The Dolphins are the NRL's 17th club

[DIEHARD]

Gee these are embarrassing comments from someone who is supposed to be the leader of QUEENSLAND rugby league.

He wants a washed up Sydney team? Does he not understand tribalism? It's an insult.

Meanwhile we have three traditional BRL clubs bidding to get a shot at the NRL.

What teams would be weak? Manly, Sharks and Tigers.

And Manly and Sharks are two of the most hated clubs in QLD!

Brisbane Sea Eagles and Brisbane Sharks would be an epic failure.

[DIEHARD]

Gallery: The highs and lows of the South Queensland Crushers
https://www.couriermail.com.au/quest...97fc891d94d049

[DIEHARD]

Nick Politis backs NRL’s expansion plan
https://www.couriermail.com.au

Queensland’s hopes of securing a second Brisbane team has received a massive boost with one of the NRL’s most powerful men backing plans to expand the game.

A second Brisbane team is all but locked in but the NRL isn’t going to stop there, identifying another market that will allow it to create conferences.

Roosters supremo Nick Politis has thrown his support behind the NRL’s expansion plans in a major shot-in-the-arm for Queensland’s hopes of receiving a second team in Brisbane for 2023.

Politis, one of rugby league’s most powerful men with personal wealth of more than $1 billion, believes a second Brisbane team to rival the Broncos can deliver another marquee derby at Suncorp Stadium and be a smash hit with broadcasters.

The sentiments from Roosters chairman Politis came as the Queensland Rugby League clarified its position on expansion, saying it would not oppose a 17th team if an ARL Commission probe shows the code will benefit from a new franchise.

Watch The 2021 NRL Telstra Premiership Live & On-Demand with No Ad-Breaks During Play. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys has begun visiting the existing 16 clubs to outline his vision for growth amid speculation a growing number of Sydney teams want expansion plans scrapped.

But the expansion push has found a significant supporter in Politis, who says his NRL glamour club the Roosters can see the merits in the birth of a fourth team in Queensland.

“The Roosters don’t have a problem with another team coming in,” Politis said.

“I’m not against expansion, I wouldn’t care if another two teams came in.

“The ARL Commission are looking at and it will need a strong business case for expansion to go ahead.”

Politis has been a political heavy-hitter in rugby league for more than 40 years and his views are sure to pique the interest of ARL Commissioners, who will decide by July whether to expand the NRL premiership to 17 teams.

“The game has to look at expansion because the Commission is looking at ways to improve the TV rights,” Politis said.

“Ideally, they would like to have a game at Suncorp Stadium every week on TV so that’s a major reason, I’m sure the networks would want that.

“I don’t mind another team in south-east Queensland, which enables the game to have another local derby and a game every weekend at Suncorp.

“If that (a second Brisbane team) is going to help the NRL get a better deal, then that’s a good thing financially and that would help all the clubs.

“It makes sense to me ... more money in the game helps sustain everybody.”

V’landys found himself on a collision course with Queensland Rugby League chairman Bruce Hatcher, who on Thursday said he would prefer to see a Sydney team relocated to Brisbane, citing concerns over playing depth in the NRL.

Hatcher came under fierce attack on social media from critics who believe Queenslanders will not support a rebadged Sydney team.

Queensland’s governing body insists it will not attempt to block expansion if a detailed analysis by the ARL Commission provides conclusive evidence that expansion will help the sport.

“The QRL board, which met in Brisbane (on Friday), shares the view that any decision to issue a licence to a 17th franchise needs to be evidence based,” Hatcher said.

“The scope of feasibility work must be expanded to include the most impactful use of funds and resources, taking into consideration future investment into the women’s game and state-wide competitions which underpin the NRL.

“We are of the opinion that significant feasibility work needs to be undertaken and presented to the QRL before a clear position on expansion can be formed.

