The NRL has experienced some considerable gains over the past few years. Crowds continue to be inconsistent, but TV ratings are up year on year.
Origin manages to build itself bigger and bigger every year and even international rugby league Tests between Australia and New Zealand are regularly out-rating their once lauded union counterparts.
But for all this success, the NRL remains somewhat handicapped in its quest to expand by the heavy geographical anchoring of so many teams in Sydney. The competition has only sixteen teams, but nine in Sydney alone.
At a stretch you might argue it’s really eight and a half, given that St George Illawarra plays half its games in Wollongong, but even then that’s over half the teams in the NRL all in one city.
We need new teams in Perth, Brisbane, New Zealand and at some stage Adelaide, but the depth isn’t there to add these teams on top of the already heavily Sydney-centric and talent-stretched NRL.
But how do you approach ‘fixing’ Sydney?
Most solutions involve simply providing weak Sydney clubs with an incentive to move, with teams like the Sharks being often touted as a good candidate for places like Perth. The problem with this of course is that it creates a “haves versus have-nots” dichotomy among the fans on the losing end in Sydney, which ultimately leads to alienation and the loss many fans from the moved clubs from the game.
Now, the loss of some of these fans in the short term is probably unavoidable, but what if all of Sydney had to take a collective hit for the good of the game?
What if all of Sydney lost its old NSWRL era sides at the same time?
Now, before people start plotting a Game of Thrones style punishment for such heresy, just hear me out for a minute.
Every year during rep round we have the increasingly irrelevant City versus Country match, which has long been positioned as a sort of Blues Origin trial.
It might still be partially effective as a sort of battle of the rest, but people just don’t identify as being a fan of either team.
Rather, people in Sydney identify much more with being from the west, east, north and south, than they do with simply being from Sydney itself.
With that in mind it only makes sense that that is the way Sydney ought to be divided.
So perhaps we could start a process of having a short form Sydney City ‘Origin’ tournament in the pre-season between sides made up of players from each of these areas.
The way you’d draw the map for such boundaries wouldn’t be purely geographical slices based on space, but would take into account population density, the distribution of juniors and where certain NRL clubs were situated.
Now, this would mean some rival sides like Souths and Easts or St George and Cronulla would be represented by the same teams, but since they’d be entirely new entities with clearly delineated boundaries, on a fundamental level it wouldn’t be any different to watching the Blues take on Queensland with your cross-town rivals.
The concept would require significant buy in at all levels – the sort of buy in that a $2bn TV deal with a lot of incentives for existing clubs might be able to achieve – and the colours for these teams and the logos they’d be represented by would have to be well thought out to be and feel truly representative of their regions.
I’m not going to try mock up potential designs here, because I frankly don’t know all the juniors and the regions well enough, and so would only undermine them by just making stuff up on the spot. These details should be decided based on historical associations with the regions, consultations with the member clubs and input from fans in the area.
No mean feat to be sure, but get it right and these teams could then develop their own rivalries that were just as passionate and hard hitting as the existing ones.
In a certain sense we’ve already seen this in the A-League with the Wanderers – a team with no history that just came out of the blue which formed a huge rivalry based on the strong identities.
After this, we would have six sides in NSW: Newcastle, the four Sydney teams, the central coast and potentially Illawarra – who would ideally just revive the Steelers.
Illawarra having its own full time team makes sense. It’s a similar case to the CC in that it’s a traditionally strong rugby league area – up until a couple years ago their crowd averages were strong and the Illawarra is home to half a million people.
That would effectively leave spots for three new teams in the NRL without undermining the talent pool.
Personally, I’d like to see a side based out of Christchurch. Wellington gets mooted a lot, but Christchurch has its own rugby league competition with eight senior teams, which is just as many as exist in both Wellington and the Illawarra competitions.
What’s more, Christchurch will soon have a side in the NSW Cup. Christchurch’s ‘rugby league park’ has been done up as a temp home for the Crusaders and with a capacity of 18,000 and is perfectly suited for a new team.
