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Rugby league needs to resuscitate the game at the grassroots level and repel the AFL threat before throwing millions of dollars at expansion teams, according to Brisbane Broncos operations manager Andrew Gee.
One of the many issues the NRL’s new commission will address this year is expansion.
Bids are already on the table from Central Queensland and Ipswich groups lobbying to be the next team added to the national competition, possibly as early as 2013.
Details of another bid – driven by former Bronco-backer and Thoroughbred heavyweight, Craig Davidson, for a second team to play out of Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium – will be unveiled on Monday.
Davidson has already billed his big announcement as the start of the “battle of Brisbane” even though the Broncos haven’t come out swinging.
His bid group have been linked to Darren Lockyer, Sam Thaiday, Wayne Bennett, Mal Meninga, Craig Bellamy and even All Black forward and budding heavyweight boxer, Sonny Bill Williams, as it attempts to attract community backing.
“There’s no paranoia at this club, nobody is looking over their shoulder,” said new Broncos chief executive Paul White, who’s consistently declined to engage in a verbal war with the Brisbane bid team.
White did say the Broncos were “extremely well placed” to meet any challenges ahead after bulking up financially on Wednesday with fresh sponsorship deals with Sportingbet Australia and smallgoods specialists Hans.
Sportingbet Australia’s financial commitment – the biggest by a sports wagering company to an NRL club in history – is believed to be worth more than $1.5 million.
While Gee said Brisbane were up for any challenge put in front of them, he also revealed his deep concern for the plight of the game at the grassroots level.
“It’s up to bigger and better people than me to decide if a new club comes in and where it’s going to go,” Gee told AAP.
“Personally, I’d like to see the grassroots of our game protected more before we pour millions into expanding it.
“You go into the country areas and you see how tough they’re doing it to get people to play.
“The AFL is pushing in all over Queensland and NSW.
“We have to start looking after our own turf better before we go throwing our money at any new expansion bid.”
A recent trip back to Beaudesert, where Gee played his junior football before being signed by Brisbane and becoming a world class prop, has convinced him the problem is serious.
“I go back out to my home town of Beaudesert where football used to be thriving and they’re struggling to get a team on the park,” he said.
“From my point of view, that’s where we’ve got to spend the dollars.
Gee said the Broncos welcome any challenge that comes their way.
“We’ve been around for a long time, we know the way it works,” he said.
“We’ve been very successful over those years. We know how to do things right and to make our club successful which it is.
“We have a history and a culture of loyalty and we work hard on that legacy every year just as we are right now.”
© AAP 2012Recommend this story.
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February 17th 2011 @ 7:47am
Funktapuss said | February 17th 2011 @ 7:47am | Report comment
Ultimately the AFL will win the battle of hearts and minds because,
a) they have the super game with spectacular skills – mocking it and deriding it does not cut it, just like the average looking girls who sneer at the gorgeous buxom blonde around the office.
b) media coverage will only get bigger as the huge money rolls in because the tv companies have a vested interest in pushing their investment.
c) rugby league will end up like it has in England. A fringe sport only on pay tv.
February 17th 2011 @ 7:59am
betamax said | February 17th 2011 @ 7:59am | Report comment
Funktapuss. If you are going to make these kind of statements, can you do us a favour and preface them with “in my opinion”. Of course your entitled to voice your opinion, wrong as it may be.
February 17th 2011 @ 8:13am
clipper said | February 17th 2011 @ 8:13am | Report comment
Funktapuss, league has always been a fringe sport in England, and northern England at that.
February 17th 2011 @ 8:26am
betamax said | February 17th 2011 @ 8:26am | Report comment
It might be a fringe sport in the UK, but it can still get a crowd of 80,000 to Wembley. When AFL pulls a crowd anywhere near that anywhere offshore, lets talk Funtapuss.
Back on topic, these comments by Gee smack of the protectionism which the Broncos are famous for. The worse case scenario for the Broncos would be having to battle for the hearts and minds of the RL crowd in Brisbane. Other codes and apathy can be dealt with.
