The crowd of over 19,000 at Central Coast Stadium on the weekend is further evidence the locals deserve their own NRL team rather than making do with a couple of games a year featuring clubs with no geographic significance to the area.
In the spirit of the just completed NRL 1970s Retro Round, let’s briefly travel back 40 years to 1979.
That year, the North Sydney Bears – coached by former Great Britain halfback Tommy Bishop and featuring club stalwart Don McKinnon lining up in the front row – won just two games and finished with the wooden spoon.
The same year, the average home crowd at North Sydney Oval was just 4266 with a largest crowd of 6011 against traditional rivals Manly.
Greg Florimo was just 12 years old, playing for a local junior team and still learning to ride a skateboard. He would go on and play a major role in one of the most successful eras for North Sydney – the 1990s – when they made the finals six times over the decade.
Of course, it all finished way too soon for Norths. After the 1999 season, they were compelled through debt to form a joint venture with Manly and become the Northern Eagles – an organisation that ran for three years before it collapsed and the licence reverted to Manly.
Bears stalwart Greg Florimo during Norths’ glory days during the 1990s. (Photo by Getty Images)
The Bears had already announced their intention to move to the Central Coast in 1997 and were the driving force behind the building of the new stadium at Gosford.
The South Sydney and Melbourne game in Gosford on the weekend brought renewed calls for the Central Coast Bears to be included in the NRL. Andrew Johns led the charge in the media this time around.
Johns, who spent his formative years in Cessnock and played 249 games for the Newcastle Knights, made his case on Wide World of Sports.
“The Central Coast have a stadium up there and they have a huge junior base. There are so many players up there, so you can get the best kids aspiring to play for the Central Coast,” the Immortal explained.
“I understand they also had a coach in line (in 2007). I think they had $50 million in the bank. So for me it’s a no-brainer.
“Done right with the right people it could be successful.”
In 2006, the NRL preferred the Gold Coast over the Central Coast despite a well-funded bid headed by businessman John Singleton and Greg Florimo.
Hindsight tells us that the Gold Coast has been less than successful both on and off the field. One finals appearance since admission to the league, financial debt and current player problems have hindered their progress.
Johns described Perth as being “too far away” and pointed to logistical issues. But it is not one team at the expense of another for inclusion.
Recent attendances at State of Origin and the Bledisloe Test in Perth point to a population that wants to see top level rugby, whatever code that may be.
The huge crowd at the Bledisloe Test at Optus Stadium proves there’s a huge appetite for the rugby codes in Perth. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
If a bid is strong and likely to work, then perhaps more teams overall is the answer. Likewise for a second Brisbane or New Zealand club.
The case for Central Coast has been derailed in the past by the ‘too many Sydney teams’ argument. The Central Coast isn’t Sydney. The fact that historically the NRL has grown outwards from a Sydney competition has led to an oversupply of clubs west and south of the CBD. The people of Gosford should not be penalised for this.
With a growing population of over 330,000 and a strong junior league that has produced James Maloney, Connor Watson and Storm utility Nicho Hynes to name just a few, the region is more than ready for an NRL team.
The locals are genuine rugby league supporters who would embrace their own team in a flash as long as the club is based in the Central Coast. The proposed model would play 11 home games at Central Coast Stadium with a one-off home game each year at North Sydney Oval against Manly. It makes sense.
While it would be purely a Central Coast team, the new club would more than likely see a return of many lapsed North Sydney supporters who felt disenfranchised from rugby league following the failed Northern Eagles joint venture.
The corporate support opportunities would be lucrative in an area that stretches from the North Sydney CBD in the south to Lake Munmorah in the north.
The NRL expansion quandary is compounded by history with no simple solutions. The Central Coast is the low-hanging fruit and their bid should viewed with fresh eyes as we approach a new broadcasting deal in 2023.
The Coasties want and deserve to have their own club in the next few years. It makes perfect sense for the NRL to grant them their licence.
Admiral Ackbar
Guest
I'm learning a lot about TV catchment areas by reading this article. As far as I can tell the issue with Central Coast is that it is in the same TV catchment area as Sydney, and therefore would be competing with the Sydney teams for exposure, as opposed to the Knights and the Cowboys, who have their TV catchment area all to themselves. If I'm not mistaken the Titans are in this situation right now, as they are in Brisbane's TV catchment zone. So while you can see the Broncos on FTA TV pretty much every week, the Titans pretty much can't get arrested. If the key to a team thriving is a monopoly on its TV catchment zone, then there's only so many areas you can expand to, namely Perth and maybe somewhere like Rockhampton?
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
For some people, yes. For others, no.
Nick
Roar Guru
So be it. I'd rather be pompous but right, instead of ignorant and wrong. I make no apology for asking people to offer a modicum of evidence behind a claim. I see the world through reason, not emotion.
David
Guest
Regardless of whether or not there's merit to your argument, you just end up coming across as a pompous buffoon.
