Exciting Times in New Zealand

[rlno1]

On 09/03/2024 at 13:50, eal said:

I'm not sure after almost 30 years if the Warriors have yet found and kept enough quality locals - they have been mediocre for most of their history after all.

A lot have moved to Australia for opportunity. Also the pathways have now been strengthened for young players coming through.

 

[rlno1]

1 hour ago, The Rocket said:

Looks like another bid coming out of New Zealand`s South Island city of Christchurch.

New Christchurch stadium a chance to add another New Zealand NRL side | RNZ News

 

One of the country's most experienced sports administrators says a South Island-based National Rugby League (NRL) club could be in action as early as 2026.

Talks are underway for the 'South Island Kea' to be included in an expanded premiership in the coming years.

The team would be based in Christchurch, with the forthcoming multi-use Te Kaha Stadium set to be completed by April 2026.

Former New Zealand Rugby and NRL boss David Moffett is helming the project and plans to meet with Australian rugby league executives over the next few weeks.

It also comes on the heels of a separate bid led by former Canterbury Rugby League administrator.

The rival ventures are now set to face off in a pursuit to bring a professional rugby league operation to the mainland.

Moffett, who has also had stints in charge of Sport England and the Welsh Rugby Union, said his interest in a South Island-based NRL club dates back to 2012.

 

 

I have no doubt there will be a second NZ team coming in, the stadium just enhances it.

[jim_57]

3 hours ago, rlno1 said:

I have no doubt there will be a second NZ team coming in, the stadium just enhances it.

You have to wonder if the respective stadiums are part of the reason 2 bids have popped up in Christchurch but no Wellington bid has come forward this time or since the 2007 bidding process.

Wellington is still a decent option and hopefully will get a team eventually but playing at an Oval isn’t ideal.

[going for the corner]

10 hours ago, rlno1 said:

I have no doubt there will be a second NZ team coming in, the stadium just enhances it.

Who owns the stadium?

[going for the corner]

11 hours ago, rlno1 said:

A lot have moved to Australia for opportunity. Also the pathways have now been strengthened for young players coming through.

 

A lot more schoolboy kiwi RL talent are moving to Australia at younger ages.

[Damien]

 

 

[going for the corner]

5 hours ago, Damien said:

 

 

Just imagine if the warriors regularly challenged for the NRL by getting to the semis or grandfinal or even actually winning it!!!!

[Damien]

New Zealand 2 in Christchurch now please:

 

 

[fighting irish]

5 hours ago, Damien said:

New Zealand 2 in Christchurch now please:

 

 

Makes perfect sense to me. Unless they're afraid New Zealand will become too strong.

[going for the corner]

6 hours ago, Damien said:

New Zealand 2 in Christchurch now please:

 

 

This.

forget about any soft power nonsense in PNG to counter Chinese influence in the pacific region.

NZ2 is ripe for the picking especially with warriors flying and super rugby on a downward trajectory.

[going for the corner]

23 minutes ago, fighting irish said:

Makes perfect sense to me. Unless they're afraid New Zealand will become too strong.

Don’t think it’s that but this ridiculous political situation between Canberra, Washington and Port Moresby.

[going for the corner]

A domestic NRL New Zealand RL derby would be awesome between the north island and South Island.

It’s got everything going for it to be a success and would take RL in New Zealand to the next level and maybe even threaten “rugby” as the #1 game in the country in the next decade or so.

[Damien]

On 14/03/2024 at 10:03, jim_57 said:

You have to wonder if the respective stadiums are part of the reason 2 bids have popped up in Christchurch but no Wellington bid has come forward this time or since the 2007 bidding process.

Wellington is still a decent option and hopefully will get a team eventually but playing at an Oval isn’t ideal.

It has to be Christchurch and the South Island to me, it just opens up the sport to the entire country. Wellington leaves the South Island still untapped and I'm sure the Warriors can still take games to Wellington too.

[going for the corner]

21 minutes ago, Damien said:

It has to be Christchurch and the South Island to me, it just opens up the sport to the entire country. Wellington leaves the South Island still untapped and I'm sure the Warriors can still take games to Wellington too.

Geographically it instantly gives you a north v south rivalry alongside New Zealand’s great sporting rivalry of Auckland v Christchurch/Canterbury.

[Pulga]

I'm beginning to think NZ2 is such a no-brainer that NZ3 is a better idea than PNG, Adelaide and a 4th SEQld team....

[unapologetic pedant]

Little side note -

In a fortnight Greymouth Greyhounds will debut in the Canterbury Premiership. They were successful in a lower grade last year and have signed an agreement to share players with Papanui Tigers. The two clubs effectively swapping places in the divisional structure.

Potential extra avenue in the Southern Zone pathways set-up for young West Coasters. A region which traditionally punched well above its weight in NZRL.

[Futtocks]

2 minutes ago, unapologetic pedant said:

Little side note -

In a fortnight Greymouth Greyhounds will debut in the Canterbury Premiership. They were successful in a lower grade last year and have signed an agreement to share players with Papanui Tigers. The two clubs effectively swapping places in the divisional structure.

Potential extra avenue in the Southern Zone pathways set-up for young West Coasters. A region which traditionally punched well above its weight in NZRL.