The region would need more work, but Christchurch and Canterbury have been growing at a faster pace than ever since the rebuilding after the earthquake.
Given this plan is a five to six year proposition I think they’d be well placed within that time to be ready to launch their own team.
But for all that to happen, Sydney needs fixing first.
parra
Guest
promotion/relegation works in the uk, why not here? Considerations: 1. battle for promotion and relegation will add some additional excitement to the comp. 2. All expansion teams are catered for. 3. the top league will be the best high intensity quality footy that we all want to see. 4. Revise the media rights to cater for the second tier. 5. The second tier will be suited to smaller clubs that are not suited to the top tier and expansion clubs can develop before considering promotion. 6. No cutting of teams. There are I'm sure arguments for and against but I can see no other way of moving forward without much pain, including cutting teams etc that few people would welcome. I have no evidence in support of my position however having lived in the uk and enjoyed the footy played over their I think it may work here. I also think the first sport to use the concept will gain an advantage over other sports.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Missed your comment in the jumbled mess of this topic. I don't agree with the extra rounds, perhaps just give last years top 10 an extra home game (gives some incentive to the mid table teams to perform even if they're mathematically out of the finals). Before someone comes in whining about commercial unfairness, I have three words: Friday Night Broncos.
3 Hats
Guest
For ALL of these bloggers on here who are suggesting a Second tier and/or a promotion and relegation system, just forget it. IT WONT WORK! DO you Seriously expect Corporate Company's to pump Millions of dollars into an inferior competition??? SERIOUSLY? Do you expect they would get 14,000 at their games? At Belmore last Night (Rd 16 Dogs Vs Storm) 14,000 was the break even figure...they got 16-17K last night. You blokes have NO IDEA at all! ALL Corporate funding and Players would go to the TOP flight Competition so a Club stuck in the bottom tier, it would be absolutely imposable for them to return to the NRL. THUS they would FOLD!
3 Hats
Guest
John...You really have no idea do you? The reason for the take over of Illawarra was quite simple for us who know the facts. 1 The Illawarra leagues club burnt down in 1998, An electrical fire, Illawarra struggled for financial support so their main source of income went with the fire. They didn't have enough financial help from BIG Business...so.... 2. The St George NRL team for years have under funded their own juniors since the 70s...I know this as I AM a St George junior and I know first hand. The Juniors were run, not from Kogarah but from the Ramsgate RSL Memorial Club, The Juniors struggled for years financially with little help from the Senior Club. 3 St George have been getting the cream of the juniors from Wollongong for years since the 60s. 4 St George basically ran the NSW Rugby League for Decades. So getting approval for the take over was easy. The Illawarra 49% ownership of the Merger is now owned by Ch 9 WIN in Wollongong so unscrambling the Egg is now IMPOSABLE!
3 Hats
Guest
Why would you want 4 Byes? Why not use the 4 spare weekends for Stand alone origin NSW/Qld Auckland/ Rest of NZ with the Minnows playing tests.
3 Hats
Guest
Did you read my comment above? 4 expansion teams plus the current 16 is good I think June 25th 2015 @ 10:48am You need an even amount of games so every club gets equal amount of Home and away games 22 rounds I did suggest is good.
Rob9
Guest
Apologies I didn't realise we had the comment police on the beat telling us all what we should and shouldn't be talking about. I'd say an opinion that Sydney rationalisation has it's merits but needed to happen earlier, supported with some ideas on how that rationalisation should have been handled is pretty relevant to the topic. That's fine if you don't believe so, but I'd save yourself the long-winded and irrelevant reply and move on.
