NRL Rugby league expansion

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Two new QLD clubs: Reason 18-team NRL competition is gathering momentum
The NRL are exploring the possibility of an 18th NRL franchise joining the 17th Brisbane expansion team in the next five years as the game looks to increase its earning potential.

The Daily Telegraph reported most NRL clubs believe an 18-team competition is more appropriate than 17 due to the fact it means an extra game each weekend.

The NRL are set to grant the 17th license to a Brisbane expansion team in the coming days, with Redcliffe tipped to edge out the Brisbane Fireharwks and the Brisbane Jets.

The NRL were reluctant to bring two teams in at once, but the consensus is that the game should push towards an 18-team competition to avoid one team having a bye each round.

The move would allow for the NRL to take advantage of increased broadcaster revenue from showing nine games a week as opposed to eight, which is the current model.

Roosters’ CEO Nick Politis told The Daily Telegraph the 18th franchise could go to either of the expected failed bids, the Firehawks or the Jets.

“We should have two new clubs in Queensland,” Politis told The Telegraph.

“We need to grow and we need new customers. More eyeballs on TV and more product will bring more revenue from the broadcasters and that’s what we rely on more than anything else.

“You do that by increasing the number of clubs, have an extra game and go into new areas.

“The three groups bidding to become the 17th team are all financially strong with good business structures. Why turn two of them away?

“They should be encouraged to be patient and eventually become the 18th team or we look at an area like Rockhampton.”

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While having five teams in one of rugby league’s heartlands Queensland is an obvious step for the 18th license there are also calls tro grow the game in other areas like Perth and Adelaide, while a second New Zealand team has also been put forward.

A team in Perth or New Zealand would provide the NRL with more flexibility in their scheduling due to different time zones.

A 7:30pm start during winter in Western Australia would be 9:30pm on the east coast, which could result in a four-game Super Saturday.

Meanwhile the Sunday twilight fixture that struggles for attendance at the ground but remains strong in television ratings would still be a 4pm kick-off in Perth allowing more fans to go through the gates.

An extra New Zealand team would also help with the Friday 6pm fixture due to the time zone flexibiliity.

There have also been calls for the NRL to expand into the Pacific Islands or Papua New Guinea, but the cost of such a venture would outweigh the positives for the governing body at this stage.

The argument against an 18-team competition centres around doubts there is enough playing talent to make two more competitive teams and keep the existing 16 clubs strong.
 
May 3, 2003
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Can "easily" solve that. Sharks to Perth. Tigers to Campbelltown or Adelaide. Bulldogs to Adelaide or Campbelltown. That would suddenly look a lot better

I still think the Roosters would be the right option. A new team in Perth.
 
Or merge Roosters and Rabbits
I think Carlton and Collingwood will merge before Souths and Easts. And I think Hell will freeze over before Carlton and Collingwood even think about a merger.
 
Sep 6, 2005
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Wow didnt see that coming! They are not going to call themselves anything other than 'Than Dolphins' according to Abdo! I hate the S15 way of just using a nickname with no geographic describer. Weird move imo. Maybe they are saving it for moving back to redcliffe one day??

Announcing the move at RLC on Wednesday, Abdo also confirmed the 'Redcliffe' part of the club's name had been dropped and would not be replaced, with the franchise to simply be known as 'The Dolphins' in the NRL Telstra Premiership moving forward.

 

Santana

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Sadly for the Jets surely the 18th team has to be in Perth?
Given the fact it's the NRL running the show after all, it's going to either be QLD 5 (Ipswich) or NZ 2 (Christchurch or Wellington) being that 18th team in the competition, with the only possible way that South Australia & Western Australia will ever get a team (in the short-term future at least) would have to be by a relocated NSW side, as quoted above.
 
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