NRL expansion race: North Sydney Bears reveal powerful weapon in bid to win game’s 18th licence

[R L Winger]

NRL expansion race: North Sydney Bears reveal powerful weapon in bid to win game’s 18th licence

Tonga, Samoa, Cooks Islands, Fiji and parts of New Zealand. The Bears have made a huge bid that will incorporate the entire Pacific region in order to become the 18th NRL team.

It’s time – the Bears are officially ready to step forward.

The foundation Bears are poised to lodge a formal proposal with the NRL after two years of ground work and analysis to reveal how and why the club should be considered for NRL expansion.

And this masthead can reveal the club’s submission will involve a new club that incorporates the entire Pacific region, including New Zealand - not just Papua New Guinea.

Bears directors are reviewing the plan which will be sent to the NRL within the next fortnight.

While the Bears officials are ready to take a giant stride forward toward NRL inclusion by outlining their proposal, which will incorporate games being played in Australia and around Pacific nations.

The Bears want to secure the Tonga, Samoa, Cooks Islands, Fiji and parts of New Zealand in their bid. Bears chairman Daniel Dickson said the game must consider the Pacific region when viewing expansion given the quality of matches in the current Pacific Championships.

 

[Farmduck]

Already a few opinions on this thread: 

The general consensus there is NO! NO! NO!

[Graham]

Beat me to it RLW.

This was on Facebook 

[The Future is League]

Money talks and I think PNG will have the next NRL team, and then Brisbane 3 or Queensland 5

As regards Brisbane 3 or Queensland 5 I think PV is intent or stopping any further AFL progress in Queensland which that would do, and regress AFL there

I think the Bears being allowed back into the NRL would kill off any remote prospect of the AFL having another team in Sydney, even thought it very remote. With the success of the Panthers and its growing junior playing base there is very little chance of the AFL making any progress in Western Sydney, and the Bears would affectively kill off GWS as they wouldn't have anywhere else to go

[Graham]

Roll on a new NRL club. 

 

[Midlands hobo]

Too many Sydney clubs as there is. Other options PNG. Queensland 5. NZ 2. Even Perth (magic weekend) has to be ahead of yet another Sydney side

[The Future is League]

Until the Aussie government made an offer to put money on the table for a PNG team I thought the next NRL club would come from Queensland, and still might if the PNG team offer is withdrawn

[Anita Bath]

No more queensland teams without a new stadium somewhere.

Suncorp already has 4 professional sports teams playing there (plus any games NRLW play there) as well as magic round.

[londonrlfan]

There's far too many teams in Sydney as it is, and Manly are already in the North. NZ 2, Perth, PNG, Victoria 2, Adelaide, Fiji, Central Queensland, Darwin should all come before another Sydney team. 

[EggFace]

I can't Bear this Fred.

[JonM]

9 hours ago, Anita Bath said:

No more queensland teams without a new stadium somewhere.

Suncorp already has 4 professional sports teams playing there (plus any games NRLW play there) as well as magic round.

O/T slightly - but is the Ekka a possibility (outside of August, obviously)? What about whatever the QE2 stadium is called these days, or the Gold Coast AFL stadium at Carrara?

[Anita Bath]

56 minutes ago, JonM said:

O/T slightly - but is the Ekka a possibility (outside of August, obviously)? What about whatever the QE2 stadium is called these days, or the Gold Coast AFL stadium at Carrara?

Ekka is a large oval badly outdated ( Think Odsal x 10) While there is some talk of it being used for Lions AFL games during the pre olympics renovations of the Gabba it would not be suitable for NRL. Also its wide open to the elements and the limited grandstand accommodation is basic wooden benches.

Carrara (now called heritage bank stadium) is a modern facility but designed for AFL. There is already a modern ‘rectangular’ stadium down the road (CBUS) but its been an ongoing struggle for Titans to maintain good crowds in the Gold Coast area. Putting another team in there is unlikely to get the required crowds.

Any new SE Queensland team would need to play in Brisbane to get sufficient support. The only other stadium in the State of NRL standard is Country Bank but Townsville couldnt support a second team. 

Sunshine Coast stadium has the potential for being developed into an NRL stadium (currently has one small grandstand and three grassy hills) but it would require major investment and questionable if the area would generate sufficient crowds. Its a good hour north of Brisbane and the highway is known for traffic jams during commuting hours. The proposed train line extension in advance of olympics is currently uncertain due to government funding challenges.