NRL Expansion funding long overdue, but only the beginning

Rugby league has been played in WA for decades Clip since 1948 ,it's hardly a new arrival, but do go ahead.In fact WA is more other code friendly(rugby) than Vic.More NRL clubs are planning to play there next year.Get used to the fact. The Storm by comparison to GWS Clip did not had the money nor the marketing ,nor the grassroots funding poured in .They have not had the luxury of getting star players ,they developed the Slaters,Cronks,Smiths. News Ltd and the NRL as partners were involved in the club.They were fined a decent sum fro the salary cap debacle.They lost sponsors and some fans as a result.They have not had the tens of millions delivered to them in a short space of time.News Ltd did stuff all for grassroots, they were only interested in pay TV. They get minimal support or SFA from the Vic media.To suggest it 's anywhere near what the GWS has received ,suggests you ar e on another planet. Mel as a kid used to attend Brookvale with her father .One would suggest her position in ch7 and the fact they have the Tv deal may have had an influence in her GWS ambassador's role. Keep spinning .

NF -agree with you that WA is not an all code city- it is an AFL dominant city, quite different from NSW which has had a long history of both Rugby codes. Crosscoder - you're being disingenuous - the Storm have had heaps of money poured into them, still have a couple of years of very good subsidies - and why wouldn't Mel promote GWS - ch7 paid out a record fee, they would want a return on their investment.

Grant stated the NRL will be allocating an extra $100m pa for grassroots, part of the new TV deal. That would include those areas of current neglect .

I would consider closing in on 18,000 a success, with little expenditure, liittle media coverage, in a territory where no other Nrl club exists and has a very little grassroot;s base .And where a private consortium deems it to be so. Compared to a club whose majority support by crowds and membership is a few hours from Sydney,where million upon millions of dollars have been spent on promotion,where the media gives on a regular basis 1/2 page ,where TV ch7 's Mel is constantly singing its praises.Who had to move home base in Blacktown because it was not suitable after much Council and Govt expenditure.Which is not virgin territory because teh Swans have been here 35years. I'm sure you will Clip,any opportunity to have a shot needs no inducement.

It is interesting that the Knights, even with their massive junior catchment area in the Hunter, have signed three lads from my local RL Club, the Rockingham Coastal Sharks, in Jayden Hocking, Curtis Dansey-Smaller and Brandon Wright. This is only from one of the junior clubs here in Perth, no idea how many have been signed to NRL Clubs from the other 7 Perth clubs. I am only aware of these fellas as my sons used to play with them. When I read comments about how there is no interest in League in the West, no junior development in the West etc etc it does get me a little hot under the collar. And this is WITHOUT our own NRL team to encourage more participation in the game. I dobut very much that Victorian junior league can boast as many players in NRL team junior development programs.

Well, at least we now know that you would consider 'closing in on 18k' a success, but 15k not a success for a new team. Will remember that for Perth after 5 years.

Well no they are not. Evading LOL ,I stated it is not ,because of the very reason I gave.Cannot be any more explicit.Because AFL already has a club in Sydney which has been a pioneer for the later club.The Storm did not have that luxury. Just like a fair swag of Swan's members are from South Melbourne.

Great millions of dollars more going to people who support other codes outside League heartlands, whilst areas where the game is becoming less popular are told that there will no longer be referee's supplied to mini League games, coaches have to run it themselves. Reality is for every dollar you spend in NSW or QLD you have to spend $100 in Victoria to get the same result at grass roots level and the same is the case for other codes. So spend the $3m in NSW and QLD and get rid of the competitors because they will go broke trying to push $300m a year into QLD & NSW jr markets.

One of the many things an NRL team would have in it's favour is that there WOULD be the liklihood of home grown talent in the team. Waqa Blake and Curtis Rona are WA juniors (the latter defecting to Union just so he could come home) and I know of at least four WA boys running around in Holden Cup, Keeylan Tuuta Edwards at the Dragons being one of them with a ton of talent. Good crowds to the three games held here this year, the test being a sell out, growing junior base, sponsorship coming out the ying yang, great weather, great city, East coast-firendly time slots........just make it happen NRL!!

Whether the bulk is from Canberra or not (considering that many of the Storm supporters would be outside Melbourne), it's evading the question - do you think that 15k plus is a success or not?

I really think that the time is now for the Nrl to expand, and they need to do it probably, there is virtually no grass roots in Victroia and this is where they need to start, get another team in Melbourne and then go after NZ, Adelaide/perth in a bit of gamble and will take time to achieve. The nrl needs to learn from the afl example, expand where they already have teams and built on that. They have successfully built up the GWS and the Gold Coast, with a very simple formula. Get the best player to captain the new team (ablett on the Gold coast) and get the best coach to coach the other (sheedy I know he is not there anymore but you get the point). Finally be happy about the teams, the Nrl has (Sydney) never really been that happy about it expansion teams (particulary the storm) they need to promote with happiness and pride not reluctance.

I think its about time that NRL should expand to 18 teams as the start of 2018. A lot of people across SA, TAS and WA are playing grassroots footy through the community. SA - last time was the Adelaide Rams back in the Super League Comp back in 1997. Back then in the 2000s, the state have limited support for Rugby due to lack of funding. TAS - Have played a few NRL Games at York Park and Bellerive Oval back in the days. On the other side, there are a lot of Melbourne Storm fans WA - A huge amount of South Sydney Supporters and Canterbury Bulldogs fans around the place. They have played a few games back at NIB Stadium. A few other teams have visited the venue. I think that the future for NRL in WA would be on the cards for 2018.

That,s additional to the current monies expended.It's for grassroots clubs to build clubhouses ,or posts or buy gear.Not expansion money.The comparison with AFL is flawed. The NRL is tied up with ATM,money expended on the Titans,Newcastle both for sale.Money lent to the Balmain part of the Wests Tigers.Money lent to St George.Rest assured in runs into the tens of millions. You can't spend what you don;t have until 2018.The AFL has had the money availability for quite a while.. Our beloved leader in the joint partnership with News,was screwed by the Tv deal..When a News journo noted referring to one deal,as being less than expected,you know there is a problem.We;ve been playing catchup ever since with increased salary caps.

To get back to the actual story - 3 mill over 6 years for 5 states???????? That is pathetic!!!!! The AFL has pumped hundreds of millions into NSW and Qld over the last 20 years and the best the NRL can do is 3 mill. over 6 years?????? I think it's amazing how the NRL still holds up with TV ratings and interest with the leadership we've had since Quayle and Arthurson left the room albeit we were hamstrung by the SL war and Uncle Rupie under paying for TV rights year on year. Surely the NRL can do better than 3 mill over 6 years - that's just embarrassing.

NF. Grant made a comment in the Australian on Saturday. The thrust was expanding the NSWRL/QRL cups by bringing in PI teams and another NZ team. He did say he was uncertain about expansion,did not think it would happen within the confines of the next TV deal.But again he left the door open,by suggesting perhaps re expansion but would depend entirely on participation rates. Suggesting to me Perth will continue to receive NRL teams etc for games,but the need to increase the grassroots base is a pre requisite .Stretching the competitive quality of teams is not good for the code.Newcastle struggled this year and the AFL: has its problems. Bringing players back from the ESL may help, The code needs to increase its revenue stream in addition to the new TV deal. I don't want the NRL wasting money,when grassroots is screaming out for more.

I also agree with M.F.He is one of the few AFL people who actually provides considered opinion, when he comes on rl threads. More power to him.