Imagine a day when the NRL has a presence in every mainland state, the ACT and New Zealand; a day when the NRL is truly a national competition.
This vision could become reality within ten years. The ARL Commission needs to release its future plan for the NRL and state-based competitions, a plan that communicates to the stakeholders of the game what we are aspiring to achieve.
A ten-year plan is what we need, a time frame for clubs and stakeholders to work towards. Everything the ARL Commission has done to date has been reactive. It’s time to be proactive.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
My vision for the game would see the realisation of a national competition, a strengthening of the state competitions and a strengthening of the international game in our region.
A move to create an appetite for rugby league in new regions through clear pathways. A move to ensure rugby league has access to the best and most talented athletes in the country.
It’s not just expansion of the NRL that needs to be looked at, it’s the growth and expansion of the Queensland and New South Wales state competitions.
Also, long-term strategic planning of the existing clubs, be it location, junior development and pathways. I have put together a seven-step plan the ARL Commission must follow.
The NRL’s recent decision to move from 16 to 17 teams is great and naturally what makes sense is a move to 18 teams as soon as practical. The ninth game each week will surely be a winner for the TV rights, and I personally would love an additional game to watch each week.
We could easily have a Thursday night game, two Friday night games, three Saturday games and three Sunday games.
A move to a 20-team competition and ten games per week may see the return of Monday night footy, or with different time zones, four games on either Saturday or Sunday.
Step 1: The year of the Dolphin
The promotion of the Dolphins to the top tier was a great move, one that I fully support. They are making a huge mistake by not calling themselves the Moreton Bay Dolphins.
The NRL allowed this mistake and need to rectify this and ensure Moreton Bay is added to the name. NRL is a game built on tribalism. People get passionate about their region and their town.
Calling the Dolphins the Moreton Bay Dolphins gives the club a sense of identity and a sense of belonging. The Moreton Bay region through to the Sunshine Coast region is huge and growing.
The Melbourne Storm have attempted to claim the Sunshine Coast region as their own but I don’t agree with that, the Storm need to develop talent in Victoria.
The Dolphins should be playing their home games out of Moreton Daily Stadium with two or four games per season out of the Sunshine Coast Stadium.
The scope of possibilities north of Brisbane are incredible. Currently there are no other NRL, AFL, A-League or rugby union franchises attempting to set up a full-time operation in this region.
There are something like 830,000 people living in the Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast regions combined, and it is growing rapidly!
(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Step 2: Jets take flight
Let’s push on and secure the Queensland market as one of the great rugby league heartlands. The NRL needs to act quickly and work with the Brisbane Jets to promote them to the top tier by 2025. This would allow the Dolphins two seasons to settle into the NRL.
The city of Ipswich and the western corridor through to Toowoomba is crucial to the game of rugby league in Australia and crucial to the success of the NRL. Securing the Queensland market really cements State of Origin as the premier rivalry in Australian domestic sport and really one of the great rivalries in international sport.
This move ensures future generations of talent from the city of Ipswich and western corridor through to Toowoomba can aspire to play top-tier rugby league for their local team.
This production line of talent will ensure more young people aspire to play for Queensland and continue the great history of Origin. The showpiece of the domestic game is Origin and ensuring its continued strength is imperative.
Holding down the NSW and Queensland markets as rugby league heartlands is crucial. There is a push from the AFL in Ipswich, however Ipswich is a rugby league stronghold and thus we need to ensure it is looked after.
Again looking at growth and population, the City of Ipswich and western corridor through to Toowoomba is home to something like 450,000 people and targeted by the Queensland government for huge population growth over the next ten years.
Administered and based out a redeveloped North Ipswich Reserve, the Brisbane Jets would play all home games out of Suncorp Stadium.
So five teams by 2025 for Queensland, a just reward for a state that has had a huge impact on rugby league over its history.
Growing up in Sydney and travelling around to the different grounds was such a great experience. Now living in Queensland I would love to have that experience in the Sunshine State.
Step 3: Bula! Friends from the South Pacific join the party
One big change the ARL Commission needs to make in conjunction with the QRL is to exit the Tweed Heads Seagulls and enter the Fiji Silktails.
Fiji needs to have a presence alongside PNG in the Australian system. There is too much untouched talent in Fiji to be ignored. Rugby league needs to chase the world’s best athletes and talent.