“If it is determined, however, that a 17th franchise is the best decision for the game, then we wholeheartedly support a second team in Brisbane, particularly as each of the three contenders for expansion are affiliated with Intrust Super Cup clubs.”

Brisbane Jets bid official Steve Johnson said the notion of relocation is “nonsense”.

“To relocate a team disrespects the history of clubs and their existing fans,” he said.

“The Sydney clubs have a right to remain in the game with their brands.

“In a heartland like Queensland, you won’t engender any goodwill by relocating a Sydney team. The fans won’t embrace that team, so you won’t get any buy-in for a relocated team in Queensland.

“The only model for relocation is to go to a totally new market, such as Perth, where rugby league doesn’t dominate.

“A relocated club would inherently not be in a good state, otherwise they wouldn’t relocate.

“So why would you bring a struggling club to Queensland. It’s not a model the game can afford to entertain.”

[DIEHARD]

Peter V’landys reveals plan for five QLD teams to combat AFL turf war
http://www.theaustraliancom.au

Australian Rugby League Commission boss Peter V’landys has revealed Queensland could have a fifth NRL team by 2027 and has outlined plans to clean up the sport to win the turf war against the AFL.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Courier Mail, V’landys opened up about expansion, the AFL threat, the NRL’s image and his disgust at the wild brawl that marred a Brisbane junior league game last weekend.

V’landys and NRL bosses arrived in Brisbane on Wednesday ahead of the NRL’s Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium and the ARLC chief is using the event as a vehicle to ensure rugby league dominates the AFL in Queensland.

Part of that strategy involves a proposed second Brisbane team for 2023, a possible fifth Queensland club for the next broadcast deal and a wider appeal to Australian mums and dads concerned about the brutality of the sport.

THE NRL’S IMAGE
Rugby league has copped a series of black eyes in recent days. There was not only the sickening sight of Roosters five-eighth Drew Hutchison suffering a punctured lung after being kneed in the back by Eels rival Dylan Brown last Saturday.

Just 24 hours after that incident, Queensland rugby league was rocked by a melee at an under-13s game between Wynnum Manly and Logan Brothers in which a parent required facial surgery after being kicked in the face.

V’landys said he will put rugby league under the microscope across all levels of the sport to provide a safe environment for parents, coaches and players, both grassroots and professional.

“I want to send a message to mums and dads in Queensland and across Australia - they should not be concerned about their kids playing rugby league,” he said.

“I will take every action necessary to stop foul play and we will not tolerate any hit above the shoulder even if it’s accidental.

“That’s the edict coming from me.

“A lot of junior league is non-contact as it stands. There are always ways to improve the sport and safety is uppermost in my mind.

“But as a Commission, we will make the game safer.”

Of the Brisbane junior brawl, V’landys said: “It’s disgusting. They are acts of cowards. If you want to be a thug, you have no place in our game.

“If you want to be an aggressive bully, get out of our game. Go somewhere else. I won’t stand for it.”

THE AFL THREAT
V’landys believes rugby league is under siege in Queensland. The Brisbane Lions are constructing a $70 million headquarters at Springfield in the western corridor on the very patch of grass that once housed rugby league goalposts and football fields.

That is the most palpable sign the AFL is making dangerous incursions into rugby league heartland - and V’landys promised the NRL empire will strike back.

“I will give due credit to the AFL,” he said.

“They have quietly kept us warm and fuzzy and held our hand while they are invading us.

“Let’s not mince words. The AFL are invading Queensland and that is brilliant management. I’m not bagging the AFL. They have excellent strategy. But I’m up for the fight. I’m not going to sit back and give them our territory.

Peter V’landys his ready to fight the Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns in a turf war. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/AFL Photos/Getty
Peter V’landys his ready to fight the Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns in a turf war. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/AFL Photos/Getty
“It’s like if you are at war - you don’t give the enemy half your land.

“Queensland is our turf and I will protect it. The AFL have been very smart and strategic by moving into the western corridor (of Brisbane), but they can’t sit back and think I will accept that.