February 17th 2011 @ 10:18am
Funktapuss said | February 17th 2011 @ 10:18am | Report comment
The 80,000 people travel down the 2 or 3 hours from Yorkshire and Lancashire. You get few southerners at all interested.
February 17th 2011 @ 10:34am
Andrew said | February 17th 2011 @ 10:34am | Report comment
I don’t see your point. I think most of us understand what the story is in the UK with Super League, but it is another premier Rugby League comp. Where are the other AFL ones?
Rugby League’s next TV deal is the key, and given that League teams are cheaper to run, I think you may find things changing a lot. Especially if League can force the game to be shown in the states it is not currently at a decent time, even on alternate channels, it would outrate much of the garbage that is on there currently.
Here’s hoping that Channel 10 get the TV rights next time around. They do have League loving owners now, who understand that if Channel 10 is to be a contender, they need a sport like League to get it to that level.
February 17th 2011 @ 10:46am
BIG BEN said | February 17th 2011 @ 10:46am | Report comment
Andrew
Understand you’re point re showing the game live around Australia, but the NRL do have that power. The reason they haven’t gone that way is that the television companies will make them pay for the privelidge, the same way the AFL have done. Unfortunately in my oppinion, the NRL are under too much pressure (applied through the Sydney media) to secure the maximum amount of money possible therefore forfeiting the ‘show it everywhere’ clause.
February 17th 2011 @ 12:17pm
Funktapuss said | February 17th 2011 @ 12:17pm | Report comment
You would expect MORE NRL to be on Fox Sports if they want more cash from any deal. They have been in Canberra trying to get the anti-siphoning laws changed so they can do just that.
It will probably end up being 7 of the 8 games on pay tv with just the odd one on Friday’s on Nine. There is a price when you take the devil’s candy.
February 17th 2011 @ 3:36pm
Andrew said | February 17th 2011 @ 3:36pm | Report comment
Well given it will be law next year, I believe 4 AFL games to remain on free to air, and 3 NRL games (not to say more can’t be shown, but the TV stations would have to outbid Foxtel for those rights), and sports must be shown at maximum 4 hours after there start time (which for league means at worst games would be shown at 11:30pm, rather than after midnight as currently happens in the southern states), there is cause for a lot celebration. Currently the NRL does NOT have the power to make them show the game live into the southern states, just a clause which is must start before midnight, which is not enforced by the NRL.
As I said, if Channel 10 gets the rights, I do expect them to show the games live on OneHD as they have a product they can grow, and still not impact what they show on there main channel, thus giving viewers the option. I do expect whomever gets the AFL rights to start showing the AFL in Sydney and Brisbane on there secondary channels also, because currently it’s a big ratings hit to those networks. A reason why Channel 10 are eying the NRL as showing the AFL on a saturday night into Sydney and Brisbane really hurts them.
It’s been a long time since NRL was shown each week into the Southern States at a decent time, I believe if the NRL can get a team into Perth as well, they will be onto a winner as they can grow there product into markets that haven’t really had the opportunity to embrace the sport properly before. Really depends on who gets the rights. If Channel 9, the somebody needs to ensure they start treating the sport with respect, as currently they don’t.
February 17th 2011 @ 12:05pm
Funktapuss said | February 17th 2011 @ 12:05pm | Report comment
Similar to here in Australia. Only the two northern regions of Oz are into it.
February 17th 2011 @ 12:13pm
Jake said | February 17th 2011 @ 12:13pm | Report comment
“only” Funktapuss. There’s more Australians living in those two Australian states than the rest of the continent.
February 17th 2011 @ 5:13pm
Crosscoder said | February 17th 2011 @ 5:13pm | Report comment
Get used to it,your code is a niche sport in the 2 northern states.be satisfied with small mercies.
February 17th 2011 @ 5:08pm
Crosscoder said | February 17th 2011 @ 5:08pm | Report comment
A fringe sport in Nth England LOL.
February 17th 2011 @ 8:13am
Stevo said | February 17th 2011 @ 8:13am | Report comment
Yawn. There’s always one.
Not everybody likes blondes you know.