As for the Tweed Heads Seagulls, well the Burleigh Bears would surely have the entire catchment covered, Tweed Heads would continue to play in the GCRL competition as they do now. Fiji have a team ready to go competing in the Ron Massey Cup.
If I were running the Titans, I would be signing up with the Wynnum-Manly Seagulls as a feeder club along with the Burleigh Bears. The Dolphins likewise should be signing up with the Sunshine Coast Falcons along with their own Redcliffe Dolphins, once the Storm have their own reserve grade team in Melbourne.
The Brisbane Jets naturally will use the Ipswich Jets, and as they have stated Central Queensland Capras as feeder clubs.
We are seeing more coverage of the Q Cup via Fox Sports so this will continue to grow and provide revenue to support the Q Cup expansion. We may even see North of the Border make a comeback on Fox Sports.
Step 4: The Saints go marching in to Wollongong
The St George Illawarra Dragons absolutely need to fully embrace Wollongong as their home and make a permanent move to the Gong.
What a spectacular stadium they have there in WIN Stadium. It should be used all the time for home games. A centre of excellence or academy could be built in conjunction with the NRL and state government.
(Photo by Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
There have been concerns from people over the years that the Sydney market has too many clubs, well the NRL has an opportunity to negotiate a permanent move of the Dragons to Wollongong.
The passion for rugby league in and around Wollongong is as strong as anywhere in the country, and with a population over 300,000 people, and further support from the existing Dragon Army around Kogarah, this gives a strong base to continue to grow from.
A club needs a home base. It creates an aura and an identity for that club.
Step 5: Wests Tigers go west
The Wests Tigers must make a move to Campbeltown. This would allow them to invest and participate heavily in the south-west of Sydney.
There is no doubt this region of Sydney is a growth area and another stronghold of rugby league. Just look at the success of the Penrith Panthers, developing local juniors and looking to the country regions and bringing talent into their system successfully in the west.
The Wests Tigers really need to look at this type of system closely. The south west is a gold mine. Also the Wests Tigers need to stop being the nomads of the NRL and have one home ground. They should stick with Stadium Australia and set up their high performance and administration centre at Campbelltown Stadium.
It won’t make a difference to the fans if they are based out of Campbeltown and play out of Stadium Australia. Look at the success South Sydney and Canterbury have had with moving home games to Stadium Australia.
There is a great opportunity for the NRL to use the three clubs playing out of Stadium Australia to their advantage. When one of the clubs is playing a home game there, they should allow ticketed members of any NRL club free entry. Try and get 40-50,000 people attending these games.
(Photo by Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
If the NRL are serious about setting up for future success, the correct location of the two joint-venture clubs could be a game changer.
It will require some heavy investment but it’s better to do it now and get the structure and geographical spread correct.
This investment may come in increased salary cap allocation as they did in the first place to get these clubs to merge. It could be funding towards centres of excellence or academies, perhaps even grants to fund community initiatives.
NSW-based NRL clubs should be represented under their own name in reserve grade and under-21s. Only the Roosters, who have a very small catchment, should continue to use the North Sydney Bears. It’s nice to have the Bears still around.
As with the Q Cup, we are seeing more coverage of the NSW Cup and again this will assist to generate revenue to support the NSW Cup expansion.
Step 6: The Storm settles in Melbourne
Melbourne needs to have a Victoria-based reserve grade side and under-21s side playing in the NSW Cup. There has been a Victorian Thunderbolts side getting around in some lower grades. Having a Melbourne Storm side would be much more effective though.
The Storm have been around for 25 years now and the ARL Commission needs to ensure the game is growing in Victoria.
There is a rugby league following through the Riverina region that borders Victoria. I am sure they could capture some talent in this area.
I don’t see the point of the Storm being around for 25 years and still having to fill their roster with young Queensland talent and base them in Queensland. Call me crazy but it makes no sense.
(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Step 7: The final frontier
Establishing an Adelaide and Perth team in the NSW Cup will require investment from the NRL, however not nearly what the cost of running an NRL expansion team would be in these cities.
This will come in good time. Ensuring a clear pathways program in Adelaide and Perth will create interest in the game and if those teams can play against the likes of the Sydney clubs, it will again increase the interest.
