I’m interested in the many theories about rugby league’s future, and if the NRL’s plan is for a team in Perth and second sides New Zealand and Brisbane while reducing the field to 12, here is how the cards seem to fall.
- Perth Panthers
- North Sydney Dragons
- Eastern Suburbs Roosters
- South Sydney Rabbitohs
- Western Sydney Tigers
- Brisbane Eagles
- Brisbane Broncos
- New Zealand Warriors
- New Zealand Bulldogs
- Newcastle Knights
- North Queensland Cowboys
- Melbourne Storm
This is how I see a 12-team NRL competition unfolding in 2025.
For financial reasons the league needs to eat in Western Australia, but that comes easiest with relocating Penrith there, as you need the structures and the juniors and the Sydney link, but you want to kill the Panthers without losing such a cool potential brand and keeping alliteration in your corner. But you need to ensure the junior and development leagues in Western Australia are well supported by the NRL.
Goodbye to the Raiders, and thank you for your service. Everyone knows Canberra fans will travel to Sydney, and the upcoming high-speed rail will make it easier for fans (if it happens), but will they drive to Western Sydney or just buy a Foxtel subscription and stay home like they mostly do now?
Canberra is mostly English, New Zealand and Queensland-fed so without utilising the Riverina and other nearby regions, kill it and they’ll all move to Sydney or go to New Zealand. The Eels are gone too but feed the new Western Sydney side and Perth.
Western Sydney are the Tigers because it’s a great set of colours and brand name. I’m not saying the current Tigers administration get the keys to all of Western Sydney.
The Cowboys, Roosters and Rabbitohs stay. North Queensland need development and juniors and NRL support.
Manly, Cronulla, the Dragons and whatever Greg Florimo has been doing, as well as any Gosford or Central Coast efforts, become the North Sydney Dragons.
Akuila Uate of the Sea Eagles. (Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images)
I’m not saying we should relocate Manly to Brisbane; I’m just saying the Eagles are a cool logo and name, so it can go to Brisbane – but they could take the Bears, Sharks or Titans brands, and all the Gold Coast efforts should go into the second Brisbane team. Gold Coast fans will travel to Brisbane for Keith Urban and rugby league, so the NRL should stop wasting time and marketing effort there and just take the big show to Brisbane.
The Hunter region needs support to keep the Knights relevant. It can and should soak up the Riverina, ACT and Hunter juniors with strong investment in Country Rugby League from the NRL. A Knights team is propped up like a Melbourne or a Perth, but with a good football side and culture the fans turn out, and it’s a good market to remain prominent in. The turnstiles tick over there.
New Zealand needs a second team and needs to draw strongly on the Pacific Islands juniors. Those juniors need NRL dollars to make sure the supply chain grows and the best athletes end up playing rugby league in New Zealand.
Change is difficult, but there are people in the world who can manage it well. Good brand transitions and a quality product would see new fans replace old, and strong investment in junior and regional rugby league is important to soften hearts and establish community, culture and connection. That’s something the current NRL can do better in and for the new future.
But given the sorts of things being discussed by the NRL and its legends, I just wanted to have a crack at what the future completion might look like.
Mick Holland
Roar Rookie
NRL Port Moresby Hunters – (2045+) Nth QLD Cowboys – (Take 1 game to Cairns) Sunshine Coast Dolphins – Sunshine Stadium (2022+) (Take 4 games to Redcliffe) Brisbane Broncos – (Take 1 game to Port Moresby) West Brisbane Jets – Ipswich Stadium (2045+) – or Central Queensland Capras (Rockhampton) -or Suva (Fiji) - or Darwin Gold Coast Titans (1 game to Rockhampton) Newcastle Knights (Take 1 game to Tamworth) Central Coast Sea Eagles – Gosford stadium (2020+) (Take 2 games to Brookvale) Penrith Panthers – Penrith Stadium (Takes 1 game to Bathurst) (Possible relocation) (2050+) Parramatta Eels – Parramatta Stadium (Takes 1 game to Darwin) Western Sydney Tigers – (Liverpool Stadium) or Campbelltown Stadium (Take 2 games to Leichardt) Canterbury Bulldogs – (Liverpool Stadium) or ANZ (takes 2 games to Belmore) – (Take 1 game to Christchurch NZ) (Possible future relocation) (Rename Canterbury Bulldogs)(2050+) Sydney Roosters – Allianz Stadium (Take 2 games to North Sydney) South Sydney Rabbits – Allianz Stadium (Take 1 game to Hobart) (Possible Relocation to Hobart)(2050+) Cronulla Sharks – (Take 1 game to Coffs Harbour) (Possible future relocation to Coffs Harbour)(2050+) (Rename Coffs Harbour Sharks) Illawarra – St George Dragons – Wollongong (Take 2 games to Kogarah) Canberra Raiders (1 game to Wagga Wagga) Melbourne Storm (Take 1 game to Albury – Geelong) Adelaide Bulls – (2025+) Perth Redbacks – (2022+) Auckland Warriors (Take 1 game in NZ) Wellington Wolves (2025+) NSW Cup North Coast Dolphins (Coffs Harbour) (possible Sharks reserve) New England Razorbacks (Tamworth) Newcastle Knights (Reserve) Central Coast Centurions (I like Cougars) (Sea Eagles reserve) Manly Sea Eagles (Reserve) North Sydney Bears (Rooster reserve) Eastern Suburbs (reserve) South Sydney (reserves) Newtown Jets (Rabbits reserve) St George Dragons (Illawarra St George Dragons reserve) Cronulla Sharks (Reserve) Balmain Tigers (West Tigers reserve) Western Suburbs Magpies (West Tigers reserve) Parramatta Eels (Reserve) Canterbury Bulldogs (Reserve) Penrith Panthers (Reserve) Illawarra Steelers (Illawarra St George Dragons reserve) Western Rams (Bathurst) Canberra Raiders (Reserve) Riverina Bulls (Wagga Wagga) QLD Cup Port Moresby Hunters Darwin (Destroyers) Northern Pride Townsville Blackhawks Mackay Cutters Central QLD Capra’s Gladstone Gladiators Bundaberg (Polar Bears) Sunshine Coast Falcons Redcliffe Dolphins Norths Devils East Tigers Wynnum – Manly Seagulls (Sea Eagles) Souths – Logan Magpies Ipswich Jets Toowoomba Clydesdale (Wolves) Burleigh Bears Tweed Heads Seagulls Adelaide Rams West Coast Pirates NZ – Pacific Cup Suva (Fiji) Nuku’alofa (Tonga) Apia (Samoa) Auckland Vipers South Auckland Bay of Plenty Taranaki Waikato Wellington Orcas Canterbury (Bulldogs) Sydney Metro Cup (Tier 3) Belrose Eagles Asquith Magpies Windsor Wolves St Mary’s Saints Blacktown Workers Guildford Owls Mounties Cabramatta Two Blues Wentworth Magpies Moorebank Rams Sydney Uni Annandale Dales Glebe Dirty Reds Ryde – Eastwood Eagles Concord - Burwood Wolves Liverpool catholic Raiders Alexander Rovers Coogee Dolphins Renown United Sutherland Pirates NRL + Representative Rugby League NRL (1- 8 rounds) Rep Week 1 Fri City v Country – England v Exiles Sat Tonga v PNG – Ireland v Wales Sat Fiji v Samoa – Scotland v France Sun A League Grand Final NRL (Rounds 9 – 10) (2 weeks later) Rep Week 2 Fri NSW v QLD (WNRL) Sat Fiji v Tonga – Ireland v Scotland Sat Samoa v PNG – France v Wales Sat New Zealand v England (USA – Philadelphia) – curtain raiser (Canada v Jamaica – USA v Latin Heat) Sun NSW v QLD u20’s Sun NSW v QLD Rotate (Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide) Rep Week 3 Fri QLD v NSW (WNRL) Sat Tonga v Samoa – Scotland v Wales Sat PNG v Fiji – France v Ireland Sat New Zealand v England (Canada – Toronto) curtain raiser (Jamaica v Latin Heat - Canada v USA) Sun QLD v NSW U20’s Sun QLD v NSW Rep Week 4 Fri NSW v QLD (WNRL) Sat Top 2 Pacific Cup Finals - Top 2 European Cup Finals Sat New Zealand v England (USA – New York) curtain raiser (Canada v Latin - USA v Jamaica) Sun NSW v QLD 20’s Sun NSW v QLD Bye week (Sydney Swans v GWS Giants) - (Brisbane Lions v Gold Coast Sun) NRL (Round 11 – Round 20 + Finals) (Post Season) World Club Challenge European Winner v Pacific Winner (New Zealand v England) loser v Winner (European v Pacific) (New Zealand v England) winner v Australia Week 1 Rugby League World 9’s Week 2 Rugby League World 9’s Finals
Mango Man
Guest
Nice article. Good fun to read. A second Brisbane team instead of a Gold Coast team is a like for like swap. It would have the same success on and off the field as the Titans so you may as well not bother and just keep the Titans.
Doug Graves
Guest
Interesting ideas, there is certainly a lot of food for thought there but how about this for a 14 team national comp? North Queensland Brisbane 2nd Brisbane team Knights Central Coast Bears Roosters South's Western Suburbs/Bulldogs merger St George Perth Tigers Warriors Parra/Penrith merger Storm Adelaide Sharks/Eagles/Titans/Raiders
Josh
Roar Rookie
I know this is all hypothetical but im going to pick it apart anyway. First off, the nrl would never reduce the competition to a 12 team comp. That would mean only 6 games a week, which means the nrl would make less money from broadcasting deals. It will never happen. Secondly, the nrl would never get rid of "1 team town" teams. Knights , raiders and titans all safe. I also doubt you would see secondary Brisbane and new Zealand teams. Union will always rule the sporting roost in NZ and the warriors haven't shown both the on field or off field success necesarry for a secondary team. The Broncos have, but the pretty much hold all the power in Brisbane, they'd never let the nrl do it and they're supporters would never jump ship to a new team. Lastly, plenty of people say the nrl talent pool isn't big enough to maintain a 16 team comp. The truth is that there is always going to be a team that will come last. And plenty of teams have feeder clubs filled to the brim with nrl level talent. I think that 16 teams definitely stretches the talent but it isn't as ridiculous as everyone says. Anyway it would work better being something like 16 team comp: Brisbane Broncos North Queensland Cowboys Gold Coast Titans Central Queensland Team Sydney Roosters South Sydney Rabbitohs St George Illawarra Northern Sydney Team Western Sydney Team Penrith NZ Warriors Melbourne Storm Canberra Raiders Newcastle Knights Perth Team Adelaide Team Or for a 14 team comp: Brisbane Broncos North Queensland Cowboys Gold Coast Titans Central Queensland Sydney Roosters South Sydney Rabbitohs St George Illawarra West Sydney North Sydney Canberra Raiders Newcastle Knights Melbourne Storm Perth NZ Warriors
AE47
Roar Rookie
Forgot to add , what an impressive junior base the chickens have aie ,
AE47
Roar Rookie
No Parra ? No raiders ? Oh dear , of course there’s room for easts and Souths , North Dragons ( comedy gold ) yep StG fans will follow a rebadged Manly, you’ll see interest wither once (if) anything remotely like this eventuates. There are lots like me who once our club goes so do we !