February 17th 2011 @ 8:31am
kovana said | February 17th 2011 @ 8:31am | Report comment
Im surprised he has even received serious responses to his post.
February 17th 2011 @ 12:55pm
Mark Young said | February 17th 2011 @ 12:55pm | Report comment
On the other hand, the AFL will continue to be enormously successful in the Southern States while NRL dominates the North.
Both will have substantial niche markets in their opponents territory.
And die hards on both sides will be convinced that some day they will take over.
February 17th 2011 @ 1:06pm
clipper said | February 17th 2011 @ 1:06pm | Report comment
Surely no one (even the die hards) would expect that situation to change. The question will be how much of a substantial niche each will carve – next year it will be 4 AFL teams in NRL territory and 1 NRL team in AFL territory.
February 17th 2011 @ 6:09pm
Jake said | February 17th 2011 @ 6:09pm | Report comment
Which Clipper is all the evidence you need to be convinced that apart from in Melbourne the AFL states are not where the money is for either code. That is why the AFL are desperate to make gains in NRL states. It’s where the people and money are.
February 17th 2011 @ 6:15pm
Nathan said | February 17th 2011 @ 6:15pm | Report comment
Wait, there’s no money in the other states? WA already has an economy larger than NZ, with half the people. (ps. Hurry up with the WA Reds bid, NRL!)
February 17th 2011 @ 6:07pm
Mark Young said | February 17th 2011 @ 6:07pm | Report comment
Oh and thanks for coming over and taking a dump on the game.
I hope for the sake of your enjoyment, that no league fan does something similar to the articles for your sport.
February 17th 2011 @ 6:12pm
Nathan said | February 17th 2011 @ 6:12pm | Report comment
a) Not quite true, have seen the reverse
b) I do hate the single-code boosters that do feel the need to dump on the other codes, it all so bloody unnecessary. Australia is sports mad enough to support all the codes, no need to be trolls.
Being from Perth, League is probably the sport I’m least attached to, with AFL the most and assoc. football in the middle, but thats largely because of the lack of an NRL team I guess. Even so, I’m always glad to hear when Australian leagues are doing well, NRL included!
February 17th 2011 @ 8:54pm
Mark Young said | February 17th 2011 @ 8:54pm | Report comment
Nathan, I apologise to you on behalf of League Fans.
The vast majority of us are reasonable people who wouldn’t do something so juvenile.
Enjoy your season and hope it is full of big wins, narrow wins, shock wins and (my personal favourite) back-to-the-wall wins!
February 17th 2011 @ 8:06am
Crosscoder said | February 17th 2011 @ 8:06am | Report comment
Funktapuss,
That is no doubt an intro to a comedy routine you have been rehearsing for some time. Good for a laugh over morning coffee.
Better have a chat with j packer and L Murdoch board members of ch10,and rl fans,understand that TV sttaion will be bidding for the game,which they did not on the last occasion.
The fringe sport you cite in England received P29m from Sport England as a grant due to the successful grassroots’development work,they have done in new and establsihed areas.The govt pay ridiculous amounts for fringe sports,apparently.Well I never.
@ either your a troll
b) your taking the mickey
c) your believe in delusion.
February 17th 2011 @ 8:32am
kovana said | February 17th 2011 @ 8:32am | Report comment
Its most likely A. Crosscoder.
February 17th 2011 @ 5:12pm
Crosscoder said | February 17th 2011 @ 5:12pm | Report comment
Yeah sure buddy I don’t bother with multiple identities such as a union gent i know.Wink wink say no more.that is your contribution to the debate.figures.
February 18th 2011 @ 1:20pm
Kovana said | February 18th 2011 @ 1:20pm | Report comment
Hmm.. … I do not know what to make of this post.
But yes.. I only like to post figures.
February 17th 2011 @ 12:12pm
Funktapuss said | February 17th 2011 @ 12:12pm | Report comment
Suppose RL in England is going wonderfully, it explains why they changed to a summer season like soccer did here in Oz.
And it controls with it’s iron grip those famously cosmopolitan cities of Wigan, Hull, St. Helen’s, Halifax and Warrington.
Good luck with Murdoch and Packer. Done a great job with the code since they have been around haven’t they!?
