Lote Tuqiri scores for the Tigers: NRL Round 20 Manly v Tigers @ Bluetongue Stadium Sun 25th 2010. Digi Image by Grant Trouville © action photographics.
Who would’ve thought? Suddenly the West Australian bid for a rugby league team looks like being the only nailed on certainty for entry into the NRL, when expansion is most likely to go ahead in 2013.
NRL chief executive David Gallop recently indicated that a team would be placed in an area considered rugby league heartland and another in a tougher market, where the game is not yet king.
Perth will be the latter, there’s absolutely no doubt about that. The rugby league heartland option seemed to be the Central Coast Bears. A sold out crowd at Bluetongue Stadium for Manly’s, home away from home game, against the Wests Tigers three weeks ago, had us wondering why the NRL hadn’t already planted a team in Gosford.
But after reading the recent edition of Rugby League Week (RLW) magazine, I’m not so sure the Bears will be next in line when the NRL decides it’s once again ready to be bold and back its product to thrive in a market.
Amidst all the goodwill to have the Bears in some way, shape or form back in the competition, those behind a bid for a team in Central Queensland are doing their best to be noticed.
RLW is currently doing a series on the expansion hopefuls and the Central Queensland bid looks like a serious challenger. As Football Australia chairman Frank Lowy would say when discussing the World Cup bid, “we’re a safe pair of hands”.
How’s this for impressive:
* A 25,000-seat NRL compliant stadium worth $149 million has been promised by Queensland premier Anna Bligh.
* Bid team chairman Geoff Murphy is worth over $90 million.
* $4 million on the table right now to get the bid going.
* Some of the biggest companies in Central Queensland banging down the door to be involved.
* A junior base that is expanding rapidly.
* More demand than their is supply of football fields and coaches.
* Former local juniors, Matt Scott (Cowboys) and Dave Taylor (South Sydney) keen to be involved.
Denis Keefee, the chief executive of the bid for a team in central Queensland, says three quarters of the playing roster will be made up of local talent (and according to all reports their is plenty of it). Locals watching locals shine, on a national stage, with plenty of corporate support and an expanding junior base, is a recipe for success.
RLW says NRL chief executive David Gallop will meet with the bid team in November, and you can bet they’ll roll out the red carpet.
The Central Coast Bears have done an extremely good job getting the local community and the business world behind them, but the case for a fourth team in Queensland is compelling.
In a perfect world, all three teams would gain entry into rugby league’s holy land. Western Australia has impressed when given the chance to host matches, the Bears have been pushing to come back from extinction since the day they were shown the door and Central Queensland has a market ready and willing to embrace a team of its own.
This is extremely healthy for the NRL and another step towards making the N in the title legitimate.
You can follow Luke on twitter @luke_doherty and on Sky News Australia.
Col the bear
Guest
Sorry what?northern eagles were manly and it was manly by stealth you obviously don't know the history, and here I was a few posts there I thought you were on the ball obviously I was mistaken. I hope you get the 18th licence as long as Clive doesn't decide to restrict the crowds to 5000 (I'm sure that will go over like a lead balloon with the NRL)but the 17th deserves to be the central coast bears and we are active in doing just that.see you on the paddock in 2013.
Big Dave
Guest
Ummmm....CC have already have already been Re-Admitted Twice so you say you have Loyal Fans? Bit of a Joke! What, 3 Strikes your Out? It doesn't Matter which Team Gets in from QLD but it has let the NRL know at least CQ is out there where no one would of heard of it before.I am an Old IPPY Lad myself anyway.
Col the bear
Guest
Hey Dave yes 102 years of loyal dedicated followers who want nothing more then to get the bears back into the comp.and correct a huge wrong I think even David Gallop has mentioned that a few times.if I was CQ I'd be worried about Ribot taking your limelight away with his Ipswich jets.we ll be there and you can stouch it out with the other bids.See you on the paddock sometime.CCBears to be seen in 2013.(no you can't have it tome you worked out something original on your own)
Big Dave
Guest
Why not Mexico City there are plenty of People there.
Realist
Roar Pro
"Queensland needs to get it’s own house in order before it wants any more as both the Cowboys and the Titans crowds have been very poor." They're still better than many of the Sydney-based teams.
Beowulf
Guest
Don't count Perth as over the line - I heard the WA RL a few days ago say they'd be happy to have a relocated team in Perth, so they don't think WA Reds are certainties at all.
