With the Western Force having folded, now is NRL’s chance to become the only rugby code in the state. It is also a common complaint that the NRL is too Sydney-based.
These complaints are not unfounded, with seven of the 16 teams being based within the Sydney metro region, with an additional three from New South Wales.
Arguments against expansion include not being able to effectively manage and support a greater player base, with the Newcastle Knights being an exemplar; facing three consecutive wooden spoons, in that time blooding what many considered to not be NRL-level players.
Fortunately, these complaints can be easily managed. By moving the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles to Perth.
Manly’s woes have been well-documented over the last 24 months.
Firstly, they clearly do not have adequate facilities. This has even reportedly led to their coach, Trent Barrett, quitting – that’s right, a coach quit – because of Manly’s management outright refusing to upgrade them.
The North Sydney Bears did not die so that Manly could be mismanaged out of the competition – but if this continues, without any intervention, Manly will go the way of the Bears.
There are already facilities set up to help support a team in Western Australia, that a small amount of funding from the NRL would be able to improve. Very quickly, the facilities used by the Perth Sea Eagles would be of a higher quality than those used by the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, at a vastly reduced cost.
Secondly, Manly have often struggled to attain any kind of consistent home-ground attendance. In 2018, they averaged the second-lowest crowds of any team – only marginally beating out Parramatta, who faced a horror season and were forced out of their home due to renovations. They have tallied equal averages to the Gold Coast Titans for a number of seasons.
Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
With the Force now removed from Super Rugby, marketing for a rugby league team in Perth would be easier than ever. Fans in the west are lusting for a rugby code, let alone a rugby league team to satiate their desires. Include the same level of advertising, branding and community involvement that the Titans established upon their addition to the comp, and crowds would already be higher than Manly currently achieve.
There would also be no other rugby team to compete with – league or otherwise. Unlike Manly, who face competition from six other clubs in the NRL alone, a Perth side would not have their crowd numbers reduced by oversaturation. The biggest competitor to this relocation would be the AFL, however with effective scheduling this can easily be diverted.
Thirdly, Manly have an objectively terrible home ground that is not worth the funding required to improve it. Recently, a $20 million grant was allocated to the stadium to attempt to improve it – however, adding a small grandstand does not address the real issues with Brookvale Oval.
It is impossible to park at, which is yet to be acknowledged by any developments. And good luck departing – you’ll be waiting all night for the pilgrimage of cars to leave.
The coaching boxes and facilities in the oval are of low quality, as are the facilities available to supporters, such as the enormous distance one must hike if they wish to use a soggy bathroom.
Decent stadiums already exist in Perth – nib Stadium, for example, where the Force used to play out of, houses 40,000 fans and contains better facilities and infrastructure than the majority of stadiums in Sydney.
Fourthly, Manly have the second-fewest number of members in the NRL. They are dwarfed by many other one-city teams, including Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and North Queensland. This trend is clear – why not relocate the Sea Eagles, so that they become a one-city team, that can follow the membership trend upwards?
Fifthly, the issue of maintaining a player base will become irrelevant. By moving a Sydney-based team, the talent sourced across Sydney will be less widely spread, allowing more talent to be dispersed more intimately across sides, with less dud talent playing weekly.
The bulk of the players for the Perth Sea Eagles within the decade of establishment would be sourced from Western Australia, with marquee players helping build the club.
Lastly, by relocating the Sea Eagles, as opposed to creating a new team, the branding is mostly complete. The side already exists, the history of the team can continue to live on, new management can revitalise a side that has been crushed in recent times (has everybody already forgotten about the salary cap scandal?) and licensing would largely already be completed.
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles must be sent to Perth. It is an ideal option for the NRL in every facet of the game, with Manly struggling in almost every regard.
The problems that both Manly and the NRL face can be largely solved by relocation, with an old club earning redemption and the NRL profiting from the greatest opportunity to expand in the last two decades.
Robert Szemeti
Roar Rookie
Darwin, NT?
Robert Szemeti
Roar Rookie
This correct, hell i wouldn't put it past Andrew Forest to say hey NRL how would you like a rugby team called western force, drop the breakaways and continue in perth as is, im sure the expats would be ok to watch league if there team was still there And who cares about "the gap between the bridge and Newcastle" as long as there is a pathway to a nrl team, im for re-enstating the bears on the central coast Thats just money coming in anywhich way its looked upon, Manly are better off playing ISP, just as newtown are, they could filter the pathways to the roosters being eastern suburbs and manly being eastern of the bridge, id prefer they merge and be eastern suburbs again Perth could work with a relocated team, but manly are not that team, it would have to be either financially stable, or have already a well established brand, wests tigers for me would work, name and a strong mascot works, plus colors black gold white, Almost western reds colors, Its western reds without the red
bear54
Love it!!
