If the NRL wants to match rival codes in terms of revenue, then the Central Coast Bears must be the next team to join the competition. A club on the Central Coast for the 2013 season would ensure NRL domination of the eastern seaboard.
The A-League has teams in Sydney, Newcastle and Gosford, and the emergence of the Greater Western Sydney Giants in the AFL means that rugby league’s stranglehold on Sydney may loosen.
The Central Coast Bears have created a website that aims to attract members and support for the bid. Over 6000 people have already signed up for membership. The Bears have also attracted a number of high profile ambassadors such as Joe Hockey MP, Mark Skaife and rugby league personalities Matt Orford and Wayne Pearce.
Pearce is quoted on the site saying, “Central Coast needs a team… that the locals can feel one hundred per cent connected too.”
With a population of over 300 000, the Central Coast has only the Mariners A-League franchise to support in any of the national football competitions. It is a shame, considering the 20,000-seat capacity Bluetongue Stadium, which is situated on Gosford’s beautiful Brisbane Waters.
However, there has been an argument for creating a 17th NRL club elsewhere. Craig Davidson, a director in a bid campaign for a second Brisbane-based club, has publicly said that a team on the Central Coast would hurt nearby clubs Newcastle and Manly.
Nathan Tinkler’s recent takeover of the Knights means that money will not be an issue for the club for a long while. And put simply, those who favour expansion into Perth or Adelaide need to look at the failings of the Western Reds and Adelaide Rams in the 1990s.
A nursery for NRL players, the Coast has produced current stars such as Mitchell Pearce and Chris Heighington, making the idea of a club in the area even more attractive.
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Here is the way the Roar expert panel sees all the action unfolding across the final weekend of play prior to the semi-finals.
Central Coast Mariners' star striker Angel Torres has been stood down from playing in the A-League Men after he was charged with sexual assault. …
Mathew Leckie played a pivotal part in Melbourne City claiming an 8-nil win; playing a role in several of his team's goals.
The Mariners must deal with possibly their toughest challenge yet - Kyrgyzstan’s FK Abdysh-Ata Kant in the first leg of the semifinal.
The loser of the Sydney Derby will be under immense pressure entering the final three matches of the season.
A good performance from Michael Ruhs, scoring twice to beat Macarthur and doubling his season goal tally in the process.