Birdy
Guest
3Hats My last reply wasn't based on any serious research , just having fun. What I am serious about is getting Balmain out of that rediculous merger if it's not already too late, and get them relocated to somewhere they are wanted. Unfortunately theTigers brand is very marketable and I can only see legal issues with them trying to reclaim it. With what you posted on Benny Eliase's proposed relocating them to Perth it seems like they really want their own brand in the west. The only other places that would take a relocated team is Wellington and Central Queensland which would be just a take over but at least the colours and name would survive. There is another option that could be explored, merging with East Brisbane Tigers. From memory that was one of Balmain 's first offers which they quickly rejected.maybe it's time I should accept facts . In big Arties book he described Balmain as a club with no foresight into the future, no idea on how to look after their players or supporters and worst of all no desire to chase a premiership, just existing in the top league was enough for them. He desperately wanted to stay at Balmain but they forced him out. Now maybe they are paying the price leaving all their generations of loyal supporters in their wake.
3 Hats
Guest
Tom G I couldn't get sufficient info on Beacon Hill Bears so it was a stab in the dark that one. I got distracted and pressed enter, I tried to edit it but ran out of time.
3 Hats
Guest
Birdy: Ben Elias has been working behind the scenes to get the Tigers to Perth. Unfortunately though the Western Australian government are I think supporting another Perth bid. 2012 article below http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/benny-elias-and-the-west-australian-nrl-expansion-bid-team-realise-dream-is-on-hold/story-e6frexnr-1226456128032 West Coast Pirates: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Coast_Pirates As far as Penrith and Parramatta they will stay as they are now. Easts are way too powerful to Merge with anyone else
3 Hats
Guest
Epiquin your totally correct about Norths and the Gosford experiment. I will tell you this and this is a fact... You probably know this anyway but... Back then as my comment above about the NRL wanting 6-8 Clubs in Sydney is correct. At the so called peace agreement and Before the criteria... Norths Knew that Manly was favoured, as was Easts over Souths etc. The NRL encouraged Norths to relocate to Gosford but the bad weather slowed up the building process, thus the budget blew out so they lost Millions. The NRL did nothing to help the Bears? John Singleton lost Millions also! A real shame as the people on the Central Coast really do love league. That "other" game has taken over the area now.
3 Hats
Guest
Rob 9 I read your comment right through and all others also. I seriously think you should read others comments right through mate. The discussion of this Article is based on culling Sydney Clubs NOW 2015, not 1990 and expanding to areas Perth Adelaide etc. What is the point in discussing what should of happened in the 90s? The 90s are gone it is pointless us all going back in time. In the 90s Souths were solvent. Souths lost all of their young juniors because Piggins did not go over our small budget. Other Clubs spent more than they had coming in. I will tell you this, back then when dividing up the Games money it was unfair. Manly, Easts, Newcastle, Canterbury, Parramatta, St George, Brisbane received 1.6 Million in ARL grants. Clubs like Wests and Souths received only 600K Balmain, Norths got 900K etc. It was not divided equal, not like today every club receives the same GRANT. THIS ARTICLE IS How to fairly reduce the number of Sydney sides TahDan Roar Guru By TahDan, 24 Jun 2015 IT does not say in the 90s? THE DISCUSSIONS in this article is on getting to about 4 Sydney clubs North, South, East and West. ROB9 scroll down further and read MY COMMENTS below.
Tom G
Guest
Agree with just about everything said here. although the Beacon Hill Bears have always been a Manly junior club, the suburb overlooks Brookie Oval
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Add 4 new expansion clubs, make it a 19 round competition with rep football after the regular season. Bam, problem solved, don't need to reduce the Sydney clubs to expand. That said, if some need too much bailing out, can just let them die.
