Central Queensland for NRL thread

[DIEHARD]

First Batch Of CQ NRL Bid Merchandise To Go On SaleShare

THE CQ NRL Bid Team is selling its very own merchandise ? less than three months after it announced plans to join an expanded NRLcompetition as early as 2013.

From today, four products will be offered for sale ? keyrings ($5), T-shirts ($20), caps ($25) and polo shirts ($35) ? at Sports Central, the rugby league supporters shop located at 104 East Street, Rockhampton. In the coming weeks, items will also be available for purchase through the Bid Team?s website at www.cqnrlbid.com.au.

Bid Team spokesman Jason Costigan said the sale of the merchandise had been in the pipeline for weeks and would allow the community to show its support for the CQ NRL Bid.

?From all reports, the rugby league-mad public of Cental Queensland have been desperate to get their hands on anything to do with the CQ NRL Bid. It?s very pleasing to say they can show their support by buying something with our bid logo on it,? he said.

Sports Central owner Karen McCurley said the possibility of an NRL side, based in Central Queensland, was exciting for the region and she was very keen to become involved.

?Every day, we?ve had customers asking where they can buy something to support the bid. Finally, we now have some product in the store and I?m extremely confident these items will be highly sought after and may even become collectors? items in years to come,? she said.

Source: CQNRL

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CQ Bid Team Flags NRL Games For Mackay

MACKAY could play host to NRL games - not just a once-a-year trial match - should a Central Queensland-based team be accepted into an expanded NRL competition.

That was the message today from Geoff Murphy, the high profile Rockhampton businessman who heads up the CQ NRL Bid Team, which held its Mackay Regional Launch in front of local civic leaders, prominent businessmen and Mackay rugby league identities.

?A Central Queensland-based NRL team would have to seriously look at the possibility of playing home games in Mackay,? Mr Murphy told the audience at the Mackay Grande Suites.

?Admittedly, the team would be based in Rockhampton but as far as I am concerned, I could see every chance of matches - not just trial matches - being played here in Mackay, should Mackay have a suitable facility that met the NRL?s strict criteria for hosting NRL matches.

?Of course, we first need a stadium in Rockhampton to have any chance of getting off the ground but I have no doubt that with community spirit, even in spite of the current economic climate, a regional stadium can be delivered to accommodate a CQ-based NRL team.?

Mr Murphy said Mackay had strong representation on the bid team in the form of local businessman and league identities Steve Dowden and Ken Weir, as well as Jason Costigan, the Mackay-raised rugby league commentator who is driving the project out of Mr Murphy?s office.

?Although Rockhampton is the base city of our bid, Mackay is very important to our success, given the region?s economic power and rich history in rugby league, including its outstanding capacity to produce some of the game?s brightest stars and biggest names,? he said.

?From Slade Point to Hay Point, Sarina to St Lawrence and Mirani to Moranbah, we need the people of the Mackay region to show their support. It?s a chance to develop a new pathway for local juniors while also giving Mackay people the chance to see NRL football every weekend.?

Source: http://www.cqnrlbid.com.au.

[Adelaide Titan]

16 teams is plenty, no need for anymore teams in my opinion. But League is popukar in QLD so I can understand why they would want a team. Good luck to them anyway!

[GCT_89]

mate, the plan is to have another two teams (18 team comp) ready in time for the new media contract in 2013.......

[DIEHARD]

mate, the plan is to have another two teams (18 team comp) ready in time for the new media contract in 2013.......

That's is certainly what I hope will happen.

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CQ NRL Bid Team Hollers for a Marshall

Isaac Regional Council mayor Cedric Marshall signs the petition for a CQ-based NRL team, with CQ NRL Bid Team project co-ordinator Jason Costigan looking on.

THE mayor of Isaac Regional Council and self-confessed rugby league fan Cedric Marshall has become the latest civic leader in Central Queensland to sign a petition for a CQ-based NRL team.

After initially being briefed on the concept at St Lawrence on April 24, Cr Marshall signed the petition at the Council?s Moranbah office this week, much to the delight of the CQ NRL Bid Team, represented on the coalfields by project co-ordinator and rugby league commentator Jason Costigan.

?It?s a symbolic signing but one that we truly appreciate,? said Mr Costigan, who also made a visit to Dysart, Cr Marshall?s hometown, as part of his trip to the Isaac Region. ?We?re now working closely with Council to stage a Regional Launch for the Isaac Region at some point later in the year.?