“Every corridor of rugby league’s house in Queensland is important. It’s our traditional market, but you cannot be complacent and I won’t allow us to be.

“We will come out fighting.”

EXPANSION
On Monday, the NRL formally called for expressions of interest for a second team in Brisbane to rival the Broncos. The Brisbane Jets, Firehawks and Dolphins are the three consortia bidding to join the big league as the NRL’s 17th team in 2023.

Some of the NRL’s existing clubs, led by the Gold Coast Titans, have expressed concerns about growing the code in a COVID-affected climate, but V’landys hit back at critics of his expansion push.

“We would be derelict in our duty as an ARL Commission not to look at the footprint of our game and how he can make our game more viable and appealing to people,” he said.

“The competition is not just other sports - technology is the other threat in this new world.

“Video games are a problem and we need to get children off what I call home devices. I see it in my own kids. My children are 11, 10 and 8 and they love spending time on their iPads, Xboxes and Playstations and they have very little interest in playing sport.

“One, we have to attract kids to play sport and the second motive is to entice them to play rugby league.

“If you want to dominate a market you need to have a presence there all the time. We want to dominate Queensland. A second Brisbane team gives the NRL a game every weekend at Suncorp Stadium.

“We are analysing it. Expansion is not a fait accompli.

“People who are jumping up and down should understand that as directors (of the ARL Commission), we have a responsibility to the game as a whole, not to individual clubs.

“Cameron Smith, the greatest player ever, was a Logan junior. He went from Brisbane to Melbourne.

“If there was a second Brisbane team, would he have gone there?

“We should not be on the board if we are too scared to look at a second Brisbane team. We should not be frightened of opportunity. I am determined to grow the game.”

STRIVE FOR FIVE
V’landys is keen to provide more value for the code’s next broadcast deal with 18 teams having been discussed.

Pay TV operator Foxtel are locked in until 2027, while Channel 9’s contract expires at the end of next year and the free-to-air giant are sure to seek additional revenue streams from the NRL to justify fresh media investment.

The NRL are exploring the birth of a second team in New Zealand to join the Warriors, while V’landys is open to a fifth licence in Queensland.

“A fifth team in Queensland is not out of the question at all as we continue to grow,” he said.

“If an 18th team was to come in, it might happen in the next broadcast cycle, but if it is going to happen, planning has to start now. It’s part of our long-term plan.

“It’s too early to be absolutely certain where we go. New Zealand was suggested by Andrew (Abdo, NRL CEO) and that is certainly a market that we are after, but it could be anywhere.

“I won’t rule out Perth, but there could be another team in Queensland.”

MAGIC ROUND
The Courier-Mail can reveal Tourism and Events Queensland are keen to keep Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium for the next 10 years.

The first instalment of Magic Round in 2019 attracted 134,677 fans and delivered a $20 million economic injection. The NRL’s deal with the Queensland government expires at the end of 2023 and V’landys has no plans to take Magic Round out of the Sunshine State.

“We have an excellent relationship with Tourism and Events Queensland and they have done a magnificent job backing the Magic Round,” he said.

“There may be another time where we might look at other cities for Magic Round, but at the moment I love the concept in Queensland.

“We are loyal partners and the players all enjoy playing at Suncorp which is one of the best sporting stadiums in the world.

“It’s a Queensland event.”

GRAND FINAL
There is a view Queenslanders will never see an NRL grand final at Suncorp Stadium. The NSW government is committed to retaining the NRL grand final until 2042, but V’landys says there may be scope for a Suncorp decider.

“I will never say never on a grand final in Queensland,” he said.

“I understand and admire the passion of the Queensland people for rugby league and there are ways and means to do anything in life if you are a can-do person. I am a can-do person.

“Obviously there are reasons why the NRL grand final in Sydney but I would be insular to rule out having a grand final at Suncorp Stadium.”

