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Roy Asotasi on the charge. AAP Image/Action Photographics, Colin Whelan
Suspend belief for a moment. The Rugby League Independent Commission decides to follow the A-League’s example and scrap the existing clubs. In which locations would you place the new teams?
I know this is never going to happen, and there is too much history with the current teams in the NRL.
I think the product is good, but after having its origins in Sydney, the NRL now has a glut of Sydney teams. Other areas like Brisbane don’t have enough teams.
This is similar to the AFL and Melbourne, but that’s a topic for another thread.
If you were given the chance to blow the league up and start again, where would you place the teams?
A few criteria to start with: the league should commence with 14 teams, and in 5 years expand to 18. (We have already seen 20 teams dilutes the product too much).
A stadium with a decent capacity is also required.
For starters, I would have the teams and stadiums as follows:
* North Queensland (Dairy Farmers)
* Brisbane (Suncorp)
* Southern Brisbane (ANZ/QEII initially until a new one can be built)
* Gold Coast (Skilled)
* Newcastle (Newcastle Intl.)
* Northern Sydney (Brookvale. This would ideally be a new stadium somewhere around Chatswood)
* Sydney (SFS)
* Southern Sydney (Telstra)
* South-West Sydney (Parramatta. This would ideally be a new stadium somewhere around Liverpool)
* Western Sydney (Parramatta)
* Wollongong (WIN)
* Canberra (Canberra)
* Melbourne (Etihad/new rectangular stadium)
* Auckland (Mt Smart)
The stadium setup in Sydney is not ideal, but in time could be overcome.
In 5 years, I would admit the following teams
* Central Coast (Bluetongue)
* Port Moresby (Sir John Guise until a new stadium can be built)
* Perth (Members Equity)
* Wellington (Westpac)
Then I would have the teams split in conferences, and they would play conference teams twice and other teams once, alternating home and away from year to year.
This means a few intriguing options miss out, such as Central Qld, Sunshine Coast, Darwin, Adelaide, and the Pacific Islands.
However, I feel this would have the expansion of league well covered for many years to come. I’m interested to know if you think this is viable, or how you would distribute the teams.
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