As far as “Conferences” go, the separation of all clubs need to have a legitimate reason, not just “sydney based clubs” in one, and “the rest” in the other, not only does that create unfairness in the competition as a whole due to the “sydney comp” obviously not travelling out of the sydney area for 16 rounds, but it enures that “the rest” must travel almost the same 16 rounds (i assume the new bris2 and possible NZ2 will still be able to stay at home in their derbies).
The only fair solution is to draw a line straight thru Sydney, basically cutting it in half and saying any team north of Parramatta road or River or M4, is in the Northern Conference, and anything South of that line is the Southern Conference.

This creates a definitive border, and you can add expansion teams to it, without having newer teams adding into only one conference, aswell as “Sydney comp” not stealing/poaching interstate players, because the less travelled, and probably better branded comp of the old NSWRL,
would be more of a stable draw card for a new talented player from elsewhere.
Getting Derbies made is ok, if you can cultivate certian teams in each conference.

Northern Conference= North QLD, Bris2, Broncos, Titans, Knights, Manly, Tigers, Panthers, Eels…. all north of that border. (tigers being both Ashfield and Balmain)

Southern Conference= Souths, Roosters, Bulldogs, Sharks, Dragons, Raiders, Melbourne, Warriors, NZ2.

If they go to another 2 clubs, add a Perth/West Coast Pirates to the Southern, and a Cairns/PNG Pride to the Northern.
(For example that is, not saying they are the next bids or areas of growth off the rank)

God everyone here seems to be so shitt at maths,

1995 ARL expanded into a 20 club competition, with the game only rich as $55 million, players filled those teams, as they were announced 2-3 years prior to commencement, superleague mucked up that whole growth period, and since then Rugba Leg has never gotten over that.
Expansion in these exact same areas of WA, NZ and 2 more QLD clubs will solidify RL back to its greatness again.
The Mercs will come from UK and Rugby if there is a team that needs a 1st grade spot, everyone worries about “enough talent”
But Wests has 4 halves, Storm have 3 Hookers, Souths have 6 Wingers, and Penrith have 2 Nrl grade Squads playing at one team, its depth in each club that everyone wants, but you cannot create depth in squads without creating more opportunities or pathways to get there.
More clubs, less rounds, is the answer, 19 round season and add a magic round opener as a heritage/rival match up to start at whichever city that pays for it.

The only fair way to have a conference system is to split the teams, North-East, and South-West, effectively dividing a border between and through Sydney…
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North-East conference..
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Nth Qld, Brisbane, GoldCoast, Newcastle, NewZealand, Manly, Sydney, Cronulla..
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South-West conference..
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Melbourne, Canberra, St.george, Penrith, Parramatta, Wests, Canterbury, Souths..
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Then if down the road there is more expansion clubs, add onto these conferences, Perth to SW, Brisbane2 to NE..
If ever there is a NZ2 or Central Coast, move a sydney team to the other conference, e.g Cronulla, all depends which expansion area is chosen.
There’s no other way to create a conference that would be fair for regional clubs other than spliting both sydney based and regional based clubs together

Agreed extremely flawed, especially since roosters have an inflated away crowd figure due to the anzac day vs st george games, that makes their average look better than it really is, which is just smart scheduling, nothing to do with the roosters, just as parramatta vs wests this year at bankwest on easter monday, was a sell out and would benefit wests away average, just scheduling. going off the last 4 years is ludicrous, it needs to be a percentage of years spent in competition, vs memberships, vs catchment/junior teams within, (obviously roosters have a small catchment, but have north sydney this year to use in their figures, aswell as manly has with blacktown etc)
which should give a figure of who is more valuable as a team where they are.
Newcastle, has great crowds and have been consistent in those crowds, win/lose/draw, since 1988 for example, maybe due to it being a one team town, same should be said for brisbane, but get to the sydney teams and you’d think the older teams would be higher on percentage, well souths would in recent membership numbers, not so sure about roosters, tigers have the issue of being either from 1908, or 2000 when they merged, aswell as dragons too, so on so forth.
Recent preformances count only so far, eels dogs and manly were very dominant in different eras in 70-90s, canberra, balmain, penrith after that, it all has to count or nothing does.
Criteria is rubbish, if your not in the wealthy or winning circle, unfortunately norths had to merge, a choice they had chose because of this type of “Criteria” based worthiness, that ultimately favoured, Sydney roosters and any club who was wealthy at the time.
There is no need to cull/merge, or shorten the amount of clubs as the ARL was running on 50 million in 1995 with 20 clubs, that really werent getting that money. now we’re getting 2 billion, and each club is getting 9.6 million for their squads, which is serious overkill. Half that, and the talent pool would spead more evenly to all clubs, and even add more clubs (20 if possible) bring back norths in Gosford, add Perth, Adelaide and Redcliffe. More eyes on TV more games per week, play each other all once a season, plus an extra few rounds (magic and heritage) add a bye during state of origin, 22 rounds, 20 clubs, keep the top 8
A truley national comp, and played in heartland areas, aswell as engaging SA, or WA.

