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We must expand the NRL to a 28-team competition

8th September, 2014
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Should the Gold Coast Titans be rebranded as the Gold Coast Bears?
Roar Guru
8th September, 2014
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Its time we woke up to the farce that the NRL has allowed itself to become. Instead of boldly striking out into new territory, it is cowering timidly in its limited sixteen-team format.

If we are to recover from the Super League debacle that put rugby league behind the Australian-sporting 8-ball, we need to get on the front foot and start expanding. How do we do it?

1. Disband the mergers;
2. Resurrect the Bears at the Central Coast;
3. More clubs in Queensland, at least four;
4 Another club in Victoria somewhere;
5. A club in Adelaide;
6. A club in Perth;
7 A club in Wellington;
8. A club in Port Moresby.

This will mean a total of twenty eight clubs. I can hear the usual hysteria at such a format, but if it’s split into two conferences of fourteen – with an eight team final series in each conference and then each conference winner meeting in a grand final – it will work nicely.

More clubs means more fans, more fans means more money for the game.

Let’s not get disillusioned so easily by the usual attitude of it will never work and remain content with what we have and drink beer – let’s strike out and grow and promote the sport instead.

Does it really matter if some clubs do it tough now and then? Does it really matter if some clubs only get 10,000 through at the gate?

The reality is we can now fall back on huge media interests to cover any losses, let’s use what we have.

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Last, its a bad look for the game if stadiums are half empty or more, so its up to the NRL to take control of the media deals and set the times when NRL is shown. There should be no more stupid Monday night and Thursday night games, no more Broncos every Friday night while other clubs get not even a tenth of the time on free-to-air.

All games should be played at the best possible time for their supporters, with no more 8pm kick offs. No more night grand final either, move it back to 3pm.

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