The petition for a CQ-based NRL team is now on public display at all of Council?s offices ? in Clermont, Dysart, Glenden, Middlemount, Nebo and St Lawrence, as well as Council?s administrative headquarters at Batchelor Parade, Moranbah. The petition is also available for signing at Moranbah?s Miners Leagues Club.

The Isaac Region has produced out a number of quality rugby league players, most notably former Origin stars Matt Sing (Dysart), Travis Norton, Josh Hannay and Clinton Schifcofske (Moranbah).

Source: CQNRL

[Adelaide Titan]

Fair enough, still makes more sence than the AFL expansion though :P

[DIEHARD]

St Brendan?s Win Further Proof of CQ?s NRL Credentials

VICTORY by St Brendan?s College, Yeppoon, at this year?s Confraternity Shield was further evidence that Central Queensland had the player base to support its own NRL team.

That?s according to Geoff Murphy, chairman of the CQ NRL Bid Team, which continues to drum up support for a locally-based NRL side, involving communities from Mackay in the north to Bundaberg in the south and west to the Northern Territory border.

?St Brendan?s has long produced players for everybody else. Instead of that happening in the future, they could provide a production line for a CQ team in the NRL,? Mr Murphy said after the Yeppoon school?s most recent success ? a 36-26 win against Townsville?s Ignatius Park College in the final of last week?s Confraternity Shield at Bundaberg.

The result gave St Brendan?s College their fifth win in eight years at the prestigious carnival, contested by independent secondary schools from all over Queensland.

?Many of the kids from St Brendan?s come from outlying areas in Central Queensland, places like the Central Highlands, Central West and Mackay. These young boys need opportunities in their own backyard. In fact, you only have to look at the current NRL media guide, which lists the names of more than 30 players from our own catchment area.

?That?s one department where we tick the box without a shadow of doubt. We have 6,500 juniors in our catchment area. You compare that to some of the current NRL clubs and we leave them for dead. We certainly have that player base to support our own NRL side. We just need to address those other areas to ensure we reach our objective.?

Source: CQNRL

[GCT_07]

Absolute Madness................... (and you wont hear me ever say this in the SOO thread and if asked I will Deny Deny Deny)......but they have a state which just screams League..........the amaizing crowds......the devoted supporters........ and they are looking at CQ when the capital city has only one team.....................Absolute Madness.

Now.... if you have a business that you are tyring to expand, especially during a difficult time financially, do you;

a) open another out in the middle of nowhere.....where there is minimal population

or do you

b) pick a capital city with proven figures and the population to back it.

The absolute bottom line is that clubs are businesses.

And for my 2 cents....... if it were my business .......Position Position Position........ Southern Brisbane (logan/ipswich)

[DIEHARD]

And for my 2 cents....... if it were my business .......Position Position Position........ Southern Brisbane (logan/ipswich)

I totally agree, the ideal spot for a future NRL club. They love their rugby league there and it is a massive growth area.

I still find the CQNRL bid fascinating and follow it. I'm glad that there is some activity on the expansion bid scene. But there needs to be alot more. There are no organisations behind a south Brisbane/Ipswich/Logan team, yet.

I often say that it is ridiculous that the 2nd largest rugby league city in the world, with 100 years of history, has one team representing it.

People need to get serious if they want to see clubs elsewhere though, time flies and creating an NRL club from the ground up is one of the hardest challenges out there.

[Ryan]

Absolute Madness................... (and you wont hear me ever say this in the SOO thread and if asked I will Deny Deny Deny)......but they have a state which just screams League..........the amaizing crowds......the devoted supporters........ and they are looking at CQ when the capital city has only one team.....................Absolute Madness.

Now.... if you have a business that you are tyring to expand, especially during a difficult time financially, do you;

a) open another out in the middle of nowhere.....where there is minimal population

or do you

b) pick a capital city with proven figures and the population to back it.

The absolute bottom line is that clubs are businesses.

And for my 2 cents....... if it were my business .......Position Position Position........ Southern Brisbane (logan/ipswich)

ALthough I am sceptical about this taking off, I think the sense behind the CQ bid is it's large untapped catchment area. At least people in Brisbane don't have to go far to see a game, even if they don't support the broncos. A free train\bus ride between G\coast and Brisbane and your at a game.

I live in CQ and it is a minimum 12hrs driving(return) plus overnight accomodation costs everytime I wanna see a game.
If they manage to put a stadium in Rockhampton, there is a couple of hundred thousand people in the area who won't mind a 2hr drive\train ride compared to a 12-16hr return trip from SE QLD.

