Aussie Player Exodus

[The Ghost of Raelene]

They have no current incentive to really invest in it. Put an NRL team there and it will begin at some level. 7,900 isn’t that bad when they have no NRL presence at all.

 

[Marce]

Absolutely.

I wasn’t ignoring the other teams/areas just used the Reds and Tahs as that is the traditional League heartlands. They talk about Perth being a likely expansion team which would immediately put pressure on the Force pathway.

3 new teams is 120 new Professional players at least. NZ and the Pacific nations will be targeted just as hard.

They are gonna target NZ too. A second Kiwi team is an old dream for NRL bosses. The funny thing is Kiwis rugby supporters hate RA, they don't know that need Australia for their own purpose. The largest economic market in Oceania, you need that money to compite against the Europeans who poach Anzac players

 

[Rebel man]

It doesn't matter. The pool of League registered players in NSW and QLD is huge enough to feed teams in other states. They weaken Union grassroots in NSW and QLD, they weaken the heart of Rugby Australia

It does matter. They need those clubs to be successful. Yes the pool of talent is big but the millions it is going to cost setting potential clubs in Adelaide and Perth and the ongoing cost of supporting these clubs without leagues club propping them up also opens opportunities

 

[Marce]

It does matter. They need those clubs to be successful. Yes the pool of talent is big but the millions it is going to cost setting potential clubs in Adelaide and Perth and the ongoing cost of supporting these clubs without leagues club propping them up also opens opportunities

If they destroy rugby heartland in QLD and NSW. Eventually more people will get involved in League clubs in those states

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

They are gonna target NZ too. A second Kiwi team is an old dream for NRL bosses. The funny thing is Kiwis rugby supporters hate Rugby Australia, they don't know that need Australia for their own purpose. The largest economic market in Oceania, you need that money to compite against the Europeans who poach Anzac players

I don’t think we’ll see a second NZ team in the NRL in the next lot of teams whenever it may be. The Warriors have a steady fan base and it seems most players would rather live in Australia anyway. We see how hard the NRL is going at recruiting talent in Aus and this will move into the NZ school system also.

It does matter. They need those clubs to be successful. Yes the pool of talent is big but the millions it is going to cost setting potential clubs in Adelaide and Perth and the ongoing cost of supporting these clubs without leagues club propping them up also opens opportunities

Yeah, they don’t want to ruin any current teams for the sake of growth. I think any new teams in the next 4-5 years will be established entities like the Dolphins with substantial backing already. The Jets in QLD have this as do the Bears in Sydney who have been floated as the team for Perth which would make it the easiest launch. They surely would have learnt from the AFL that brand new brands are a really tough sell if you can’t guarantee success which you can’t in the NRL with the free agency model.

 

[Rebel man]

I don’t think we’ll see a second NZ team in the NRL in the next lot of teams when we it may be. The Warriors have a steady fan base and it seems most players would rather live in Australia anyway. We see how hard the NRL is going at recruiting talent in Aus and this will move into the NZ school system also.


Yeah they don’t want to ruin any current teams for the sake of growth. I think any new teams in the next 4-5 years will be established entities like the Dolphins with substantial backing already. The Jets in QLD have this as do the Bears in Sydney who have been floated as the team for Perth which would make it the easiest launch. They surely would have learnt from the AFL that brand new brands are a really tough sell if you can’t guarantee success which you can’t in the NRL with the free agency model.

Even if you call them the Perth Bears while it offsets some of the costs there are still a lot of other costs of setting up a new side.

Same with the Adelaide team.

It’s a risk, if the risk pays off for the NRL then it will significantly hurt us but if the risk backfires it provides opportunities

 

[wamberal]

Even if you call them the Perth Bears while it offsets some of the costs there are still a lot of other costs of setting up a new side.

Same with the Adelaide team.

It’s a risk, if the risk pays off for the NRL then it will significantly hurt us but if the risk backfires it provides opportunities

One of the problems with a Perth based side is the time difference. Distance is an issue, too. The only reason the Storm has survived is Rupert's money (and Craig Bellamy, of course).

 

[Wilson]

One of the problems with a Perth based side is the time difference. Distance is an issue, too. The only reason the Storm has survived is Rupert's money (and Craig Bellamy, of course).

Time difference is largerly considered an assest to the league/broadcast there - it's an opportunity to squeeze an extra game into prime time Friday/Saturday night slots with a kick off that would be too late for crowds/noise restrictions in the Eastern states.

 

[Dctarget]

"The CVs of Filipo Daugunu and Monty Ioane are circulating the Top 14 currently" according to Rugbyrama. Makes sense for Filipo, pay day. Maybe Monty only needed to return home for a year and solve what ever needed solving.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Interesting. Wouldn't surprise me to see Filipo go after the RWC. Not saying he will be picked but in the player circus. Monty is a familiar name in European Rugby so I'm sure he has a lot of contact. He's been slightly underwhelming so far IMO but the Rebels have improved so he may be a factor in that and I'm not seeing it.