For the point of this article let’s call them the Adelaide Rams and Perth Reds. How exciting for the fans of Adelaide to go watch the Rams play the Roosters or Rabbitohs. Likewise the Reds would play the Tigers or Panthers.
Introducing Adelaide and Perth into the NSW Cup will lead to promotion to the NRL by 2032. A ten-year plan implemented now would allow sufficient time for these states, cities, clubs to prepare for the NRL.
I have heard people say what’s the point of setting up in the rusted-on AFL states, well how do you explain all the other sports that have done so?
A-League, NBL, Super Netball, Big Bash – you need to start somewhere. What’s that old saying? The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.
Sure, it may be the case that neither Adelaide or Perth will ever be promoted to the top tier, the numbers may not stack up, but if we don’t try, we will never know.
(Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
I watched a YouTube clip of Eddie McGuire talking up expansion of the AFL. He talked about a 19th based in Tasmania, that was not a surprise.
The surprise for me was the proposal he put forward for a team in far North Queensland, or a third team in Western Australia.
The AFL holds no fear of going into rugby league heartland, or further strengthening a market like Perth. Why should the NRL not dream big?
This is my proposal for the NRL, NSW Cup and Queensland Cup.
NRL
North Queensland Cowboys
Moreton Bay Dolphins (2023)
Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Jets (2025)
Gold Coast Titans
Newcastle Knights
Manly Sea Eagles
Sydney Roosters
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Cronulla Sharks
Canterbury Bulldogs
Parramatta Eels
Penrith Panthers
Wests Tigers
St George Illawarra Dragons
Canberra Raiders
Melbourne Storm
NZ Warriors
Adelaide Rams (2032)
Perth Reds (2032)
NSW Cup
Newcastle Knights
Manly Sea Eagles
North Sydney Bears
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Cronulla Sharks
Canterbury Bulldogs
Parramatta Eels
Penrith Panthers
Wests Tigers
St George Illawarra Dragons
Canberra Raiders
Melbourne Storm (2023)
Adelaide Rams (2025)
Perth Reds (2025)
(Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
Queensland Cup
Fiji Silktails (2023)
PNG Hunters
Northern Pride
Townsville Blackhawks
Mackay Cutters
Central Queensland Capras
Sunshine Coast Falcons
Redcliffe Dolphins
Norths Devils
Brisbane Tigers
Ipswich Jets
Souths Magpies
Wynnum-Manly Seagulls
Burleigh Bears
Some footnotes worth mentioning.
There are no New Zealand Warriors lower grades sides competing. New Zealand has a junior rugby league system in place and can continue to develop their own talent.
The focus of the Queensland and NSW Cups is to develop the game in new regions and also provide a competitive level for players on the cusp of first grade or returning from injury or perhaps players retired from top-tier rugby league and wanting to play on.
Why not have a national reserve grade? Well, why have 18 or 20 teams when you can have 28. Also the states do a good job administering the competitions now and need to do so to keep a relationship with localised A-grade competitions or third-tier competitions.
All states have established A-grade competitions or third-tier competitions that act as feeder clubs to state-based leagues or state-based teams.
An example of the state-based A-grade competitions or third-tier comps are as follows. The Brisbane and Newcastle competitions are as stated on the respective websites. The NSW comp or Ron Massey Cup could look like this.
Brisbane A-Grade
Brighton Roosters
Pine Rivers Bears
Wests Panthers
Normanby Hounds
Fortitude Valley Diehards
Bulimba Bulldogs
Carina Tigers
Beenleigh Pride
Denton Engineering Cup
Central Newcastle Butcher Boys
South Newcastle Lions
West Newcastle Rosellas
Kurri Kurri Bulldogs
Maitland Pumpkin Pickers
Cessnock Goannas
Macquarie Scorpions
Lakes United Seagulls
Wyong Roos
Entrance Tigers
Ron Massey Cup
Balmain Tigers
Newtown Jets
Wentworthville Magpies
Blacktown Workers
St Marys Saints
Penrith Brothers
Guildford Owls
Cabramatta Two Blues
Mount Pritchard Mounties
Western Suburbs Magpies
Rosie
Roar Rookie
How would a 20 team comp look if we were to use divisions and conferences. Northern conference, NRL North division. Nth Qld Cowboys Moreton Bay Dolphins Brisbane Broncos Brisbane Jets Gold Coast Dolphins Sydney West conference, NRL North division. Newcastle Knights Wests Tigers Canterbury Bulldogs Parramatta Eels Penrith Panthers Sydney East conference, NRL South division. Manly Sea Eagles Sydney Roosters Sth Sydney Rabbitohs Cronulla Sharks St George Dragons Southern conference, NRL South division. Canberra Raiders Melbourne Storm Adelaide Bears Perth Reds NZ Warriors
Adam Pledger
Guest
Great article as always. I recently thought it was unusual to have them called the NRL Dolphins. While I didn’t consider Morton Bay Dolphins as I think that’s too wordy. I thought North Brisbane Dolphins has a better ring to it and encapsulates the north of Brisbane city right up into the Morton Bay Area. I agree the Dolphins to me sounds like they aren’t wanting to move away from their identity and Redcliff but to reach its potential fan base, really needs to be North Brisbane.
