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Expansion is one of the hottest topics in the NRL at the moment.
With more than half a dozen bids currently out there and no expansion since 2007, it’s hardly surprising.
While the NRL desperately needs clubs in Perth and Brisbane, there are already other codes in these areas.
What if we wait for a few more years before expanding in those areas and begin someplace that doesn’t have rugby union or AFL?
That place is Tasmania. And there are no winter sports in Tasmania.
When the AFL expanded a few years ago, they gave franchises to Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney and robbed Tasmania of a team they deserved.
This disappointment was enough to turn some Tasmanian AFL supporters off the code. As I already mentioned, Tasmania doesn’t currently any winter sports. So the NRL should take this opportunity to build a huge fan-base.
Tasmania only has a small population, so the first code to move in will have the best chance of taking a stranglehold on the state.
The side would be best served if it were based in Hobart. However, they could still use the Tasmania name, to show that NRL is everywhere, not just in one place.
The side could play 7-8 home games in Hobart, 3-4 in Launceston – which currently hosts a handful of AFL games each year – and 1-2 in Devonport.
The Tasmania team could average at least 13,000 – a number that is roughly what some of the Sydney clubs average.
The NRL has staged a few trial matches in Tasmania that have had positive crowds. Imagine how good the crowds would be for their own club, especially if they do well.
Tasmania has everything they need for an NRL team. Surely it can work.
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