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Expansion in the NRL is always a hot topic, and while talks have been called off until the 2017 season, it remains an ongoing issue.
In order to fully grasp the situation, the pros, cons and key discussion points of expansion need to be examined.
Today we will look at the pros, tomorrow the cons.
Tapping into new markets
The game of rugby league has become a commercial entity, with the NRL an extremely lucrative business.
First and foremost the games bean counters are licking their lips at the prospect of attracting thousands of new fans to the game, particularly those in rural areas and people in states or territories more supportive of AFL, rugby union or football.
A new market does not necessarily mean a proposed new team has to form in an unchartered area, it could be a simple matter of offering an alternative in an established rugby league area, like a second Brisbane side.
Those who might enjoy the game as a whole but don’t follow the Broncos might be become more involved in the game with a new team to support.
Creating a truly national rugby league
Following the super league war a re-branding of the game occurred and the ARL was renamed the National Rugby League in 1998. The 1998 season featured standalone St George, Illawarra, Balmain and Western Suburbs sides, along with now defunct North Sydney and Adelaide teams.
Three expansion teams – the Hunter Mariners, Perth Reds and South Queensland Crushers – directly felt the brunt of the Super League, as the NRL ratified a 20-team competition with a view to a 14 team comp by the year 2000.
These expansion sides did not die in vain. What we learnt from these teams was that the prospect of a truly national game is very real.
In their inaugural 1995 campaign, the Adelaide Rams enjoyed extremely healthy crowd figures, averaging over 17,000 throughout the season, with a club-high of 27,435 fans attending their first home match. While support dwindled in the following seasons, the Rams still managed to attract a season average of nearly 10,000 spectators by their demise at the end of the ’98 season – a time when the game was not in a healthy position.
The site of a perfectly timed Noel Goldthorpe pass to a flying Graham Appo is a memory rugby league fans will treasure, so why don’t we revive such scenes? As it stands, rugby league in Australia is at its healthiest position in the history of the game. Club memberships are at an all-time high, the new broadcast deal has ensured revenue for a number of seasons, and the demand for more and more rugby league is immense.
Ask Mark Geyer how much he treasured his time with the Reds, ask Clinton Schifcofske how important the Crushers were in establishing his career, or the Mariners to the careers of Brett Kimmorley and Scott Hill. Hell, ask the 24,392 fans who witnessed Perth’s first match at the WACA just how much they’d enjoy having a team to call their own again.
And who knows, in the future we could see the likes of the Darwin Vipers, Hobart Giants, Central Coast Bears, a team representing NSW’s mid-north coast known as the North Coast Hurricanes and maybe even one to tap into the vast resources and growing population of the Hills Shire – Hills Lions anyone? There is an appetite for growth of the game and I say we feed the hungry.
Strengthen surrounding international teams
There has also been serious bidding from Papua New Guinea to have a side in the NRL and I couldn’t welcome the notion more. The country is rugby league mad and players involved in the annual Prime Minister’s clash each year have spoken highly of the experience.
Papua New Guinea have also shown a steady improvement in the representative scene over the past few years and what is really positive is the amount of homegrown players playing for the national side. The time is ripe to seriously consider admitting a team to represent the country. My vote is the Port Moresby Pirates.
Of course there could be a serious challenge in enticing Australian players to relocate to the country, but there is a vast talent pool looking for first grade action and an equally large amount of players looking to cash in on the new broadcast deal. The new side would be able to throw some serious money at some high-quality players, while sourcing a large amount of the squad internally.
Having a team in the NRL would dramatically improve the Kumuls on the international stage, as well as potentially boosting Papua New Guinea’s economy.
And what of a second New Zealand team? It makes sense to feature teams representing both islands and after the Warriors’ recent match against the Bulldogs at Westpac Stadium in Wellington attracted over 30,000 fans, I say roll out the mats for the Wellington Wolves – there is clearly a serious fan-base for rugby league in New Zealand’s capital.
If not Wellington, a team could be situated in Christchurch to truly represent the southern island.
Having a second team in New Zealand would further promote the game there and could conceivably uncover more talented prospects, helping their international team.
But it’s not all sunshine and roses. For all the positives of expansion there are most certainly some potential negatives. Tune in tomorrow for the cons of expanding the NRL.
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