, I know that we have achieved an NRL first in terms of new supporters being 53% female. This is the first ever any club has grown female support so significantly. Other clubs in the league are around 70/30 percent male to female ratio - the Pink Program is pivotal in these results. Also, bear in mind, Penrith's membership drive is only two years in the making against other clubs who are much longer.

At the end of the day, merging the clubs as suggested won't solve the issue - if anything, it just puts all the eggs in one basket which brings risk.

 

[CBDog]

The AFL has got into the Blactown area.
We all know how fast the NW corridoor is growing. It can't be simply known as the Richmond/Windsor region. It is exploding and the AFL knows it. Thery are trying to exploit
this population explosion to their advantage, ie not only throwing ridiculous money at Falou and like but at the grassroots, our kids, the schools.
We have to go $ for $ with them to survive. It would be sickening to find AFL goalposts in playing areas once thought as RL strongholds.

The area, if properly supervised by the Junior development does not need to merge, it is a massive area.
With the Parramatta and Penrith juniors something has to be done as not to lose our identity.

 

[Mr Invisible]

North West Sydney doesn't have any football teams.

 

[CBDog]

North West Sydney doesn't have any football teams.

If it dosen't, why not. There is plenty of young kids, new schools cropping up. They have to play some sport in winter, why not RL? Is that the fault of the so called RL Junior Development.
A lot of young familys with kids who will later be either playing one of the codes. With proper administration and promotion it should be us.

 

[OTTO]

Hell will freeze other before Roosters & Souths do anything together

 

[Mr Invisible]

Absolutely .. There are a few high schools around the area that have league sides already (in the lower grades that is).