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
The roosters are no longer aligned with the central coast juniors. They have a new agreement with North Sydney Bears now
Big Daddy
Guest
Brad, when the gold coast were readmitted it was a toss of the coin between them and the central coast so they are always high in the order of any new expansion. The NRL seem to have forgotten them to a certain extent. As easts are now tied up with central coast juniors the the NRL should be forcing them to take more matches to Gosford while allianz is being rebuilt.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
Fair enough. I agree with your last point particularly. I think the NRL expansion thoughts, however I feel how misguided they are, will be for a team further afield than the Central Coast. It’s easier for them to run that with an expansion narrative. No matter how flawed the logic, no matter how receptive the market may be to a new team... it’s all about them trying to look good.
steveng
Roar Rookie
This Central Coast having a RL side back in the NSWRL days and now the NRL days, has been going on way before the NRL was ever thought of or formed! Grahame Park (as I always knew it) was never ever as special as it is today, only its location is. In the days when I lived there (early 80’s to late 80’s) and my sons played RL, it was a centrally located oval that Gosford council used and leased out for events, its location is what makes this oval so special, always was and always will be! Just because the CC can get 20kspectators in 2 games and Grahame Park is in such a beautiful spot, should not be the main criteria that the CC should have an NRL side but, we know how the NRL works so anything could be a chance lol
Omnitrader
Roar Rookie
and the ex NRL players who used to play the local comp, like O’meally and Cliffy etc...
brookvalesouth
Roar Rookie
Oh well, tough titties mate
John
Guest
Sunshine Coast Bears! ????
Kick n Clap
Guest
Let’s do double or quits and take our sandwich boards to England which sport is most recognised? Cameron Smith or Dangerfield or Nik Nat Paddywack? Cam every time. Back onto Perth. Growth is steady at the moment here , & the potential is there no doubt. Biggest problem here is the oversaturation of AFL. Even Channel Nine don’t play the party line over NRL. One things for sure. AFL have biggest Prima Donnas on the planet over here. Good job Nik Nat wasn’t a Dog or a horse ?
Kick n Clap
Guest
Very True about the Waste of Force. Total Basket case. Makes the Titans look like world beaters. On serious note though, there is still much to be done with the grassroots to provide s new generation of playing talent.
Admiral Ackbar
Guest
Maybe the reason people are saying Perth is too far is because of Rabs' fear of flying.
Footy Fan
Guest
It's helpful to understand how funds flow to teams. Not because the game is only about dollars. Quite the reverse. The dollars give us the split of how & where the game is pleasing fans. TV has been the main factor since super league. Largely, the game pleases via screens. It's broadcast entertainment. Sure sponsorship, gate takings and merch are very important. Passionate fans are the heart and soul of each club. But the wide reach, plus the drama and colour of TV, internet and print commentary, stories and debate actually outdoes it overall. The high volume 'everyman coverage' ends up more pleasing than the low volume 'uber fan experience' when you do the sums. For that reason, 20k fans isn't the whole goal. Change is hard. So it has to create significant new value. If some of it's rearranging the deckchairs (realignment of current fans), well that's not the major goal. You want growth - new fans into the future. Who says it will always be 20k fans?? I'm guessing not the old northern eagles management. And even if it is, that's about a 7k net increase from the old Sydney team. Every second week - so half that on average. Maybe a step change should boost crowds by more than 8-10k per week averaged across home-and-away? How about some plan for a 30k plus stadium within the decade and a team that will be popular when playing away. But much more importantly, drag in 80k new TV viewers per week, with promise to grow organically. Heck, look at what the Broncos addition gave us all those years ago, and Cowboys and Storm for that matter.
Toddy
Roar Rookie
I from Tumbi Umbi, I was President of Ourimbah-Wyoming Magpies JRLFC for 6 years, a Central Coast Bears team would be very successful. You only have to look at all the Central Coast players running around in the NRL now.
Toddy
Roar Rookie
The Northern Eagles could have been a success but Manly had one agenda, to stand alone and use the money gained from the joint venture to make it happen. The Northern Eagles was simply a take over, eagle as the logo, Manly colours (oh I forgot rhe one black and one red stripe) and a majority of Manly veterans kept when players like Billy Moore, Gary Larson and David Fairleigh were all released. David Fairleigh signed with Necastle and was their player of the year in 2000. When the joint venture wasn't working the NRL should have stepped in. I would have support the Northern Eagles if they had played in red and black, even a Manly designed red and black jersey.
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
Not another boring bring back the bears story again!!!
Toddy
Roar Rookie
Wyong Roos pffttt, they weren't able to afford to stay in the NSW Cup, and who would support the most hated club on the Coast besides people affiliated to them.
farkurnell
Roar Rookie
Dogs... I dont think The CC is gunna generate the income streams that a Perth or 2nd Bris team would.Just basic Economics.Plus it'll give everybody an excuse to visit the Wild West.Generally I think the Reds overachieved in there short history. if there's expansion I think they should get another go.