Image: Wiki Commons
It’s no secret that the NRL wants to expand the competition to 20 teams within the next 10 years. The only question revolves around the location of the 18th, 19th and 20th franchises. To date, at least six proposals have been mooted in various degrees of detail. Here’s a brief outline of what seems to be on the table at the moment.
Many pundits suggest that the next cab off the rank will be a consortium built around the old North Sydney Bears to be based in Perth and known as the Western Bears. At this stage, it seems they are likely to be admitted into the League in 2027. Here’s their Facebook page.
Just a year later it is projected that a team from PNG based in Port Moresby will make its debut on the national scene. Both the Australian and PNG governments are backing this proposal with big dollars (as much as $600 million), even if their likely motivations vary significantly. Here’s the latest I could find on this option.
Then there’s a relatively new idea to combine the well-established (NSWRL) Newtown Jets with the (QRL) Ipswich Jets to form a side known simply as the Jets based in Ipswich. Both are long-standing rugby league nurseries with solid bases on which to build. The Daily Telegraph ran a major piece on this proposal recently which you can check out if you can get past the paywall.
In the battle for the 17th licence, the Dolphins won out over a strong push from Brisbane’s Easts Tigers to field a side known as the Brisbane Tigers. Again, there is a strong foundation to develop such a club. Expect to hear more from them. Read more about their current thinking here.
Another strong contender is a second side from New Zealand to be known as South Island Kea based in Christchurch. Apparently David Moffat, the former NRL boss, is a major backer of this proposal. Home matches would be shared between Christchurch and Dunedin. Check out their website here.
A sixth contender would possibly be based on the already strong Pasifika presence in the NRL. Mooted in 2023, this idea attracted very little support from any key stakeholders in the NRL and seems to have faded away.
Then, if that’s not enough to tax the brain, how will the NRL organise a competition for 20 teams – a shortened home and away season where each side plays every other club just once with a dedicated State of Origin period mid-season? Two conferences of 10 teams where the top four teams from each conference play off in a finals series? Or what?
All suggestions welcome!
To read our library of rugby league stories click HERE.
To return to our Footy Almanac home page click HERE.
To see the full 2024 season draw for the NRL click HERE.
To see the full 2024 season draw for the NRLW click HERE.
To see the details for State of Origin in 2024 click HERE.
Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.
Do you enjoy the Almanac concept?
And want to ensure it continues in its current form, and better? To help things keep ticking over please consider making your own contribution.
Become an Almanac (annual) member – CLICK HERE.
About Ian Hauser
A relaxed, Noosa-based retiree with a (very) modest sporting CV. A loyal Queenslander, especially when it comes to cricket and rugby league. Enjoys travel, coffee and cake, reading, and has been known to appreciate a glass or three of wine. One of Footy Almanac's online editors who enjoys the occasional editing opportunity to assist aspiring writers.
I know nothing of modern NRL save V’Landy’s voracious appetite to conquer the waves. Try hard Trump Lite. But only different in presentation rather than substance from the more genteel AFL corporatists south of the Barassi Line. I tend to think team location not very important. This is all about maintaining or growing eyeballs; media rights deals; advertising and gambling revenues.
Competitive sport is addictive with its ongoing live jeopardy, Tune in to see what crazy shit happens next is the promise of The Bachelor; Dancing with the Stars and Master Chef as much as AFL or NRL. It’s the thing that keeps us paying to watch. NRL and other sports are just content to feed the media marketing treadmill.
My problem with the more; more; more in professional sport is that it dilutes the standard. Talent is scraped thin tlike boarding house butter, and teams and game plans become homogeneously interchangeable. Ho hum.
This “too much of a good thing” only gets resolved by economic necessity when inevitably government largesse and consumer wallets are exhausted by debt, unemployment and recession. Coming soon to a station near you.
You only find out who’s not wearing a jockstrap when the tide goes out.
Growing a fan audience for the Perth Bears will be like growing grass in Kalgoorlie. It works so long as the punters provide the rivers of gold.
IJH:
remember 1995 – the 20-team comp?
when I read about the Newtown Jets-Ipswich Jets concept, I thought ‘how good’?! probably nostalgia!
I say bring on expansion!
R.I.T.V.