Bears, Jets and Bombers could create a real Super League

Brothers in QLD is a massive club, they should be looked at as the 2nd NRL club in Brisbane, have a huge junior nursery. They may be involved with one of the Brisvagas bids as it is.

Except for not including the Souths Logan Magpies! SQUAWK!

No. It just takes a court case to make it cool. Average crowds were 2000 before they got kicked out. Now all the wannaby fans are out waving flags and putting stickers on their cars.

Who are you kidding? RL will never take off in the PI's. Have you ever been to Fiji, Samoa or Tonga? Rugby is in thier DNA. Any talented Kid takes off to NZ or France to play Rugby and send cash home. The other fact is that the PIs are 3rd world countries (beautiful countries and fantastic people). They have little cash, commercial opportunity or infrastructure.

Leeds, Wigan, St Helens, Hull and Bradford are well known clubs to fans of rugby league. People knew of the Burgess brothers before they played in the NRL. Weren't there over 30K to see Roosters play Wigan earlier this year?

Could you make a case for the Central Coast Bears being a traditional club? maybe When did Newtown drop out of the top tier? About 40 years ago? On top of that, we have orcas and bombers proposed. I simply say to you that such start ups would have buckleys of competing against established NRL clubs, especially if they are playing against non-Australian clubs once every 3 weeks.

Sorry but this idea won't work playing a competition over those distances is a step to far in Super rugby it's one thing travelling but at least it's one hemisphere. And as a Bears supporter I want them in the NRL where they belong. And @ Storm boy your joking aren't you? And @ Joel the only way to do what you're proposing is to reduce all clubs from NSW back to the Nsw cup as is played now then have ALL clubs negotiate with others openly to format new Jv s with new names emblems mascots and colours then keep the traditional rivalries alive In NSW Cup!

The Storm founded the NRL. 1998.

"why five teams in England but only four in Australia? Why two in France but only one in NZ?" Maybe as that' where the Super League already is? I don't think this idea has a lot of merit but Newtown and Norths are traditional NRL clubs aren't they? They won't be getting back in the NRL that's for sure. So maybe they should look elsewhere. The challenge cup that ended last week. Does that have French and Russian teams in it doesn't it? Why not Newtown?

The NRL is still considered an expanded NSWRL competition, otherwise they wouldn't include statistics from a previous NSW state competition into a national competition, Until the NRL break all ties with the previous NSWRL competition and call teams like Cowboys, Storm, Broncos, Sharks, Eels etc. foundation clubs to the NRL then any ideas are most welcome for a truly National competition.

Sally Its too late Union already has such a competition ....

I think it does take a bit to break the loyalty of clubs and players. Rabbitohs case in point.

I'm sure the TV networks will pay huge dollars for all those 5am timeslots. I'm also looking forward to seeing all those massive "away crowds" with French supporters packing into Hunter Stadium.

Well that gave me a chuckle. And thanks for keeping it brief Sally. Less is more when it comes to articles like this. :-)

"Playing in England and France then flying to Australia’s east coast and New Zealand (or the reverse) can’t be that difficult – South African and New Zealand teams have being overcoming similar travel distances and time zones for the past 20 years in Super Rugby." You might be the only person on this planet that thinks a ~14hr direct flight from Sydney is basically the same as 23/24 hour journey with connections. Also ignores the whole different hemispheres = different seasons so someone has to play in summer

Lol, this is the worst article I've ever read. No one gives a s**t about the UK super League and that won't change even if there are Aus and NZ teams in it.

This is a joke right?

I don't think any of the clubs would generate money if they weren't NRL clubs. The NRL is the product. Not the teams.

'Playing in England then France then flying to Australia's East coast and New Zealand can't be that hard' lolololol Really really hate to be that 1 solitary team from NZ, spending 2/3 of your time Flying internationally, northern hemisphere 'summer' games then winter games in the south. Back home for one game then overseas for three.

Why five teams in England but only four in Australia? Why two in France but only one in NZ? As others have already stated, very difficult to to run two elite comps in competition with each other. It's hard to imagine that too many will abandon traditional NRL clubs to follow the orcas or whatevers. I am amazed that people continually underestimate the value of traditional football clubs. Seriously, clubs which have been around for five minutes can't compete with clubs which have been around for 50+ years. There's a reason why it might look like a closed shop - these clubs actually generate money.