How to solve the NRL's expansion issue

I think he's talking about the Cronulla Riots. Long story short, a bunch of Lebanese boys from South-West Sydney (Doggies territory) made their way to the Shire (Sharks territory) and there was a full-on riot, shots were fired, a dude got stabbed, a bad scene all around. So in other words, it might not be the best idea to encourage thousands of Doggies fans to go to Cronulla for a footy game. Some things r just more important than footy...like preventing riots.

Jaredsbro - EPL doesnt have a team from Yorkshire because none are good enough at the moment

Fair enough,you have a point with the crowds but I'm pretty sure when those clubs have good seasons those numbers jump significantly bar the Roosters and I remember when the Sharks finished equal top a few years ago their crowds weren't that flash.Also I didn't say anything about Sharks supporters going to support other teams if you get the chop,I'm not that stupid,just look at the Bears supporters that follow that team from South Melbourne and don't give 2 hoots about R.L. now..Last thing,my views are based on R.L. becoming truly national so the game has a great future and doesn't get torn to shreds by those Mexicans,but when I look at the Sharks all I see is a massive roadblock.Your not one of those Sydney centric types trying to bring Annandale ,Glebe and Newtown back are you.

Let's draw comparisons . Penrith true rugby league heartland with a huge junior base averaged in 2011: 12,299 in crowds (down 5.9%) Cronulla averaged 12,094 in a very poor year and with just about every 2nd game in the wet which represented an increase of 14.6% on 2010(avg 10,551) Parramatta averaged 15,066 again true rl heartland down 11.8% on 2010.And Cronulla were ahead of Parra on the table. Roosters avge 14,344 down 11.4% on 2010 Rabbitohs avge 14,381 down 17.2% on 2010. Even the west Tigers avge 17,852 down 5.1% on 2010. One club increases its crowds in a bad year whilst others drop in a bad year or drop in a good year.Go figure who should be wearing a wry smile. The club( admittedly a trial against the premiers) gave them a pasting with a smattering of local juniors,Best,Mills,Townsend. I have a soft spot for the Bears,but you kid yourself,the bulk of their players were not local junior,when they last played. The front of the jersey has been blank before the start of a season proper,let's not get carried away ATS.Revenue for membership is already up on 2011 so far,more platinum ones taken up. With due respect that last para is pure rubbish.The club made the effort to secure their own land and clubhouse,and due to mismanagement created a bad debt to asset ratio.If you have any idea of the effort and plans put into the current development proposal,you may have an idea.That is vision,the club is hardly resting on their laurels.There is no guarantee they can pull it off,but no harm in trying.Having attended all meetings re the development ,I have a fair idea of the work involved. if this development gets the go ahead,the club will be the 3rd most financial in the code. And if you believe Cronulla getting the chop means their fans will gravitate to other clubs, is wishful thinking.Having an initial membership numbers of decent magnitude is all well and good,until year 2 and ,when the novelty factors wears off then what?... NB when the Sharks play teams in fine weather they get the crowds Roosters over 13,000 last year,Tigers over 16,500,Souths nearly 19,000.Monday night atrocious conditions over 13,000 aginst st george with the majority of fans Shark's supporters. I'll follow Gallop's views in ensuring no Sydney clubs are axed,more so not to satisfy the expediency of the odd Bear supporter,despite many Bear fans wanting Cronlla to remain. The Sharks getting into the semis this year,would represent a one fingered salute to the usual band of knockers.I trust it happens.

