The NRL's enviable expansion options

[Martyn Sadler]

https://www.totalrl.com/nrls-multiple-choices-on-expansion/

[idrewthehaggis]

Seems that the NRL see expansion is a gradual incremental process, building on already strong foundations. Redcliffe, perhaps Ipswich next.

Indeed I might contend that whilst it might take spells in the  NSW/QLD cups first,  I could envisage clubs being born in Adelaide and Perth to make a truly national League.

 

Edited May 11, 2023 by idrewthehaggis

[Davo5]

Perth & Christchurch should be at the top of list for NRL clubs but it wouldn’t surprise me if they went the Ipswich route.

[Llangennech]

Would like to see 2 divisions down there, 10 in each, I know they won't accept it, and I won't see it happen. 18 league matches, FPTP. League champs win the JJ Giltinan Shield, the top 8 from Div. 1 contest for the Provan-Summons Trophy. 1 v 8, 2 v 7 etc. over two legs at the quarter-final stage. Semi-final over 1 leg, then a rest week, then the Grand Final.

Bottom team gets relegated. Bring back the Western Suburbs Magpies, Balmain and the Illawarra Steelers. Bring in The Bears playing mostly in Perth, with 2 matches in N Sydney. There are your 20 teams. If this was to happen I wonder how long it would take the Magpies to get out of Division 2? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

  

[Just Browny]

17/18 feels close to the limit on how many clubs you can have without creating a large number of dead rubbers towards the end of the season when playoff hopes are over. I would guess that by the time they reached 20 the competition structure would need a change.

[Sports Prophet]

On 11/05/2023 at 19:07, Martyn Sadler said:

https://www.totalrl.com/nrls-multiple-choices-on-expansion/

A good summary Martyn and I don’t like the idea of a govt back NRL club either and the NRL would be mad if they did.

Another option for the Pacific, that presents itself as a far less risky option to the top tier, a significantly cheaper option than an NRL club, with an increased opportunity for diplomatic relations and a huge opportunity for improving the footprint and pathways in our sport throughout the Pacific would be the creation of a Pacific second tier, running alongside the NSW Cup and Qld Cup and including Hunters, Silktails, NZI and II, Tonga, Samoa and 2 others.

[Martyn Sadler]

5 hours ago, Just Browny said:

17/18 feels close to the limit on how many clubs you can have without creating a large number of dead rubbers towards the end of the season when playoff hopes are over. I would guess that by the time they reached 20 the competition structure would need a change.

They would have to move to a Conference structure, I would guess.

Four groups of five, for example.

Two NSW Conferences, one Queensland and one for NZ, Melbourne, Perth and Canberra.

One advantage of that is that it guarantees a wide geographical spread of clubs contesting the play-offs.

[Martyn Sadler]

17 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

A good summary Martyn and I don’t like the idea of a govt back NRL club either and the NRL would be mad if they did.

Another option for the Pacific, that presents itself as a far less risky option to the top tier, a significantly cheaper option than an NRL club, with an increased opportunity for diplomatic relations and a huge opportunity for improving the footprint and pathways in our sport throughout the Pacific would be the creation of a Pacific second tier, running alongside the NSW Cup and Qld Cup and including Hunters, Silktails, NZI and II, Tonga, Samoa and 2 others.

I like your idea although it would be an expensive competition, especially if games were actually played in the South Pacific islands.

[Sports Prophet]

3 minutes ago, Martyn Sadler said:

I like your idea although it would be an expensive competition, especially if games were actually played in the South Pacific islands.

I don’t see it being anywhere near as expensive as funding an NRL team.

[Pulga]

15 hours ago, LlanWests said:

Would like to see 2 divisions down there, 10 in each, I know they won't accept it, and I won't see it happen. 18 league matches, FPTP. League champs win the JJ Giltinan Shield, the top 8 from Div. 1 contest for the Provan-Summons Trophy. 1 v 8, 2 v 7 etc. over two legs at the quarter-final stage. Semi-final over 1 leg, then a rest week, then the Grand Final.

Bottom team gets relegated. Bring back the Western Suburbs Magpies, Balmain and the Illawarra Steelers. Bring in The Bears playing mostly in Perth, with 2 matches in N Sydney. There are your 20 teams. If this was to happen I wonder how long it would take the Magpies to get out of Division 2? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

  

P&R doesn't even work in England. 

[Martyn Sadler]

1 hour ago, Sports Prophet said:

I don’t see it being anywhere near as expensive as funding an NRL team.

True, but it would still be expensive, although maybe the Australian government would see the value of what you are proposing, given their China worries.

[Sports Prophet]

3 minutes ago, Martyn Sadler said:

True, but it would still be expensive, although maybe the Australian government would see the value of what you are proposing, given their China worries.

It’s a win win for everyone. As far as the government is concerned, they get more benefit, for less expense. 

It is a very exciting time for RL in the SH. The NRL have been administering themselves better than we have seen for a very long time and the results are speaking for themselves. The continued bashing of the organisation by many on here, nears on ludicrous.

