Raiders and Titans woes set to scupper NRL expansion

[Beaussie]

Oh dear, NRL expansion plans in tatters as a result of the poor form on and off the field of the Raiders and Titans.

Canberra Raiders and Gold Coast Titans woes set to scupper expansion plans

DateAugust 4, 2014
Brad Walter
Chief Rugby League Writer


Cause for concern: Small crowds and poor results raises questions regarding the long-term viability of the Canberra Raiders. Photo: Melissa Adams

Another dismal season in Canberra is raising questions about more than just Ricky Stuart 's recent coaching record, with expansion of the NRL now seeming unlikely unless existing clubs fold or re-locate.

Like Gold Coast Titans, the Raiders are under threat from AFL and some within the game are beginning to wonder about the long term viability of both clubs in their current locations.

The crowd at Sunday's 54-18 loss to the Warriors was Canberra's lowest of the season and the Raiders are set to record their worst attendance figures since before the Green Machine era when they averaged 6918 fans per match at Seiffert Oval in 1987.

Their average home attendance so far this season is 9220 - the first year that crowds have dipped below 10,000 since 2001 and just the third since the then-premiers moved to GIO Stadium in 1990.

Having won just two of their past 12 matches and facing their first wooden spoon since Canberra's inaugural season in 1982, it is difficult to imagine the Raiders attracting fans in greater numbers for their remaining home games.

The club continues to produce and develop talented juniors but struggles to retain them, with emerging superstar Anthony Milford having signed for the Broncos and young centre Matt Allwood joining the Warriors.

The greater fear is that future talent will be lost to AFL, with GWS Giants playing three premiership games plus a pre-season match each year at Manuka Oval and Canberra boasting 16 clubs who field 83 teams in the local competition.

In contrast, there are 69 teams representing 17 clubs in western Sydney.

While the NRL has directed most of its resources in protecting the game from AFL in western Sydney, the ratio of children playing the rival code as opposed to other sports is 4.1 per cent compared to 5.2 per cent in Canberra.

With another 21 clubs and 95 teams in the South Coast, Illawarra and southern Sydney regions, the Dragons and Raiders are pushing for more support from the NRL to combat AFL's drive through their territories from Victoria.

Backed by the Canberra Raiders Group, which boasts nine licensed clubs and has other significant financial investments, the Raiders are in no danger of folding but some rival club officials recently expressed concerns to this column about Canberra's ongoing relevance to the NRL given their crowds, lack of interest from Channel Nine and the problems attracting players to the nation's capital.

Doubts about the Titans future have also emerged after Gold Coast's new owners recently launched a review of every facet of the club's operations to find ways for the club to stop bleeding money.

Average attendances in 10 home matches so far this season are 13,382 - less than two thirds of the 21,618 average Gold Coast attracted in their first season at Skilled Park in 2008.

The Titans are in a losing battle with the Gold Coast Suns, whose average crowds have increased to 17,237 this season and are underwritten by the AFL to the tune of $20 million per season.

Without greater support from the NRL to help them compete, some within the club have reportedly questioned whether the Titans should consider relocating and that would appear the best chance of a new region gaining a team in the premiership.

The NRL is due to consider expansion at the end of the season and the Brisbane Bombers, Central Coast Bears, West Coast Pirates, Papua New Guinea Hunters and consortiums in Ipswich, Rockhampton and Wellington have already established bid teams.

But after the NRL was recently forced to take over the ownership of Newcastle, as well as providing financial assistance for Wests Tigers, St George Illawarra and Cronulla, club bosses are unlikely to support any increase in the number of teams.

One influental club chief executive recently told this column he believed the NRL should focus on dominating the east coast of Australia by introducing more teams in Queensland, including another in Brisbane to rival the Broncos - but only if the likes of the Sharks or Raiders relocated.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... z39WLXCGFb

[ParraEelsNRL]

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah news limited waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah..

