NRL Rugby league expansion

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I would 100% urge the Sharks to relocate to Perth. The supporter base in Cronulla is tiny, and that in Perth "potentially" much higher, can own a whole city. Can still have a Cronulla in the NSWRL. If they stay in Cronulla they may die out.

From the league perspective, would make better sense to relocate a tiny Sydney club, than grant a new license to Perth. You dont have try to fit in a new license from Perth when max 20 teams is the limit.

You have to somehow fit in Perth, Adelaide, NZ2, PNG/Cairns, Qld5 (west), as well as Campbelltown, Gosford, Wollongong footholds.

New licenses can be saved for NZ2, QLD5, PNG/Cairns. And push Sharks to Perth to fill that, Dragons to Wollongong permanently, Tigers to Campbelltown permanently (stave off AFL interest there). One day Bulldogs to Adelaide. Maybe one day Eagles to Gosford (if not Bears).
 
Back on The Dolphins....

It's probably entirely unique in world sport, to have a sports team not have a location name. But I really dislike the decision. Think it's stupid.

I understand the various options for a geographic name were problematic -- too insular, too generic, not a good ring to it, etc. But a very weird decision.
 

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Ghost Patrol said:
Honestly, think it should have gone to Ipswich Jets. That's the RL heartland in Qld.
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I think the NRL were a little concerned about having three teams in SE QLD all in close proximity to each other and battling for the same dollar.

Redcliffe have a better chance of growing because they can expand out of North Brisbane and into the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay, it's a larger, more populous area and is growing more rapidly.
 
GG.exe said:
Back on The Dolphins....

It's probably entirely unique in world sport, to have a sports team not have a location name. But I really dislike the decision. Think it's stupid.

I understand the various options for a geographic name were problematic -- too insular, too generic, not a good ring to it, etc. But a very weird decision.
Click to expand...
My understanding is the name and club colours haven't been determined yet, but could be announced as early as next week.

There was talk yesterday that the Sunshine Coast Dolphins or Moreton Bay-Redcliffe Dolphins could be the name.

Club colours are likely to be the traditional Redcliffe colours of Red and White with a third colour like Silver or Grey included to differenciate them from the Dragons/Steelers.
 
Heardy_101 said:
But having a dozen teams in Sydney doesn't have the same issue?
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Of course it does, but the Sydney clubs have been around for more than 50 years and before the league went National. Sort of National. It would be stupid to create another condensed grouping of clubs when they are looking at reducing the number of clubs in Sydney.
 
should they put another team within their existing markets the nrl will have missed a massive opportunity to grow across the country. 25 years since the super league wars surely they can expand past west of he blue mountains
 
DEVO said:
My understanding is the name and club colours haven't been determined yet, but could be announced as early as next week.

There was talk yesterday that the Sunshine Coast Dolphins or Moreton Bay-Redcliffe Dolphins could be the name.

Club colours are likely to be the traditional Redcliffe colours of Red and White with a third colour like Silver or Grey included to differenciate them from the Dragons/Steelers.
Click to expand...

Sunshine Coast might be an issue, especially given there is already a team called "Sunshine Coast".
 

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phantom13 said:
Spent many a summer holiday in redcliffe visiting my granma.

Little bit torn truthfully about whether to stick with the historical team (Broncos) or jump ship, never actually had this happen before.
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Jump ship with me to Dolphins, tho im not jumping but adding them as my equally followed #2 team. Could grow to be #1
 
phantom13 said:
Spent many a summer holiday in redcliffe visiting my granma.

Little bit torn truthfully about whether to stick with the historical team (Broncos) or jump ship, never actually had this happen before.
Click to expand...
We lived a few blocks away from Dolphin Oval for about nine months in 1975, one of our neighbours would take his son to all the home games and for a season I would tag along. I started following Redcliffe a year before I started following Parramatta. I've known since the 90's of Redcliffe's ambition to join the NRL but I've always been a little hesitant because I wouldn't know which team to follow, but the fact that they aren't calling themselves the Redcliffe Dolphins is making it a little easier not to have to choose.
 
Even as someone who follows the Sea Eagles, I'd love to see the Bears come back. Unfortunately I can't see it happening in a crowded Sydney/NSW market, it would have to be Gosford or nothing, although going around an playing games in and around the State is a bold move.

I still harbour thoughts that they should have been allowed to buy out the Gold Coast - they then could struck up a potential Alliance with Burleigh.
 
TL;DR...18th surely will be NZ2 or Perth imo. Based on what I elaborate on below.

---

Initially, I was thinking Dolphins would slowly morph into representing Sunshine Coast, and a Brisbane #2 would eventually arrive in the future to represent the west.

But thinking about it more, I realize that the Dolphins are actually the Brisbane #2. They will help foster growth of the NRL product by promoting and working with the Capras, but it's all a way that eventually in the further future, the Sunshine Coast will have its own team imo.

I'll say it better....

QLD broken down into regions, Brisbane and Moreton Bay are basically conjoined, the same region strictly. So you now have a true Brisbane rivalry where the Broncos already represents Ipswich/Logan, the West/South, and Dolphins represent the East/North.

Looking at QLD in regions and where expansion "should" go next......Sunshine Coast and Cairns having teams is what will happen imo. Cairns vs Townsville rivalry, to match the SEQ rivalry now set up. Cairns is as big as Townsville and far away enough from Townsville to have its own team.

