NEWS Clickbait: NRL set to launch second Brisbane team for season 2023

[The Strapper]

Personally, I think the inclusion of Brisbane first, then an additional expansion side following that, makes the most sense. This is all about driving new revenue for the game and you only really do that by creating more content through playing an extra game every week, so 17 teams would need to become 18 pretty quickly to make it worthwhile.

If the NRL wanted to go live as quickly and easily as possible with minimal investment or delay, Redcliffe are probably the best placed to make the step up. They have a very profitable Leagues club, great facilities and they also have a stadium which can be easily and relatively inexpensively expanded to host NRL games, with only their biggest drawing matches probably needing to be moved to Lang Park (Broncos, Cowboys, Titans etc).

If the NRL is prepared to play more of the long game, then Ipswich/Western Corridor might take longer and require greater up front expenses, but in the long run the demographic data is pretty clear that this is where the population will be, and the chance for long term success and financial viability is probably the strongest. There is a caveat though:

They need a purpose built stadium and facilities in the area. No playing games at Lang Park on a permanent basis. The team needs to play in the area it belongs to and embrace that identity. Lang Park is fine for a season or two if they need time to construct a ground and it's also fine for big demand games like v Broncos/Titans/Cowboys etc, but there should be no plans for an Ipswich/Western Corridor team without corresponding and plans for an Ipswich/Western Corridor Stadium.

I think the worst option was the generic 'Brisbane 2' bid, which frankly seems to be both the most expensive and also least likely to succeed option out of everything on the table at the moment. Without a clear identity I think honestly the Broncos might well eat them alive and it'll be the Crushers all over again. It's much harder to do that to a storied club like Redcliffe with a clear identity or a club like Ipswich/Western Corridor with a clear sense of community to differentiate it.

Finally, Perth is the obvious candidate after one of the Brisbane bids is included. The NRL needs to make this investment now while there is an opportunity to capitalise on the demise of the Western Force and the ever growing decline in popularity of the A-League. The logistics can be easily resolved, and the club can pay for itself overnight with additional TV revenue bought into the game that the NRL can use to bank roll it until it establishes enough corporate support. The TV opportunities are huge to broadcast onto the East Coast, and the crowds will be able to enjoy day time football which should help boost numbers, with a night time broadcast into Brisbane & Sydney. I have heard a host of reasons about why it can't work, but honestly, given the NRL made it work in Melbourne, easily a more hostile market, I think ignoring Perth is honestly a failing of ambition in the people who run the game.

This post makes far too much sense for the nitwits in the nrl to consider it.

 

[Huge]

Super League should have won. If they really wanted to put the N in NRL, they need to make some hard decisions and expect some short term pain, which they won’t because it means less money initially and some unhappy fans. But this should be done:

1. Brisbane
2. Ipswich or Redcliffe
3. North Queensland
4. Gold Coast
5. Melbourne
6. Adelaide
7. Perth
8. Coff’s Harbour
9. Newcastle
10. Central Coast
11. Canberra
12. Penrith
13. Sydney City 1 - Souths?
14. Sydney City 2 - Parramatta?
15. St George
16. Auckland
17. PNG
18. Pacific - Fiji based?

It’ll never happen but it should. Cut the rubbish from Sydney and make it zone targeted. Market the heck out of it by sacking all current league journalists except Chris Garry and actually go fully professional with it.

Sooooooo this! I thought Superleague was inspired thinking at the time. On the other hand rugby league is still healthy. I've always wondered if Superleague had happened what things would be like now. I dreamed Ipswich would be in the second tier, in it's own group of ten teams, thriving in it's own right. Even the way rugby league is now I still can't wait for a season to kick off. Our next premiership is going to be truly cherished as I believe I've been spoiled since that day in Sydney when I saw our first trophy hoisted aloft by the only gorilla strong enough to do it, one armed.

 

[Kooly87]

The problem with the Super League war is that no one really won, and now we're stuck in this limbo that's been going on for nearly 25 years.

25 years on, the strong Sydney clubs have taken some scrapes along the way, but by and large, they're still here and still feel just as entitled to a divine right to a place in the competition in perpetuity regardless of how well run or managed they are.

On the other side of the fence, we have the out of Sydney and expansion clubs who have varying levels of success and are restricted by the salary cap and unable to spend any of the money they can generate from operating in new markets on buying players to play there for them, and the ones who struggle always seem to be the first on the chopping block in every conversation about the games future.

Worst of all, we abandoned our expansion efforts at the first sign of trouble, just so more Sydney clubs could hang around, only for them to go belly up down the track anyway. What hurts worse about that is that Melbourne have made things work in the most hostile Rugby League market imaginable, which makes you wonder what we could have achieved if we'd persisted with the likes of Perth or Adelaide, or not sat the Gold Coast on the sidelines for nearly 20 years.

