Push grows for second New Zealand NRL team

big stretch for Auckland, what's our gate numbers 15k per game? I'm not even sure Cristchurch can do it or is even remotley interested ( meaning numbers wise ). 81 Paling has a very good idea a few later on in this discussion, the new sides should put up a NSW Cup side for a couple of years maybe, but then they just won't get much of a gate take really. Christchurch or Wellington in NZ, but Chch is Crusdaders through and through, would they also get them supporting a team that doesn't win all the time? Wellington has rugby (of ccourse) and soccer, I'm not so sure. I know we have alot of junior stars, but does that really mean that alot of people will support a new league team against the local rugby side, I'm not so sure. NZ is not like NSW or QLD when it comes to league. NZ is obsessed with a team t5hat has dominated the world (All Blacks) for a long time, it is NZs' pride and joy. I don't think kiwis' know how to stay with a team that loses, they just haven't had to go through that!!! I have seen kiwis' arrive in Oz and eventually they realise they have to pick a league team to follow. I have never seen a kiwi pick a bottom dweller yet, funny about that. Most new kiwis' in the 80s & 90s thought bunnies supporters were losers and worse, they would mock a person wearing their jersey, now they all want to be bunnies supporters!!!!! I do think alot of that has to do with the All Blacks hardly ever losing.

Are there any Dragon supporters out there? If so what are your views about Doust and his incompetents allowing the Morris twins to finish their careers away from Kogarah and their spiritual home.

I am with you GURU. The next team should either be from Western Australia or a Pacific Island team. My reasons are because rugby league needs to be more than just an eastern seaboard dominated competition it needs to have full national status...like AFL or Union. Introduce a second Kiwi team down the track.

Agreed, Mushi. I like the way the FFA is going about expansion by strengthening the 2nd tier of football via the NPL and FFA Cup and introducing more game time for the youth sides by having them playing in the NPL as well as the NYL. It is only after this form of expansion is complete that they'll explore the option of expanding the A-League.

The Storm have been operating for 17 years starting from scratch with no grassroots infrastructure in its infancy.Only since 2005 have they pushed that aspect. SOO & G/F viewing numbers are your starting point for marketing the game.If the club is growing memebrships and grassroots numbers then an NRL side is a must.Especially in the 2nd largest city in this country. If the Swans adopted that approach initially they would have no Sydney market. Perth deserve an NRL side,because of continued good crowds for NRL matches,juniors at the highest level ever,new clubs being formed,sponsors wanting to back a Perth side,a stadium in situ,time zone back to Sydney,and many east Coasters,Kiwis and even Northern Poms living there.This is not a case of putting pins on maps or parachuting a team,but local bids from people at the coal face.They have a reasonable idea as to prospects long term. Adelaide is way down the pecking order.

I don't want the Sharks kicked out either but why is it that every time someone says kick out the Sharks sharks fans instantly point the finger at another club who should be kicked out? Surely hearing this all the time sharks fans must feel some empathy for other fans of under performing clubs?

Any new NZ team should put a side together to play in the NSW cup this season, so they can get organised and at least have their administration ready for when they enter into the NRL. The last thing that we want to see is another new franchise fail and need bailing out within 2 years of joining. So this is serious get organised and finance a team for the NSW cup this year as a trial don't go into the NRL without having at least trialled if it will work or we will end up with another Titans disaster.

I agree that Brisbane needs a live game every week. This was a large part of the AFL's logic behind the introduction of Fremantle & Port Adelaide.

My wife is Canadian, and her family don't even like her coming to visit during moose hunting season. Apparently she is the strongest form moose repellent known to man. the more you know...

I'm not saying we shouldn't have a Melbourne team or Adelaide or WA. People have said above and elsewhere that Perth has 10 League teams and a good timeslot for fans in Sydney to watch NRL games. Is that it? Is it enough? They don't even show NRL games in Adelaide any more. Are they ready for an NRL side? If all they're going to provide is origin and GF viewing numbers then they can do that without an NRL side.

