When NRL CEO Dave Smith boldly declared rugby league would be the most played code of football in Australia, some people scratched their heads in confusion. Others shook their heads in embarrassment, while many more just laughed at the absurdity.
This statement may have been true had the powers that be demonstrated a little foresight in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but the damage is so bad it may be irreversible.
The problem here is that the NRL wants the rewards but doesn’t want to do the work. They want to be the most popular code but they refuse to address the notion of expansion seriously.
The only way rugby league can gain dominant popularity is to become a truly national competition.
I know that when the subject of expansion rears its controversial head everyone says “no we can’t support anymore teams”, and that’s fine. We can ignore the change that is required and every year we can enjoy the spectacle of the clubs with all the big money dominating year after year.
We can watch clubs like Canberra, Cronulla and Melbourne (now that News Ltd has withdrawn their funding) die slow and mediocre deaths. Every year the crowds will dwindle a little more and the AFL will completely engulf what is left of rugby league territory.
Every now and again some brave individual stands up and says “we need a second Brisbane team!” You mean like when we had the South Queensland Crushers?
More recently, large numbers are declaring “we need to head into the West and get a team in Perth!” You mean like the Western Reds who were abandoned by the Sydney-centred leaders of the competition? Those who, ever so meekly, gave up a valuable western outpost to AFL and rugby union without so much as a word of protest?
It’s also worth noting that seven of the players from the Reds were directed to Melbourne, who two years later won the premiership!
Or we could look at the Adelaide Rams, who had the highest number of memberships of any team in the competition and were then kicked out before they even really started.
The problem back then wasn’t Perth, Adelaide, South Queensland or even the Gold Coast Chargers (at least the Gold Coast have were given a reprieve in the form of the Titans). They just copped the punishment, the problem was Sydney.
The problem is still Sydney. As the North Queensland Cowboys so rightly suggested there is a conspiracy that favours the Sydney clubs and Brisbane purely because they are too powerful to be excluded.
If you don’t have pay T.V. you wouldn’t even know the Raiders and Warriors exist, and all of Sydney is praying that Melbourne falls in a smoking heap.
The league has been in an uproar for years because Parramatta and the Wests Tigers have been struggling since 2009. Everyone has been suggesting different strategies to help these ailing clubs.
Canberra hasn’t achieved any real success or recognition since Mal Meninga retired and not a single word has been said. The NRL doesn’t seem want the the Raiders and Warriors to succeed, just like they didn’t want Melbourne to succeed either.
If the NRL wants to be the dominant code they need to look outside of Sydney. They need to fix the awful mistakes they made and reinstate a team from Perth, Adelaide and the second Brisbane team.
Equally as important is that the NRL needs to provide equal assistance to the clubs outside of Sydney.
ross
Guest
oh are we upset that Sydney teams are winning the premiership are we - well the main problem in QLD is the Bronco's they dont want a second Brisbane team or any expansion in QLD- If the NRL are to expand their must be a second Brisbane team for a start and further teams from either CC/Central Queensland/NZ/WA- Dont know about SA though due to the problems in obatining corporate sponsorship the Crows and Port have in the AFL- Small markey hard to have more than one code possibly??? unless an established team relocates ??
Chocolate Philled
Guest
Well said MM. I remember watching the Seagulls at Penrith in 95, the ground announcer dressed up in a Batman outfit for the days entertainment. Where was all the money going? It wasn't to the players...
Chris
Guest
As Tim Dog would say "#$%^ Qld"
Matthew
Guest
The Issue is they had a chance to do this recently with their very big tv deal they did relatively recently. If people spoke up then, they obviously didnt do it very loudly.
Bugs
Guest
Good call Crosscoder Xman, you're a goose.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Going off half cocked APU.Stating 9s as a means of introducing the game to new countries,is not taking over the world. You are really into drama Crashy,the unease is edifying.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
To summarise I fortunately have to report ,I have eyes and ears.And I cite people like Gerard Healey for one.You suggest I keep copies of comments going back 16 years? Go to big Footy site and get comments even to this day.We even get Kellie Underwood AFL commentator on the Offfsiders today making dopey comments about City v Country and the Test I hope you are not suggesting the club was welcomed with open arms .