We're either a national competition or we're not. If a small club in Brookvale or Leichardt that draws a handful of fans cannot compete with the entire city of Brisbane or Canberra financially, then that really is natural selection taking it's course and ultimately it will lead to a stronger and more financially viable competition, but until we decide one way or another if we're going to be a genuinely national or just an aged care facility for the Sydney club's that people stopped watching decades ago, we're stuck in this ongoing limbo where neither side gets what they want or need and so the game remains stagnant.

 

[Huge]

The problem with the Super League war is that no one really won, and now we're stuck in this limbo that's been going on for nearly 25 years.

25 years on, the strong Sydney clubs have taken some scrapes along the way, but by and large, they're still here and still feel just as entitled to a divine right to a place in the competition in perpetuity regardless of how well run or managed they are.

On the other side of the fence, we have the out of Sydney and expansion clubs who have varying levels of success and are restricted by the salary cap and unable to spend any of the money they can generate from operating in new markets on buying players to play there for them, and the ones who struggle always seem to be the first on the chopping block in every conversation about the games future.

Worst of all, we abandoned our expansion efforts at the first sign of trouble, just so more Sydney clubs could hang around, only for them to go belly up down the track anyway. What hurts worse about that is that Melbourne have made things work in the most hostile Rugby League market imaginable, which makes you wonder what we could have achieved if we'd persisted with the likes of Perth or Adelaide, or not sat the Gold Coast on the sidelines for nearly 20 years.

We're either a national competition or we're not. If a small club in Brookvale or Leichardt that draws a handful of fans cannot compete with the entire city of Brisbane or Canberra financially, then that really is natural selection taking it's course and ultimately it will lead to a stronger and more financially viable competition, but until we decide one way or another if we're going to be a genuinely national or just an aged care facility for the Sydney club's that people stopped watching decades ago, we're stuck in this ongoing limbo where neither side gets what they want or need and so the game remains stagnant.

Yep, so much of this is on the money. There's probably plenty who know this but there's a bunch of Sydney clubs that are doomed. Quite a few are barely hanging on each year and I feel it's inevitable that we will have a vastly different comp in 5 years.

 

[007]

One of the highest BAC% reading articles from this clown.

He fails to see realise that central coast NSW could easily accommodate a team from the Sydney basin to move there at the same time then maybe look at growing the comp with an extra QLD team. Theres far more merit and commercial strength in that than there is for a new startup.

Hell even tigers even would be in a better position to move back to Campbeltown with the amount of housing and population in the area now being over 1m for the region.

Sharks to Central Coast
Tigers back to Wests Campbletown

Stabalise the Sydney teams then grow outside.

 

[mitch222]

Get a second club in Brisbane for sure, but don't put it next door to one another. Space it out and choose a club that already has deep roots in the community like Ipswich or Redcliff and they can branch from there. If the QLD government is smart, they could use this second team as an excuse to build a brand new stadium that seats 80k so they can compete for Grand Finals

 

[Kooly87]

Get a second club in Brisbane for sure, but don't put it next door to one another. Space it out and choose a club that already has deep roots in the community like Ipswich or Redcliff and they can branch from there. If the QLD government is smart, they could use this second team as an excuse to build a brand new stadium that seats 80k so they can compete for Grand Finals

I agree Redcliffe would need an upgrade of Dolphin Oval to around 25k and Ipswich would need a purpose built stadium out there, but I don't see Queensland building an 80k seat stadium any time soon, and least of all on the basis that they could compete for Grand Finals, which have just been secured by Sydney going forward until 2042.

 

[Foordy]

If the QLD government is smart, they could use this second team as an excuse to build a brand new stadium that seats 80k so they can compete for Grand Finals

If the QLD Government are smart (yeah, i know a very big IF) they will realise they are ZERO chance of getting a GF while the N in NRL still stands for NSW ...

the next couple of GF's proved that when they decided to take the games to smaller shitter grounds instead of Lang Park

 

[BroncsFan]

Personally, I think the inclusion of Brisbane first, then an additional expansion side following that, makes the most sense. This is all about driving new revenue for the game and you only really do that by creating more content through playing an extra game every week, so 17 teams would need to become 18 pretty quickly to make it worthwhile.

If the NRL wanted to go live as quickly and easily as possible with minimal investment or delay, Redcliffe are probably the best placed to make the step up. They have a very profitable Leagues club, great facilities and they also have a stadium which can be easily and relatively inexpensively expanded to host NRL games, with only their biggest drawing matches probably needing to be moved to Lang Park (Broncos, Cowboys, Titans etc).