The NRL along with the ARLC will do what they want to do regardless what campaign you run and how loud you continually scream it. Oh, and I guess the old leakage to snippets of info you used to get via Gallop has been forgotten by the new mob in charge huh?

Oh, that's right.

Poor News limited, they know when the NRL expands next tv rights time, their TV stations will have to be in the hunt for the rights.

Sucks to be you eh

No first/last for you

[sydneyfc]

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah news limited waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah..

[/quote]



like it's been said already, canberra OUT

[NlolRL]

um...this is a fairfax article parra

Hahahaahahhahaha!

But but but the raiders earn 75 zillion bucks per annum

[Swans4ever]

Looks like I was ahead of the News on this one - anyone seen pissy pants??????

[sydneyfc]

is dave really not gonna come back

straight up bullied off the forums...jesus lmao

[Swans4ever]

Good riddance - urine soaked, piss drinking, dog rooting, dole bludger!

[MissPenny]

Don't be too harsh Swans...

He is a registered charity...

[AFLcrap1]

Good riddance - urine soaked, piss drinking, dog rooting, dole bludger!

Obsessed much?.

:_<> :_<> :_<> :_<> :_<>

[ParraEelsNRL]

Oh the smh, well they do nothing but pump soccer union and afl over RL anyway in Sydney.

Had a read of Peter Spitzsimons or Mikey Carlton Lately?

Esp Carlton, haha how's the job you union lovin leather patch wearing gimp, gonna be hard to bash RL in the newspapers when out of a job huh?

Maybe you can join ya mate Spiro at the raaah :<>

Btw forumites, what's with the personal attacks on RD when he hasn't even posted?

Stick it to his club when he responds or bait him about them to get him to respond, but the other garbage is just that, garbage!

Hmm, maybe you afl guys don't want us here, is that it?

Do you want all us Leaguies to fark off and leave the forum to yourselves?

[sydneyfc]

dave got bullied out, he didn't have the mental fortitude to defend himself on here and got duly chased away

this is no place for the weak minded.

the strong last, the weak perish my friend

[Raiderdave]

Good riddance - urine soaked, piss drinking, dog rooting, dole bludger!

Obsessed much?.

:_<> :_<> :_<> :_<> :_<>

yeah
>


I mean
wheres that bubble dwelling wanker Phlipsey or whateva its name is

moaning about these fucktards ?

why do you care

why are you obsessed



why does it affect you


why

why


why


:_<> :_<> :_<> :_<>

[Raiderdave]

dave got bullied out, he didn't have the mental fortitude to defend himself on here and got duly chased away

this is no place for the weak minded.

the strong last, the weak perish my friend

ahhhhhhhh


:_<> :_<> :_<>

I have a life
unlike you , you bouncing dribbler

ready to kick the living shit out of ladyboy ball loving fucktards like you
& your derps & oopsies mates too

[sydneyfc]

dave got bullied out, he didn't have the mental fortitude to defend himself on here and got duly chased away

this is no place for the weak minded.

the strong last, the weak perish my friend

ahhhhhhhh


:_<> :_<> :_<>

I have a life
unlike you , you bouncing dribbler

ready to kick the living shit out of ladyboy ball loving fucktards like you
& your derps & oopsies mates too

you're back! only took 3 days for you to wipe away the tears

whenever the inevitable happens - raiders folding - at least you can rest in solace that this forum will never suffer such a fate

[Raiderdave]

my reaction to this article




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>

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yeah
the NRL is just mortified about the Raiders

an organisation that can make millions & be a pack of plods on the field at the same time
yeah
worrying stuff >

imagine when they start winning consistently
not just a late charge to make the finals like 2010 & 2012 .. which incidentally created hysteria with the lime green army coming out of hiding in their tens of thousands
showing A
they're there
B.. they're waiting for a team they can again be proud of


there is only one sport in your nations capital
there is only one club of any real note
the raiders are the talk of this town in the best of times .... & the worst

everyone .. & everything else
is a mere temporary minor distraction

yeah
the NRL is real worried :_<> :_<> :_<> :_<> :_<>