bbt
Guest
Spot on - not to forget Swans Cost of Living Allowance and other preferential "carrots" that Gallop refused to give Storm.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
He's trying to point score The Barry,but ACT is a territory with a decent size population which our mate's code likes to claim having a team there.If only for a short time,but well paid at a couple of million courtesy of ACT Govt. He only posts when he is assured of a pot shot.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Here we go again Clipper. The tendency to overlook salient facts does not help your argument.Super league war starting 1995 finishing as a combine comp in 1998. Name the code which benefited most not only with this ,but with south's exclusion.It wasn't soccer and to a small extent ru. Storm in existence 15 years ,Swans 33 years to put things into perspective>Money spent on promotion in Sydney countless hundreds of thousands,inches more column space. Storm by comparison much smaller amounts on promotion thanks to Gallop admin,and far less coverage join the Melbourne press. Storm of course had a salary cap issue,with which to attend. With all the expenditure by the AFL admin In Sydney and Brisbane TV ratings in the respective cities are still appalling. I don't believe the NRL will be complaining about 91,500 at the G and 490,000 Melburnians watching on the box.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
What's the $91.5m over a number of clubs' debt,the papers keep banging on about in the AFL,if all is so rosy.The heavy lift for expansion in the Northern states is still making a deep impact in the admin's finances.Hardly call that a resounding success with GWS,Lions problems. The huge sums injected has not gone down well with many of the other clubs. NRL clubs or some of them are heavily reliant on poker machine revenue,but with the larger grants in some cases that is becoming less and less. As to the smaller clubs Manly gets little money(and they operate on a mostly private model) from their licenced club,ditto the Sharks(for obvious reasons but with finical security around the corner),apart from West Tigers who need Wests League club input.Clubs are being urged to reduce if possible too much reliance on Licenced club funding.The next Tv monies will assist them in altho regard. The Superleague model never took into account the loyalty of fans to a particular club and made too many assumptions.I attended the first SL public meeting where ,Quayle, Meninga,Ribot and Gow .Some of the promises and predictions were laughable,yet i went along as my club followed that path. It was not even right in theory,this country has a small population,less than California,so modelling it on the Yankee set up with big cities.ET big in China was one of the big sells LOL everywhere was fraught with danger. It's not too late for NRL expansion Perth and Brisbane certainly could have a team without draining head office coffers.
Dean - Surry Hills
Guest
Any form of long term vision for the NRL requires compaction in Sydney and expansion elsewhere, albeit to the short-term detriment and alienation of many fans. A conference system to lower travel costs would be vital. Conference 1 - Teams merged on mass geographically to form 8 clubs, playing each other twice for a total of 14 matches. Sharks and Illawarra. Saints and Bulldogs. Penrith and Eels. Manly and Newcastle Roosters and Bunnies Wests Tigers and Canberra Melbourne Perth Conference 2. Expansion, again 8 clubs who play each other twice. Brisbane Brisbane 2 Pacific Islands (based in Brisbane) Gold Coast North Queensland Papua New Gunea (based in Darwin) Auckland Wellington/Christchurch Each team also plays a team in the other conference once, alternating the home game each year. This produces 22 matches in total, with 4 byes per team each year to aid with recovery/longevity of players, and to help over Origin periods and Tests Matches.
3 Hats
Guest
If you guys on here are squabbling about population figures in Suburbs and so on, I will remind you that the only accurate figures are these! POLITICAL BOUNDARY'S for example: Easts, Wentworth 109,262 Souths, Kingsford-Smith 102,418, SYDNEY,106,402, has Rabbitohs (Redfern, Surrey Hills, Alexandria, Erskineville , Rosebury, Waterloo, Zetland, Beaconsfield, and Newtown) Roosters (Kings Cross, Darlinghurst, Potts Point and Woolloomooloo) Tigers (Balmain, Birchgrove, Darlington, Forest Lodge, Glebe, Pyrmont, Ultimo, Annandale, Camperdown, Rozelle ALL are in SYDNEY Federal boundary. This is an Example...however.. I use the Rabbitohs as an example as I am a member! Not everyone who lives in a particulate area support that team. In the Rabbitohs only 22% of its members live within its territorial boundary's So several points of OTHERS comments are a grain of salt in reality. as is mine also! If you live in Penrith you don't have to support the Panthers and so on. So having a team in a so-called geographical boundary In SYDNEY is nonsense. North, South, East and West! However for a rural or regional e.g. Newcastle or Canberra is more plausible. I just heard on the News as I am typing this, that the current population migration trend to Melbourne from other city's in Australia is that Melbourne will have a bigger Population than Sydney by 2056. So boys do we have to start planning for extra teams in Melbourne NOW?