I’m a sucker for expansion teams. Always have been. I don’t know if it’s because more teams mean more games, or because of the temporary novelty value that gives new clubs their first burst of momentum.
Mention the Central Coast Bears, Wellington Orcas or Brisbane Bombers to me and I’ll get lost in a wonderful fantasy world in which the NRL has 37 teams from all across the country.
The ARLC obviously does not share my enthusiasm for forging new outposts for the game.
When the new television deal was inked last season, it meant that expansion was put on the backburner until at least 2017. Weather by relocation, or by the creation of a new club, the answer regarding who will receive the 17th team is clear.
Be it via the resurrection of the Reds or the birth of the Pirates, by the time 2017 comes around, Western Australia must have a second bite at the expansion cherry.
The fate of the original team from the West is well known. In a decision that proved to be unwise, the ARL brought in four new franchises for the 1995 season.
The Auckland (later New Zealand) Warriors and North Queensland Cowboys remain, while the cynically and hastily created South Queensland Crushers join the Reds in extinction.
A strong first season saw the Reds finish just two points outside of the playoffs. While they did not enjoy the crowd numbers of the Cowboys or the raw talent of the Warriors, and at times struggled on the field, but across their three seasons they averaged crowds of 10,211 at the WACA, and had 24 wins across those three seasons.
These numbers may seem meager, but when compared to the standards of the time they are quite respectable. Over the period from 1995 to 1997, Parramatta (26 wins and average home crowds of 11,686) and Penrith (25 wins, average crowd of 7,015) experienced similar numbers, and the Reds were streets ahead of Souths (13 wins, average crowd of 6009) and several other Sydney teams.
While Parra, Penrith and Souths were admittedly experiencing lean years on the field, when the Reds crowd numbers are compared to more successful teams of that era, for instance, the Sydney City Roosters and Sydney Bulldogs (who had average crowds of 11,952 and 9,197 respectively) they are more than adequate.
It would be easy for the WARL to roll over and die after the ignominy of being wound up, but rugby league is more entrenched in Perth than many think (a domestic competition has been run in the area since 1948). In 2008, the Reds returned, albeit in the third-tier Jim Beam Cup, and two years later the club made the momentous step of entering a team in the SG Ball Under 18’s competition. The teams have been made up of a mix of local talent and a few imported youngsters, with Dragons fullback Adam Quinlan and North Queensland Holden Cup player Curtis Rona the two best products to come out of the system.
As the GWS Giants are finding out and the Western Sydney Wanderers have so effectively demonstrated, long-lasting expansion teams require grassroots community support and strong junior development systems to be continually competitive and relevant.
The introduction of the WA Reds into the youth competitions is an attempt to bring WA youngsters into the first grade rugby league system, demonstrating the areas viability as a junior area.
The most overriding factor that has seen Western Australia vault ahead of the other expansion candidates is the mining boom.
According to CommSec’s latest State of the States Report, WA has seen a population expansion of 3.45% per anum, by far the most in the nation. Perth now boasts a population of 1.83 million, an increase of over 400, 000 since 2006. The mines have brought thousands of workers, especially in the ALRC’s coveted 18-35 age bracket, from across the Nullarbor, establishing a healthy number of transplanted league fans in the area.
Add to this a larger foreign born population, with 9.5% of the population born in Britain or Ireland, along with over 50,000 Kiwis (which is why last nights fixture sounded like a Warrior home game at times).
Since 2009, Souths have been taking one game West every year. They have averaged crowds of over 15, 000. In 2011 monsoon season came early and the players could have drowned in some of the puddles on the pitch, and still 15,000 hardy souls turned up. David Smith and his merry men must allocate Perth three games for the next few seasons, to test if these numbers are real. While AFL is still the dominant sport in the area, and will remain so for a long time, a niche market for rugby league exists.
The Western Force, despite toeing the fine line between poor and awful for much of their existence, experienced average crowds of nearly 14,000 in the 2012 season.
Nothing cements the success of a new sporting franchise like wins. To achieve that aim, the ARLC should allow salary cap concessions any WA team, allowing them to sign the talent to be successful right away. If the SG Ball squad continues to develop the way it has, the stage will be set for a compelling mix of current starts and local juniors to propel the budding franchise to the top.
For instance, just say that the West Coast Pirates are admitted for the 2018 competition. Using the salary cap concession granted by the ARLC, they are able to lure a 32 year old Benji Marshall back from rugby union (steady on Tigers fans, just a hypothetical) as the team’s first captain, along with a few current Warriors or notable rugby players.
