Last week’s release of the 2016 NRL draw showed that only nine of 192 games will be taken to new areas this upcoming season with just two of those to be played in regional New South Wales.
Bathurst and Gosford will host the Panthers and Roosters respectively in a bid to keep rugby league alive in the bush, however more Sydney-based NRL teams should be doing the same.
Fans in towns such as Coffs Harbour, Dubbo, Griffith, Lismore and Port Macquarie will again miss out this season. Albury and Wagga Wagga have also been denied the opportunity to host a game, even after proving last year they were worthy of housing top-flight rugby league when they hosted an NRL regular season match and City-Country respectively.
Apart from Bathurst and Gosford, the only regional New South Wales towns who will be able to catch a brief glimpse of live rugby league are Tamworth and Orange. They will prepare to host the City-Country Origin and a Raiders-Knights trial fixture respectively.
With fears that AFL will take over much of country NSW and participation levels falling, NRL franchises must do their bit and take home games to regions that currently host no top-flight rugby league.
I have analysed each team’s home game allocations for the upcoming season and decided whether they should change their stadium allocations and take more games on the road or not.
Brisbane Broncos
The Broncos will once again host 12 games at Suncorp Stadium and who can blame them. They have the heartland of Queensland rugby league all to themselves, there is no way they should ever consider taking a game elsewhere when they regularly draw crowds over 30,000.
Canberra Raiders
In recent seasons, the Raiders have failed to pull in decent crowds and even with the whole city to themselves. This comes down to a number of different factors, most notably the cold weather, poor draw, poor performance and proximity of their home ground GIO Stadium to the Canberra CBD.
The Raiders and ACT Government are working together to build a stadium complete with an enclosed roof in the city centre to attract more fans. This would be a great move for the club as they would also be able to shift their headquarters closer to the city.
I propose they play 10 games out of a new stadium in the city and take one game on the road with the remaining fixture to be taken to their traditional home ground in Queanbeyan, Seiffert Oval in a similar move to the Bulldogs’ ‘Back to Belmore’ fixtures.
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
The Bulldogs seem to have found the right balance between home games at ANZ Stadium, Belmore Sportsground and outside of Sydney. The club should stick to their current formula and play nine games at ANZ Stadium, two games at Belmore Sportsground and one game on the road.
Cronulla Sharks
Shark Park will host all of Cronulla’s home games in 2016, which is likely to see them draw poor crowds once again. The Sharks should host only 10 games in Woolooware and take the remaining two on the road to areas such as Adelaide or country New South Wales. By taking games outside of Sydney, the Sharks would be able to expand their supporter base and continue to grow as they loom as a major threat to the established Sydney clubs.
Gold Coast Titans
The NRL must help the Titans to create a fair deal with Stadiums Queensland over Cbus Super Stadium. Unfortunately for the troubled franchise, there is no option to move away from Robina and further north closer to the city’s rugby league heartland.
Ten games seems at Robina seems the perfect fit, with a game against the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium and one on the road the best possible allocations for the club as they hope to gain fans and keep rugby league alive on the Gold Coast.
Manly Sea Eagles
Just like the Bulldogs, the Sea Eagles have found the perfect formula by keeping 10 games at Brookvale Oval and taking the other two on the road. It is a model other smaller Sydney clubs should look to emulate. This season they will hope to expand their footprint with games at Suncorp Stadium and nib Stadium.
Melbourne Storm
Again, the Storm are another club who know how to allocate their home games. They will once again play 11 games in Melbourne before heading on the road to gain more supporters. One thing the Storm could consider, however, is the possibility of taking two games to Etihad Stadium including their Anzac Day fixture against the Warriors.
Newcastle Knights
The Knights may be a one-team town but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t take games on the road. Hunter Stadium will play host to the Knights 12 times in 2016. The club could take games further out in the Hunter region to expand their supporter base by playing 11 games in Newcastle and taking one elsewhere.
North Queensland Cowboys
Another example of a team that should take more games on the road. The Cowboys encompass a huge area including the major townships of Cairns, Mackay, Mount Isa and of course Townsville where they currently host all 12 of their home games at the city’s biggest stadium, Willows Sports Complex.
The club should keep 11 games in Townsville and take one regular season match on the road to either of the three aforementioned areas with the club alternating each year. The Cowboys’ proposed move to the Townsville CBD could provide a huge boost.
Parramatta Eels
The Eels have managed to find the perfect balance of Sydney games and games on the road by playing nine games at their home of Pirtek Stadium, two games at ANZ Stadium and one elsewhere. This is the perfect formula for the club, however after the upgrade of their headquarters they should look to move their allocation of Pirtek Stadium home games to 10 or 11 by reducing the numbers of games played at ANZ Stadium.
