Who is the most powerful NRL club? Part 6, the winner is...

They look at English Super League players because it is hard to compete with Sydney as most of the games are played there so less travel and maybe the climate plays a part. Queenslanders find it a bit cold but English players don't mind the cold and like the sunny days. The great Mal Meninga was a big reason Canberra were so good then and he would've been a magnet for others to come to the capital.

Tim, in the context of the article, one would have thought that Canberra would have rated higher. I ask the question; "why do they have to look at English Super League to attract players?" Financially, they are reasonably sound and yes they do have a very solid supporter base, but, up until recently they have struggled keeping players and they have a pretty long list of sacked misfits that played for the club. Talented blokes too that were out of control off the field. to be a ranked powerhouse club all those things from a knowledgeable board, solid financials, supporter base , strong back office, sound recruitment and salary cap management, a Decent head Coach and coaching staff and a strong club culture all combine to create the powerhouse entity. Now over recent years those things on the end of my list were not evident at the Raiders. Whatsmore, if you look at 2-3 clubs that are currently struggling it would also apply to them.

I reckon many South NewSouthWelshmen follow AF and RL as they are not Victorians and certainly appreciate SoO and the Kangaroos. I came to the ANU in 1974 with many from interstate and when the Raiders were formed in 1982 it gave them a non Sydney team to follow with their VFL team. Canberra's problem is they save their best for St-George-Illawarra and St.George before that.

The Eastern Suburbs has four Rugby Clubs (Sydney Uni, UNSW, Easts & Randwick) with four grades of players but Easts RL have only a few junior clubs. Where did Cordner come from? Do Easts have access to the huge South Sydney juniors?

The Rorters!

Got to love the brown paper bags comments. It's such a weak cop out - usually from fans of clubs that have massively overpaid for underperforming talent.

“While Sydney likes to think they are the heartland of the game, that title must belong to Brisbane, where they do not have a fractured supporter base supporting other teams in the town, because they are the only show in town.” Mate, your logic is back to front. Sydney is fractured BECAUSE it is the heartland of rugby league – it’s why the city can support 8 clubs… Also as for “the multi-million-dollar training ground is the envy of all other professional teams, of any sport, in Australia.” I mean, is it though? The Panthers have a heck of a facility and plenty of AFL clubs are very well set up on that front, whilst the Roosters seem to manage just fine with a comparatively pretty basic set up because their overarching player development system is so much more comprehensive and advanced. It’s worth asking what value is a blinged out training facility when a team of vagabonds like the Warriors with no permanent base right now can knock off your chargers.

However you must admit the best most powerful club in the Universe, that being Sydney Roosters, have the best young player development program in the Universe without any doubt. Which explains why *none* of this weeks backline have come through that fabled factory. Dunno about the forwards as there wasn't any point in continuing.

I wasn’t able to bring myself to read the entirety of the 6 sections of your assessment because I found your judgements to be so limited & flawed. For instance, should COVID lock out Brisbane the NRL could still continue on a limited basis in NSW. However should COVID lock out NSW the NRL could not survive in Qld alone. So therefore Brisbane is not the most powerful club. Rugby League is a Sydney based NSW game first & foremost

Sydney is rugby leagues heartland. There are nine teams in Sydney & only one in Bris for a reason. If Bris was the heartland they would have more than one team up there by now. Yes they have more members than the Sydney teams bar Rabbits but the Eels are only 2000 less so overall Sydney has a hell of a lot more members. Sydney could have a comp running with the NRL teams here but Bris couldn't. Keep telling yourself whatever you want. Sydney is & will always be Rugby League Heartland.

Most powerful club based on only 2 seasons of statistics not sure if agree with that but each to their own.

Being the most powerful club would mean more if they had any clue about recruitment. Don't be surprised if Blake Green joins Croft in the halves next season. Green was meant to turn the Warriors around and Croft was meant to do the same for the Broncos. Meanwhile the player they didn't want , Munster , is still at the Storm.

except the fact that Brisbane is the 3rd largest city in this country. Newcastle has been damaged by bad management not lack of money and they have an exceptionally loyal fan base. Canberra has an issue with the fact that southern NSW has a large AFL Following

Paul White and a few others will jump ship in the next 6-12 months. A second Brisbane side will impact the Broncos more because of their own complacency and mediocre management over the past decade than through Brisbane’s inability to sustain a second side. The shame of it is that with 2 teams in Brisbane I reckon we could always see the Titans struggle. Once finances are back in shape the NRL should offer a license buy back scheme. If a NRL license is notionally valued at $10-12M, they should do an offer of $15M to anyone who is interested in selling theirs back to the NRL. And make sure that Owners are aware that whilst they wouldn’t unreasonably withhold a license transfer to a different buyer other than the NRL, any new entity will also be required to deposit $10m as an interest bearing bond with the NRL plus the license fee to start a team. You might see the Gold Coast and Manly owners looking to offload their sides if they could pick up $15m and walk away.

Depends on how they finish the year. They might lose a FTA game or 2 but not more than that. I’m just waiting to hear and read from the News Ltd media that the performance of the Broncos, Titans and Cowboys this year shows there’s no capacity for a second Brisbane side...

He played his first footy at Gymea Gorillas.

Hi Nat, you said I wrote a factually incorrect statement. But after reading my statements I then proceeded to amend my error. Which was a tiny snippet on Kane Evens. As for your claim other clubs have an increased salary cap because of ownership of a Leagues Club or they are privately owned is absurd. Every club can only spend the same as every other club. If teams like the Sydney were cheating the cap then please explain why Latrell Mitchell, Jennings, Maloney, SBW, Napa, Ferguson, Tetevano, Matterson, Tuovasa-Shek, Guerra, etc.etc.etc are not still playing for the Roosters. It is because the left in search of more money.

Dwain, Yes Cordner has been at the Roosters since a 15yr old. Developed under Sydney Roosters skilled junior coaching techniques to become captain of Australia, NSW and Sydney Roosters winning three premierships for his club.

Dwain....Yes Cordner has been at the Roosters from age 15. A Junior developed under Rooster supervision into an Australian, NSW & Sydney Roosters captain.