The likes of Curtis Rowe and Adam Quinlan, established first graders at this point, are brought back home along with the three other WA juniors in the NRL (three first graders in five years is a reasonable goal for the junior system), and a couple of Super League stars make the trip out – a 29 year old Sam Tomkins would be perfect, especially after his stint at the Warriors.
The expats would come in their droves, the casual fans attracted by the novelty will, hopefully, be converted into diehards by the wins.
The spark of rugby league exists in the west, the ARLC need only to reach across the desert and fan the flames.
uPelican
Guest
I lived over there last time there was a Perth team. No traction with the locals. They're all wedded to that aerial ponce game .But the Yarpies and Poms would all turn out to watch a touring side play rah rah.
Monners
Guest
Can I also point out that the crowd figures you mentioned were at the WACA. While I have not been to the WACA, I do recall watching the Broncos on the oval ground at QEII stadium and frankly something is lost playing a rectangular game on a round field. Being so far away you feel as though you may as well have stayed at home. So NIB Stadium will be great for the franchise also. We already have 6:30 Sunday night games in live in Sydney so there would be nothing wrong with making this a 4:30 kick off in Perth. Also, the players have been whinging for years about player drain so I would think that having a an extra bye would be beneficial for a team and could alleviate some of the impact of traveling to Perth to play. With some good scheduling also the Perth team need not travel each and every week. Perhaps they could be based in Sydney for the Origin period with a couple byes thrown in to allow players to return to Perth to be with family for a decent period.
Yawhoa
Guest
I was recently informed about a statistic that 8 out of 10 people living in WA their parents were born outside of WA. And having moved here from NSW it only takes as little as 4 years for the WA media to brain wash you into believing the only game on is a AFL game. We NRL fans living in WA expected a club to be up and running in 2013 - but somehow this had again been put back to 2015? To the NRLC - get real and let's make it happen! Lets see 4.30pm kick offs in the late afternoon winter sun, that all the expat kiwis, poms and former est coasters can support as their own.
clipper
Guest
I think you'll find most Kiwis and Poms would prefer Rugby, but I understand your point about getting more exposure because of the Western Force
Chris
Guest
This my be biased I'm for WA. The expansion will work over here for several reasons 1. Kiwis and Poms are here they know the game and love it 2. Western Force helps people understand the game 3. Salary Cap will help get players over here (needs a bit of help in the first few years to get players over here) The only down side to a team in WA is the logistic of games I.E New Zealand v Perth a big ask to play in NZ on Sunday the over here on Friday some, some leeway should be givin, maybe this games should be followed by the bye for the team or after the bye (include The cowboys in that)
mushi
Guest
Asset prices and investment are about growth too
Nick Campton
Roar Pro
Jo I'd have to agree with Nathan in thinking that while the boom is temporary, the effects will be felt for much longer. Sage's dollars might be tempting, but the risk is always that he could be another Tinkler. Thanks for reading guys
ChrisW
Guest
I too am a sucker for Expansion teams:)
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Please,please no Sage involvement.Benny Elias better stick to getting the Tiger's admin up to speed. Much rather the WARL backing bid,they have at least done the research and groundwork.All I hear from the other bid we have the money.
Brett
Guest
Done forget, close to a $100M upgrade of NIB stadium close to completion, with a larger capacity. Just under 21K crowd at Sundays Bunnies vs Warriors. WA has to have a team, the NRL would be so stupid to let the sport slip here AGAIN!!!
Nathan of Perth
Guest
The boom is about growth - the place isn't going to die in the backside just because it slows down to a more normal pace. And as for Sage as bankroller, oh god no. No, no no no no, way too high-strung, emotional and unreliable. Scares the daylights out of me constantly.
Jo
Guest
A good article but a little off the mark with some thoughts. Sure the mining boom has helped Perth.. But to think that the mining boom has longevity is negligent. The mining boom is slowing down, and if WA doesn't have any other industries to support the State, then the revenue will dry up. WA is ranked third for participation in Aus, has a large Kiwi and East coast population, a healthy competition all the way from under 6's to A-Grade, a sporting culture, and have won the State Affiliated Championship four years in a row. This is compelling evidence. There are two bids from WA remember. Perth (Perth Glory Millionaire owner and Ben Elias) and West Coast Pirates. I would love to see the millionaire bankroll the WARL team. $$ + the infrastructure and systems of WA will solidify the off-field success. NiB stadium should be fully completed by 2017.