Penrith Panthers
Like the Sea Eagles, the Panthers have a model which smaller Sydney clubs should emulate. Playing 10 games at their headquarters at Pepper Stadium, and two on the road. They currently draw poor crowds in Penrith, however, and could increase their allocation of games outside of Sydney to three.
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The Rabbitohs also have the perfect grip on how to allocate their home games by playing nine at ANZ Stadium, one game at Allianz Stadium and two on the road. If the NRL is to expand with a team in Perth and the Cowboys take a game to Cairns, however, we could see them increase their games in Sydney to 11 by stealing the Dragons’ SCG home game so that the Red V can take more games on the road.
St George Illawarra Dragons
The Dragons currently have five home grounds in Sydney with games split between ANZ Stadium, Allianz Stadium, Jubilee Oval, WIN Stadium and the SCG. As mentioned above, the Dragons should give up their SCG game to the Rabbitohs but ensure the match will be played between the two clubs. They should also cut their ties with Allianz Stadium and split 10 matches between ANZ Stadium, Wollongong and Jubilee Oval. The Dragons could then take two games on the road.
Sydney Roosters
They might be one of Sydney’s biggest clubs, however the Roosters should emulate the model for smaller Sydney clubs and play only 10 games at Allianz Stadium with two games on the road. This gives the club the perfect opportunity to avoid embarrassing crowds when playing teams such as the Titans by instead taking these outside of Sydney.
New Zealand Warriors
Eleven games in Auckland and one on the road is perfect for the Warriors. Having a whole country of four million to themselves, the club should try and secure three to four away games throughout New Zealand to expand rugby league. The Warriors could also look at taking a couple of NYC games around New Zealand as well.
Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers must establish a definite home base and split their games similarly to the Dragons. ANZ Stadium seems the perfect home for the joint venture, where they could play six games and see Campbelltown Stadium and Leichhardt Oval host two games each before taking an additional two games on the road.
Moving games shouldn’t be restricted only to the regular season with the 2016 pre-season schedule also failing to share games around the country.
Pre-season matches will be taken to Alice Springs, Bundaberg, Nelson, Orange, Sunshine Coast and Whangarei, however there are five games just waiting to be moved to different venues.
The Panthers will host two trials at Pepper Stadium against the Bulldogs and Eels. And if they wish to turn a profit over the pre-season, the solution is simple. Make Sydney-based fans wait until the regular season for top flight rugby league and move games to regional New Zealand, New South Wales, Queensland and other areas such as Tasmania, regional Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
The Sharks-Sea Eagles game at Remondis Stadium and Wests Tigers-Sharks game at Campbelltown Stadium also make for good moves to new regions while the Bulldogs-Storm fixture at Belmore also beckons for a venue change now that the Bulldogs have two regular season games at their traditional home ground.
Roarers, should NRL clubs be playing more games on the road? What do you make of the 2016 NRL draw and where would you like to see a regular season game played in the future?
duecer
Guest
I don't know that attacking anyone that brings up a valid point that isn't a glowing endorsement on RL serves any purpose furthering your points of view. Most sports are having difficulties in the bush. Committees are one major reason - it's hard to get people to commit, especially younger generations with the 'what's in it for me' attitude. You get left with ageing members who won't move with the times. There is also more competition from other sports. Soccer, of course, is growing, especially in the Juniors and AFL are pouring money in.
Bakkies
Guest
You should look up JP McManus and the work he has put in to improve sporting facilities for various clubs in Limerick. Tony O'Reilly, Rory McIlroy, Ryanair's Michael O'Leary and media owner Denis O'Brien have done their fair share. This is what clubs and business people in Australia should look at.
Bakkies
Guest
ChCh still has direct flights and it is a league ground. Dunedin involves another flight. Hamilton a drive down the motorway.
gavin
Guest
Lots of good points among the replies. The biggest thing affecting Rugby League in my part of Central Qld is the economy. Many jobs have gone in the coal industry and the cattle industry is suffering through a drought, which equates to less players for the local teams, both junior and senior. 12 hour+ shifts make it difficult for players to train or for dads to coach juniors. An NRL team bringing a game out here would be great, but will do nothing to change the above issues.
Tigranes
Guest
Since when is Gosford considered country NSW?
Bruce
Guest
Wow your good tren. Your getting up there with Roy Masters as a RL devotee. Any other good new on WA RL?? It'll be great when the Reds come back in. Huge RL fraternity in WA. Even the Pilbara has huge junior RL numbers. All looking good for WA RL.
Bruce
Guest
Great news tren.....any other good news on the Riverina RL front?? It's a fantastic hot bed of junior and senior RL down there. Every year they pump out more and more NRL players. It must be hard for you though tren living in enemy territory.