A CQ team does have it's merits. I'll buy a top line membership if it takes off, it's only a 1hr drive from my place - I stand in the bus line longer than that at skilled......

[GCT_07]

Ryan.......I completly understand what your saying...... and yes there is a catchment area for Rocky........ but you would travel the hour because your a diehard football fan..............I used to travel from the North Side of Brisbane down to Skilled each game but majority of people would just look at me and ask why I would travel so far just for a football game and if I liked football that much whey dont Ijust go to Suncorp Staduim (which was about 8 minutes away from where I lived)

Now having said that, when we played at Lismore there were many who thought it wasnt worth the trip from the Gold Coast to Lismore (about 90 minutes away)........didnt stop us (again... we are the freaks of the game) we drove an hour to the coast first then another hour & half down to Lismore.

The short version of what I m trying to say is that....... die hard fans will travel long distances...... the average person wont, they will prefer to just sit on the couch or get together with a few friends and watch it on TV. So yes there is a massive catchment for the team..... BUT...... that wont translate into enough ticket sales to sustain the club.

[Ryan]

Ryan.......I completly understand what your saying...... and yes there is a catchment area for Rocky........ but you would travel the hour because your a diehard football fan..............I used to travel from the North Side of Brisbane down to Skilled each game but majority of people would just look at me and ask why I would travel so far just for a football game and if I liked football that much whey dont Ijust go to Suncorp Staduim (which was about 8 minutes away from where I lived)

Now having said that, when we played at Lismore there were many who thought it wasnt worth the trip from the Gold Coast to Lismore (about 90 minutes away)........didnt stop us (again... we are the freaks of the game) we drove an hour to the coast first then another hour & half down to Lismore.

The short version of what I m trying to say is that....... die hard fans will travel long distances...... the average person wont, they will prefer to just sit on the couch or get together with a few friends and watch it on TV. So yes there is a massive catchment for the team..... BUT...... that wont translate into enough ticket sales to sustain the club.

Sustaining ticket sales is the only reason I am sceptical of this bid working, but there certainly is merit there to make it happen.
Entertainment wise, there is f'all happening in CQ each week. There are no national teams or big events worth dragging the family to. An NRL team will be the biggest attraction 12 times a year when we get home games. You won't need to be an NRL Diehard fan to be attracted to this event. Mabey someone can pull some figures out when Tonga played Scotland in the World Cup? - thats was huge news for the area......

Travelling an hour each way for decent entertainment is nothing for semi-rural areas in CQ. You metro city-slickers are spoilt as where you have choice as to what big event you get to go to each week, not to mention much quicker and easier access to it. Far cannel, alot of people drive more than that just to get to work everyday.....
I don't consider myself a 'diehard fan' but i still fork out a few times a year for a 13hr round trip + accom just to see the Titans play.
Most people in CQ will not have to worry about o\night accom and driving marathons to get to the game, should this bid succeed.

The key will be making it affordable and easy to get to the stadium for families. If they can link the proposed stadium to the CQ rail network, and have a subsidised transport ticket price (or free) - that'll be enough to fill the stadium almost every game. There are plenty of big mining companies in the district that will benefit from sponsoring the team and local governerment would also kick in to reap the tourism benefits. And the movement and response from CQ since the proposal has been huge. So this team could be financially viable.

The benefits in having a CQ team over a third SE QLD team? - Geographical territory, marketing diversity, broader coverage for the game. And the state government would be more likely to help out CQ rather than SE QLD again, after forking out for the Titans and GC17 in recent times.

[GCT_07]

Well Ryan..... I m just going to have to disagree. Just so you know..... I m from the country..... I know that traveling is looked at differently than it is in a city. BUT that still doesnt change the fact that a stadium has a far better chance of being full in Brisbane than it does in Rocky. Lets face it..... its not about how many people can sit at home and cheer in front of a TV... its about how many people can fill a stadium.

[Ryan]

Well Ryan..... I m just going to have to disagree. Just so you know..... I m from the country..... I know that traveling is looked at differently than it is in a city. BUT that still doesnt change the fact that a stadium has a far better chance of being full in Brisbane than it does in Rocky. Lets face it..... its not about how many people can sit at home and cheer in front of a TV... its about how many people can fill a stadium.

Far out, my last two posts were based on reasons why people in CQ are more likely to travel to the game rather than sit on the couch if they had their own team. I was never arguing another team in Brisbane wouldn't fill seats, but if you are totally dismissing a CQ team based on minimal crowd attendances - you know f-all about the region and it's demographics.
I guess time will tell..