February 17th 2011 @ 12:16pm
Jake said | February 17th 2011 @ 12:16pm | Report comment
@ Funktapuss. Rugby and soccer in England are both looking at moving to summer too. League has got more crowds since the summer move and even one spectator is more than AFL will get in its English competition.
February 17th 2011 @ 5:23pm
Crosscoder said | February 17th 2011 @ 5:23pm | Report comment
They tend to ignore the facts Jake,the move to summer for rl was a sensible and fruitful one.
February 17th 2011 @ 6:27pm
Dave said | February 17th 2011 @ 6:27pm | Report comment
not for the celtic crusaders, harlequins and now wakefield trinity.
February 18th 2011 @ 6:14am
Crosscoder said | February 18th 2011 @ 6:14am | Report comment
Dave
You honestly think they would have done better in winter LOL.
Crusaders are now out of admin.New junior clubs are forming in the wrexham,and the Scorpions in the South are doing nicely with strong junior growth and lower level clubs.
Harlequins crowds have always been a worry winter or summer.What it has done in provde an ever increasing number of juniors stake up the sport in London.
W.Trinity a club having problems is not unique,winet would not have solved them.
You are being selective you have to take the overall view for the game there,and summer has been successful.More so for the continually growing RLC
Gee if one works on the basis of clubs exeperiencing diffilculties from time to time and therefore the code is not a success,just about any code falls in to that category.
February 17th 2011 @ 5:21pm
Crosscoder said | February 17th 2011 @ 5:21pm | Report comment
A smart move by the code.No one can compete with soccer there.At least the ESL gets decent Tv ratings and a decent TV contract.So the move isa good one.Getting kids to play a sport in summer ,is a tad easier than winter.
At last reports Packer (who was involved in the last TV is not around) but pushing up…..
In fact the Nthn cities are quite cosmopolitan
And Murdoch(Rupert that is) as from 30th April will not have 50% of the code.
Anycase whoever bids for the next rl contrcats in this country,will no get it as a steal,but paid as they should.Meaning the running game will have money to spend on grassroots development.
February 17th 2011 @ 4:13pm
Nathan said | February 17th 2011 @ 4:13pm | Report comment
Of course he’s a bloody troll xD
February 17th 2011 @ 9:18am
Andrew said | February 17th 2011 @ 9:18am | Report comment
I think if the NRL gets over and above what they expect from the TV rights money, should look at buying something like Oztag, and then using that in the same way AFL use Auskick. The biggest bonus is that it allows boys and girls to play at the same time, generating interest in the sport in both sexes, as well it allows players to develop attacking skills without the injuries. It’s a great way to get people interested in the sport, especially when it’s generally mums deciding what sports there kids are allowed to play, take away the big hits and mums will allow there kids to play, and down the track the kid themselves may choose to play the full contact variety. It at least allows another pathway for kids to embrace the game.
February 17th 2011 @ 11:43am
Jake said | February 17th 2011 @ 11:43am | Report comment
What’s Gee on about? The Brisbane bid team is privately funded. If the bid fails then that money doesn’t go elsewhere in rugby league, the bid team’s investors keep it. Gee is just creating this AFL monster to keep the Broncos as the only NRL team in Brisbane.
February 17th 2011 @ 2:59pm
Andrew said | February 17th 2011 @ 2:59pm | Report comment
I have a mate who would love to punch Andrew Gee in the face. He had the pick the margins until Andrew Gee, who only had to tap the ball and run into the defense, decided to do it incorrectly and he was penalised, and the Roosters converted the kick from right in front of the posts. I couldn’t believe my mates bad luck.
February 17th 2011 @ 1:18pm
TW said | February 17th 2011 @ 1:18pm | Report comment
On the topic – What is the NRL doing about grassroots league – Are they really trying to develop kids.
February 17th 2011 @ 6:10pm
Jake said | February 17th 2011 @ 6:10pm | Report comment
That’s the ARL’s job TW. Ask them.
February 17th 2011 @ 1:43pm
League lovin Larry said | February 17th 2011 @ 1:43pm | Report comment
Wayne,
Grass root football has hardly been neglected.
