Super 14 Expansion

[unipirate]

This seems like it is going to happen, and a desicion will be made sometime this year. If and when it does happen I feel the ARU needs to give the new franchise to Melbourne.

They were the city that went up against Perth and lost out. They do however posses a good rugby community and will have a very nice new rectangular stadium! Unlike us here in Perth.

I am only bringing this up because i saw an article on foxsport.com.au

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...002381,00.html

That seems to indicate that Newcastle, Gold Coast or Japan may get the team.

I think that it would be pretty unfair on Melbourne if they were to miss out. I don't know what others think but it is just my opinion.

[Darren]

I hope Melbourne apply again if it does come up - it would be a good laugh to watch them get trumped again

[mudskipper]

As long as Fox &/or the future broadcaster/s are prepared to pay the additional costs... Many media companies are currently posting a loss...

[RuckNMaul]

Melbourne wont get a new team, Iv heard the brumbies are interested in relocating there...

hey!, i have actually got a link!!

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...002381,00.html

[RuckNMaul]

baby steps,

http://www.brumbies.com.au/act.rugby/page/39826

[waratahjesus]

if they expand the comp by teams and rounds, i would like to see a half aus/half japan team to help develop rugby in japan and also a few more places for aus players (plus we get to tap into the yen!) and if there is extra rounds, the brumbies playing a few games in melbourne would untap player development areas and some more corporate dollars for them!

[RuckNMaul]

i cant see the benifit of an aust/ jap team, id rather see japan beefed up with pacific island players.

Apparently japan is one of the hardest hit by the GFC so i like to wait a while and see the full impact of this global recession, on a positive they could have Jimmy for a captain!

[mudskipper]

Thanks for Clearly that Point Up R&M....read on...

The article was written in January 2008 and is addressing the 2010 Super Comp. It is about the extended 22 match super competition the Brumbies would be prepared to play some matches away in Melbourne. Cleary there are opportunities to grow the fan base and make financial gains for the province...

It’s a great idea to play a few Melbourne games and cash in down their, grow some new supporters. CEO Fagan also clearly states that the Brumbies will always be a Canberra based team. Another example the Sydney Swans play in Canberra every year as did North Melbourne. Its not such a big deal here…

Nice to see executive management with vision getting in early…. and you guys wonder why the Brumbies are the most successful club in Australia… it’s because they have vision on and off the field…


Brumbies consider second home
By Wayne Smith
January 25, 2008

THE Brumbies have conceded they are prepared to take some of their Super 14 home matches to Melbourne, but only in an expanded competition that would effectively double the number of games they play each season.

"There is absolutely zero intention of the team moving anywhere," Fagan said. "The Brumbies are Canberra based and will forever remain Canberra-based. But if the competition was expended in such a way that we had 11, 12, 13 home games each season, then we would be open to the suggestion of taking a couple of them to Melbourne.

"If by 2010, we know where we stand about any future expansion of Super rugby and we find the season is going to be extended to 22 or more games, then we'd have those discussions.

"In the short term, we'll do what we can to assist player development in Victoria and look at other ways to ensure that Melbourne is well-placed to win its own team if new franchises are brought into Super rugby."

Fagan admitted the Brumbies had twice been approached by the operators of Telstra Dome to stage matches there. While any one-off game might be financially attractive, ACT officials have decided any monetary benefits that came from playing in a 55,000- seat venue (as opposed to Canberra Stadium's 25,000) would be more than offset by the angst it would cause their Canberra-based supporters.

[mudskipper]

baby steps,

http://www.brumbies.com.au/act.rugby/page/39826

Nice to see you're looking for another club to support Ruck & Maul....but I'm sure the Force will be OK...

[RuckNMaul]

Mudskipper,

I have always supported the brumbies as they were my team long before the were around, i did read that article last year (i put the link in, no need to cut copy half the story)and do visit the brumbies page frequently.

I was mearly perscribing you a dose of your own medicine in regards to telling half truths and bringing up past stories that eventuate to nil. i dont usually fish around here but you are making it hard to resist! you even bite at month old bait!!
mabey you would be liked at the greenhouse.

[waratahjesus]

the benifit of the australian/japan team would be the millions of people that live in japan, if they can support one team with aussie players, we can sell aussie merch and our country to japan, even brand the wallabies there and open up millions of people in terms of television audiences. there is alot of sense about it!

[jargan83]

Melbourne wont get a new team, Iv heard the brumbies are interested in relocating there...

hey!, i have actually got a link!!

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...002381,00.html

whilst it might be a year old did anyone in Canberra refute the idea?

Isn't that how the South Melbourne Swans started off, playing a few games in Sydney

[RuckNMaul]

Warratah Jesus,
Im not disputing the viability of the Japanese rugby market, i agree with what you are saying but i belive it would be even more benificial to have them combine with the Pacific Islanders. therfore we could achive what you have stated above but also expand that further to the Pacific Islands, i know ther rugby mad and have many players in NZ teams but i can see a real benifit in creating them a team of there own even if its combined with Japan. this would still benifit Australian teams without the need to thin out our talent once again.

[mudskipper]

Mudskipper,

I have always supported the brumbies as they were my team long before the were around, i did read that article last month (i put the link in, no need to cut copy half the story)and do visit the brumbies page frequently.

I was mearly perscribing you a dose of your own medicine in regards to telling half truths and bringing up past stories that eventuate to nil. i dont usually fish around here but you are making it hard to resist! you even bite at month old bait!!
mabey you would be liked at the greenhouse.

I commend your interest in the Brumbies.... However I don't spread half truths just what’s being stated publicly for discussion...

There is a lot of denial here about what has happened and some very short term memories… Acknowledgement of past issues is important as you can read this week players are now coming out and inferring their considering moving away because of such issues… Players can't openly speak their mind, they will just walk away and sign eslewhere...

Just blind loyalty backing the Clubs power brokers in the province only lets them off the hook and not made accountable for the teams environment. Believe me it wont help the club...You and others should be more open minded to what is presented... I'm not asking you to think one-way or another...

Last night I had TWF members being rude about my wife… what rubbish is that? Pathetic behavior… bogan behavior…have some dignity people…or we all think the worst of you from here…

[beige]

I don't know how a joint venture team with Japan would work because they have so many foreigners in their league anyway - Reuben Thorne, Troy Flavell, Caleb Ralph just to name some NZers...

If you allow them to be selected in a joint-venture team, then the Japanese players get squeezed out. If you don't allow them to play, then I'm not sure how the Japanese fans would warm to it when the best players in their competition aren't allowed to play.

Personally, I think a Japanese team should just be the Japanese players with whatever foreigners happen to be playing in their league.

And then there's the fact that Japan still hasn't expressed any interest in joining (at least publicly). They say that they want their league to be world-class one day and I don't know if they see playing second-fiddle to Super Rugby as being beneficial to that - despite the professional environment that it would expose their players to.

I like the idea of a Japanese franchise but I'm still sceptical.