STATE OF ORIGIN
V’landys warned the golden goose of rugby league – the $100 million showpiece that is State of Origin – could be under threat if the NRL does not expand in Queensland.

“State of Origin’s success hinges on Queensland,” he said.

“I can tell you this, if we don’t look to grow the game in Queensland, we might not have a competitive State of Origin in 10 years. It could be totally eroded.

“One of the reasons we are looking at expansion is because one of the QRL’s own directors, Ben Ikin, gave a presentation about it. He said if we don’t look after participation in Queensland, we will not have a viable State of Origin in the future. He is 100 per cent correct.

“If Queensland gets a cough, State of Origin catches a cold. We need Queensland strong for playing talent ... or State of Origin becomes sick.”

[DIEHARD]

NRL expansion fight: Titans tell Peter V’landys, Andrew Abdo to produce facts
https://www.couriermail.com.au/

Crisis talks between the NRL and the Titans are underway after Gold Coast bosses accused the league of ignoring findings that said expansion was not yet viable.

The expansion war has exploded after the Gold Coast Titans accused the NRL of forging ahead with a new Brisbane team without providing proof it is the right move for the game.

Commission chairman Peter V’landys and NRL chief Andrew Abdo will meet with Titans figures on the Gold Coast on Wednesday in what promises to be a testy showdown.

The NRL is set to call for expressions of interest from the three Queensland bid teams - the Jets, Firehawks and Dolphins - fighting to become the competition’s 17th club from 2023 and wants to make a decision in July.

Watch The 2021 NRL Telstra Premiership Live & On-Demand with No Ad-Breaks During Play. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

V’landys and Abdo have consistently said the NRL will not pursue expansion if the business case did not stack up.

That means the introduction of a fourth club in Queensland would have to be financially viable across the game, boost grassroots participation and not negatively impact the Broncos, Cowboys and Titans.

Twelve of the NRL’s current 16 clubs - led by the Titans - have commissioned an independent report into the impact of expansion and are awaiting its findings.

The NRL is also understood to be in possession of a 2019 report by strategy chief Lachlan Smith which discovered considerations to be assessed around expansion. Smith is also leading the current probe into expansion.

Gold Coast co-owner Darryl Kelly has pledged $35 million to ensure the future of the Titans and called on the NRL to release the findings of the 2019 report and prove expansion was the right decision.

“We want to see some facts,” Kelly said.

“We won’t have a firm position until we know the facts. That’s basically it.

“Why aren’t they releasing the 2019 report? Does it not tell the story they want told?

“It’s not a good look. It looks like the decision has been made before all the facts are in. That’s certainly the way it looks.

“There has been no consideration given to compiling a comprehensive report which clearly states it’s the way forward.

“I’m disappointed for (the bid teams) because I know how much work goes into doing it properly. If they don’t go ahead with expansion, a lot of people have put a lot of time and money into something that’s been wasted.

“It seems they (NRL) have got a timetable and that’s the determinant.”

V’landys and Abdo are in Queensland ahead of this weekend’s Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium and are continuing to meet with all of the NRL’s clubs, with expansion one of many topics on the agenda.

V’landys said the Titans should give the NRL an opportunity to outline their plans before campaigning against expansion.

“It’s not fair at all what he is saying,” V’landys said.

“I haven’t even spoken to Darryl Kelly yet, you would think they would hear us out before they want to criticise us but that’s his prerogative.

“I’ve always said the numbers have to stack up for us to consider adding another team in Queensland.

“We will not have the Titans, Cowboys and Broncos cannibalised, I’ve made that very clear.”

V’landys also told The Australian that the club’s understanding of the report was ‘completely inaccurate’.

The Titans are the NRL’s youngest club, having joined the competition in 2007, and have endured some near-death experiences.

The club essentially folded in 2015 and was taken over by the NRL before being bought by the Frizelle-Kelly consortium in late 2017.