RL would be just fine in NSW and Qld Refs would only have to be biased against Qld teams and not also against Vic and NZ teams as they must do now :)

"When you are hunting moose you go where the moose are" unless you can get the moose to come to you, which is much easier and saves all of the travel...

Too many teams in Sydney? Move Manly to the central coast (Northern Eagles), St George to the Illawarra, Crunulla to ??? Balmain gone (financial reasons), possibly almalgamate Panthers and Wests. Just theoryising !

To be honest CC, I don't even dislike Cronulla. I enjoy banter and so I pull stitches ;) Some of my best friends even enjoy watching them play. I don't like Gallen and I think the coach has some serious clouds over his head. Stop referring to the ASADA investigation as 'allegations'. They did it, it happened, and if they manned up about exactly what went down people would be a lot more forgiving I think. Gorman seems like a pretty big get, so hopefully he can instil a positive culture for the future. I wish the Sharkies all the best. They appear to be financially secure, which is half the battle. They have signed a couple of marquee players and should be able to use the last season as serious motivation to forge ahead in 2015. Baldie, the Broncos aren't going anywhere. The whole NRL would collapse if they were removed. They prop up every figure that the NRL likes to tout... They were mildly more dodgy in 2012 than other teams. Take their 2012 premiership away from them. Move on. It isn't current and the perpetrators have been removed from the game. What else would you like to see done?

Jay C. I can assure you the NRL have been hurling a few boulders in the Bronco's direction,trouble is the intended recipients have left town. It's a new board,repeat new board.Not the same board operating at the time of the ASADA incident/allegations. I don't' agree with comments made by a couple of senior employees ,the again I have not been under the same public pressure,scutiny and criticsm as these guys. Then I remember at times the beloved Wayne Bennet used to ignore press conferences because he was jack of the media. Nor did I agree with that famous Qlder Mal Meninga,at the height of the SL war state"What has rugby league done for me".I witnessed it and heard it at the very meeting in Cronulla.

Good question Dayer. Would it be ideal to have all local juniors on board,? Absolutely.The reality of experience and class does not follow along that parameter at times.The club due to their "wisdom" have let juniors go to other clubs such as PeacheyLichaa,BrownHilder,Galloway And the same may be asked of Penrith with the largest juniors who buy :-Whare,Seegeyaro,Soweaard,Kite,Plum,Taylor,Brown,Manu,Peachey Or The eels with Radrada,Hopoate,Takaraingi,Robinson,Norman,Sandow,Peats,Maú Watmough.De Gois. Care to check the number of imports at Souths? They are getting their act together ,a new board,a strict medical regime,a coach who has been humbled and humiliated publicly,a very competitive group of playes being assembled,a multi million dollar development and little reliance on poker machines and a new CEO of high standing expected to be announced today. I humbly suggest I can name at least 5 NRL clubs who are still foundering on different issues,maybe they should be in line also for relocation.

The Barry .Perhaps getting Tv viewership in Melbourne for SOO and grand finals ,which more than match and sometimes exceed what AFL G'F gets in Sydney and is an important market for advertisers is an example of the effect of having a NRL team in Melbourne is about. More juniors are playing ril in that state than ever before and many more are having a rl experience at schools. Gallop and Smith have continually splelt out the importance of having an NRL team in Melbourne.In fact it is fair to suggest the Storm crowds are no worse then the Swans pre SL,an event which gave the Swans a decent leg up.The club's memberships higher than some Sydney NRL clubs. The fact Clipper agrees with you is proof enough,having a team in Melbourne is a commercially sensible move.He is not keen on rl expanding or growing full stop.

What's the criteria for them to be judged as under performing versus the other 14 NRL teams? Financially? On field? Off field? Fans? Over what period of time? Or because they are 'under performing' at this moment. If we'd have had this conversation a decade ago souths would have been the 'under performing' club. Would that have been a wise decision to throw them out?

The Warriors making a grand final tends to engage the casual observers and fair-weather friends, so I'd say it's a big deal.

So it is a "big deal" Sylvester? The usual suspects are suggesting that it's impossible for rugby league to be a "big deal" in NZ. That's a good thing for rugby league in NZ, isn't it?