As touched upon in the attendence thread I thought it could do with it's own.

Who's expressed interest in joining the NRL for 2013?

Is expansion only financially possible every time a TV deal is negotiated?

What should be the over all goal of the NRL and it what time frame?

The Independent Commission, when running, will go through all these points. I personally know that the CC Bears bid is ready and has been waiting to submit to the NRL, only to be told to wait for the IC.

The feeling is, expansion is necessary and this will add more of an attraction to the TV companies with regards to reach. So Perth in my opinion is the only definite for expansion at the moment. Much talk has also been made of another QLD bid.

Overall atleast a team in every state added. SA. NT. TAS and maybe another NZ team will truly make it visible to all. If football and AFL can do it. RL should be able to. Time frame? Not sure. Look at my club London or indeed Melbourne and how both have been kept alive thanks to outside help.

er, I was under the impresion melbourne were owned by News Int.....but I have yet to see any tangible proof with regard to London being "kept alive thanks to outside help"


Seen London go to the wall, reform, get a few bob from lenegan and a few more (ongoing) from Hughes, but they aren't "outside" help.

Careful RB.......you mentioned Football and AFL and Harrigan never sleeps

Has Tas got the population for a club?

Has NT or should they be involved in a joint venture with PNG?

I'm a great believer in rivalry and would say at least 2 sides in every state should be the goal.

Tasmania 500,000 population. Hobart...220,000.....would 10% roll up to follow their team in the NRL? Have never been to Hobart...what else is there to do? Cadbury would be a good sponsor/owner from what I've just read. AFL gets 16k there BTW



NT population of about 230,000. Darwin has 125,000 of these...would 20% roll up to see their NRL team? What would it compete with in Darwin for attention? AFL gets 11k there BTW


Never going to happen in some states...the 2 above as examples, but a 2nd in Victoria, 2 in WA and 2 in SA, with 1 in TAS, ACT and NT is 7 "new" teams....to go with the 16 already in. If you add another QLD team, you get 2 conferences of 12 teams.....with every State represented which the TV companies would find hard to resist.

We were helped by being allowed to have basically an Australian team when we started in SL. This kept us going back then.

You'd know more about the fiscal side of things. Wasn't there some Inland Rev thingymajig that other clubs voted on or summink. I was here, but if you're bored you can let us know what that was.

Oh yeah, about the other codes. I was being positive about RL though as per instructions in Chairman Maossengers little red book.

That's why I'd tie joint venture some sides.

TAS/SA
TAS/VIC
SA/NT
NT/PNG

Could all be options.

Well it helped....but not in any fiscal way. Melbourne are owned and bankrolled (for now) by Murdoch. I think he will use them as a bargaining chip come TV deal time.....but London RL/Quins never got a penny.

....didn't pay tax bill...offered to pay debt to IR in installments...they declined told us to fold....we folded and reformed....SL chairmen were told that the TV deal would be tiny without London....the voted us straight back in mid season...with all our competition points.....Widnes abstained in the vote......Widnes went down that year.....Widnes were punished in the first round of licences......Widnes are now joining ESL next year we're all mates again now. The End.
No money changed hands.......the ESL Chairmen knew what was best for them......


That sir, is Genius.

There are currently 6 confirmed expansion bids likely:

PNG
WA
Brisbane2
Western Corridor (BrisbaneSW)
Central Queensland
Central Coast

Three likely contenders:
WA Reds
CC Bears
Brisbane2

sorry...are they confirmed or are they Likely?

Could the NRL expend to 19 or could a existing club be chucked out?

I'd imagine those 3 clubs would offer a lot to the NRL.

I doubt CC Bears will get a place unless they REPLACE an existing NSW team that maybe isn't getting the crowds or doing anything that "adds value" to the comp. Cronulla might be an example.
WA Reds is the only true 'expansion" bid of the three, because Brisbane 2 is based on hatred of the Broncos....and it will only attract fans back in a city that already is the RL capital of Australia.