The Titans have only recently got back on their feet financially and have multiple concerns around the impact of a new NRL club in south east Queensland.

QRL chairman Bruce Hatcher said the Titans were at risk and needed support.

“I have previously done my own studies of the impact of expansion on the Gold Coast,” Hatcher said.

“I’m not ruling out expansion by any means, but I have a particular view that the Titans need support and they need a better hold on the Gold Coast region than they currently have because historically it’s been difficult for rugby league to succeed in that area.

“I really admire the current investors Darryl Kelly and Rebecca Frizelle for putting their money where their mouth is and giving it a great shot.”

Kelly said the NRL had to prove finances would not be a problem in the post-COVID economic climate.

“We want to see the evidence that there will be enough money,” he said.

“Has anyone asked the question of where the extra dollars are coming in to support a new club? There is the $13 million (yearly club) grant and then the extra costs to run the competition.

“Kate Jones (commissioner) is doing a piece on participation and that should be part of the consideration. What’s the cost to the women’s game and participation and grassroots?

“Let’s have some facts put on the table so we can understand where we’re going.”

[DIEHARD]

It angers me to see the Titans playing a starring role in the anti-expansion movement. Especially because no club stood in our way in 2005. Maybe they view themselves as being pragmatic.

But I think what is happening is that it is a chance to fire some warning shots over the NRL and potentially extract some concessions and support in the years ahead.

[gotitans101_]

Can someone please tell me what the point of another team is when realistically there's only a couple of teams every year (which are usually the same teams) who have any hope in hell of winning the comp? I seriously wonder if there's really enough talent to go around.

[DIEHARD]

Can someone please tell me what the point of another team is when realistically there's only a couple of teams every year (which are usually the same teams) who have any hope in hell of winning the comp? I seriously wonder if there's really enough talent to go around.

I believe there is but it isn't distributed evenly. Also the success of the Kaiviti Silktails (Fiji) in the Ron Massey Cup and next year NSW Cup, as well as the PNG Hunters in the QCUP offer more players.

But Queensland itself needs more clubs, more resources, more funding and more opportunities. Especially to keep State of Origin viable.

[DIEHARD]

Report reckons 17th team can be money-spinner
http://www.couriermail.com.au

AN INDEPENDENT report has given preliminary backing to NRL expansion as super coach Wayne Bennett outlined his interest in spearheading a new second Brisbane team to take on the Broncos.

News Corp can reveal a $100,000 private study conducted by The Gemba Group, funded by 12 of the 16 NRL clubs including the Titans, has shown the code can generate additional revenue by adding a 17th team in 2023.

The multi-faceted Gemba investigation has yet to be fully completed, but the early findings are a huge shot in the arm for ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys in his quest to combat the AFL by creating a fourth Queensland team.

V’landys (pictured) met with the Queensland Rugby League and NRL club bosses on Friday with a leading chairman saying: “Expansion is going ahead 150 per cent ... there will be a second Brisbane team.” And V’landys’ strategy to grow the game has received another major boost, with the NRL’s greatest coach Bennett revealing his ambition to support expansion by helping set up a second Brisbane franchise.

Bennett will return to Queensland when his Souths contract expires in November and says the challenge of building a new club from ground zero – just as he did at the Broncos in 1988 – has major appeal.

Asked if he is interested in setting up a second Brisbane team, Bennett said: “I would be actually.

“Going back to the Broncos, we were very deliberate about the things we did and why we did them. It paid a huge benefit later on.

“They (a second Brisbane team) have got to be built from the bottom up and with a strong foundation. You’ve got to be prepared to take some pain and we took some pain in the early years.

“We should have won a premiership long before we did, but we got it right in the end (the Broncos won their first premiership in 1992).

“There is a fair bit of excitement about that, the ability to start something from scratch with nothing on the page and you can make it something special.”

