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Reni Maitua during the NRL Round 10, Penrith Panthers v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks match at Penrith Stadium, Saturday, May 16, 2009. (AAP Image/Action Photographics, Renne McKay)
In 1981 the NSWRL competition had 12 teams. The dominant Sydney winter sport competition, it was founded in 1908 and over the years established itself as the centre of sport in the biggest state in Australia.
The 12 teams included:
South Sydney Rabbitohs. Est. 1908.
Eastern Suburb Roosters. Est. 1908.
Newtown Jets. Est. 1908.
Western Suburb Magpies. Est. 1908.
North Sydney Bears. Est. 1908.
Balmain Tigers. Est. 1908.
St. George Dragons. Est. 1921.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. Est. 1935.
Parramatta Eels. Est. 1947.
Manly-Warringah Sea-Eagles. Est. 1947.
Cronulla Sharks. Est. 1967.
Penrith Panthers. Est. 1967.
Each of these twelve clubs had by this stage established histories and passionate supporter bases, which greatly differed in size and stature.
Newtown, Western Suburbs, Balmain, South Sydney and Cronulla were all in financial trouble. Requiring bail-outs and due to a lack of on-field success the clubs faced extinction in a competition looking to grow its national footprint.
The inclusion of the Canberra Raiders and the Illawarra Steelers in 1982, followed by the Newcastle Knights, the Brisbane Broncos and the Gold Coast Seagulls in 1988, further added pressure on these clubs as the competition grew to 16 teams.
The Newtown Jets only lasted a year during the expansion period and in 1983 where kicked out of the competition; a club who had the assets, but not the cash flow. The Magpies where kicked out as well but took the NSWRL to court and won re-inclusion into the competition before relocating from Ashfield to Campbelltown, but their on-field performances didn’t improve.
From 1983 the same 11 Sydney teams powered on. In 1993, when the Brisbane Broncos moved to ANZ Stadium and were averaging 43,000 per game, five of the 11 Sydney teams were averaging less than 10,000, with Wests as low as 7000.
The disparity between the clubs was huge. While the quality of football was high (many people believe the Winfield Cup was the best era in the competition’s history), there was no hiding the financial difficulties of many of these clubs.
In 1995, the competition expanded even further.
The Australian Rugby League took control of the game and added four new teams to the Winfield Cup. They crossed the ‘Barassi Line’ for the first time with the Western Reds in Perth. Crossed to New Zealand and started the Auckland Warriors. Brisbane got the second team that many believed they deserved the South Queensland Crushers, and Townsville became the home of the North Queensland Cowboys.
This boom expansion put even more pressure on Sydney clubs, whose crowds continued to drop below 10,000, as the expansion clubs helped deliver the ARL a season of record crowds.
Sydney clubs began looking for ways to ensure their survival.
The North Sydney Bears announced they would relocate to the Central Coast and were then ensured a place in the national competition. Canterbury-Bankstown and Balmain became the Sydney Bulldogs and Sydney Tigers respectively, as well as relocating to Parramatta Stadium. Easts became the Sydney City Roosters. Despite these changes, ARL CEO Ken Arthurston admitted that clubs like the Tigers were going to have difficulty to maintain their spot in the competition.
The ARL understood they couldn’t maintain a 20-team competition and announced they would be reducing the number of Sydney teams from 11 to five; Melbourne and Adelaide to be granted licenses in the future.
The position of many of these Sydney clubs was precarious. When Brian Smith left St. George in 1994 he mentioned that there was a smell of ‘Newtown’ at the club. A rich club, with a grand history but no cash flow and a Super League War to contend with; a war that threw tradition and history out the door, in the name of wealth and power.
It ripped the game apart and while most were worse off, some Sydney clubs looking for an immediate fix jumped onto the Super League bandwagon. Cronulla, Penrith and the Bulldogs took the millions from News Limited and joined the rebel competition. The other eight Sydney clubs remained ‘loyal’ to the ARL.
So when the axe fell and a peace agreement was signed, the struggling ARL Sydney clubs were wielded this axe and the Sydney Super League clubs stayed on. Wests and Balmain merged, St. George and Illawarra merged. Manly and North Sydney forced into an ‘uncomfortable’ merger, and South Sydney were kicked out of the competition.
Now I’m not here to start a debate about the Super League War, in fact I haven’t even reached the point of my article. While the Rabbitohs are back and hopefully the bears will be on the Central Coast, the same problems that plagued Sydney clubs in the 70s, 80s and 90s haven’t disappeared but rather appear stronger than ever.
Cronulla are in millions of dollars of debt, the Panthers have brought Phil Gould in with the wider perception being that he’s there ‘to rescue a club that is the sleeping giant of the NRL. 1967 is when Penrith entered the competition; it’s a hell of a long time to be asleep.
With the Independent Commission coming in – it’s going to happen, even though it’s taking longer than Mariah Carey takes to finish a high note – expansion is arguably the biggest talking point of the game, and many question will be asked of the smaller Sydney clubs.
Having only played in two finals series since 1989,the Rabbitohs are finally in a position financially to return to its glory days. Perhaps not a complete return, but the club can now hang on to the many promising players it kept losing during its horror run. With signings like Greg Inglis, a growing membership base and a talented incoming coach, the future looks bright for South Sydney.
If the Rabbitohs capitalise and begin to string finals series appearances and win premierships, how will this affect the Sydney Roosters? The so called ‘Glamour Club’ and ‘boys from Bondi’ have a cashed up CEO (who sits on the NRL board), but a very small junior and supporter base. While they do attract decent crowds, it’s usually against Sydney clubs like the Dragons and the Rabbitohs where the Rooster supporters are often out-numbered. With their very close neighbours South Sydney lifting, where does this leave the Roosters?
The Bears have the support of many Sydney-siders for re-inclusion. It must be a combination of the hatred many people feel for Manly and the bitter manner that the Bears were excluded from the competition. If they return, how will this affect Manly? Will it add to their supporter base or deter from it?
They don’t necessarily attract big crowds to Brookvale Oval (it isn’t the best stadium) and have struggled to turn a profit. They do have a winning culture and a well-known brand.
Where does their future lie?
Cronulla. Ah Cronulla. The poor sharks. No premierships, no members, no crowds, no money. While that may be a harsh assessment; I would hate to be a fan of the Sharks.
Has their clubs given them much to cheer about? Three grand finals in 44 years, two coming in the 70’s, and one against the rampant Broncos side of the late 90’s in the Super League grand final. As the Dragons break their drought and close in on Cronulla, from the North and South, where does the future of this club lie?
You would hate to see these clubs fold, their histories are far too established and their brands too well-known, but one of the biggest questions the independent commissioners will have to ask them self. Will the game be better off maintaining the existing nine Sydney clubs, or is re-location and amalgamation an option?
It’s a difficult decision, but a decision needs to be made.
Will they stick by these clubs and give them every chance of survival, or look to grow the game in other areas? Whatever they decide, I pray they do what’s in the best interest of the game. A game that deserves a lot better than the way history has treated it.
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