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Lote Tuqiri scores for the Tigers: NRL Round 20 Manly v Tigers @ Bluetongue Stadium Sun 25th 2010. Digi Image by Grant Trouville © action photographics.
Following David Gallop’s whistle-stop tour of Central Queensland this week, it was amusing to read comments forecasting that Rockhampton could be the base of the next NRL franchise.
Like any good lawyer, his comments have been full of platitudes, but little of substance. Yes, we all knew Central Queensland is entering a boom phase and yes, we all knew it has a keen League population base and yes, the NRL would be mad not to check it out for future expansion……but in 2013?
His only new comment has been today on radio, stating that the Gold Coast model has grown TV audiences and thus heartland bids can expand the game.
When talking heartland bids, David Gallop consistently has said ‘fish where the fish are’.
So where are the fish?
Rocky’s population is 80,000 and the nearest decent sized town, Gladstone (107km away) has 30,000. So to claim they have more than 110,000 as a reachable catchment area is fanciful. How many will travel to away games? 50? 100?
Forget the Ipswich bid this time around. This is being cobbled together at the last second by a Club which draws a few hundred to its games and whose Leagues Club sells $2 steaks (provided you buy a beer). Its only being created following more David Gallop remarks six months ago that the western Brisbane corridor must have an NRL team eventually. Again, we all agree with him… eventually. Make it a true independent west Brisbane bid with a new name and colours, dump the Jets name and I’m all for a team come next TV deal.
Ipswich has a population of 170,000 and combined with Logan City (280,000), a 450,000 population which will grow to 600,000 in 15 years can probably sustain a team once they put together a strong, community bid… if News Ltd allow competition for the Broncos in an already crowding landscape.
As Bear proponents say, and I’m now converted to their thinking, Central Coast Bears have a population of almost 1.1 million, comprising 320,000 on the Central Coast and 750,000 in northern Sydney. The Central Coast is growing rapidly so in 20 years time that will swell to well over 1.2 million.
As heartland bids are not affected by strategic points on a map, its irrelevant whether they are in QLD or NSW, it just matters how many fish there are and if they are biting. The only bid that can prove they are biting is Central Coast, as they have I see over 3,700 financial members, more than some current NRL teams! I also see their Facebook site has over 21,800 fans, more than Newcastle, Cronulla, Penrith, Canberra and the Cowboys.
So the Central Coast are financially secure and have the pond with the most fish, who are biting hard. Brisbane has a pond still under construction and we don’t know if there are many fish, or if they will bite. The fish are biting for sure in Rockhampton, but there aren’t many in the pond at all.
So if the League bring in just one heartland team, where would you fish?
Just think – two could be accommodated, one from NSW, one from QLD if the Sharks were culled or moved to Perth…. no doubt the IC will examine all options.
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