Those who try to revive rugby league's neglected icons deserve congratulations, not criticism

not the dots on a map approach... cause no one has ever come up with that idea before. lets divide Australia geographically into 16ths and put a team in each section.

@Clanger McClunk I have been thinking for a long time on the very subject and agree with you on the need for a rethink about how RL is arranged in Australia. I might have slightly different ideas on how to distribute the teams who participate and the number of teams needed or wanted in Sydney. I think removing all current teams from the NRL and redistributing the franchise holders would be an idea. Traditional clubs could compete in a revamped NSW Cup and have multiple teams feeding into the re organized NRL franchises. I also reference my point from above to AE47. I genuinely think the ARLC or NRL need to hold a review on the state of the game and to be meaningful allow public submissions. After all it is the public that are the greatest stakeholders. And by way of being taxpayers and rate payers are asked to fund stadiums with public money.

@AngryEagle47 There are a couple of rare events, first two Bears and Sea Eagles supporters agreeing and second a Sea Eagles supporter advocating culling teams that include his own beloved team!! I genuinely think the ARLC or NRL need to hold a review on the state of the game and to be meaningful allow public submissions. After all it is the public that are the greatest stakeholders. And by way of being taxpayers and rate payers are asked to fund stadiums with public money.

KB your passion is commendable, nothing like a North Sydney tragic. For quite a few years I worked alongside a former Norths player who has the same feelings as yourself. I won't go into your entire post but I share your desire for Norths to come back on the Central Coast. In fact my thoughts on the comp in general include a Gosford based team in my 14 team comp. I say fourteen because I don't believe the talent pool is big enough to sustain 16 especially with 9 in the Sydney basin and with the need for the game to spread it's wings. The 14 I speak of is from North to South, Townsville, Rockhampton, Brisbane, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Newcastle, Gosford, three Sydney franchises, Canberra, Melbourne, Auckland and either Perth or Wellington NZ. Brisbane needs a second team because of the unfairness of a one team town and to capitilise on the popularity of the game up north Rocky with it's large numbers. The Central Coast is crying out for a team hence the move for Norths. As for the metropolitan area, 9 clubs are far too many for the sponsorship dollars available. By saying 3 franchises I don't mean culling 6 clubs, what I'm suggesting is three new licences. Say one in the Central/Eastern suburbs, another further out west and one from the North Shore region. As for the clubs, the Sydney tribal comp could continue and be associated with the three major teams. My reasoning for new clubs is so none of the existing clubs can claim they were booted out. Maybe even they could form groups to purchase the new franchises. Having 3 Sydney based clubs would, over time, develop stronger supporter bases and have more appeal to prospective sponsors looking for more high profile outlets, i.e. TV exposure. Bearing in mind the appeal of the Broncos in their home town, a city the size of Sydney would easily cater for three. Heading further south, Canberra stays, hopefully with a better coach, Melbourne speaks for itself and Auckland where the game needs to prosper so it stays. Now, the difficult bit. Perth or Wellington??? Those in WA say all the expat East Coasters stress a team is a must. As for Wellington, I'm going on what a former player once said about the area. RL has a good foothold in the area and a high profile team would be the boost it needs. With the current 16 comp there are some players who are not up to 1st grade standard especially in the depths of the season when SOO and injuries take effect. Trim the fat I say and raise the standard.

City v Country CAN be revived - just not at NRL level. Have a look at a list of games that can take place in the lower grades: Of these, only the NSW Cup match is an ‘Origin’ selection, the rest are purely residential and will have true bush footy players involved. * Origin fixture featuring NSW Cup players. This maintains the tradition of the 'Origin' fixture dating back to 1987. Players from both sides are drawn from the same competition, so this would be the flagship NSWRL 'Origin' clash. * A 'Firsts' fixture featuring the best Country players playing for bush clubs vs Ron Massey Cup City team. This revives the the 'Firsts' concept of having a true bush team of country players playing a team from the City - a tradition that lasted from 1911 to 1993. * a revival of the 'Seconds' fixture. This match was last played in 1987 and will again see the return of having a true bush team drawn from country clubs vs a team from the City. For this match, the City Seconds team will be the Sydney Shield representative team. * A 'Thirds' match (this would be an optional addition to the day's fixtures). This match would involve a Sydney A-grade selection vs country players drawn from the various second-division country leagues throughout the state. This means that City vs Country can be represented from A grade all the way up to NSW Cup. The teams can wear the same traditional City & Country jerseys. Other matches I would add: * a women's match (seniors) - inaugural match played in 2018. * a police match, which already gets held every year. * a tertiary match, which already gets held every year. * age competition match (e.g. Under 18's). Some of these matches such as Women’s, Police, and Tertiary already being played - just have it all on one day or weekend for a City v Country footy carnival. Country venues can bid to host it each weekend, played over 2 days. The NSW Cup match can be televised by Nine or Fox Sports.

