Operation Expansion: NRL (part 3)
July 20th 2009 02:39
In the argument of future expansion within the NRL, a number of invariables should be adopted. The first is that the number of teams contesting in the NRL premiership should not exceed sixteen. Second, the number of teams representing Sydney should be reduced, ideally to five or not more than six. And thirdly, in reducing the number of Sydney teams, relocation should be adopted over merges or axing.
To start with the positions of the St. George Illawarra Dragons and the Wests Tigers should technically not be in doubt. The four clubs constituting these two sides have already sacrificed enough in recent years to allow their current identities to stay intact. In the case of the Dragons, their representation in Illawarra should ensure that their future in their current state remains integral to the overall structure of the NRL.
Can the same be said for the Tigers though? Despite comprising of two NSWRL foundation sides, both with proud histories and long standing traditions which are continuously acknowledged to this day, is the issue of relocating the Tigers beyond doubt? I believe that at this stage the answer is yes. The Tigers enjoy a healthy supporter base with passionate and loyal supporters and boast one of the highest revenues in terms of merchandise sales in all the NRL. With this being said however, the Wests Tigers long term future in Sydney will forever be open to question. The challenge for the merger right now is to harness their strong support and revenue streams into building a strong club which is self-reliant and perpetually professional in future climates. Challenges that Western Suburbs and Balmain were ultimately unable to conquer in their own histories.
In saying this however, the Sea-Eagles seem to have found an area in which an option of future relocation would appear to be feasibly appropriate; the Sunshine Coast. The Sea-Eagles have already started to make inroads into the area by fielding a team in the Queensland Cup, the Sunshine Coast Sea-Eagles. Moreover, the ingrained beach culture in both areas felicitates the possibility of a fluid transition from Manly to the Noosa area. Ultimately however, due to the fact of the Sea-Eagles’ years of success and the fact that they are the only team representing Sydney north of the Harbour Bridge, Manly’s position seems secure.
Similarly, the Roosters are the only team representing the east of Sydney, and more recently the areas located close to the CBD as well. Also, the fact that the Roosters have a proud history in the region, being the only team in the NRL to have participated in every season since 1908, the team from Bondi’s position also seems secure.
Of all the teams still left in Sydney however, it is the Bulldogs that appear to have been positioning themselves towards the option of relocation. Having removed Canterbury-Bankstown from their name in the mid 1990’s, and moving their home games to ANZ Stadium, the Bulldogs have really become a team without representation.
At first glance it would seem that the Bulldogs are the best candidate for relocation amongst the remaining Sydney teams. But at closer examination, the Bulldogs are ingrained in the culture of central Sydney especially amongst those of an ethnic background. Due to this, the Bulldogs support a large and passionate fan base which spreads across the many demographic areas of the Harbour city. But would this exist in other areas? Would the Bulldogs be served better in an area such as Western Australia by abandoning their legion of fans in Sydney?
Moving to the greater west, an issue exists between the Penrith Panthers and the Parramatta Eels. The best solution would be for the two sides to merge, forming a powerhouse in the area that could far better compete with sides like Brisbane in terms of junior development and marketing opportunities. But would that work, or even succeed? Or would a situation similar to the Northern Eagles’ merger raise its head again?
In terms of relocation, the Eels would surely be better suited to that option than the Panthers. The sheer fact that the Panthers represent an area with huge junior development potential makes it imperative that a club from that area remains in the NRL. Also, the short term financial incentives provided by the NRL for teams to relocate would prove to be much needed funds for the embattled Eels club at this point in time.
With that all said the only Sydney team not yet mentioned is the pride of the league, the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Already omitted from the NRL once in their history, the Rabbitohs future is not as sound as most of its fans would care for it to be. But is the mention of moving the Rabbitohs out of Redfern, or Sydney altogether, sacrilege? To most fans, yes! But realistically, the Rabbitohs are the best positioned for relocation out of all the Sydney clubs.
The Rabbitohs have a strong supporter base, but of all the Sydney clubs their supporters extend beyond their own region and stretches across all football loving areas. The Rabbitohs brand itself is highly marketable and widely renowned, making the option of relocation easier still. Furthermore, the option of relocation could potentially breathe new life into a club that has struggled for the last two decades. As of this date, Souths have already made inroads into the Coffs Harbour region, but to secure a resurgence of success, the Rabbitohs need to establish themselves in an area with a number of key important areas. First of all, the Rabbits need to assert themselves into an area with an abundance of junior development potential and establish a solid structure to reap the ultimate rewards from it. The second essential element of a Rabbitoh relocation would be for the club to infuse itself into their adopted community, while regaining ties with their traditional district in Redfern. Membership is also another key factor. Most of all however, is that any relocation for the NRL’s most famous and successful club would be for it to establish a professional and solid structure to ensure their long term survival and future success in the premiership. It has always been said that rugby league is going well when South Sydney is going well, and the potential for future Rabbitoh success should be explored at every option despite the unfortunate implications upon their long standing history.
In conclusion, a 16 team NRL competition should obviously consist of Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra, North Queensland, Newcastle, St. George Illawarra, New Zealand and the Gold Coast. In Sydney, the Wests Tigers, Penrith Panthers, Manly-Warringah Sea-Eagles and Sydney Roosters should remain. A fifth team should represent central Sydney with either the Bulldogs or the Eels fitting that role. With three spots remaining, the Central Coast Bears most certainly should fulfill one of them. In the final two, the Rabbitohs and either the Bulldogs or Eels should relocate to represent Western Australia and a fourth Queensland team.
No decision will be without protest or division in the ultimate restructuring of the NRL. What is not disputed however is that this current period will be viewed as a critical but important crossroad in the league’s history. Whichever avenue is explored or decided upon, balance is the key with a team adequately representing every rugby league stronghold throughout Australia and New Zealand.
In the case of inaction, the natural course of attrition will certainly make the decision for us. Whatever the end result may be however, the final make-up of 16 teams needs to be set in stone for an extended period of time. Much like the ‘steady as we go’ approach by the NSWRL in its early years, the NRL needs to march into the future with a stable of equally matched and equally competitive sides, to combat the turmoil of the previous decades. A consistent stable of teams will only enhance the credibility of the NRL and bring back tribalism and tradition to the greatest game of all.
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