That criteria should be put to ALL 16 teams
otherwise it’s unfair, why does NZ or townsville or Newcastle get to skate if they have a poor year, in achievement, junior participation, members and crowds, but Manly and Roosters get looked upon when they are abysmal in comparison, even when they are doing well?.
blanket rule should be if there is criteria, then all teams adrire to it, sydney is the biggest market for RL, then Brisbane, we should build to more teams, not cull current ones, have we learnt nothing from the past? Sydney RL teams are as important to NRL, as is Melbourne vfl teams to AFL, its stupid business to cut off fans from the product you sell. relocations will only work if you’re a successful team, and you yourself up and leave to go looking to capture a new market in a city that can sustain you, example Roosters capitalize Adelaide, it won’t work for manly who are on the poorer end, cronulla who are entrenched in that pocket of Sutherland, or tigers who span across balmain to southwest sydney.
Only roosters and maybe souths can successfully relocate. But souths have 30k of members, vast juniors, catchments and crowds in comparison to the roosters, only they would see that work, where the other centralized sydney suburbian teams will struggle in future and if relocated.
Whoever says too many teams in Sydney doesn’t work, doesn’t know rugby league, we’ve had nothing but 100+ years with sydney teams as the core of the competition, its all the other franchises outside of sydney that fail or struggle, or prosper due to other teams folding, Melbourne Storm’s Success started from the decent of Hunter, Sth Qld and Perth.
Had we kept the last 2 teams they’d be celebrating their 25th anniversary along with Nz and Nth Qld this year. 14 teams was the number we all thought down the track would sustain NRL, we were wrong to get rid of North Sydney, they would have become our Central Coast team.
Wrong to drop Perth, Adelaide and South Qld, we are now trying to reopen these markets, we have 16 teams, where 20 can work, funded by PayTv, networks, and if we stop paying $1million to marquee players, that can fund and extra 2 sides in key markets, we dont need $9.3 million per side $6million should be enough. 20 man squad, not 30, you can have junior exemptions, who get paid peanuts to play, compared to your DCEs, Milfords and Cronks and might play better than them.
We will hit a ceiling soon. then cullings or forced mergers will come around again, more teams solve everything. More juniors, creates more talent, more games per week, more eyes around oceania, more more more.

I agree on this plan, and to move Roosters to Adelaide also, if money is the only reason you’re still in sydney, might aswell be represented elsewhere, god knows you can afford it

They should have merged, or folded during the NRL 14 team reduction, they offer nothing back to rest of the league, and as a city that has 9 teams within it, to have the nouce to label themselves “Sydney” is just a slap in the face to all the other 8 teams there, you could atleast have the roosters permanently in Adelaide, and there would be no difference, buy,buy,buy, sell,sell,sell
Might aswell call them “Mars” Roosters,

Move Sydney “self proclaimed” roosters
No juniors, No catchment, No crowds, No soul, just money, in paper bags or under sombreros, they’ll be better in Adelaide with a city all to themselves, same colors as the past Rams incarnation, and the biggest upsides of them all, no one will miss them in sydney as there won’t be a void in territory regarding catchments, (like north sydney’s void) and having a current successful team relocated will and should be greeted with open arms, in comparison to shifting a struggling team,
Plus Allianz stadium rebuild can stop, so the government can concentrate on hombush/ANZ instead. seriously who else will be playing there, atleast bankwest has tigers and eels, Anz has souths and dogs, Allianz? Just roosters ….please give me my tax money back, NSWgovernment!.
Ticks all the boxes, and its a no brainer, Roosters off to Adelaide, enter Perth Pirates, and Redcliffe Dolphins,
Dragons more in wollongong, Manly more in Christchurch, Sharks more in Fiji, Panthers more at Bathurst, Titans more in Suncorp, eels more in NT, Souths more at gosford, spread the game around Australia, not every team needs 12 games in their home stadium, 8 minimum, 4 home games to random stadiums away