bjt
Perth needs a team and rugby league needs to be more national, but I’ve always felt that it's a bit rotten to lump a Sydney basket case onto another city… do they really deserve a team with all that baggage? But the old 2 for 1 is just too tempting - sydney consolidation (without losing the history) and expansion. If a team is to be picked, it has to be the Tigers, as they just tick so many boxes… 1) Basket case (poorly run and needs the cash). 2) Saturated western Sydney market (dogs, eels, panthers are all clubs no one wants to take the axe to). 3) Already divided fan base (the fans that stuck around after the merger are used to it) 4) Ordinary home grounds (they’ve already scheduled games out of Parramatta’s new ground next year). 5) “Wests Tigers” – name change not required. 6) Just like all the other non-sydney clubs, they’ll play a bulk of games in Sydney (their fans might turn up... which is no change really.). 7) They are a relatively new club, only 6 or so years older than the Titans which im guessing makes them the 2nd youngest in the NRL (aka they lack the history and tradition, meaning we’re not losing much from the game) 8) Stagnant (have they really ever been a contender since 2005? If I’ve ever seen a club in need of a fresh start, it’s the toxic tigers). Either way this has all been said before, and will be said again, but really it is the most logical option.
Ouch
Roar Rookie
Souths or Parra need to go. 1 Premiership between them in 30 odd years. Roosters are the Sydney city team and Penrith is the Western Sydney team. Souths should never have been reinstated. Manly could use either Rat Park or Manly Oval (or both, alternating between the 2) as their home ground, sharing with the Rats and Marlins.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Don't forget, the NRL dropped the Reds a few years before Souths came back.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
The Force have about 8 locals and quite a few Saffa immigrants in their squad able to play for Aus. The club was founded some 6-7 years after the Storm.
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
"Fans in the west are lusting for a rugby code, let alone a rugby league team to satiate their desires" They are? Where's the evidence for this claim? "nib Stadium, for example, where the Force used to play out of, houses 40,000 fans" Nope - it holds half that amount. "The bulk of the players for the Perth Sea Eagles within the decade of establishment would be sourced from Western Australia" There is no evidence provided to back this claim up. In fact if you look at the Melbourne Storm as an example, it is patently untrue. "by relocating the Sea Eagles, as opposed to creating a new team, the branding is mostly complete." Completely ignores the possibility of fans in Perth being resentful of having a team dumped on them because they couldn't succeed elsewhere. Sorry, but this isn't a well thought out or argued article.
Razamatazbaz
Guest
I would rather a viable and successful team based on the moon than no team at all. This notion that a teams fans have to be based around a particular postcode is a bit primitive. Its imperative that fans put the interests of the club first before some immature protest of "stop supporting" because the club decided to do whats best.
KiwiBear
Roar Rookie
Many years ago I had faith that the Commission would see the sense in letting the Bears finish what they started and become the Central Coast Bears. But the Central Coast stadium is empty and mostly unused. There are too many selfish vested interest clubs preserving their share of NRL revenue and corporate sponsership revenue. The key word in your opening sentence is ... if... IF ever the NRL decide to expand. Cant see it happening.
KiwiBear
Roar Rookie
FortyTwenty they already tried that and they ( Manly-Warringah ) walked away from the Central Coast. But that was probably the plan all along. So they made their bed so they might have to live with the consequences and that might be losing their NRL license.
Tom Alexander
Guest
Manly have had one very poor year - it is unsurprising that the attendances are low, they came 15th for a reason. Remember, this team is only a few seasons removed from a grand final appearance, and came 6th last year with a young roster. As others have pointed out, surely if the Sydney teams are to be rationalised, surely it would make sense to take out/merge two teams that represent narrow geographic areas rather than the team that represents everywhere north of the bridge?
Ben Lewis
Roar Pro
I can't agree with this article (despite despising Manly with the core of my being). Relocation doesn't relocate fans, it drives them away. My ideal solution, which is admittedly decades from functioning properly, would be a 20 team competition (the 4 extra teams coming from Perth, Brisbane 2, Adelaide, and Central Coast) with promotion/relegation; the winner of the NSW v QLD State Championship being promoted to the NRL the following year, and the last-placed NRL team being relegated to the NSW/QLD Cup.
Ben Lewis
Roar Pro
Absolutely spot on, Baz.
Michael Dockery
Guest
Ridiculous article. Manly have a massive following where they are. The low membership base is due to the home ground. Build a boutique stadium and watch the membership soar.
Wascally Wabbit
Guest
This article has got to be a gee up. 7 teams in Sydney ? Try 9. Nib Stadium holds 40 000 ? Try half of that. Move Manly and lose a League presence on the Northern Beaches ?
Lenny
Guest
Manly has to stay where they are or you loose your identity.
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
I am a Manly fan from Perth and this idea actually seems OK
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I've only listed some of them but who have the Bunnies produced in the last 20 years who are as good as Menzies , Toovey and the Turbos? Which local juniors have helped the Raiders and the Eels to a title in the last 20 years? Local juniors who have helped the Storm to a title , real or pretend? The local junior thing doesn't stack up.
Big Daddy
Guest
Paul, you're last 2 comments make a lot of sense. Start up costs would be horrific as you would need an enticement for any player to relocate to Perth. The NRL wouldn't kick in as they are sick of propping up badly run clubs. Manly had their chance with the central coast and blew it and now the rooster's have beaten them to the central coast juniors. The Penn's need to put their hand in their pocket or sell it.