Justthetip
Guest
Mate there others reasons it's harder to get people to commit to committees. 8 hour work days were almost without exception in the 70's and we now work much longer hours. I also read an article that said its now over 4 times as hard to purchase a house than in the 70's. Peoples priorities have changed regarding senior local comps and the NRL isn't responsible for correcting this. Juniors is where the NRL need to invest time. It's sad that this is happening but qld comps still remain reasonably healthy. So I'm sure NSW can rectify this to some extent.
trenerry boy
Roar Rookie
So sad about Coota, sorry it was actually Junee that could not get a committee together. Junee have money, just no committee, no one is interested, they called a crisis meeting for it's crisis meeting that did not work. Don't panic though, they will import a new team.
Bruce
Guest
Wow tren.......what a historian. You love ya RL don't ya pal. (By the way are going to be tren all day today or cnage it up a bit....just so I know who I'm conversing with......lol.).
GW
Guest
I agree with Tripodi. Country football is about local teams not NRL heavyweights coming to town to take the cash and bolt. If country people want to see big time NRL drive a car, catch a train or a plane, and head to a city where the NRL is played. Otherwise get off your backsides and go and support your local bush teams.
trenerry boy
Roar Rookie
That is where all the Kiwis live or did live, many seem to be leaving now, to bad for WA RL, it is run by Kiwis.
trenerry boy
Roar Rookie
Cootamundra could not even get a committee through lack of interest from the town, i think they had at least a couple of meetings with all no shows, the Riverina RL survives in many towns only through kiwi imports which does really represent the town, no disrespect of course to the kiwis who are just looking for some coin. The Maher cups youngest player is now 64 ... http://www.youngwitness.com.au/story/3521066/the-reunion-not-to-be-missed/.. so i magine you are correct and it does need a reboot !!
Dogs Of War
Roar Guru
Is football cheaper registration? I doubt it. Wouldn't a better idea to move the NSW Cup comp to something more similar to the QLD cup where that lower grade is aligned with NRL clubs, but the clubs located in regional areas.
Gurudoright
Guest
No doubt small town administration is required in most cases but to say 'sorry champ, we are glad you like playing the game but we can't allow you to watch the elite level on TV because your friends might not turn up to our game because of the standard difference' is rubbish. In this day of multimedia how exactly are you going to stop somebody streaming etc. I imagine Foxtel would be Stoke to pay the NRL millions upon millions every year just for the NRL to say to them 'sorry Rupert, you can't show NRL games to anyone west of the Great Divide because people won't turn up to watch Blayney vs Lithgow'
Jacko
Guest
Surprise Surprise The Warriors are forced to play in Perth again. That's 5 yrs in a row now.
Bakkies
Guest
The excuses about Bruce Stadium is utter nonsense. Fans haven't turned up to the Raiders in the same numbers since the pre Super League days and those days the pitch was further from the stands that included uncovered grass banks. Fans turned up to a team they were attached to despite being further from the pitch and having a blanket out on the cold grass. The Brumbies apathy started in the days when Nucifora's contract wasn't extended. Taking ACT off the team name and the 2011 fiasco didn't please either. Both teams played matches when there was snow, hail or even thunder and the fans turned up in better numbers. Long home winning streaks were down to the conditions and strong home support. The weather is a modern day excuse and lazy clap trap. As for a civic stadium where would you put in and have adequate parking? The City has pretty strict planning and aesthetics guidelines. Canberra is a car city despite the current transport plans. Canberra Stadium has car parking, good bus links which are free, close to major roads including the federal highway and easy access to the AIS for the players. Last time I went to Bruce Stadium it was a free five to ten minute bus ride from Civic which has the main bus interchange and convenient for park and ride passengers. I find it astounding that stadiums like Etihad are Bruce are now considered outdated despite being built/refurbished in the late 90s. There isn't a bottomless pit to replace stadiums that taxpayers forked out to pay for just 15 years ago.
Bruce
Guest
Bit on the glass half empty side there Terry........actually...... glass turned upside down and drained.....lol. Obviously things aren't that bad. I think you'll find every sport is experiencing difficulty in keeping adult player numbers up. The fact that bush RL is more professional and demanding than bush soccer or RU maybe be valid though. I suspect the less demanding versions of RL i.e. tag and touch are keeping the casual players involved.
Terry from Nyngan
Guest
League died in the bush years ago by rule changes and insurance. Blokes aren't willing to risk injury anymore that risks their jobs. They can't train 2 or 3 nights a week to get fit enough either. More fun to just rock up and play RU, soccer or AFL. League killed itself by making bush players have to use NRL rules like the 10m rule and wrestling.
Bruce
Guest
There is no one single answer to assist bush RL. There needs to be a strategic approach that includes periodic NRL games and team visits, financial assistance for insurance costs for both senior and junior RL and clear pathways for kids to progress to NRL level. There should also be a fund set up and used to assist in paying for ex NRL players to captain/coach bush clubs. They would also be required to do development work with junior leagues and help market and promote the code. There is no better way to promote the game than to have ex NRL stars living, playing and interacting within the communities.