National Rugby League CEO David Gallop at a press conference at NRL headquarters. AAP Image/Mick Tsikas
This Saturday night, top flight rugby league is being played in Western Australia again, which gives the people of Perth the chance to show the NRL whether or not their state is ready for a team again.
Only a handful of NRL games have been played in Perth since the Reds were disbanded following the 1997 season with a reported $10 million debt accrued by flying opposition teams out to face them.
The swine flu scare hasn’t helped with much of the game’s lead up coverage being dominated by the threat of the match being called off. But the word is that 10,000 seats of the 18,000 capacity Members Equity Stadium have been sold already.
That’s pretty good message to send NRL headquarters but to be fair anything even slightly positive is sure to be pretty well received by David Gallop and co at the moment.
Whether or not that’s enough to get the Reds front and centre is another story, though.
The Force have shown that the potential is there for the Perth public to take to a new team. Their reasonably impressive crowd averages suggest that the market is there for an oval ball code that isn’t AFL.
The problem is that WA Reds are yet to get a win on the board in the Bundaberg Rum Cup this season, their second in the division following last year’s introduction which Reds officials trumpeted as their first step on the road back into the NRL.
Unfortunately, you’d have to imagine that their side’s inability to get a win so far this season is jeopardising the alleged plans for the Reds to join either the QLD Cup or the NSW Cup before stepping up to the NRL.
While it isn’t a make or break criteria, a strong competition and pathway for local players is high on the NRL’s agenda for incoming sides, as it should be.
But in this case, is there an argument that the NRL side is needed first to generate the interest required to promote their efforts?
At the moment, the WARL First Grade competition only has eight teams and produces some fairly lopsided results which points, understandably, towards a lack of depth.
WIth an NRL side and the lure of more professional contracts, the standard would undoubtedly improve as better players moved west to try their luck.
The Storm have shown just how quickly the presence of a professional team can have an effect on local and specifically, junior competitions.
Whether or not that’s enough for the NRL is a big call.
But you never know.
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Kurt said | June 11th 2009 @ 6:26am | Report comment
Sure, why not? No reason an NRL club in Perth couldn’t be at least moderately successful. Of course like the AFL’s planned expansion into WS it will take realistic expectations, patience and reasonably deep pockets, but if those things are in place then I would think it would be worth a go. However rather than start a team from scratch, why not relocate a struggling Sydney team? I know this is seen as worth than death by some fans, but if done properly can provide a broad support base for the relocated team.
roary said | February 13th 2010 @ 7:10pm | Report comment
There is not enough interest for RL outside of NSW and QLD.
They tried it, went bust, game over.
Gosford is the way forward.
Mr Cool said | June 27th 2010 @ 11:06am | Report comment
Hi Roary. I believe that NSW and Queensland have beautiful beaches, please visit one and bury your head in the sand. The Prehistoric animals died out because they could not change. I don’t want to see RL do the same. — Even Netball has gone international (Almost). so don’t tell me that money is the only hold up. We have to move away from NSW having a monopoly on our game.
Crosscoder said | June 11th 2009 @ 7:53am | Report comment
They should never have left Perth in the first place.The game has the 3rd largest number of juniors after NSW and Qld ,and has a base on which to build.Already business people are being courted for a NRL application,should the NRl decide to expand,and it looks a lay down it will in 2013.
The Reds are not in the B Cup just to fill aspace IMO,as it is not a cheap exercise re travel.
The people behind the bid much prefer a Reds team,than a relocated one ,from what I hear.Forget relocation,it gives other codes a big leg up.
Kurt said | June 11th 2009 @ 8:14am | Report comment
How does relocation give other codes a big leg up? The way I see it there are probably 2 types of league fans in WA: Those who are genuinely committed to the sport (expats etc.) and will watch whatever team is in Perth as a way of supporting the sport; and those who are curious, might come along to watch a game or two and will either drift away or become serious fans. In either case what’s the problem with a relocated team, I mean it’s not as if there’s a big traditional rugby league club in Perth with established supporters who feel disenfranchised.
Mr Cool said | June 27th 2010 @ 11:13am | Report comment
Last night they achieved a crowd that was comparable to a Queensland v NSW club game attendance, in very cold conditions to watch two teams that were not their own, that tells me that there is a demand, there are a lot of Poms and Kiwis in and around Perth, they need to have their own team, My friends at Channel NONE will not give them any coverage of RL. so let’s barrack for them to got a team in the comp.
True Tah said | June 11th 2009 @ 8:21am | Report comment
I understand that in some of the mining areas of WA, rugby league is more popular than AFL, due to the large number of mining staff coming from Queensland.
macavity said | June 11th 2009 @ 8:52am | Report comment
should never have left. yet another example of News Ltd’s attempts to constrict the game and segment the nation.
Chris Beck said | June 11th 2009 @ 9:04am | Report comment
This is off-topic a bit, but nearly every article about the NRL features this same exact photo of David Gallop at the top of the page. I always wonder what the question was that resulted in the look on his face.
Mr Cool said | June 27th 2010 @ 11:14am | Report comment
Easy, someone asked him what his LONG term plan was for NRL???. I think a lot of fans would like to think that he has one.
Working Class Rugger said | June 11th 2009 @ 9:12am | Report comment
True Tah
It’s close to AFL in the Pilbara. Not quite there but close. Apart from that only Kalgoorlie have teams. Up here there was a 6 teams competition due to the high number’s of ex pats over here, but it’s now a four team competition as Damipier no longer competes and one of the two Karratha based teams have folded for the second year running.
Brett McKay said | June 11th 2009 @ 9:15am | Report comment
Chris, I’m thinking “David, what was your favourite Two And a Half Men episode?”
Sorry Gabriel, that was an unnecessary diversion, but Chris made me do it. My only question about an NRL team in Perth is whether both rugby codes could co-exist?? I’m sure there’s enough corporate support, but is there enough punters for both??
Finno said | June 11th 2009 @ 9:27am | Report comment
Yeah RL should spread it wings back to Perth, Adelaide, another Qld team, 2nd melbourne team, 2nd NZ team. I think they should be prepared to cope a loss for 5 -7 years though. You really cant expect 20,000 people to rock up to these games. If the NRL what to really league to be national maybe its a good time to expand. The question is which sydney clubs will be folded to make room?
Znotty said | June 11th 2009 @ 9:58am | Report comment
Yes….the Western Reds went alright before but only if a Sydney teams gets the axe.