Kiwibear all VALID POINTS , I’ve been in deep discussion with my mate Reg and we both agree that RL in its current state is in big trouble. A complete revamp is required of ALL CLUBS ! If that mean Manly , easts Souths etc are culled so be it. The powers that be have completely lost control their focus has been on a wwe style “entertainment “ focus and hence have destroyed the sport. RL is at a serious crossroads and the direction the spivs are taking it will be it’s demise The billion dollar injection has done nothing because from the top RL is lacking innovation, direction

Well I have a bit to say on this. @ BA Sports "This piece is loaded for the North Sydney and Newtown Jets lovers to come gushing in, but there is no way the game can go forward if it keeps goes back too the past with brands that have not been relevant for 20 years and thus mean little to potential new fans" Well I am one of those North Sydney lovers and I must admit I have a certain soft spot for Newton too. I make reference to a comment I made as a reply to Clanker McClunk's comment. For the past 18 to 20 years 16 brands have been protected and allowed to live on even though if true market forces were at play some of them would’ve gone under. You say that the game cant go forward if it keeps going back to the past. If that were the case why are retro team jerseys or heritage jerseys so popular? Why is there a retro round during the season? Why are there people in response to this article talking about watching Fox sports summer replays of games from the 90's? @Warhorse said "I was watching a number of replay games from the 1990s on fox and man what a difference the game was back then" and @AngryEagle liked that comment. You know it is a bit rich when the fabric of league back then included the Bears , Western Reds and the Crushers. The Steelers too who were a stand alone team. BA Sports you say that past brands have not been relevant for 20 years and have little relevance to potential new fans.That may well be true but they have not been allowed to test that assertion! Like I said 16 teams have been a protected species. If there wasn't the self interest and self preservation we would have a better idea. Had the bears been re admitted at the same time as the Gold Coast was allowed back in to the game and gone ahead on the Central Coast what kind of footprint would they have made? Just out of interest I would like to know who you barrack for? Is your club/team one that was bailed out and administered by the NRL? Is your club/team one of the few that made a profit? Is your club/team one of the privately owned clubs? You say that the game cant go forward if it keeps going back to the past. But we are stuck in the past, for 20 years there have been no new teams or new opportunities to grow the game. It is like Rugby league is on an endless cycle of repeat repeat repeat. Rugby league is stagnating and like a stagnating body of water if RL keeps stagnating pretty soon it will start to stink! @AngryEagle47 you said "Bears, what rubbish they will never play in the NRL again" Well I hope we do that is kind of obvious. But have you thought about what would happen if your club fell over financially? What are the chances? What if the Penn's said they can no longer hold the club up? There is a club just across the Spit that as much as people say they are a "dead club" or an "irrelevant" club they have some money and the potential. I am conflicted as I would love to see your club fall over. I would love to see North Sydney pick up the license. I would love to see NS Bears back in the NRL. But ironically I would not want to see the end of the Sea Eagles altogether. But I will never stop supporting the Bears and as Steve Mascord says those who try and revive RL's icons deserve congratulating not criticism. So Perry Lopez and Greg Florimo and co keep it up! I am with you 100%

Looks like its totally destroyed any that max might have had.

Please bring back Rugby League Week

"Those past brands served their purpose at the time they were relevant but the game moves " Except it doesn't! For the past 18 to 20 years 16 brands have been protected and allowed to live on even though if true market forces were at play some of them would've gone under.

Is that is max ? Public schools damage small brains

Love to see the Bulimba Cup revived in some way - possibly as an under 16s/17s/18s rep comp. Lismore was briefly involved back in the 1930s - perhaps the Gold Coast could be invited to play against Brisbane, Ipswich & Toowoomba. All 3 grades on the same day. Round robin held mid season.

Get a brain

get some prescription glasses

The experts are kidding themselves then. I have been going to brookie for decades and crowd numbers are less than 1/3 of what they used to be back in 80s and 90s. This is not limited to brookie mind you.

The “experts “ are of the opinion crowds haven’t changed , like you I’ve spent my summer watching Fox NRL and the games are awesome as are the crowds. So much tinkering and for what

Problem is that most clubs can't not afford to run the current teams little alone the cost of a reserve grade on top. As a Sydney only come 30 years ago you could get away with this but now with the travel it is almost impossible to get these guys together especially if the reserve grade guys have full time jobs and need to be in Brisbane on a Thursday night for example.

Get rid of the wrestle and set plays and allow more free flowing ad lib footy. I was watching a number of replay games from the 1990s on fox and man what a difference the game was back then. Fast open exciting and attacking footy. The crowds were also bigger back then judging by the packed hills and stadiums

Frank Hyde giving out the Seiko watch award for the best player in the Sunday afternoon game. Can't bring back Frank , but Seiko's still going strong