There are pretty good results out there.
The figures are
Participation in Rugby League as from the ABS
2000 – 95,000
2001 – 87,000
2002 – 80,000
2003 – 77,000
2004 – 95,000
2005 – 108,600
2006 – 115,00
2007 – 120,000
2008 – 127,000
2010 – 135 000
It shows that league is growing well . it about 3- 4% of kids. While the number will never be as high as soocer and AFL. Rugby League is making some solid gains. Some really big gains where made in Victoria which had a 50% uptake over the last 3 years. But they are offset by falling rates in Sydney and a pretty flat Brisbane. Interestingly enough there has been a massive uptake of league in polynesian communities. Which in 10 years time will show in the amount of player on the park.
Other Sports child participation rates
Swimming – 20%
Soccer – 14%
AFL – 9 %
Netball – 11%
Gymnastics – 3% (yes, about 3% . I had no idea 113,00 kids !!!!!)
February 17th 2011 @ 3:06pm
clipper said | February 17th 2011 @ 3:06pm | Report comment
Do you think the massive uptake of league in Polynesian communities may have something to do with the falling rates in Sydney – as Polynesian kids, by and large, are bigger and stronger than other kids at the same age, and other kids may be a bit intimidated?
February 17th 2011 @ 3:26pm
Andrew said | February 17th 2011 @ 3:26pm | Report comment
I do. Which is why I suggested Oztag being bought out if the NRL could afford it. It’s the perfect vehicle to capture those players who would like to have a go, but aren’t ready for the full contact version of it.
Really it’s something for the IC to consider, because you really want to maximise the amount of kids playing a sport at a young age.
February 17th 2011 @ 4:17pm
League lovin Larry said | February 17th 2011 @ 4:17pm | Report comment
Nah the drop is often followed by a rise the next year by a big rise the next year often it depend on when the survey is taken, so you need to look at the trends over all.
2 year agos the brisbane junior had a 15% drop only to have a 18% rise the next year.
Check out the state of the game yearly review on league. The NRL know that the large intake of polynesians kids means that they need to look at weight as well as age for picking the teams.
It appears looking at the amount of juniors from Polynesian decent playing league and that the NRL will be made up of mainly this race of players. It exciting stuff as we look a player like Moi Moi etc. league will be bigger and faster.
It does appear that there are less players from anglo back grounds. By 2030 the NRL will be made of 70% polynesians and Maori. Probably 13% aboriginal and 17% other made up of PNG, English and anglo Australians.
Obviously teams like the Warriors already have over 60% and Parramatta juniors 70% and the NSW junior side is about 65%. The Broncos have a more 50 -50 split.
February 18th 2011 @ 11:34am
mick h said | February 18th 2011 @ 11:34am | Report comment
those figures don’t include senior or school competitions
February 18th 2011 @ 12:57pm
League lovin Larry said | February 18th 2011 @ 12:57pm | Report comment
They are left out by the ABS because they are unreliable, the state of play believes that there are 480,000 kids of playing league in schools, the problem is that there are 3.4 million children in Australia. But reading future to the state of play document it means kids that have attend a league session of clinic. Considering that league exposure is limited to mainly 2 states. of appox. 11 million people. 480,000 would appear a little high.
So the ABS only reflects non school teams for all codes of football.
For example.
I read a fact file the other day that 1/2 of all boys in Brisbane play soccer. Mind you that came from Football Brisbane ( ages 6-16). But it can be taken with a grain of salt because they are figures from a soccer association. That would mean that 100,000 – 125,000 odd kids play in Brisbane on every saturday alone. I cant see that being right,
February 18th 2011 @ 11:53am
mick h said | February 18th 2011 @ 11:53am | Report comment
certain parts of sydney struggle but new clubs are being established enfeild(reformed) and strathfield balmain comp riverwood wolves canterbury and liverpool titans western suburbs. western suburbs a grade comp is back this year with 13 teams predicted to play last year they played in group 6 which is a strong competition. the penrith and parramatta jrl continue to grow each year . in penrith they are planning an u16′s 11 a side comp for fun for players who aren’t fully competitive. a weight for age comp and a girls comp. rl is moving with the times and creating more opportunities for smaller and less competitive kis who love the game,who want to have fun. the rl western sydney academy needs to be congratulated.
