Bulldogs Consider Move

[Clintos]

Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg says the NRL club may consider relocating to the NSW central coast.

At least some teams are seriously considering their future. Relocation might be just what the Bulldogs need to get rid of all the crap surrounding their team atm.

http://www.skynews.com.au/sport/article.aspx?id=255715

 

[Steve]

Interesting when you consider of all the Sydney based clubs the Dogs are probably one of the healthiest.

 

[MR-BRONCOS]

i think its stupid, the central coast should have their own team up there, with a new team, new coach, team name picked by the fans up their like they did with the gold coast

 

[spoonbled]

yes i agree, if they market it right that could draw like the titans have.

Central Coast Cougars has a ring to it, but too close for panther fans.

 

[Coxy]

That's fine. And what do you do with the other clubs? We can't afford 16, let alone 17.

 

[MR-BRONCOS]

y not the central coast bears or join up with the soccer A league team and have central coast mariners their would be big support base for it

 

[Coxy]

Again, I repeat, the problem is we have 9 teams in Sydney and surrounds. Setting up another in Central Coast simply makes it 10.

Can't work.

If you setup a whole new club, then one club has to die. That's why it'd be better to relocate. And if Central Coast won't accept that, then they can go jump.

 

[mick]

Interesting when you consider of all the Sydney based clubs the Dogs are probably one of the healthiest.

Hmmm yes and no. They have as many worries as a few other clubs... but a strong brand which really could grow in a decent way if they were allowed a semi-fresh start in Gosford.

 

[Black Philip]

At this point in time we can't bring new teams in, the talent pool isn't big enough and there isn't enough money. The bulldogs relocating would be a step in the right direction for League, and it needs to happen sooner rather than later.

 

[MR-BRONCOS]

if doggies relocate they will loose alot of fan base from sydney,

maybe what the nrl should do dont know if it would work but y not follow the A league structure

 

[mal]

I think the boat has sailed for any move for the Bulldogs, if they had been struggling last few years their 09 recruits would be the perfect launching platform for a move to Central Coast.

The fans would actually turn up to watch players like Kimmorley, Ennis, Hannant etc.

 

[Coxy]

Their biggest problem is geographical location. High crime rate, lots of social problems, corporates not wanting to touch them, wedged in amongst a cluster of teams (St George, Cronulla, Wests Tigers)

Ideal candidates to move.

I think the biggest area of concern is the Cronulla-St George bit. Two pretty small areas, and the Dragons also control Wollongong, so Cronulla's this isolated little pocket in the middle. They're financially strapped, they have no great leagues club income and haven't got a hugely successful brand or history (only 1 first grade trophy in 41 years - the JJ Giltinan Shield for minor premiers in 1999).

Seems a no brainer to me to exclude them sometime soon.

 

[spoonbled]

That's fine. And what do you do with the other clubs? We can't afford 16, let alone 17.

Like fitzsimmons said on the footy show we need to let some of these teams that dont have any money to just die off, be forced to merge for survival or go back to nsw cup like newtown did.

 

[lynx000]

I think it would be a move in the right direction for the Bulldogs to relocate to the Central Coast imo. That area is crying out for a team to support fulltime. I agree that it might result in a loss of fan base around the western suburbs, but wouldn't this be more than off-set by the new fan base to be developed in the Central Coast. The sooner we start to reduce the number of teams in Sydney and decentralise the competition the better. The Central Queensland Sharks anyone?

 

[forward_pass]

Sunshine Coast Sharks sounds better to me, stadium about the same size as Skilled and voila. Dogs go to the Central Coast, and Rabbits killed off (die, hmm rabbit stew) + at least one merger... Qld fans get at least 12 more QLD games, Brisbane fans now get an option of 1 or 2 games within around an hours drive/train/bus every weekend, potential 6+ local derbies within the SEQ area being played out (Broncos, Titans, Cows and Sharks)

I'd also like to ask, if the salary cap was removed, would Souths die - I think not, Crowe could potentially dump $XX mil+ into it of his own money - whats he earn per movie? Say 5mil per movie, does 3 each year, 10mil back into Souths + sponsorship etc. Just guessing here..

 

[Coxy]

I don't know, I'd rather see South Sydney move somewhere and remain an entity than Cronulla. The Sharks have no real history or fan base, Souths for all their problems do have tradition on their side.

Plus they have significant numbers of supporters in most regions of QLD/NSW.

 

[Hamm.0]

w0w. Out of all the Sydney clubs, this wasn't the first I would have picked to be talking the merger/ relocation question.

The Dogs are in a really good position and have much more to gain, then they do to lose, if they do this now;
-They pwn Bankstown and IMO, if they still go back there for a few home games a year and still promo the area, they will retain 90% of their fan base there.
-They move to CC and get the grant and there own home ground.
-They get a whole new influx of CC supporters.
-They sit back safe and sound with the knowledge that because they jumped before they were pushed, there will be no Bulldog merger....unlike other Sydney clubs that have that cloud constantly hovering.
- A new chapter, chance for the club as a whle to turn a new leaf and start rebuilding into the proud club they once were.


This would be a very good club-preservation move for them to make.

 

[Coxy]

Exactly Hammo! What CC doesn't need is a failing club to move there. They need a thriving one. The Bulldogs are currently strong, but they will not be in 10 years time based out of Bankstown.

They have good following throughout the region, which will also help them.

I wouldn't be playing any games at Belmore though, nor would I be training there, have club offices there. I'd setup fresh in CC. Leave Bulldogs leagues club there in Sydney, as a local base for "away" games there, but build your own presence in the CC so the locals can embrace them.