The time is for now for the NRL to get behind the Gold Coast Titans. The Titans are in their time of need, with no major sponsor, a cocaine scandal and continued financial hardship.
Intervention is needed immediately to keep the Titans alive as they stare at potential oblivion.
The Titans aren’t the first NRL club to dealt with financial hardships. My team, the North Queensland Cowboys, experienced financial difficulty in the early years. Through News Limited, they were kept afloat until being sold to the Cowboys Leagues Club in 2007.
These days, the Cowboys are now a contender to win the premiership and are in sound financial shape relative to the other 15 NRL clubs.
The Cronulla Sharks, the resident basket case of the NRL, have also been bailed out numerous times throughout their existence. The Sharks have been given numerous second chances that the mid 90s expansion clubs would love to receive.
So, with the Sharks getting so many lifelines, it’s only fair that the Titans get one too.
For the NRL to give up the Gold Coast, it would be conceding defeat to the AFL. This would be the worst case scenario for rugby league.
To bow out of the Gold Coast would make it AFL territory by default, with local kids not having a professional league team to look up to.
Now is the time for the NRL to unite behind the Gold Coast. Nothing good can come from them leaving the competition.
Look at Melbourne – who rebounded from one of the biggest scandals in Australian sport – as an example of how a club can pick themselves back up.
Rugby league is a strong game that has taken on more adversity than other code in Australia. It is still kicking, against the odds.
The time is now for the NRL clubs to put the game first and support the Titans just like they would if another club was in dire straits. I ask Dave Smith to forget about short-term interests and support the Titans in their time of need.
Wayne Lovell
Roar Guru
Honestly I don't think the NRL can afford to draw a line. But i don't think it will be in the $20M ballpark. Barry Maranta is an astute marketer, and most of the old culture was on its way out already. This was terrible timing but if the Sharks can survive the last couple years in a saturated market, then the titans will survive.
Wayne Lovell
Roar Guru
Then you would know that the distance from Wacol to Camira is walkable and not an hours drive.
up up cronulla
Guest
The numbers man..Mate sharks own theyre own stadium, plus developement has started, plus we have a gym that our besieged coach help build on his days off and we now have gorman , but in saying that i hope the titans can survive this, ive never disliked them and i know what its like to support at team under scrutiny!
Kirk
Guest
The fact that the Titans have a perfectly good state of the art stadium of their own means the NRL is not going to relocate them to Brisbane and certainly not going fork out for a new freaking stadium! As if the QLD government would buy into that either.
duecer
Guest
Don't agree that losing the Titans would make it AFL territory by default, but agree that it would be conceding defeat to the AFL. It would be an unmitigated PR disaster and for that reason alone, the NRL will insure that a team remains in the Gold Coast
Andrew
Guest
Sorry NF here you are wrong. I dislike Manly as a sporting team, can't help it, years of being an eels tragic. But, put what the sea eagles have in Brookavle oval in Robenia and you wouldn't get anyone to a titans game. Gold Coast has great facilities, modern stadium but people dont want to go to the footy, the GC is a graveyard for sporting teams.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
Classic
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
They're only interested in good teams muzz :)
Muzz
Guest
Breaking - Titans sign Robbie Fowler https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOBja7ZjGws
Muzz
Guest
Mate, send Packer and the phone chucker in to sort things out. Packer thrives on liquidation.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
Yes but got no handout from the NRL to get on their feet again
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
I have a house in Ipswich mate.
Muzz
Guest
Wayne, I'm all for the NRL helping the Titans out of their current financial predicament but where do you draw the line or is there a line? $10 million $20 million $30 million dept? It won't take long to chalk up these numbers when the hole is this deep.
Wayne Lovell
Roar Guru
Mate when was the last time you were in Ipswich, I think you need to check your geography. Thats the same as saying Manly or Cronulla aren't part of Sydney. I agree with you on not having four teams though, I cant see that being viable.
Wayne Lovell
Roar Guru
The fact the Titans struggle means it is an area that needs growing. No ground should be home to two clubs. You wont fill Brisbane with half a team.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
Ipswich is as much a part of Brisbane as the Gold Coast. Most definitely not the same bid. Besides the NRL won't have four expansion teams straight off the bat. Hell we may even be lucky to get two atm the way things are going via NRL statements.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
I personally wouldn't go there. But they're ahead of the CC whose idea of making a statement about keeping games on the CC was 9000 people at a mariners game.
Wayne Lovell
Roar Guru
Brisbane and Ipswich cant both exist as expansion clubs, they are the same bid, the only difference is instead of putting another team in the roosters back yard, we would be creating a new panthers.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
Adelaide. Turn it up. Might as well put in a Bells beach team
Wayne Lovell
Roar Guru
That's exactly what happened to the bunnies mate. They died according to the criteria of the day. The sixth largest city in Australia is vital to the NRL in terms of its credibility as a National competition.