Paul
Guest
Respect the effort put in your article, appreciate the time and effort to write it out. The only slight change I’d like to see made in your NRL first grade teams would be. 100% agree with the addition of Morton Bay Dolphins name, what is that club thinking, I don’t get it. A merge of the Bulldogs and Tigers to create a South West Sydney franchise and a second team in NZ from the bottom North Island (Wellington) and South Island area. I played all my juniors in the Mount Pritchard Mounty’s club which is in the city of Liverpool area and was gutted that we never had a NRL club to support. When playing rep footy we represented the South West Sydney Metropolitan area (SW Metro) and was proud of that wearing our green and white but never had the love to support the Dogs from Bankstown or the Tigers from Balmain and the Magpies are from Lidcombe ya know, it wasn’t my home area but these days when I hear South West Sydney I’m immediately proud of where I’m from. Cheers
salad
Guest
the northern suburbs of Adelaide have a good league following, in some suburbs league is more popular than AFL. It would be great for those regions that should Adelaide get a team while they would almost certainly play out of either Adelaide Oval (Unlikely due to Crows and Port playing there) or Hindmarsh stadium (probably too small but should Adelaide get an NRL team a deal could be struck between the government, nrl and soccer organisation for an upgrade) it would be great for the training group and/or league club to be based out north.
salad
Guest
Rugby union junior development has been great in Victoria, having produced over 30 wallabies, nrl needs to develop better pathways for the storm in their own state
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
League already has a problem with player retention, that ship has sailed. And "development" clubs can spend their time and resources developing the players on their list instead of in the community, and then go to the draft like everyone else. Lots of other codes do it, it's not hard
Westie
Guest
If you’re going to use a draft system. Where does that leave the development clubs, that depend way more on developing their own players. Than buying them in. Unless you also then take all of every clubs sponsors ,independent backers money & share it out equally amongst all clubs . Then the divide in player talent & performance will continue to widen. As even with most draft systems, players can choose to leave the clubs they were drafted into ‘as free agents’, after a few years.
Westie
Guest
Still, clearly you agree that Manly have no juniors of their own to develop. That’s what they’re in Sydney’s west where they don’t belong. Hence the comment you made is all you’ve got.
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
Key change needed if you are going to expand to new markets; NRL needs to have a draft and scrap the zoning systems. They also need to take control of developing the game at grassroots level, instead of leaving it to clubs to develop only certain regions. This is the key reason why Melbourne still use Qld feeder clubs; there is nowhere near enough grassroots competitions to develop talent for a 1st grade club. If the NRL develops the talent, funds can be distributed more equitably, and teams can take the talent as it develops nationally/internationally, rather than being limited by the talent in their local geography.
Paul Stollznow
Roar Rookie
thats like saying we can ditch the roosters cause the rabbitohs have that region covered....Tweed Heads have been around for over a century and provide much needed junior and grass roots coverage into the vast area.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Bit unfair on the Storm though. Victoria has been producing rugby elite players since before the Storm (eg. Ewan McKenzie). Even before the Rebels players like Ben Tapuai, Digby Ioane and Christian Leali’ifano were coming through. The Rebels are developing local players who were playing junior rugby before the Rebels ever existed, at clubs that have been around for 70 years that in many cases, their fathers and uncles played for. League can’t replicate that in 25 years.
criag
Roar Rookie
I wish the NRL would abandon that place completely! There is not a single good seat in the entire place. I welcomed the plan to redevelop it into a decent rectangular stadium with better tiered seating. I would rather have they kept that plan and dumped the redevelopment of the Moore Park Stadium. When the SFS was originally going to be a 50,000 seater I was hoping the big games would return there. But with a 45,000 capacity now, greed will overcome, even though I say 45,000 with great seats is better than 80,000 with terrible seats.
brookvalesouth
Roar Rookie
Cry harder, Westie.
