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With the disillusionment of a lot of Western Force fans with the unknowns of new coaching staff and the ARU High Performance Unit in charge of Recruitment has the actions of the Western Australian Government by actively seeking Rugby Leagues State of Origin Match to show case the Perth Stadium brought forward the case for a National Rugby League team in Perth.
And by having a NRL team in Perth with that mean the Western Force have to compete with this new team for Sponsors, Members, spectators, time slots at NIB Stadium and even players?
Exile
Sydney
"Pain heels. Chicks dig scars and Glory lasts forever." Shane Falco
Possibly.
However, I think "the actions of the Western Australian Government" is more about getting people to WA spending money and paying off the stadium costs (eventually).
"12 Years aSupporter" starring the #SeaOfBlue
I hope we see more of the WA Govt agencies aggressively chasing international standard events. They have learned the lesson of letting the WAFC call the shots at Subi and will have a solid commercial operator in charge. Watch this space, I reckon. Hopefully for a Bledisloe, an NRL GF, Lions Test, Asian Football qualifiers. All good.
Re another NRL team: all the noises coming from HQ are very timid on expansion atm. They still have quite a few of their clubs struggling financially. A relocation is a possibility, I suppose. But moving a struggling franchise to a new area could be counterproductive. Maybe one of the financial ones could open a sub-branch. The Western Eels anyone? Apparently they have so much spare that they hand over brown paper bags to dodgy characters in shopping center car parks.![]()
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Not so sure about point 1, personally I wouldn't sign on for membership of a league team, but I know many would.
Point 2, yes definitely. Most people over here confuse the two codes and many would wonder why we need as many rugby teams as we do footy teams.
After 11 years I still have to explain the difference.
C'mon the![]()
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Looks like the Mungos are upping the ante in Perth. Just announced 2 "World Cup" matches for NIB 2017. Kangaroos V England, one TBA. Let's hope the second is a real blockbuster. Maybe Lebanon V Slovakia?![]()
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
IF the State of Origin in Perth is a massive success - don't you think it would be foolish of the NRL not to take advantage of hightened interest in League that the State of Origin would generate?
Exile
Sydney
"Pain heels. Chicks dig scars and Glory lasts forever." Shane Falco
Expansion these days is closely link to expansion so I don't thin kwe will see a Perth based NRL side until 2023.
The RLIC is run by the 16 clubs and there is bit too much self interest to throw in a couple of new sides before the end of the next TV deal.
England vs France at NiB not Australia.
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/l...19-gq8rs3.html
Yeah that sounds more like it Jargs when I think about it. I've often wondered whether the news readers 2sm need to have failed a basic literacy test to get a job.
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
The games at NiB seem to be a double-header: England vs France and European Qualifier 1 vs European Qualifier 2.
There are 3 European qualifiers from 2 groups:
Wales vs Serbia
Serbia vs Italy
Italy vs Wales
Russia vs Spain
Spain vs Ireland
Ireland vs Russia
Winners of each group qualify and the second placed teams play-off.
Most odd world cup structure, though:
Two groups of 4: (A: Australia, England, France & Lebanon; B: New Zealand, Samoa, Scotland & Tonga) from which the top three teams qualify.
Two groups of 3: (C: Papua New Guinea, European Qualifier 1 & European Qualifier 2; D: Fiji, USA, European Qualifier 3) from which only the top team qualifies.
So Group A has the previous winners, previous semi-finalists, previous quarter-finalists, and a qualifier.
Group B has the previous runners-up, two previous quarter-finalists, and a qualifier.
Group C has a co-host who didn't win a game last time and two qualifiers.
Group D has a previous semi-finalist and two qualifiers.
Why not have 2 extra teams qualify (ie, 16), spread the talent around the groups more, and then the top two from each group go into the quarterfinals?
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon
Serbia??![]()
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
In the current issue of Rugby League Week, Blocker Roach reckons 'his mail' is Wests Tigers want to move to Perth. I should point out I have a giant pile of salt in front of me as I type this.