[Llangennech]

On 11/05/2023 at 12:07, Martyn Sadler said:

https://www.totalrl.com/nrls-multiple-choices-on-expansion/

Lol, "...non-sporting...", everything is political. Sport and politics have been intertwined since the year dot. 

[Mr Frisky]

On 11/05/2023 at 13:35, Davo5 said:

Perth & Christchurch should be at the top of list for NRL clubs but it wouldn’t surprise me if they went the Ipswich route.

I used to live in Christchurch Davy and its not a big place but more importantly the locals don't really know what RL is - almost all RU.

[DEANO]

Ridiculous suggestions. Should reduce the league to 12 teams and somehow play 27 games. Works over here 

[EggFace]

7 hours ago, Mr Frisky said:

I used to live in Christchurch Davy and its not a big place but more importantly the locals don't really know what RL is - almost all RU.

So why did the Crusaders play out of a stadium after the earth quake called Rugby League Park.

Be happy to see a 2nd team in NZ alongside a born again Perth Phoenix and a relocated Sydney team at Central Coast but I'm sure QLD could add 2 more teams.

[Mr Frisky]

8 minutes ago, EggFace said:

So why did the Crusaders play out of a stadium after the earth quake called Rugby League Park.

 

FFS.... if a RL team plays at the Jungle they don't have to avoid wild animals mate... or mend a hose... 

Belive me, RL is not on the agenda in Christchurch. 

[Damien]

15 minutes ago, Mr Frisky said:

FFS.... if a RL team plays at the Jungle they don't have to avoid wild animals mate... or mend a hose... 

Belive me, RL is not on the agenda in Christchurch. 

It's a wonder that players like Jamayne Isaako chose to play Rugby League then.

[Mr Frisky]

9 minutes ago, Damien said:

It's a wonder that players like Jamayne Isaako chose to play Rugby League then.

Or in the UK anyone such as LMS, Offiah or from Ireland Brian Carney...... same thing mate.

 

[Damien]

25 minutes ago, Mr Frisky said:

Or in the UK anyone such as LMS, Offiah or from Ireland Brian Carney...... same thing mate.

No, it's not. Players like Offiah and Carney are absurd comparisons, they never played junior Rugby League. Isaako played junior RL in Christchurch, as did the likes of the Nikorima brothers or Matt Duffie. Keep digging though.

Edited May 12, 2023 by Damien

[Mr Frisky]

21 minutes ago, Damien said:

No, it's not. Players like Offiah and Carney are absurd comparisons, they never played junior Rugby League. Isaako played junior RL in Christchurch, as did the likes of the Nikorima brothers or Matt Duffie. Keep digging though.

So like LMS then.....

Ask yourself why Christchurch has never tried to get an NRL team... 

[Sports Prophet]

2 hours ago, Mr Frisky said:

FFS.... if a RL team plays at the Jungle they don't have to avoid wild animals mate... or mend a hose... 

Belive me, RL is not on the agenda in Christchurch. 

A stadium isn’t named Rugby League Park because there is no RL in the district. There may be little activity, but to say RL’s not on the agenda in Christchurch is a little bit doom and gloom. The link below shows provincial club champions for decades.

Not sure how big those leagues are though.

http://planetnz.com/palmheads/canterburyleague/

[Copa]

13 hours ago, Martyn Sadler said:

They would have to move to a Conference structure, I would guess.

Four groups of five, for example.

Two NSW Conferences, one Queensland and one for NZ, Melbourne, Perth and Canberra.

One advantage of that is that it guarantees a wide geographical spread of clubs contesting the play-offs.

As a Canberra resident I’m not a fan of there being a conference for the outliers only. We also like playing the big Sydney clubs. It’s only 2.5 hours to Campbelltown and 2h40m to Wollongong.

Also, with so many ex-Sydney residents in Canberra, they also enjoy watching the Sydney teams or their own Sydney team play in Canberra.

The risk is the media will only focus on a Syd or QLD conference as that’s where the bulk of the media and RL fans live.

[Martyn Sadler]

8 hours ago, Copa said:

As a Canberra resident I’m not a fan of there being a conference for the outliers only. We also like playing the big Sydney clubs. It’s only 2.5 hours to Campbelltown and 2h40m to Wollongong.

Also, with so many ex-Sydney residents in Canberra, they also enjoy watching the Sydney teams or their own Sydney team play in Canberra.

The risk is the media will only focus on a Syd or QLD conference as that’s where the bulk of the media and RL fans live.

A Conference system doesn't mean that you won't play every other team at least once. It means that you will play the teams in your Conference twice and the other teams once.

And to a degree that reflects things as they are this season. In 2023 the Raiders only play eight teams home and away, with only four of those from Sydney.

They are the Tigers, Dragons, Bulldogs and Sharks.

They also play the Dolphins, Knights, Warriors and Bulldogs twice.

 

[frank]

But don't want to take the risk of going out of NSW or Queensland.