 

[Wilson]

"The CVs of Filipo Daugunu and Monty Ioane are circulating the Top 14 currently" according to Rugbyrama. Makes sense for Filipo, pay day. Maybe Monty only needed to return home for a year and solve what ever needed solving.

Yeah, Daugunu has been on a RA top up, that looks unlikely to continue so it makes sense for him. A bit may depend on how Vunivalu goes, but from a Reds perspective I hope we can hold onto one of them.

Wouldn't be surprised to see Monty move on either, the contract difference must be significant for him and a year home can definitely be enough to reset, particularly if the problem was the previous environment. He's also getting on for a winger, so he'll probably want to maximise his earnings over the next world cup cycle.

 

[Marce]

One of the problems with a Perth based side is the time difference. Distance is an issue, too. The only reason the Storm has survived is Rupert's money (and Craig Bellamy, of course).

Not really the time zone. The distance is the real issue, a competition like the extinct NRC can't afford travels to Perth every fortnight. For NRL and AFL is not a matter

 

[Rebel man]

One of the problems with a Perth based side is the time difference. Distance is an issue, too. The only reason the Storm has survived is Rupert's money (and Craig Bellamy, of course).

I fear the storm will be a casualty of expansion. They lost their zone, when Bellamy goes well they won’t be held in the same regard

 

[Rebel man]

"The CVs of Filipo Daugunu and Monty Ioane are circulating the Top 14 currently" according to Rugbyrama. Makes sense for Filipo, pay day. Maybe Monty only needed to return home for a year and solve what ever needed solving.

I can’t imagine Monty going took a massive pay cut to be at home with his family

 

[Marce]

"The CVs of Filipo Daugunu and Monty Ioane are circulating the Top 14 currently" according to Rugbyrama. Makes sense for Filipo, pay day. Maybe Monty only needed to return home for a year and solve what ever needed solving.

Let him go. While Irish, Scotmen and French are poaching young Aussie talent you are occupying one of the few Super Rugby quotas for someone who chose Italy. Make space for a Junior Wallaby or someone who is elegible. I would target Louis Lynagh

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

I fear the storm will be a casualty of expansion. They lost their zone, when Bellamy goes well they won’t be held in the same regard

Storm crowds have been very healthy though. Especially compared to the Rebels but I know success is the biggest factor in this. You're right about Bellamy. That will be very interesting to see what happens.

Perth makes a lot of sense when 20 teams will mean 2 more games a week than what they currently have. They love the idea of the late game or a 5pm Perth game slides right into a prime-time East Coast game. Even if 20 is still ambitious you have to acknowledge they are moving with a plan. They got the first step which is a game in the Brisbane/SEQ area every weekend.

 

[Rebel man]

Storm crowds have been very healthy though. Especially compared to the Rebels but I know success is the biggest factor in this. You're right about Bellamy. That will be very interesting to see what happens.

Perth makes a lot of sense when 20 teams will mean 2 more games a week than what they currently have. They love the idea of the late game or a 5pm Perth game slides right into a prime-time East Coast game. Even if 20 is still ambitious you have to acknowledge they are moving with a plan. They got the first step which is a game in the Brisbane/SEQ area every weekend.

Storm crowds have been healthy but most of that is bandwagon support. If the Rebels had success it would be no different.

When Bellamy goes and they have lost their zone without ever adequately investing in the game here there will be issues

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Wonder who they have in mind for the job then. If you want to keep the band playing, a guy like Billy Slater does make sense but he's an unknown (origin doesn't reflect club) They do recruit and retain well though. Again, how much of that is to play for Bellamy.

Sorry way off topic now.

 

[Marce]

Storm crowds have been healthy but most of that is bandwagon support. If the Rebels had success it would be no different.

When Bellamy goes and they have lost their zone without ever adequately investing in the game here there will be issues

Let's be honest, 327k followers in IG is not a bandwagon fever. It's the sum of the 3 traditionals rugby states in IG together: ACT + NSW + QLD

The only way to build something is recognize your strenghts and weaknesses

 

[Rebel man]

Let's be honest, 327k followers in IG is not a bandwagon fever. It's the sum of the 3 traditionals rugby states in IG together: ACT + NSW + QLD

The only way to build something is recognize your strenghts and weaknesses

Insta followers are the very definition of bandwagon.

Storm 327k followers yet 40k members
Collingwood 298k followers yet 100k members
Richmond 289k followers yet 100k members
Carlton 242k followers yet 88k members
Essendon 232k followers yet 86k members
Geelong 226k followers yet 71k members
Hawthorn 209k followers yet 81k members
Bulldogs 176k followers yet 50k members
Melbourne 140k followers yet 66k members
St Kilda 131k followers yet 60k members
North 118k followers yet 50k members

The AFL membership numbers don’t count those who are AFL or MCC members either just club members