Last year it was announced the NRL would cease the annual City versus Country Origin match, which will be held for the last time this year.
There’s also talk of relocating the heavily indebted Newcastle Knights to Ipswich, which would be more lucrative for TV deals.
These are just some of the developments in a long downward slide for rugby league in rural and regional areas.
The NRL have abandoned the field – and the AFL could take advantage of this.
If the AFL set up a regional league, it could tap into a strong sense of local identity and gain a loyal following.
The AFL could easily find the money for an RAFL if they disband the ten-team NEAFL. The new regional league could also create its own revenue though regional broadcasting and sponsorship deals.
Bringing a national league to regional centres would help spread the game and allow teams to audition themselves for inclusion in the AFL.
You could put a league together with teams from the following places:
Tasmania
The clear front-runner among fans as to where they think the next AFL team should be based is Tasmania, but the AFL need to get in before the Titans are relocated there.
I mean, it’s a better idea than the Gold Coast Bears surely?
Canberra
The nation’s capital should also be included since, like Tasmania, it was also overlooked in the last round of expansion.
Sunshine Coast
The Sunshine Coast is rapidly growing and will soon be the size of the Gold Coast. There’s already strong support to build on as well.
In a reader poll, the Sunshine Coast Daily found that 69 per cent of people were in support of a having a team in the AFL.
Another poll, in the Fraser Coast Chronicle, found that 50 per cent would like to have an AFL team, compared to just 37 per cent support for an NRL team.
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Newcastle
The second-largest city in New South Wales is also the home of the historic Black Diamond Cup, which dates back to 1888.
Ballarat
The new Eureka Stadium in Ballarat would make a good home for a team based here and the people of Ballarat would get behind it.
Bendigo
The Bendigo Football League is one of the oldest in Australia and includes Castlemaine Football Club, the second oldest club in the nation.
Albury-Wodonga
An AFL stronghold, the local Ovens and Murray grand finals regularly attract 15,000 spectators to Lavington Sports Ground.
Darwin
Well known for its enthusiasm for the sport, Darwin has the highest participation rate in the country.
Cairns
AFL Cairns is widely regarded as the strongest league in regional Queensland and eight of the ten highest crowd figures at Cazaly’s Stadium have been set by AFL matches.
Townsville
Although interest in Aussie rules isn’t as strong here as it is in Cairns, there’s no reason it couldn’t take off.
AFL should go regional
A third of all Australians live in regional areas, yet only two of the current 18 teams are located in the regions: Geelong and the Gold Coast.
If the AFL want to claim it is a national code, it should do more to embrace regional Australia.
Gecko
Guest
Interesting idea Nick, and it's provoked plenty of discussion. I wonder whether there might be a new regional league just for those towns in Northern Australia that can play aussie rules over the summer. That way they'd get more TV support than if they played in the winter. So Darwin, Cairns, Townsville, Sunshine Coast, - maybe NE NSW and Logan (south Brisbane). Sorry Tassie
clipper
Guest
Sydney does not have a dominant sport, it is an all code city - most people now acknowledge this (even Epiquin, above, noted this). League is the biggest sport and does get good TV ratings, but is not always first up on the news - ch 7 often has cricket or AFL, SBS soccer, ABC whatever takes it's fancy - Ch 9 always has league, that is true. SMH yesterday had 2 pages soccer (world cup qualies) 1 page AFL, 2 cricket, 1 page Rugby 3 pages league - hardly all league. Add to this that the no. 1 attended team (by far) is the Swans, participation in league is down 27% and declining (more in Sydney), as per the Roy Morgan poll, Soccer is up 46%, AFL participation is increasing in Sydney, the team with the most members is the Swans - you can't claim the league is dominant - maybe 30 years ago, but not today. Compare to Melbourne (or Adelaide, Perth) where even the least attended AFL team is still far ahead of the most attended rival code, their ratings, their media - that is dominance.
Craigo
Guest
@clipper Tell me clipper what is Sydney's dominant sport? It's not AFL! Zero TV ratings A-League is a joke summer sport and Rugby Union is DEAD !!! RL is the First Sport in the TV NEWS and the SMH and DT is all RL
Sport lover
Guest
So you enjoy all sport but hate rugby league. A sport. 1/2 a point. We've all seen these Fitzsimons type lies for decades now. No one is buying it. Enjoy the withering process...