Sources with knowledge of the Gemba report have told News Corp the first stage of the probe has outlined the promise of expansion.

According to the study, a 17th team can indeed generate more money – a revelation that will pique the interest of broadcasters Fox and Channel 9, who will meet V’landys over the Magic Round weekend to discuss expansion.

However, the Gemba report suggests the ARL Commission must be mindful of not eroding supporter bases at the three Queensland teams the Broncos, Cowboys and Titans.

V’landys met with Titans bosses on Wednesday to assure the club he is fully supportive of the Gold Coast and QRL chairman Bruce Hatcher urged the NRL to strike back in a sporting turf war with the AFL in Queensland.

“There is no doubt the AFL is growing in Queensland and we should be countering that,” he said.

“I am not anti-expansion, but I do believe a Sydney team should consider straddling two markets by relocating and taking advantage of a new base in Queensland.

“Most people buy a business and build it up, rather than start from scratch.”

[DIEHARD]

NRL and Titans engage in 'positive conversations' around expansion
https://www.nrl.com/

NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo has moved to ease Gold Coast’s fears the Titans would be cannibalised by a potential new franchise in south-east Queensland as rugby league prepares to stage its second-ever Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium.

Abdo met with Titans management and owners on Wednesday and outlined the NRL's plans and criteria around the possible introduction of a 17th team in Brisbane from 2023.

While the ARL Commission maintains no new team will be introduced unless there is significant growth in revenue to support the move, the Titans have been the most vocal opponent of a 17th club citing serious concerns about how a new franchise in their region would impact their bottom line.

Abdo said the meeting with the Titans had been positive and reassured owners Darryl Kelly and Rebecca Frizelle that the NRL would act in the best interests of the game with the economic impact their primary focus.

“It was a terrific meeting and I say that genuinely,” Abdo said.

“What the Titans are doing on and off the field the last couple of years has been terrific.

“We had a great couple of hours talking about the future, talking about the club, talking about rugby league more broadly in Australia and it was an incredibly positive conversation.

“Of course clearly we exchanged information and exchanged views and as we said to the Titans, as we say to all clubs, we will communicate throughout this process.

“We’ve been working on this for years. A few elements and pieces of the puzzle are going to come from what incremental revenues we can get.

“The decision the Commission makes around the feasibility of expansion - and we’ve had this same conversation with all of our members - is that it has to be economically and financially viable and it needs to create value for everyone.

What the Titans are doing on and off the field the last couple of years has been terrific

“When we think about growth we want to make sure we’re growing and bringing new fans, new players, new participants into the game and not cannibalise it.

“We are not going to give running commentary on where we are at. We are going to collect all our data, have it in front of us and then make an informed decision.

“(But) we’ve seen across many sports having two teams in one market is great for fans but it’s also great for both clubs.”

Abdo said he was delighted Magic Round was able to proceed this year despite the ongoing threat of shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event was unable to go ahead last year but in 2021 eight games will be played across three days starting on Friday with the Knights and Wests Tigers as the NRL promises an explosion of rugby league with more in store for the 120,000 fans expected to attend across the three days.

“I will be relieved when the last game is played on Sunday but I’m excited for the fans and excited to see some footy,” he said.

“Sometimes less is more. Three days rather than four days and I think having a double-header, triple-header and triple-header is going to be fantastic.

“I also think when you have something taken away from you you realise just how special it was.

“This year we are going to do more off the field for the fans. There are more activations inside the stadium. There are more giveaways and rewards for fans.

“There are some exciting opportunities for fans to race against Josh Addo-Carr virtually on the field.

“There is an opportunity for fans to win $25,000 if they get in their seat for the end of the game.

“We are activating in and around the precinct as well.

“We are committed to making this event bigger and better here in Brisbane and at Suncorp. We are committed to do that next year and we are in ongoing talks about what the future looks like.”

[ALX25]

Go the Dolphins!

