Perth Expansion?

[Guest]

Aaah, memory! Adelaide wasn't in the Winfield Cup. They started as a SL club in 1997.

You're absolutely right. Got them mixed up with the crushers. How could I forget about the crushers!! Even so when you think about it 5 new teams(6 if you count the Mariners) in the space of 2 years is pretty unbelievable.

[Lounge Room Lizard]

Perth for me is the obvious choice. We get good crowds there and would be a major draw to get increase money from TV and Sponsors. It creates interest outside the heartlands. I see far more potential in a Perth team, than Wests for example, who just drift along and have not really that much to offer compared to a Perth team. Another team in Brisbane has hardly worked in the past. And I do not think they can use Land Park due to only a certain amount of games per year. I think its should be another Qld team based in Rocky (Central Queensland) or Ipswich (40 KM west of Brisbane). I would love to see a NZ team in or a PNG team, but I dont feel either are ready for that yet. We have enough problems with the Warriors!

[Guest]

Perth for me is the obvious choice. We get good crowds there and would be a major draw to get increase money from TV and Sponsors. It creates interest outside the heartlands. I see far more potential in a Perth team, than Wests for example, who just drift along and have not really that much to offer compared to a Perth team. Another team in Brisbane has hardly worked in the past. And I do not think they can use Land Park due to only a certain amount of games per year. I think its should be another Qld team based in Rocky (Central Queensland) or Ipswich (40 KM west of Brisbane). I would love to see a NZ team in or a PNG team, but I dont feel either are ready for that yet. We have enough problems with the Warriors!

Perth is a must for me and as the Americans say a no-brainer. As is Brisbane 2 as the city of Brisbane has a population of 2.3 million and growing in which RL is the #1 sport. In fact you could easily make the case for another team in South East Queensland with cities like Logan which is 1 of Australia's fastest growing cities which currently has a population of 310,000 and has a projected population of 500,000 by 2030. Same with Ipswich which currently has a population of 200,000 and again is projected to have a population of 400,000 by 2030.

[DiddyDave]

So how does the NRL accommodate more teams when they don`t play every team home and away as it is? It simply can`t happen the way the game is currently structured unless they start at the beginning of February and the present 16 clubs wouldn`t want a bar of that. Add to that this present end of season 4 Nations rubbish that only the TV people want,the World Club games in February that they invariably have in England and of course,the three Origin games,so there`s just no room for any more teams.

Please don`t talk about promotion/relegation if there were four more additional teams,I don`t think that would work in Australia. Leave the game alone,yes,it has problems,but if it ain`t broke,it doesn`t need fixing. 

[Sports Prophet]

To answer your question with a question Diddy, why does each team have to play each other home and away in a season when there is a finals system in place to determine the Champions?

[Sports Prophet]

A RL mad city of 2 million plus could well afford 2 club sides & frankly I couldn't care less where they play that's for there backers & the QLD government to work out . The more interesting question is why do you obviously disagree a 2nd Brisbane side should be a priority?

you quoted my question in your post. Was your above post supposed to be an answer to my question????

I'll ask again....

Those proposing Brisbane II. Who exactly is this proposed club going to represent? Or to have the expansionists think of this in another way... Are there enough non-Broncos supporting RL fans in Brisbane to justify establishing a new club in Brisbane without any real differentiation to the Broncos other than a new mascot?

I don't think there is, which is why I don't believe a second Brisbane team is as necessary or strategic as a second club in NZ or new NRL clubs in Perth, Adelaide and/or Logan/Ipswich.

In fact, a second Brisbane club would probably be at the bottom of my expansion plans along with a second team based in Auckland or a new club based in the currently non represented RL mad area between Randwick and La Parouse

[USRLFAN]

I hate to agree with SP and his super duper secret friend who is cousin to the girlfriend of the trainer who works with the Roosters.  But you already have Brisbane.  If you are going to expand, Expand! Don't dilute the already existing product. I think some more double headers in Brisbane could give the non-bronco fans something to look forward to.  Expanding into Perth opens more T.V money and gives access to many new fans. It grows the game. 

[Sports Prophet]

I hate to agree with SP and his super duper secret friend who is cousin to the girlfriend of the trainer who works with the Roosters.

Oh shucks US, I am all warm and fuzzy. You don't have to hate yourself for agreeing with me sometimes... and neither do you have to disagree this time because we did on another thread...

and BTW, my super duper secret friend is not cousins with the GF of the Roosters trainer nor does he agree on a second team in Brisbane

[DiddyDave]

To answer your question with a question Diddy, why does each team have to play each other home and away in a season when there is a finals system in place to determine the Champions?

Well,I can`t see how fair it is if all teams don`t play each other home and away,irrespective of a play off system at the end of the thirty rounds as it would be. Who decides which teams play any other team only once? For instance,I`m sure,going off last season`s results,that everybody would`ve loved to have played Newcastle home and away,but not Melbourne,the Sharks,or the Cowboys to name only three top teams. Why have two byes when there`s an even number of teams? That`s two matches they could`ve had,so only two more weekends to find. Yes,I know it`s a tough game and these blokes maybe deserve a break,but that`s why they have NSW/Queensland Cup teams where players can step up,so that doesn`t hold water to me and it`s also four games the fans miss out on. Moving Sydney teams is not ok if you`re a supporter of those teams,and the ones somebody wanted to shift,Tigers and Roosters,was it,have been in since day one in 1908. This American franchise idea where some multi millionaire owner simply wants to move to another city just to make more money has me in fits of anger. The game,any game,is all about the loyal fans,the ones who turn up week in,week out,win,lose or draw,not millionaires or television who seem to rule the roost these days.

[Sports Prophet]

If a season's champions are determined without a finals system then yes, a full home and away system is the fairest way. Many will argue that a finals system to determine a league champion is unfair in the first place and that argument does hold substance. Others will argue that the finals system is the best way to determine the champion, much like war, you don't have to win all the battles, but you have to win the last one.

 

No single system can claim to be a 100% fair adjudication of a champion, but without going into depth, my point is, with a finals system, there is no necessary need for all teams to play each other home and away. If you have a tougher draw in the regular season then you should still be competitive enough to finish in the top 8. Finish in the top 8 and you have a shot at the title.

[DiddyDave]

Yes,I can see your point,but I still maintain that no matter how the season finishes,every team should play every other team home and away. With the clubs spread out from Townsville to Melbourne and especially across to New Zealand,surely it`s not right if one or two teams don`t have to cross the Tasman for a variety of reasons,the main one being the colder and wetter NZ weather. Anyway,good discussing this with you,I can see you only want the best for the game as I do.  

[Sports Prophet]

And that is the eternal discussion regarding fairness and equity.... it will always be a discussion when perfection is unnatainable.

I would say however that I am comfortable with the length of the NRL season as it is. The Euro professional season I find unnecessarily long and diluted to the point of questioning the ability for SL to entertain hardened RL fans, let alone new ones.