Beowulf
Guest
I don't know why either - there's no comparison. David Gallop, RLW etc etc etc etc all say so. Maybe a CQ team will happen in 10 years if you double your population (from 400,000, not your fantasy 750,000) and the AFL threaten to bring in a team. But seriously, good luck for 2020. You'll be competing against Ipswich and Wellington.
Realist
Roar Pro
Central Queensland produces more talent for the NRL. Its potential growth is much larger too. This ought to be taken into consideration.
Meni Law
Guest
Ummm.. Ok I hear that Antartica want a team. Doesnt measure up with the other bids, but they have lots of money. Let's put a team there.
Realist
Roar Pro
Why is Gosford and Ipswich/CQLD fighting it out for one lousy spot? There are 2 to 4 unprofitable Sydney-based clubs in the NRL that have no future whatsoever. Getting rid of these teams would be a better option than depriving Gosford or Ipswich/CQLD of a team. The IC should get rid of Manly, Roosters, Sharks and maybe Penrith. I know people will say we need Penrith because it has a large junior base. Their junior base might be large, but its fans are among the most apathetic supporters in the game. The Panthers have drawn dull crowds to their home games for 15 or so years. I cannot see them growing any more than they have done over the last 30 years.
Big Dave
Guest
Yea, 102 years of Losing.
Big Dave
Guest
I do not know why you are comparing yourself with the CQ Bid for, as it will beat you no matter what even if you have a Million Supporters and a Stadium Etc. as it is Queensland and has Millions of Dollars behind it.Both Bids will win but only if a Sydney/NSW Team Dies or Relocates. If this does not happen then CQ will Win.Money Talks and so do Supporters.CC supporters and no Millions.You Lost.
Col the Bear
Guest
plus jersey, merchandise,colours, logo, board of directors,and 102 years of tradition (a foundation club)and history to call on..also i think you will find with john dee (founder of planet ark) as one of our ambassadors for the CCBears.. we will be one of the greenest clubs..and this is a big issue today..
You.Lost.Balboa
Guest
Balboa said: With a population of over 750,000 to draw upon & being located in the heartland of Rubgy League, CQ will never give up! Our Bid team is 100% committed to the task and so are the 32,000 member of the CQ Bid Leagues Club. lol. -the CCBEARS have approx. 1.25 million to draw upon: You lost. -Also being located in rugby league heartland with the 4th most juniors in the country and 2300 financial members. You lost. -If you want to include members which are signed for a league club and not the bid then Norths & Tweed have close to 70, 000 members. you lost. -We have a stadium. you lost. - we have major sponsors from different corporate backgrounds (meaning we dont rely on private and mining sectiong and end up like Illawarra or like Newcastle now). You lost. - We've been at this for 10+years. We are a community team like the Titans whilst your private ownership model resembles the Gold Coast united A-League team. Who gets more fans? You lost. - we have NATIONAL fanbase due to the association of the Bears brand. you lost.
Beowulf
Guest
Just read the RLW article on the Bears bid - heartening to hear Steve Mascord describe the Central Coast as 'the overwhelming favourites'. Impressed by Flo - no chest beating or table thumping, just stating what the team are doing.......
Col the Bear
Guest
Central Coast Bears bid in Rugby League Week today.. 2 page spread..
Col the bear
Guest
Refer to post above.As I said we aren't even counting leagues club members.as I said it's unproductive to have an us and them situation.I hope you guys do get in sometime but this time is ours.we have kept at this for 10years unrelenting.if you are so committed you will continue to fight past 2013.Wellington pulled out.but we kept going.the only reason expansion is back inthe table is because the CC Bears have been leading the charge.
Col the bear
Guest
Mate the north Sydney leagues club.has over 60 000 members but we aren't even counting them.wyong leagues club.tweed heads leagues club owned by north leagues club.erina leagues club.woy woy leagues club .central coast leagues club.Asquith leagues club.the entrance leagues club shall I stop now.we aren't even counting these as members of the cc bears we actually have football club paid up members.as I said if you miss out this time have you got the ticker to keep going like the bears did after 04
Beowulf
Guest
Sorry, but you sound like a dodgy election ad! :)
Daren
Guest
Maybe with the Perth bid they could look at it as adding 2 teams there over say five or six years to get a derby going and generate more local interest.