[DIEHARD]

Go the Dolphins!

Great to hear they have your support.

I think the Titans vs Dolphins games would offer a lot of spice. Also gives us some breathing room on the south of Brisbane and Logan.

[DIEHARD]

Report into NRL expansion concludes 17th team doesn’t add up
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/rep...23-p583o0.html

The introduction of a new Queensland NRL team would generate between $15.5 million and $33.7 million, not enough money to offset the negative impacts on existing clubs, according to a report.

Twelve of the 16 NRL clubs were sufficiently concerned about the potential impacts of a new franchise that they stumped up about $7000 each to commission a report into the matter. While there would be some benefits to the game as a whole – in the form of additional games and revenue – the research by consultancy company GEMBA found it wasn’t sufficient to offset the damage to existing clubs, particularly those in Queensland.

A 17th club would bring in between $13 million and $25 million in additional broadcast funding, while non-broadcast revenue would increase by $2.5 million to $8.7 million. However, several clubs the Herald has spoken to believe that the status quo should remain unless there is a guarantee that an extra $30 million to $40 million is there to be distributed.

For a new club to be sustainable, it would cost $23.6 million to run and would need to make $10 million a year. It would also require what GEMBA describes as 148,000 “fanatical” supporters, as well as 10,000 members, to be viable. In order to do so, the new franchise would likely need to take fans from existing clubs, while there will be further competition for sponsors, players and other human talent.

The findings are of particular concern to the Broncos, Titans and Cowboys, who are already struggling on the field. The research states that existing clubs could lose up to three players from their roster if a 17th team is given the green light, further diluting talent and adversely affecting the quality of matches.
While Queensland players make up 25 per cent of all NRL players, a fourth Queensland team would directly compete for those wishing to remain in the state, amplifying the pressure on the existing sides.

So concerned are some club bosses, that there have been discussions about engaging legal assistance to review the ARL Commission constitution with a view to finding a lever to block expansion. The Herald has been told the existing clubs don’t have veto power over the issue, but they could seek to introduce it via a special general meeting, at which amendments to the constitution can be introduced. However, such a development would require the 16 clubs and two state bodies to be in alignment, which is an unlikely outcome.

The upsides to expansion include an increase in viewing numbers of between 3 per cent and 10 per cent, a projected 5 per cent increase in match-day attendances and a boost of between 4 per cent and 7 per cent in television audiences.

However, the report concludes that the extra costs and risks don’t make it an appealing enough proposition.

“It’s been an extensive piece of work, more than 200 pages that speaks to a 17th team with a retweaked draw for an extra 12 games each year,” said Titans chief executive Steve Mitchell, who played a key role in commissioning the report.

“Out of that there is an opportunity to extract some commercial upside from the broadcast and non-broadcast revenue from sponsorship and wagering revenue.

“However, the total of that revenue, we have fears it doesn’t underpin the risks around the cannibalisation of fans in Queensland in particular and the impost on clubs.

“You’ve got to bring in 34 new players into the competition, there’s the dilution of the current playing group. We’re already at an unusual time in the game with increasing blowouts, so there’s risk there. And then you have inflationary [pressures], we’ve already got managers pausing player retention conversations because they want to see what this other team is doing.

“There are a lot of things we need to look at before we move forward.

“This piece is about testing assumptions, the ability to look at two pieces of work and really digging into what this means to the game and the current shareholders. Because it will be hard to change it once we move forward.”

The GEMBA report has been forwarded to the NRL and the clubs expect the governing body to make its own findings available to them.

[DIEHARD]

Sickened to read that the Titans have a leading role in this whiteanting report.

I remember when clubs tried to shut us out in 2005!

If the Titans or other clubs are involved in trying to veto expansion and using some sort of boardroom maneuver, I will go absolutely nuclear on it.

[kioli]

Agreed, hugely disappointing that our own club is leading this renegade faction.
So shortsighted.