Greymouth and the hinterlands are not a very prosperous region, since the mining industry collapsed. The RL scene's suffered as a consequence and they don't produce the top players anywhere near as much as they used to. Let's hope this helps.

[unapologetic pedant]

1 hour ago, Futtocks said:

Greymouth and the hinterlands are not a very prosperous region, since the mining industry collapsed. The RL scene's suffered as a consequence and they don't produce the top players anywhere near as much as they used to. Let's hope this helps.

Isolation is more significant for West Coast. Most areas in NZ where League was strong have endured economic decline. Huntly another graphic example. Still a strong comp in North Waikato though.

By all accounts, WC players had reached a point where they literally had no open-age fixtures. 

Interesting that Griffin Neame was able to remain at home as a 16/17 year-old, going to NRL camps and playing in rep teams.

[going for the corner]

20 hours ago, Pulga said:

I'm beginning to think NZ2 is such a no-brainer that NZ3 is a better idea than PNG, Adelaide and a 4th SEQld team....

For me I think that 2 NRL teams more than covers New Zealand for the foreseeable future.

PNG should never happen and Adelaide is way down the list while a 4th south east Queensland team is far more credible with only the location and home venue being to be decided.

[going for the corner]

18 hours ago, Futtocks said:

Greymouth and the hinterlands are not a very prosperous region, since the mining industry collapsed. The RL scene's suffered as a consequence and they don't produce the top players anywhere near as much as they used to. Let's hope this helps.

Has this led to large numbers of younger people and people with young families leaving the town looking for work elsewhere in New Zealand?

also wasn’t the great Quentin pongia from the region?

[going for the corner]

Definitely now favour a NZ2 bid using the name “South Island” as opposed to Christchurch or Canterbury.

my preference would be the South Island bulls.

other names could be South Island kea or Te waipounamu bulls/kea.

[eal]

Why is Adelaide always so far down the list or not even on the list at all? The Rams averaged over 15,000 in the 1997 season. I get why Adelaide rates below Perth and New Zealand, but it seems odd that is basically never gets mentioned at all.

Edited March 23 by eal

[going for the corner]

13 minutes ago, eal said:

Why is Adelaide always so far down the list or not even on the list at all? The Rams averaged over 15,000 in the 1997 season. I get why Adelaide rates below Perth and New Zealand, but it seems odd that is basically never gets mentioned at all.

Limited places available for potential teams and lack of actual NRL regular season games or pre-season trial games along with last year’s perceived poorly attended origin game means Adelaide will always be down the list unfortunately.

[going for the corner]

http://Former Rugby Australia boss Andy Marinos has revealed his fanatical obsession with rugby league as he helps drive a bid to have an expansion franchise set up on the South Island of New Zealand. Marinos, who left RA in May amid suggestions of a fallout with departed chair Hamish McLennan due to the decision to spend more than $5 million Sydney Roosters star Joseph Suaalii, played both codes during his own career. Now, less than 12 months after his departure from RA, he has rekindled his involvement in rugby league as part of a bid - being led by former NRL chief executive David Moffett - to have a team based in Christchurch. Marinos has already spoken to NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo and is keen to set up a meeting with ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys to push the merits of a South Island franchise, which he believes would allow the NRL to have a State of Origin-type rivalry across the Tasman. The NRL has been built on tribalism and rivalry,” Marinos said. “It is quite unique. You look at the north and south island of New Zealand - it is exactly like Queensland and NSW. READ MORE: Sport Con: Roosters on cusp of massive re-signing coup | UFC’s bold plan to build roof over Brookvale Oval | “What it does is create more interest in terms of growth, opportunity. I am not saying you could do this, but you can’t ignore the thought of the State of Origin here and would there be merits of a north and south island clash in New Zealand.” Marinos was born in Zimbabwe, played one first grade rugby league game in 1996 and then switched back to rugby union, where he went on to play eight Tests for Wales. After retiring, he was the chief executive of SANZAAR before becoming the boss of Rugby Australia, where he was involved in the code’s successful bid to sign Suaalii. Reports later emerged that he harboured concerns over the amount of money RA spent on Suaalii, prompting him to walk away from RA. Despite his high-profile administrative role in rugby union, he has remained an avid fan of rugby league. “I am fanatical,” Marinos said. “I watch everything, as much as I can. I love it. It is a great game, a great game to watch.” While the ARL Commission is currently focused on finalising government support for an expansion side involving Papua New Guinea, Marinos is confident he and Moffett can convince the game’s powerbrokers of the merits of a South Island bid “At this stage we have as much information as has been publicly shared by head office,” Marinos said. “I think the important thing is we want to be ready. We think there is a value proposition being on the south island of New Zealand and capacity in that market if the NRL want to grow their footprint. “It is getting our house in order, putting our best foot forward and being read when the process opens. I am aware the PNG bid has government involvement and there is strategic soft diplomacy involved with that. “I like to do things through the front door. So we’ll sit round a table, see what we are looking at and take it from there. ” A capacity crowd of 17,249 people filled Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch to watch the Warriors beat Canberra on Friday night.

[Damien]