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No one wants to see an NRL conference system but with the ever demanding need to expand our code across the country it really seems like this is the only way to go.
I’ve got a few ideas that I would like to share. I know they won’t be for everyone, but I feel that this would be the best outfit for the competition as it sees that no club needs to fold or relocate.
We all know is not the best thing to do to a team with an already strong fan-base, culture and club history.
No one wants to see their teams moved and rebranded. As a Roosters fan I would be devastated to see the Chooks go west to Perth or even worse, up north to Queensland.
I feel for supporters of Sharks and Tigers that have had to read stories about possible club foldings or relocations.
And with that in mind this is how I could see conferencing working out well in a way that would hopefully suit everyone.
The way I see it, the NRL needs six more teams with the possibility of even two more in areas that I think could have some great potential.
I’ll give these teams names too just to make it a bit easier to talk about and list.
First off we need a second team in Brisbane. This town is dominated by NRL and a second Brisbane team is something they really need.
Let’s call them the South Brisbane Stars. Moving north west we’ll enter Central Queensland who also needs some NRL representation. Let’s call this team the Central Queensland Kings.
Heading down along the coast we get to a place that is likely to get a team very soon.
And a name that I feel most people would agree with and like to see is the Central Coast Bears.
The NRL has taken games to this area in recent times and the people here have shown that they are deserving of receiving their own team to follow.
Perth has already put in a bid to get entry into the NRL again back in June of 2012 with the hopes of calling themselves the West Coast Pirates.
So I guess we’ll roll with that.
Melbourne and New Zealand already have to successful teams and it is that success that the NRL needs to tap into by giving these places each another team.
Let’s call them the West Melbourne Giants and Churchill Chiefs.
The last two locations a lot of people might disagree with, but I feel are deserving. They are up north in Darwin and Papua New Guinea.
Darwin is full of talent that is being forever milked by the AFL. It’s time the NRL followed their lead and fight for a permanent team in the area.
As for Papa New Guinea, after spending a month there I was completely surprised by the passion and support so many locals over there have for not only their own leagues but for the NRL.
People had a good understanding of where I was from when I associated myself as living near the Parramatta Eels.
And apparently our Origin games are enough to tear families apart in Papa New Guinea if one brother follows the Blues while the other backs the Maroons.
So I feel we should have the Darwin Crocs and the Papua New Guinea Tribals.
So there are the new teams that I feel we need to expand with. Onto the conferences.
I think it would be foolish to send NSW teams away from a NSW conference, so at the risk of it seeming like NSW verses everyone else here are my thoughts.
NSW Conference
Sydney Roosters
South Sydney Rabbitohs
St George Illawarra Dragons
Manly Sea Eagles
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Canterbury- Bankstown Bulldogs
Parramatta Eels
Wests Tigers
Penrith Panthers
Central Coast Bears
Newcastle Knights
Canberra Raiders
I’m not sure what we would call the second conference as it’s clearly not just Queensland but here it is:
Second Conference
Brisbane Broncos
South Brisbane Stars
Gold Coast Titans
Central Queensland Kings
North Queensland Cowboys
Melbourne Storm
West Melbourne Giants
West Coast Pirates
Darwin Crocs
New Zealand Warriors
Churchill Chiefs
Papua New Guinea Tribals
So those are my two proposed conferences. I feel that trying to keep NSW teams together will help maintain that history and rivalry between those clubs.
And by also bringing clubs together like Storm and Broncos would be healthy for their conference too.
This will also boost crowds at games and TV ratings as every game will be a game that people in the area care about.
The way I see this working is by having each team play every team in their conference once for a total of 11 games.
They then play another five rounds within their conference taking the comp into Round 16 where they will have four rounds of inter-conference playing before heading into the top eight finals that are worked the same way as they do now except the top four being made up of the top two from each conference.
I know that most will not agree with this but I’m interested to hear what everyone has to say. If you have ideas for better team names or locations more deserving of a team please let me know.
Bottom line is, no one wants conferencing, but is there really a way to expand the NRL with out it?
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