planko
Roar Guru
Fair call I understand some can't ... $50 I wish getting Satellite into 2 rooms so the kids don't bother me with demands of the disney channel is more like $120...... But when you get your next TV try and get an internet TV they are coming down in price I have no doubt after this TV deal is dusted the best way to watch NRL will be NRL.com
planko
Roar Guru
Jimbo what is your point. If you really love rugby league you buy foxtel. If you don't .. Don't. If can't afford it sorry. However most of the people I know don't have it out of choice and then moan that they dont get to see their team.
jimbo
Guest
70% of the population dont have pay tv, you are a muppet
Dav
Guest
It is a pity the rest of the nation needs to fight Sydney with tooth and nail to make this game a truly national competition, it is a pity that we have to almost destroy the competition to see it become that which it is meant to be, but that is the way Sydney Centric is wanting to play, strap those boots up tight Sydney, we are coming for ya, we're going to break through your tackle to score!
Dav
Guest
JDP, what else do you expect him to do? When your team gets shafted so much because the Refs oil the squeaky wheels, well Thurston is a squeakin! The Cows have been sitting in obscurity for too long! get up! stand up! why us Queenslanders loved Wally so much before the day.... he didn't take a backward step, and when Brisbane got what they wanted in the Broncos, the Broncs tried to say ok we got what "we" want and became what they were fighting against but Wally knew it wasn't finished and they crucified him, the legend that he is. Thurston is doing for the North what Wally did for Brisbane ...in the next Origin game Thurston will break Big Mals record of all time points scored, last year he broke the record for most consecutive games played .. in our books, Thurston is already an immortal! Sydney don't want him anywhere near finals and it has showen ... it is too perfect of a picture not to be a conspiracy .. conspiracy theory's don't get handed to you much better than that
Dan
Guest
Absolutely true. If we had stuck with the Super League format the comp would be national. As much as everyone hates to admit it the Sydney tribalism culture is gone and to be a National sport we need teams in ADL and PER as well as a 2nd Brisbane team. But the league needs to look at ticket prices - I know they controlled by the stadiums but they are ridiculous....
JDP
Guest
SUPER LEAGUE Super League was nearly 20 years ago. We need to let it go and move on, yes it crippled the game then but why are we still using it as an excuse now? COMMENTARY We need more Locky and Joey giving insight into the thought process of the players out on the field. It's great to listen to and also great for the younger kids to learn from. We need less of Gus complaining and less of him asking Rabs random questions. The recently retired players are the key to good commentary. EXPANSION Everyone wants expansion but if it does happen the teams will need some big name players and need to be reasonably succesful early on. Look at GWS in the AFL, no one cares about them because they win as often as JT leaves Sydney a happy man. The WSW in the A League are winning and have the fans to show for it. JT Stop complaining please. Maybe the Cowboys would go better if JT didn't sponge up all the salary cap?
The Barry
Roar Guru
"parts of NZ and now QLD like RL better than Sydney" The most ridiculous unquantifiable comment I've ever read here.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I'm not saying ignore the rest of Australia...I'm saying that the NRL can't expand at the sake of league falling over in sydney. Sydney is the most hotly contested sporting market in Australia. As well as the league clubs there are two AFL sides and two A-League sides. Western Sydney now has dedicated A-league and AFL sides. The demise of North Sydney has shown that when a team is kicked out of the comp that supporters don't just pick up a new team, they walk away from the game. How much of the game's revenue is generated out of sydney? If Cronulla are kicked out of the comp, their supporters won't start supporting the Dragons - they'll walk away from the game. Then the whole of south eastern sydney is ripe for the picking by soccer, rugby and AFL. And for what so we can watch Adelaide vs Port Moresby. Sorry - I've got no interest in that. How is that advancing the game?
Jackson Henry
Guest
Yeah I dunno. I guess I just can't see the sense in paying however much it is per month...to then have almost the same number of adds thrown at you. The whole point behind advertsising is to help fund shows...so you're basically being penalised twice but in two different ways - first through your monthly fee and then again by having to sit through all the tripe that advertisers think works on consumers. Meh. Each to their own I suppose.
Mr Brown
Roar Pro
Bert, truly outstanding piece of literature. But it looks as though you may have sent the place into meltdown.
clipper
Guest
Crosscoder - I agree, and have said so for ages that Rugby has left it's run too late in the rest and that AFL is no threat to NRL in the west - soccer is, and probaly always has been, the main rival out west and is increasing it's market now.
planko
Guest
Jackson Henry it is PAY TV not Ad FREE TV.... Fine you don't like watching most RL games any Super Rugby any OS Cricket any HBO of which are most are great shows fine. Keep getting crap shows and Ads for FREE >>