Fair enough,but last time I checked the front of the jersey is blank and for a team based in a suppossed R.L. heartland they don't have many members especially for a team whos off field health is well known to all.Wouldn't you think the masses of The Shire would be knocking down doors to become members and/or pack Shark Park out and help save there team and a send a message to the knockers like me.The way I see it ,they have had there chance to save and/or prop the club up for a while and where are they.If your correct about the juniors,then they don't have much success in converting that into 1st Grade numbers which again probably comes back to money or is that why there allways signing Penrith and Parra juniors at over price numbers.Sounds like a well run club to me.Also for the record I was totally against Super League and can't wait for the day News Ltd has exited Rugby League.One last thing ,The Bears had a vision to move to The Central Coast long before the debacle of the Nth Eagles.They showed their hand, put their money into the new stadium,had weather issues and had to deal with the antics of Ray Beattie and went bellyup.He's gone,they don't have a team yet they have more members than The Sharks who have done nothing with their suppossed heartland and survived the cull of teams in the late 90's on the back of Super League blood money and yet still find themselves with the life support machine about to be switched off.For the good of the game I hope it's soon.

The RFL. Going a bit overboard no members really,sponsors?? last one for a short period and a cheap one at that.Do you know what is in the pipeline? As to juniors ,they have one of the largest juniors in the sydney metrop area.You stated you are a Cowboy's supporter,based on your junior observation,I trust the heat is not getting to you.Then as you stated you don't really care,a super league inspired thought if I ever read one.Then again the Cpowboys had no qualms like Cronulla in joining SL and we know the ramifications of that little exercise. Gallop is not effectively cutting the Bears out.He stated in the interview the number of fans lost due to the Bears being omitted,suggesting the area needs coverage. If the development gets the go ahead and that is a 50/50 your comments are going to be so irrelevant,as to be consigned to the dustbin of history. If it doesn't then you may have an argument.At the moment it comes across as a slash and burn policy.

Rugby League really needs to pull it's finger out real soon with regards to the future.Because when it comes to Queensland ,the invaders won't stop at the Gold Coast believe me.There next stop in the Sunshine State when they do their next T.V deal after this one will be Cairns.It might sound far fetched at the moment but theses people as they have already demonstrated are pretty good at looking to the future,just go back 10 years.Who would have thought we would have GC17 and GWS18 on our doorstep today.Yet getting back to the great game,we constantly debate about Perth and a second Brisbane team which to most ,myself included are no brainers and a must for numerous reasons.But all we seem to be worried about at the moment is saving the dead weight Cronulla Sharks.No premierships,no members,no supporters,no away supporters,no money,can't keep sponsors,have the whole of the Shire[I know the Shire isn't exactly massive] to source juniors and apart from a few now and then don't produce many and the biggest thing for me is the other 15 clubs are getting dragged down to their level to try and keep things even.Meanwhile we have a team on the Central Coast with massive history,premierships,supporters,members,sponsors,modern stadium,massive junior base,ability to bring away supporters to other teams and Gallop says today no team will die on my watch,effectively shutting the Bears out.I know the Bears won't do anything for T.V money etc.. but leave that for Perth 17 and 2nd Brisbane 18.So lets bring the mighty Bears back {I'm a Cowboys supporter],lets stop wasting time with Cronulla,this mob has had there time and failed.Cull or merge them,I don,t really care.The loss of this mob will hurt the game a little bit no doubt,but the short term pain will massively be outweighed by the positives of our game getting it's act together finally in the heartland and in expansion areas.So stop dithering Gallop,lets take the other codes head on and grow our great game.

I guess if they also used Suncorp as their Home Ground and stuck to having the games NOT on the same week in Brisbane then it would work out fine. Both teams will get people watch if the club is successful. But having said that, we need to look at what happened to the CRUSHERS to see how well a second bid in Brisbane would work. I would supprot and watch both, having said that the NRL needs to look at what happened in the ARL when they had all those teams. It was a shambles and the divide between the clubs would be quite significant. We would end up with quite a big gap un the talent stakes. There simply is not enough talent in the pool for COMPETITIVE sport. Some games would become a WHitewash.

Sigh. I live in a city that is just north of the Gold Coast. I've been going to and from the Gold Coast for over 20 years now. I know what's there. Don't take my word for it. Go look at the figures for rugby league and Aussie rules participation on the Gold Coast. Look at how many schools play each game.