Sport lover
Guest
So you enjoy all sport but hate rugby league. Quality reasoning. 1/2 a point. You don't seem to get it that we have all seen the Fitzsimons style lies about this stuff for decades. "I love all sport including rugby league but but but..." Only a moron would buy it.
Craigo
Guest
@Mathew Stealer "You dont get it, do you? You dont think that there are people out there that enjoy all sport." But Mathew You don' like Rugby League But Mathew You said yourself "Craigo that might be so but im not an AFL fan so i wouldn’t know." Yeah enjoy all sport.NOT!
Mathew Stealer
Guest
You dont get it, do you? You dont think that there are people out there that enjoy all sport. As ive said i watch and enjoy all sport and soccer would probably be my preferred of choice. You dont do the stereotypical Rugby League supporter any favors with your carry on Sportlover
Craigo
Guest
@ Sport lover Mathew Stealer is a Rugby Union fan who is too embarrassed to admit it. You can tell by reading his past posts above. Quote from above by Mathew Stealer: "Craigo that might be so but im not an AFL fan so i wouldn’t know." = Rugby Union Fan who lives in Sydney. Quote from above by Mathew Stealer: "I enjoy all sports not like you Leaguies where Rugby League is the be all and end all Craigo!" = Rugby Union Fan who knows RU is dead. "Have you seen the state of union around the World? Its something only Rugby League could ever dream of happening." = Rugby Union Fan who knows RU is really dead in Australia. "as ive said Craigo probably more a football supporter as the preferred but i love sport..” = Rugby Union fan who is too embarrassed to admit it so makes out he is a A-League fan.
clipper
Guest
I won't get into the talk about which sport is best, as it's purely subjective, but as I've posted on the Rugby tag, the Roy Morgan poll has a few faults which put the scale of Rugby's decline into question. The first fault is the sample size - only 14k, which disadvantages the smaller sports as the net isn't cast wide enough. The other fault is, as we all know, Rugby is much stronger in certain areas than others, especially in Sydney. The poll should be 'weighted' to reflect this, but it isn't and therefore the 2 areas Rugby is strong in is diluted among the other 8 or so areas, so the average isn't correct. As I've mentioned before, just throwing money at grassroots doesn't mean you're going to get instant success. Tennis Australia have been doing that for awhile now, after years of neglect, and we still aren't seeing zooming participation rates. I suspect the same for league - $100m really isn't that great a figure - the AFL have poured far more than that into the expansion sides.
clipper
Guest
Have to agree, Newcastle, unlike Sydney, is a league dominant city. The NRL won't move a team from there.
clipper
Guest
They only got just over 11k the week before though
Republican
Guest
...........expound please. I consider the ACT regional and all the AFL have ever done re growing footy here is to exploit it. GWS is testament to this.
Sport lover
Guest
Btw this year's World Cup will be held across three nations. You are going well.
Sport lover
Guest
You will have plenty of time to find out with a RLWC this year, International 9s tournament in 2019, World Cups in 2021 (UK) and North America (2025). All while union withers and dies in Australia. Haha
Sport lover
Guest
The old multi coder who sounds like every other union bigot. Very believable. 1 point
Rob
Guest
Spot on - i use to follow super rugby but the last two years couldnt have even told you who won the title... the season has been almost over before i even noticed. Soccer will never get a look in in my house... i now have the AFLW league if i want to watch a bunch of women not score... NRL thanks to the digital age is being shown regularly on free to air in Perth and has sparked my interest. Nrl might be falling down in regional areas (i actually dont really beleive this tho) but we dont need a regional AFL. Darwin has a team in the NEAFL already, if Cabberra, Tassy, Cairns etc want a team in that league nothing is stopping them. Bendigo couldnt even make it in the VFL.
Mathew Stealer
Guest
Where are you going to find these International teams from? Western Sydney like your embarrassing attempt of a World Cup? Try get interest outside of QLD and parts of NSW before you get too excited with the "International" talk.
Mathew Stealer
Guest
Oh Dear!! I know reading isnt a strong suit of the Rugby League variety but im not a Union fan. As ive said on many occasions i love all sports that require half a brain, tactics and skill.
Sport lover
Guest
No wonder this bloke is so desperate given the state of union in Australia. He'll continue to live in a place where his sport is dying. Must be tough after they all bought the 2003 war chest shyte from O'Neill. Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch.
Sport lover
Guest
International 9s tournament is a great initiative. So I'm someone else as well now. What a loon.