The Brisbane Firehawks are formally in the race to become the NRL’s fourth Queensland club.
Backed by Easts Tigers, the Firehawks announced on Monday they will submit an expression of interest in the NRL’s expansion bid.
While the NRL insists adding a new team to the competition by 2023 is far from a foregone conclusion, any expansion is expected to be confirmed by July to give the new club 18 months to set up and enter the player market.
The Firehawks will be up against rival bids from Redcliffe and a combined Ipswich Jets-Brisbane Bombers consortium.
“We believe our bid will stand out as we are blazing a new path for sports teams in the Australian market,” said Brent Richardson, chief executive of Rich Digital, a sports consultancy firm handed the reins of the Firehawks’ bid.
“Everything we do will be about entertainment, the fan-centric experience backed by sustainable infrastructure.”
As part of the Firehawks’ bid, the club have proposed to operate from a $7.5 million community centre of excellence with construction to commence in October.
The Firehawks and Jets are expected to play their home matches exclusively at Suncorp Stadium with the Dolphins to play a handful of games in Redcliffe and the remainder at Suncorp.
farkurnell
Roar Rookie
What the hell is a fire hawk? Something that goes down in flames.I suggest the Brisbane Galahs may be appropriate
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
Mascots are not going to be the determining factor of success or failure, and if they were, a dolphin seems pretty wimpy in comparative terms.
Nico
Roar Rookie
Hopefully Redcliffe get the nod – you can’t put a price on history – of course Firehawks have this too via Easts but lose some of this with their glossy new moniker. You’d hope the NRL has been watching expansion efforts from rival codes recently to realise this. GWS have struggled for support since their inception in the AFL, while Western United are another manufactured club struggling for supporters in an A-League competition awash with manufactured clubs. They recently posted a home crowd of 990, the lowest ever crowd for an A-League fixture. Another option was South Melbourne, with a proud 70 year history which could well have become everyone’s second club
Jamie Hopoate
Guest
That's the go!! 'Expand' in one of the only cities in the world that knows what RL is..
kk
Roar Pro
Rellum, If I were a Queenslander I'd be with the Dolphins. They seem to be very well established and organised.
Nat
Roar Guru
No, as Emcie says Broncos 2.0 won't work. They seem to forget the Broncos were born on the back of BRL and origin success with a little Us v Them with Sydney. Us v Them against the Broncos in Brisbane with nothing more than 'we're not the Broncos' is a shaky platform to build from.
Adam
Roar Guru
Somebody has to counter the sea eagles
Emcie
Roar Guru
Same (well, apart from knowing anyone interested in the Jets). To be fair, got no idea what the opinion is in Ipswich but I know a fair few people in Logan that were more then annoyed at being claimed by the bid
Rellum
Roar Guru
I have heard of one guy that is keen on the Brisbane jets through out my network of friends. Everybody else wants the Dolphins and they range over Broncs and Cows supporters. Anecdotal of course but I see no ground swell of support for the Jets anywhere.
Sammy
Guest
The Dolphins mascot and the heritage value of the Redcliffe club is the key. Geography is not really an issue, as both the Broncos and Dolphins will share Suncorp Stadium which is close to the epicentre of Brisbane. The other clubs chose very unrelatable mascots which will be their ultimate downfall. Young people will not relate to Firehawks or Jets or any mascot invoking war themes. Also, since the NRL is seen as a continuation of the ARL and NSWRL, the NRL must acknowledge that the Jets mascot is owned by Newtown in Sydney.
Emcie
Roar Guru
Just the fact thet they've joined the bombers raises concerns, are they gonna be trying to turn the jets into a copy paste of the Broncos? Cant think of anything worse
Rellum
Roar Guru
That's a press release from the Jets.
kk
Roar Pro
Rellum, Have a read of article by Brad Walter on NRL wed 3/2/21.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Do you think the Ipswich team, who calls themselves Brisbane and plays at Lang Park will work?
Nat
Roar Guru
Yeah, unfortunately, it's looking more like that for the Ipswich bid. However, if 2020 taught us one thing, it's not a bullet proof business plan to be 100% reliant on a Leagues club for funding support. A political swipe of the pen could halve pokie revenue (not a bad thing) and pandemic can shut it down. I don't know the ins/outs of the Ipswich bid funding sources but from a risk mitigation POV it does help their bid cause.
Walter Black
Guest
I wasn't suggesting that anyone was hiding anything Nat but its good hear they have cash on hand.
Rellum
Roar Guru
"The Ipswich Consortium, due to their location and ready made spectator force look odds on to get the nod." What ready made spectator force? How is their location a positive? I think the Brisbane Jets will get up just because they have rich backers who have mates in the right places. The Dolphins should get it with Easts second in my opinion.
Nat
Roar Guru
Richo claimed the club no debts, $25m in the bank and building a $7m 'Centre of Community Excellence'. They wouldn't be able to hide large debts and loans while going for a new franchise licence because that is fraud and jail time.
Walter Black
Guest
They may all have millions in the can but how much debt do they carry on the balance sheet ? Its easy to take out a loan at the moment with interest rates so low.
kk
Roar Pro
All three applicants seem to have $ millions in the can. Money no problem. The Ipswich Consortium, due to their location and ready made spectator force look odds on to get the nod. But, fingers crossed for the Redcliffe Dolphins. The winner will draw Cameron Smith out of retirement.