February 18th 2011 @ 1:04pm
The Link said | February 18th 2011 @ 1:04pm | Report comment
Larry – what about the numbers for Touch?
February 17th 2011 @ 2:50pm
DAVEY said | February 17th 2011 @ 2:50pm | Report comment
Is League the only code struggling in the bush? Or is that more to do with the amount of young people leaving the country for city or a lack of funds provided by administration? I know of anecdotal evidence about Union picking up a lot of players who preferred the social side to the game in some areas of the bushto League, but I’d be interested to see how areas in country victoria for instance compare with the growth of AFl… are they struggling to put teams on the park now too?
February 17th 2011 @ 3:53pm
Roberto Bettega said | February 17th 2011 @ 3:53pm | Report comment
any time you have a rural community losing population, all sports will struggle to fill teams, wherever it is, whatever the sport
ever noticed all the old tennis courts in some country towns completely overgrown with weeds as if no one has played on them in decades
February 17th 2011 @ 4:31pm
League lovin Larry said | February 17th 2011 @ 4:31pm | Report comment
More importantly if its league, rugby, soocer, AFL all sports should have some focus on funding junior sports.
February 17th 2011 @ 5:32pm
Crosscoder said | February 17th 2011 @ 5:32pm | Report comment
Many of the younger players from the bush are snapped up by NRL clubs,and if they don;t make it ,they seem to not want to return and stay in Sydney and Brisbane.
i don’t know what Gee is on about,it appears the fear of another Brisbane side is a bit unsettling,and he is using the AFL ogre and grassroots fear factor as his argument.
This is why the next Tv deals,sponsorship deals are pushed to the hilt.Money for grassroots and plenty of it is imperative ,and weight divisions must be brought back.
There is no reason why another 2 NRL clubs can’t be added,in addition to grwoing the game’s base.More teams means more opportunities for players and juniors to aspire to.
February 17th 2011 @ 6:34pm
Crashy said | February 17th 2011 @ 6:34pm | Report comment
I am slowly coming around to the belief that if the NRL is so worried about the AFL encroaching on their turf – then maybe they should unite with the ARU and fight back via a common front. ( I dont mean merge or anything like that god forbid!)
I can see already thats what Channel 9 is doing by showing rugby and league – probably not a bad move by combining the traditional league demographic with the different rugby demographic to have a wide audience covered.
Rugby pulls pretty good international crowds with Aus participation rates around the 210,000 mark. Combine this with a very strong NRL and suddenly you have a pretty big opposition to the (perceived or not) threat that is AFL.
Just a thought..
February 17th 2011 @ 8:50pm
Jay said | February 17th 2011 @ 8:50pm | Report comment
Yeah I agree.
Imagine a double header at ANZ stadium NSW Waratahs v Auckland Blues followed by Canterbury Bankstown v Warriors.
That would attact a bumper crowd, notwithstanding the fact that it would get more publicity and build up than GWS playing Richmond next door.
February 17th 2011 @ 9:21pm
Andrew said | February 17th 2011 @ 9:21pm | Report comment
OMG that would be awesome. Love the Tahs and the Dogs. Please someone make that happen.
February 17th 2011 @ 9:35pm
betamax said | February 17th 2011 @ 9:35pm | Report comment
It would be awesome and it makes you wonder why it has never happened, or been considered. Code politics no doubt.
I remember talk last year about a Aust League vs Aust Union hybrid match, which got everyone excited for about five minutes, but seemingly no one followed it through. Anyone heard about what happened with that?
February 17th 2011 @ 9:37pm
Andrew said | February 17th 2011 @ 9:37pm | Report comment
Was never going to happen. The potential for injuries, and even more so, ego’s of the losing code, doomed it from the start. A double header like this would sell out the ground, probably doing more for Unions profile than Leagues (in Sydney anyway), but either way, it would be a tremendous event.