QLD NRL licenses = Cairns, Townsville, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Gold Coast. (6)
All the main regions represented.

NSW NRL licenses ought to aim for = Campbelltown, Wollongong, Newcastle, Penrith, Parramatta, Sydney, Sydney #2, Manly/Gosford. (8)

NZ = Aukland, and either Christchurch or Wellington. (2)

Rest of Australia = Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide. (4)

There's your 20 teams.

We already have the Dragons semi-representing Wollongong, the Tigers semi-representing Campbelltown. So one step will be to get the Sea Eagles to semi-represent Gosford (play 50% games there), especially given the problems with Brookvale Oval, eventually the SE's could base themselves in Gosford anyway whilst still owning the Northern Peninsula (Warringah) and that good stock of RL juniors.

The other step will be to eventually cajole the Dragons to Wollongong permanently and the Tigers to Campbelltown permanently. The level of juniors in St George district, Sutherland district, Ashfield and Balmain districts is next to dead. More potential for those clubs to focus on juniors in Wollong. and Campb.

The real trick will be what to do with the Bulldogs (Bankstown is still good for junior RL), and what to do with the Sharks. If you could somehow relocate those two clubs to Perth and Adelaide, whilst keeping each team represented in the NSW cup as Cronulla and Canterbury, you'd solve that 20 team picture I painted above.

So if that was a grand plan....who makes the most sense to be 18th license? Cairns and SC are say about 10-30 years away. You don't even have to relocate teams to Woll., Campb., and Gosford for the foreseeable future, as the Dragons, Tigers and Sea Eagles can all semi-represent those regions, playing 50:50 games there to keep the interest alive, to grow affiliation of those specific clubs to those specific regions so one distant day they could seamlessly relocate there. Whether it's relocating a team like the Sharks or by granting a brand new license, it is clear to me that Perth or Wellington/Christchurch will be the next license.

It won't be Brisbane #2....because that really is the Dolphins.
 
GG.exe said:
TL;DR...18th surely will be NZ2 or Perth imo. Based on what I elaborate on below.

---

Initially, I was thinking Dolphins would slowly morph into representing Sunshine Coast, and a Brisbane #2 would eventually arrive in the future to represent the west.

But thinking about it more, I realize that the Dolphins are actually the Brisbane #2. They will help foster growth of the NRL product by promoting and working with the Capras, but it's all a way that eventually in the further future, the Sunshine Coast will have its own team imo.

I'll say it better....

QLD broken down into regions, Brisbane and Moreton Bay are basically conjoined, the same region strictly. So you now have a true Brisbane rivalry where the Broncos already represents Ipswich/Logan, the West/South, and Dolphins represent the East/North.

Looking at QLD in regions and where expansion "should" go next......Sunshine Coast and Cairns having teams is what will happen imo. Cairns vs Townsville rivalry, to match the SEQ rivalry now set up. Cairns is as big as Townsville and far away enough from Townsville to have its own team.

QLD NRL licenses = Cairns, Townsville, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Gold Coast. (6)
All the main regions represented.

NSW NRL licenses ought to aim for = Campbelltown, Wollongong, Newcastle, Penrith, Parramatta, Sydney, Sydney #2, Manly/Gosford. (8)

NZ = Aukland, and either Christchurch or Wellington. (2)

Rest of Australia = Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide. (4)

There's your 20 teams.

We already have the Dragons semi-representing Wollongong, the Tigers semi-representing Campbelltown. So one step will be to get the Sea Eagles to semi-represent Gosford (play 50% games there), especially given the problems with Brookvale Oval, eventually the SE's could base themselves in Gosford anyway whilst still owning the Northern Peninsula (Warringah) and that good stock of RL juniors.

The other step will be to eventually cajole the Dragons to Wollongong permanently and the Tigers to Campbelltown permanently. The level of juniors in St George district, Sutherland district, Ashfield and Balmain districts is next to dead. More potential for those clubs to focus on juniors in Wollong. and Campb.

The real trick will be what to do with the Bulldogs (Bankstown is still good for junior RL), and what to do with the Sharks. If you could somehow relocate those two clubs to Perth and Adelaide, whilst keeping each team represented in the NSW cup as Cronulla and Canterbury, you'd solve that 20 team picture I painted above.

So if that was a grand plan....who makes the most sense to be 18th license? Cairns and SC are say about 10-30 years away. You don't even have to relocate teams to Woll., Campb., and Gosford for the foreseeable future, as the Dragons, Tigers and Sea Eagles can all semi-represent those regions, playing 50:50 games there to keep the interest alive, to grow affiliation of those specific clubs to those specific regions so one distant day they could seamlessly relocate there. Whether it's relocating a team like the Sharks or by granting a brand new license, it is clear to me that Perth or Wellington/Christchurch will be the next license.

It won't be Brisbane #2....because that really is the Dolphins.
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I was unaware of the Bulldogs already moving to a brand new Liverpool situation. In that case, it becomes the Tigers on the hot-seat to be moved, and the Bulldogs safe taking over the South-West of Sydney.

Also, Cronulla I am told is much stronger than I thought, bigger juniors numbers and financially stronger (news to me)....but if im wrong im wrong there.
 
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Another team isn't the answer. Try investing in grassroots again. Get kids playing. Do the same in Melbourne.

Like a broken record, I keep repeating Perth next, Roosters to Adelaide and spend some money at the bottom end.
 
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