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The National Rugby League could soon be a a 20-team international competition. There are currently more bidding teams than available expansion slots in the foreseeable future.
The Bears have been fighting for readmission since the Northern Eagles fiasco saw the people of the Central Coast lose their only ever team, albeit one born out of a desperate haste.
Meanwhile Perth and Brisbane have also suffered with the demise of the Reds and Crushers respectively.
Currently though there’s a positive vibe in rugby league and the three hottest topics are broadcast deals, expansion and grassroots player pool growth. The truth is, however, that all three are irrevocably entangled.
With the list of bid teams growing – namely Papua New Guinea, Central Queensland, Brisbane Bombers, Western Corridor, Central Coast, WA Reds, Sage’s Perth, plus the potential of a New Zealand Rugby League-backed Wellington or Christchurch team.
The pressure is on the NRL to come up with some kind of long term strategy.
Eight cities into four spots does not work. However, there is an alternative.
Let’s extend the competition by one week, allowing each team to play 25 games over 27 to 28 weeks, from March to September. Every team maintains their current allotment of 12 home games.
However, of the extra 10 games a year, five would be considered Sharks home games and five would be considered Roosters home games.
These teams would be re-branded, but it would be a subtle change that would still maintain the original roots of the clubs.
Southern Sharks
– Based in New Zealand’s South Island
– Eight home games in Christchurch
– Seven home games in Sutherland (two out of the standard allotment plus the extra five)
– Two home games in Dunedin
– Their development areas would be Sutherland Shire and South Island
Eastern Roosters
– Based in Wellington and the North Island
– 10 home games in Wellington
– Seven home games at SFS (two out of the standard allotment plus the extra five)
– Plus an arrangement could be made for away games at SFS involving the Rabbitohs, Tigers and Dragons
– Their development areas would be eastern Sydney and the eastern half of North Island, i.e. Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki, Manawatu-Wanganui and Wellington
These clubs could keep revenue from memberships sold at SFS or Sutherland. All other ticket revenue could be divided amongst the other 18 clubs as compensation.
The Sharks and Roosters would benefit from being New Zealand teams based in Australia and could gain new members of expatriate Kiwis. This could increase the profile of both clubs dramatically – they would become international clubs.
There would be six New Zealand derby games a year, three games on local television each week involving a local club and at least one game a week played in New Zealand in a guaranteed unique timeslot.
All of this would boost the game’s grassroots, television and financial profile.
At this point it means there would still effectively be 16 clubs in the competition – meaning there are four more slots available to the other expansion sides, now that New Zealand has been covered.
Because Sydney would now have six full-time teams, but only three part-time teams, and because their teams would now be stronger there is no valid argument against the readmission of the Central Coast Bears.
They play all their home games except one outside of Sydney, but could boost away fan attendances with traditional North Sydney supporters attending games at Parramatta, Homebush, Leichardt, SFS, and Brookvale.
This would also assist Manly on the North Shore by reinvigorating the traditional rivalry and making rugby league the sporting focal point.
This would help heal an old wound, giving former fans their team back but finally acknowledging an area which has been trying to get a team since the late 1970s.
Perth would also gain a club, preferably the WA Reds to capitalise on existing branding.
This would also heal another wound, but would potentially be in a partnership with Tony Sage to ensure that both grassroots and financial sustainability are achieved.
This increases the game’s national appeal and introduces a new timeslot.
The remaining two slots should be given to Queensland teams but there may be an argument for PNG for the final spot. In the scenario where there are two new Queensland teams – a Brisbane side representing the Southern and Western suburbs and a Central Queensland side – there would now be 20 derby games a year.
Five teams could be placed out of the 10 games a week in order to boost TV interest in the Queensland market. There could likewise be a timeslot dedicated most weeks specifically to a Queensland derby game.
The timeline for all this remains to be determined. The most pressing locations are Perth, Central Coast, Brisbane and New Zealand. Central Queensland and a third New Zealand team could be developed later.
The specifics as to where and when would need to be structured in a logical manner but it could be accomplished over a 15-year timeline.
In the final analysis, though, there would be a 20 team competition – five Queensland teams, one West Australian team, one Victorian team, one Australian Capital Territory team, three regional New South Wales teams, St George Illawarra, six full-time Sydney teams, Auckland Warriors and the two New Zealand/Sydney sides (maintaining 60-80% of their current home game allotment, their mascots, their colours and their Sydney base).
And all this can come into place with just one extra week in the season. Viable, don’t you think?
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