If the NRL is prepared to play more of the long game, then Ipswich/Western Corridor might take longer and require greater up front expenses, but in the long run the demographic data is pretty clear that this is where the population will be, and the chance for long term success and financial viability is probably the strongest. There is a caveat though:

They need a purpose built stadium and facilities in the area. No playing games at Lang Park on a permanent basis. The team needs to play in the area it belongs to and embrace that identity. Lang Park is fine for a season or two if they need time to construct a ground and it's also fine for big demand games like v Broncos/Titans/Cowboys etc, but there should be no plans for an Ipswich/Western Corridor team without corresponding and plans for an Ipswich/Western Corridor Stadium.

I think the worst option was the generic 'Brisbane 2' bid, which frankly seems to be both the most expensive and also least likely to succeed option out of everything on the table at the moment. Without a clear identity I think honestly the Broncos might well eat them alive and it'll be the Crushers all over again. It's much harder to do that to a storied club like Redcliffe with a clear identity or a club like Ipswich/Western Corridor with a clear sense of community to differentiate it.

Finally, Perth is the obvious candidate after one of the Brisbane bids is included. The NRL needs to make this investment now while there is an opportunity to capitalise on the demise of the Western Force and the ever growing decline in popularity of the A-League. The logistics can be easily resolved, and the club can pay for itself overnight with additional TV revenue bought into the game that the NRL can use to bank roll it until it establishes enough corporate support. The TV opportunities are huge to broadcast onto the East Coast, and the crowds will be able to enjoy day time football which should help boost numbers, with a night time broadcast into Brisbane & Sydney. I have heard a host of reasons about why it can't work, but honestly, given the NRL made it work in Melbourne, easily a more hostile market, I think ignoring Perth is honestly a failing of ambition in the people who run the game.

100% agreed that the next Brisbane team needs to basically be promotion of a QRL side, which in terms of regions would be Redcliff, Ipswich or Logan... it automatically comes with a history and a fan base. It could also draw on the bitter BRL fans that believe the Broncos destroyed their comp or general QCup fans that get to see a team from their comp in the big league. It also creates an example of a pathway to NRL for other Qcup teams if expansion pops up again... ie. start in ISC get your shit together get promoted to NRL when the next expansion bid comes out.

Instead they'll be thinking Brisbane Bombers (the name alone has no correlation to the region and appears to be a rip off of essendon), because the Sydney siders think "a game out of Suncorp every week... how good. Those qlders will attend any game look at origin and broncos" when in reality Suncorp is shared with the reds, roar (early season), wallabies games, concerts, etc. So there won't be a game every week.

It would also be lumping a new team with the huge costs associated with having to lease Suncorp including the catering, which will make tickets costs, and game day in general, skyrocket for the average punter (an issue the titans have with their stadium).

Perth is easily the next bid that should be on the radar... the NRL should've announced already that they want to expand into that area and promote the shit out of it. It makes sense from a broadcaster scenario and I suspect the demographic is a little more open to league than say Adelaide and definitely Melbourne... I believe Perth contains a fairly big South African expat population, therefore league may resonate with their love of union... if it takes off it could also open the door for South African international sides.

Instead the Sydney sider are probably leaning towards the central coast bears for nostalgia reasons... when in reality the bears should be first cab off the rank for relocation of a Sydney club that has folded.

I would also think about relocating Titans to sunny coast (it's not really needed, but just think the NRL is letting that region go to waste). I think in general the sunny coast population would be far more open to having their own team and would support the hell out of it... hell a lot of sunny coasters are titans fans in general. Quad Park is in the middle of town and could be upgraded to a sports precinct pretty easily.

The primary issue would be the corporate dollars available (but realistically the only other sports team they have is the netball team so NRL moving in would get every spare cent available) and the airport would need an upgrade so the state government would need to chip in, but I would think a team on the sunny coast would be far more supported than a team out of GC.

 

[Battler]

So they want another plastic club with zero support like the Titans?

Super League should have won. If they really wanted to put the N in NRL, they need to make some hard decisions and expect some short term pain, which they won’t because it means less money initially and some unhappy fans. But this should be done:

1. Brisbane
2. Ipswich or Redcliffe
3. North Queensland
4. Gold Coast
5. Melbourne
6. Adelaide
7. Perth
8. Coff’s Harbour
9. Newcastle
10. Central Coast
11. Canberra
12. Penrith
13. Sydney City 1 - Souths?
14. Sydney City 2 - Parramatta?
15. St George
16. Auckland
17. PNG
18. Pacific - Fiji based?

It’ll never happen but it should. Cut the rubbish from Sydney and make it zone targeted. Market the heck out of it by sacking all current league journalists except Chris Garry and actually go fully professional with it.