Rosie
Roar Rookie
Manly really messed up, they should have kept playing at least 2 matches a year out of Central Coast after the demise of the Northern Eagles. Opportunity missed IMO. I guess it’s never to late they could start doing that next season, perhaps that’s the answer for STI, playing only two games per year out of Kogarah and the rest out of WIN.
Mick Holland
Roar Rookie
Rosie Nice article BTW, my plan is more a 20 to 30 year plan but a lot could be achieved over the next 10 years "I never can quite get my head around why people think a PNG NRL side will work." Out of the expansion teams I suggested, PNG would be last on the list, there are a couple other options you could go as well but I think over the next 20 years depending on the stability & economics of the country it might be hard to ignore a population I think of 9 million Rugby League fans. "I don’t like the idea of moving a Sydney club, I know the Central Coast offers a great Rugby League market, I think taking some games to the Central Coast is a much better idea than moving a club there" I'm not keen on moving Sydney teams out either but I don't think the NRL have plans of putting an expansion team on the Central Coast however Central Coast is a great market with a good stadium so I don't know why Manly don't take advantage of that by starting to take a few home games there & getting hold of their big junior nursery. I just don't think Brookvale Oval should be redeveloped it has no parking stuck on a main road with industrial area one side and residential on the other. I think over the next 10 years they eventually could play more in Gosford & less at Brookvale. If WIN Stadium gets an eastern grandstand to make it fully seated Stadium with better crowds it would be hard not to say no to more games at WIN instead of Kogarah. Having said all that Central Coast Bears could be an option instead of PNG & Brookvale could be redeveloped. "I am not sold on a second NZ club" A 2nd NZ team could alternate the 6pm Friday night slot with the Warriors which would be an 8pm game over there & would mean no Australian teams would have to play at that time at home which I think would be good for crowd figures & ratings. The Warriors get a rival & RU look vulnerable with the NRL stating a while ago they want to go to war with RU over NZ. I chose Wellington because the Canterbury Bulldogs could take a game or 2 to Christchurch ( v the Warriors & Wolves) over the next 20 to 30 years, a possible move depending on financial reason they could be squeezed out, it's an option however in the mean time they could build a relationship that grows the game in the south Island which is a RU strong hold. I agree with you about having a 20 team comp within the next 10 years I think could be achievable however Adelaide or Wellington is where I get stuck, Perth & Adelaide need at least a team in the QRL Cup to warrant a NRL spot IMO. West Brisbane & Wellington have the set up to start by 2025 which I think will be the next 2 front runners for the 18th team IMO however Perth is also a strong case, I think the NRL will have to crunch the numbers, do they want to securer west of Brisbane, take on RU in NZ or take on the AFL in WA or SA ? 22 Teams could be achievable over the next 20 to 30 years however it does depend on a few factors most importantly the talent pool needs to grow with access to pathways for more expansion teams to be a sustainable comp.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
Yes I agree a 19 round comp would be good.
Rosie
Roar Rookie
I like the FA cup style knock out comp. Even better would be 20 team 19 round comp.
Rob9
Roar Guru
Cheers Rosie. I think what I proposed would have required a shift in the thinking behind what the Dolphins represent. Since then they’ve been admitted as a 2nd Brisbane team. What I suggested is they focus more on the north coast, playing out of a revamped Sunshine Coast Stadium, leaving the door open for an actual Brisbane 2 to enter (whether that be the Jets or Firehawks). I don’t think the Sunshine Coast will really jump on board a team that’s based in Brisbane and plays almost exclusively out of Suncorp. No on mass anyway.
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
change hands
Paul
Guest
I think you missed one Rosie. Penrith should become NSW Country / Penrith. They’ve been developing players at & from Country centres for a long time. Have different Panthers sides running around in their country home bases. Such a change would be great for country league & The Penrith team. It would also give a team that country players could really aspire to play for.