Yes, Agreed on the short handed nature and lack of thought and history involved in the main article, manly move to gosford?
they did that already, then ran home when they got boo’d.
Sharks are cashed up and own their sheee t, plus have a wealth of juniors, and a pocket of sydney no code will touch.
Dragons, are a merged entity and have a wealth of juniors from both areas of Kogarah and Wollongong.
Panthers are Feeding every team their huge Nursery west of St.Marys all the way to Dubbo.
Wests, Souths and Parramatta are crucial catchments for junior Leagues Members and Crowds, Canterbury are well off, but they are like the Roosters who Poach/Buy their squad, might aswell be relocated on Mars, and nothing would affected, no Juniors, no Crowds, just Money!

1 thursday, 2 Friday, 3 Saturday, 3 sunday
Not sure how logistically impossible that was but its sound to me, even if we can get to 20 teams, monday night can support a game too, (not ideal but still possible)

That already happened, they came back in 2002

Every team has history, what a crap comment,
the bears have history, manly F’d that up!.
Howabout a history lesson dude for the more notable teams
1908 Rabbitohs, Tigers, Magpies, Roosters, Bears and Jets.
1921 Dragons.
1935 Bulldogs.
1947 Eels & Sea Eagles.
1967 Panthers & Sharks.
1982 Steelers & Raiders.
1988 Knights, Giants & Broncos.
1995 Reds, Warriors, Crushers & Cowboys.
1997 Rams & Mariners.
1998 Storm.
1999 had NRL come out and Cull, Merge and screw all our teams to what we got now, and we finally are looking to go back to South QLD, Perth & Adelaide again.

1/3rd of talent stems from pacific island countries, including NZ.
Warriors are important for that footprint
Plus AFL cannot grow out of Aus, where we have the benefit of a teams in NZ, PNG and soon FIJI, plus international teams
And gold coasts catchment is northern rivers, tweed to GC, its massive for juniors and a heartland for League, wont want to lose that to AFL?

Sydney Roosters, just buy/Poach talent, might aswell have them play out of Broome, there’s your WA team, without any conflicting codes to worry about, probably get more to their games too

Souths takes city to maroubra, sharks have cronulla to Watson’s bay, if roosters relocate to Adelaide, Canterbury, parra, penrith stays as is, wests is concord to campbelltown, manly stay north, dragons to wollongong

Trent Hodgeskinson, and Josh Reynolds are both winning state of Origin halves, had we had 2 extra teams, they’d most probably be in 1st grade, along with 30+ 1st graders that are heading to superleague every year, thats enough for 2 teams plus whatever juniors sprout from a new Perth, or Adelaide catchment, NRL can fill these 2 new teams with enough quality 1st grade players

Well manly is central coast according to this crazy plan above us.
But i’d rather see an 18 team comp and in only relocating 1 team, being the self proclaimed “Sydney” roosters to Adelaide, then I would see a Perth and Northern Brisbane team be added, (to cover sunshine coast and redcliffe playing 3 games at each and 6 remaining at suncorp like the tigers do in sydney)
“Sydney” roosters share the colors of the past Adelaide Rams entity whilst also hosting regular annual games there, plus will have no impact to the rest of the geographical junior catchments in Sydney, and will gain a whole city of attention, attendances, and corporate sponsorship.
The upside to the relocation of the roosters is that they are currently a successful team, which an AFL and Aleague city like Adelaide would embrace rather than a relocated struggling team.
Another plus is the rivalry with Melbourne Storm, pitting SA vs VIC, along with SA vs any Sydney based team.
Fat chance there would be the much objection by rugby league fans across the code on behalf just the roosters, compared to most of any of the other sides. (Souths, wests, st george and parra especially) and history shouldn’t mean sheee t, since the bears, magpies and tigers were forced into mergers and souths and jets booted, all who had started with them in 1908, which roosters never had to do either. Only fair that their fans feel that loss too, and as there is 8 remaining sydney teams they’ll still be able to attend those 8+ away games in sydney. Win/win! and you can’t complain that the name change of Sydney to Adelaide is going to be a problem, it was originally eastern suburbs, then sydney city, then sydney. (At least gold coast, always was gold coast.)
I would also have the Titans rename to South Qld Titans and represent south of brisbane to the northern rivers, not just gold coast, 6 games at suncorp and 6 games at Cbus.
and also rename Penrith to Greater Western Panthers to represent Central West Country NSW aswell as penrith, playing 8 games at penrith and the rest in dubbo, orange, bathurst and lithgow