Hey phelpsy, i was actually referring to 4 rugby union clubs within that radius. Im not exactly sure how many rugby league clubs are located in that area but my guess is it's a fair few more. Agreed the afl has come a long way on the gc in the last 20 years but so have many victorians who now find themselves living on the gold coast.

Rob - cheers mate, not saying that AFL is bigger - even though I don;t see much RL I know it is out there and in spades - but you listed 4 RL clubs around southport - and I know of 4 AFL clubs around there too - but the thing is this is RL heartland - and I guess my point is that AFL have already made massive in roads.

The weekend local paper happens to sponsor the team in question.Hardly going to ignore them.

Cause im a nice guy phelpsy and ive got the upmost respect for anyone passionate about their sport, i'll give you a new quote to run with. You will see more kids playing afl on the one field on the coast than you will see on the one field playing rugby league! A full 10 more, but the gaps a little closer when comparing to ru... ;)

Phelpsy, the quote in question suggest that that is exactly what you're saying. You're saying without doubt that junior afl is bigger on the gold coast than junior rugby league/union. That is just not the case (not even close to being the case and i believe it never will be) as the figures ive quoted to you above suggest. It's quotes like that which are complete rubbish that prompt me to actually find some 'real' figures. Now you've moved on to doing the club counts. As I said im more union than league and assuming you live at southport (a guess based on those clubs you've run off) there's 4 Rugby union clubs within an 8k radius of there not to mention the numerous schools where rugby rules the roost. This considered, im under no illusions in knowing that rugby league is leaps and bounds in front of ru on the coast. I understand you're making observation threw your afl eyes but I dont think you've got a leg to stand on if you do in fact trully believe that junior afl (and afl in general for that matter) has a greater presence on the coast than junior rl.

ikm just going by what i see when i go for a drivw. i have seen union at the private school and once saw rl when at labrador and we went to a wrong ground. not saying it isn,t going on but afl seems to be everywhere. at the rl there was one team playing and hardky anyine there yet at labrador afl ground they had two games going and heaps of parwnts and kids. You couldn,t get a car park. And there are several of those going on across the coast. maybe it is reflective of the passion the ex patsmbring with them for afl, who kmows but there arw e many juniors coming through and playing. i just don,t see much rl juniors playing but maybe i,m not looking to hard. still rl is what they talk about at my son,s school srill. go for a drive sometime and note how many afl clubs you see. I can name 4 within 8 klms from where i live. labrador, southport sharks, sufers paradise demons and carara saints. And all with a full compliment of juniors with some having two teams in an age group for several age groups. now i,m not saying it is as big as rl but i think has found a market and has a descent following which will only grow.,

Says the man that lives in another city entirely to the one who lives in the city in question?

"And there are a lot of kids playing – you will see more kids playing Aussie rules on a Saturday if you go for a drive then Leauge or Union for sure." That's the biggest lot of nonsense I've ever heard.

In fact whilst there was oppostion from the Titans, Broncos CEO Paul White on 28th Jan 2011 in a story by Chris Barrett and Brad Watts stated " He was not alarmed by news of a bid by the Thoroughbreds ,a consortium which has long standing ties with the club.Everyone in this organisation(broncos) is well aware of the need for us to continuously inprove on our benchmark performance. Regrdless what is happening externally with bids,we will continue to strive for excellence in our own performance." News basically has no real say in the matter.

Theywill be in no position to dictate when the I.C is in place. In fact having a 2nd Brisbane team may well be beneficial to the Bronocs,rivalry and the codeappearing more often in the local news. the new CEO of the Bronocs has indicated he has no problems with a 2nd Brisbane side.Hardly upsetting his part owners.

Jaceman. Please provide evidence melad,when one makes accusations.Give us the facts,not theories.I am all ears(sic). Yes no doubt there will be books,not one I might add,but others from different perspectives.Just like the SL war. We are to assume that no money went to development,with all the development work that went on and I have a fair idea of how much work had gone on. I am aware cheating happened,but I don't dwell on rumour and inuendo.