You can't have a PNG side, I mean who the hell would want to live there except for PNG locals? It's a Christmas miracle that the Cowboys can convince people to move to Townsville, Port Moresby is even worse (if only slightly). Same deal with the Pacific Island but to a lesser degree.

EDIT: I agree that SL should have won.

 

[Sproj]

So they want another plastic club with zero support like the Titans?



You can't have a PNG side, I mean who the hell would want to live there except for PNG locals? It's a Christmas miracle that the Cowboys can convince people to move to Townsville, Port Moresby is even worse (if only slightly). Same deal with the Pacific Island but to a lesser degree.

EDIT: I agree that SL should have won.

Your point about PNG is absolutely valid but look at what the English Super League have done with the Toronto Wolfpack, you don't need to have them actually play out of Port Moresby. Don't get me wrong, you take games there as often as you can but as a 'professional' organisation, you work out the logistics and get in administrators who know what they are doing.

 

[mitch222]

The nines drew **** all in Perth. I don't get what the big fuss is about Perth in the first place. Most of the expats that live there are miners on set shifts and would be lucky to see a game a month live due to their work rosters. Unless we want the NRL to continue to prop up another club, get a team in a location that has fans and sponsorship already locked down. The only thing Perth has going for it is that its another time zone area that TV can take advantage of once a fortnight. We rule the East of the country for a reason.

 

[Foordy]

The nines drew **** all in Perth. I don't get what the big fuss is about Perth in the first place. Most of the expats that live there are miners on set shifts and would be lucky to see a game a month live due to their work rosters. Unless we want the NRL to continue to prop up another club, get a team in a location that has fans and sponsorship already locked down. The only thing Perth has going for it is that its another time zone area that TV can take advantage of once a fortnight. We rule the East of the country for a reason.

if you played the nines in Sydney starting during the workday on Valantines day/weekend; in a reduced format with only 2 pool matches per team ... you also would have had empty stadiums.

 

[mitch222]

if you played the nines in Sydney starting during the workday on Valantines day/weekend; in a reduced format with only 2 pool matches per team ... you also would have had empty stadiums.

Yeah but Sydney gets NRL week in week out. You take that nines format to country NSW or QLD, and the ground is packed regardless of the weekend its on. They really failed at the nines and they cant blame valentines day. And it was better with a reduced schedule

 

[Foordy]

Yeah but Sydney gets NRL week in week out. You take that nines format to country NSW or QLD, and the ground is packed regardless of the weekend its on. They really failed at the nines and they cant blame valentines day. And it was better with a reduced schedule

you can blame it that is started during the afternoon on Friday though ...

and valantines day/weekend is a factor to reduced crowds

crowds they get to the NRL matches over there should hold far more weight than that tournament

 

[007]

Perth didn't get fans or attention because there simply isn't a league base there nor commercial base for league.

The time zone is even a disaster. A 7pm game in Perth (reasonable time to draw crowds and local commercial interest) is 10pm East coast time - that just doesn't work for TV dollars which come from eastern board. The game needs to be in a far stronger financial position to prop it up and pump it for a solid 5-10 years to make it work.

 

[Foordy]

Perth didn't get fans or attention because there simply isn't a league base there nor commercial base for league.

The time zone is even a disaster. A 7pm game in Perth (reasonable time to draw crowds and local commercial interest) is 10pm East coast time - that just doesn't work for TV dollars which come from eastern board. The game needs to be in a far stronger financial position to prop it up and pump it for a solid 5-10 years to make it work.

if you think about the time zone works perfectly with the exception of Thursday. lets go day by day

Thursday
Doesn't work but worst possible time slot for crowds anyway ... scrap in favour of a 6 pm Sunday game

Friday
KO: 6pm (Perth Time) ... perfect for an 8pm ch 9 game
KO: 8pm (Perth Time) ... perfect if they decided to go back to having a late TV game on Friday as this would be live

Saturday
KO: 7:30pm (Perth Time) ... means Fox could advertise their super saturday as having 3 live games in a row would be the 9:30pm game on the east coast

Sunday
KO: 2pm (Perth Time) ... perfect for a 4pm ch 9 game
KO: 4pm (Perth Time) ... perfect for a twilight (6pm game)

and because we are talking about when the next TV deal starts, all these times can be negotiated with the networks

 

[I bleed Maroon]

Add:
Perth
Brisbane 2
PNG

Remove:
West Tigers
Titans
Cronulla

Done. No need for throwing the baby out with the bath water. Cut the no hopers and bring in some decent potentials. PNG in particular is a no brainer, because unlike Perth, there is no doubt about whether there is a fanbase there to grow.