geez you guys are jibberers, i’m not a fan of gus, especially with his commentary, but he has done more for rugby league than most people have, especially in penrith and the country areas west of, especially in regards to pathways, so much so parramattas board are now trying to emulate it.
if every team would engage in junior pathways, instead of just stripping other teams of their juniors, (i’m looking at the roosters here) rugby league would be so much better off.
hate him all you want, you need gus, more than you need a politis or a rusty or a penn family,
no wonder the whispers of cronulla trying to poach him were going around.
and the whole explansion/relocation rubbish that greenburg is task with won’t happen,
gus outted that on 100% footy the very next week, with danny wielder saying it’s not a priority….really, its a diversion from the off field dramas, and it’s more of a what if to see how us all water cooler talkers react to it all, and give us the options of the what if? to push our clubs elsewhere.
So if we do? manly are gone for sure if there is a criteria, roosters should go, and that’s the only reason there is no and never will be a criteria.
so sydney clubs will remain safe, until they fold on their own, or they themselves move elsewhere to Adelaide or South Island NZ, where there is not a strong RL presence, coz you cannot expect a brisbane or perth to open their arms open for a failed NSW team.
Gus may be hard to watch, and opinionated and rub most people the wrong way, but he is in the know too, well maybe not about the s.e.cks tapes, but RL stuff he’s smart, and if he thinks Ivan needed a rest, or a sacking fair enough, if he’d rather have him back rather than lose Nathan, well done, coz the tigers were circling, and if griffin needed to go coz he lost the playing group, thru rubbish gameplays and terrible tip sheets, 2 birds one stone, i give him credit for that stunt last year, plus almost bennet coaching too, i saw them getting chummy at the immortals event, i knew something was up, the old fox

Licence runs out in 4 years, all NRL have to do is just wait, these new licences they want the c lubs to sign on will leave the club in a better financial positiin, purely coz they wont be allowed to fail, or fall
If you run out of cash, NRL will move you to a market you can thrive in, plus make sure you’re set for the next 20+years, its win/win, but only the fans that dont want a relocation of their team will suffer, but if they were fair dinkum, they would be supporting them prior enough so that they wouldn’t have been put in this position, and if they had moved, should still support them, as the club really would be to blame, for them to be moved on.

I think they meant 12000-15000 in the crowd

WAAAAAAA??????

Why do you think history plays any role in relocations? That rubbish ended when NRL was formed and they culled/merged everything that rugby league had finally done to make it National.
Manly need to move on or drop to NSW cup, and Roosters have no need to be in sydney (ironic as their name is) no junior’s, no crowds, no fans, but well run, so be well run in Adelaide where league will need a strong club to be strong against the AFL media that will chip away from any other relocated struggling team or new branded franchise.
Too many self interest clubs in sydney and apathetic lazy fans who would rather run the clubs into the ground, by not accepting a potential move, rather that branch out.
Max power you should suggest a future for the next 20 years

My preferences are for
Relocations=
*South Island Sea Eagles (3 games at brookvale)
*Adelaide Roosters (3 games at Allianz)
Then for the New teams=
*West Coast Reds/Pirates (perth)
*Northern Sydney Bears (Central Coast based, 3 games @NSO)
*North Brisbane Dolphins (Suncorp based, 3 games in Redcliffe)
* PNG Hunters (3 games in Cairns)
These 4 are important markets to cover
Aswell as expanding to new cities/countries, why have a successful lower grade PNG side but never have them part of the NRL?
Central Coast won’t accept the sea eagles
Or roosters, but Bears will be a root in tradition that was lost by SL/ARL war and encapsulates the north far better than the other two selfish entities hoping to escape there (manly/roosters).
Perth is a no brainer.
Adelaide and Christchurch need a presence at some point, best to branch out to it with relocations, while other areas new can build from scratch, plus eases the sydney market, in that city area where souths/dogs/sharks/roosters are
Dragons should be wollongong based (3 games in kogarah)
My team Greater Wesrern Panthers needs to take 3 games to Bathurst, Dubbo and Orange annually.
And Gold coast, to be the South QLD Titans and represent Logan/Ipswich
Aswell as Gold Coast
Lastly Sharks to play in Fiji/Tonga/Samoa annually

That is unfortunately how their cookie will crumble, soy goat milk honey frappes are only as good as the toffs who drink them.
We have a few suburbs full of them, out east

Its Rugby league baz, it won’t be long before some rough neck forward sends a picture of his junk to a hook up and end up in another court case