Steve 'Blocker' Roach suggests Wests Tigers move to Perth

[jirskyr]

The reds were 20 years ago, the demographic of Perths population has changed massively.
38,000 league fans were out there the other night, not 38,000 curious AFL fans. A team, over time, would become quite successful.

You obviously don't understand Perth

Lived here for 14 years.

That shocks me. You must then be aware of the total intolerance of all things league by both the media and the general public. Yet, you somehow think that the gig would work. I admire your optimism.

I don't know Perth at all, only been there 3 times for work, but do you guys think there is a difference between intolerance of league and simply not having a league team to follow?

Clearly NRL takes games there and it brings crowds. Rugby had support. There is definitely an ex-pat population both from rugby league states and rugby/league followers overseas.

Would coverage of league in WA change if they had their own side? That question has already been raised and answered for Melbourne - the answer there is NO! They have the best team of the past 20 years and league is covered on page 20 of the sports section, behind lawn bowls and social pages talking about the partners of the Women's AFL players.

 

[Doc_Tiger]

You obviously don't understand Perth

Lived here for 14 years.

That shocks me. You must then be aware of the total intolerance of all things league by both the media and the general public. Yet, you somehow think that the gig would work. I admire your optimism.

I don't know Perth at all, only been there 3 times for work, but do you guys think there is a difference between intolerance of league and simply not having a league team to follow?

Clearly NRL takes games there and it brings crowds. Rugby had support. There is definitely an ex-pat population both from rugby league states and rugby/league followers overseas.

Would coverage of league in WA change if they had their own side? That question has already been raised and answered for Melbourne - the answer there is NO! They have the best team of the past 20 years and league is covered on page 20 of the sports section, behind lawn bowls and social pages talking about the partners of the Women's AFL players.

The roosters average crowds would look impressive compared to a Perth team over the space of a few years comparison. Ex pats are transitional in the main. They come for work and then leave again. The stadium on show recently wouldn't be the league stadium. NIB is which is a terrific venue, but I don't think it's ever been packed for a league game or even a double header and these are on show on only a few occasions annually. So to suggest that a local team would draw crowds on a regular basis based on numbers that are provided so sporadically is just not something that you could take seriously. Perth fans of all sports (I'd say AFL excluded) are very much fair weather fans at the best of times. Look at rugby and soccer, if they dont win the fans disappear. If you start on a low base and with such resistance to the game and its growth by the locals with players predominantly past their prime as marquees which would probably be the case, then you're really up against it. Don't get me wrong, I would love nothing more than the game to spread far and wide, but Perth is way down the list on probable success stories in my opinion. Until the NRL decides to promote and grow the juniors, get into the schools & bring games on a regular basis instead of a couple of games a year, then it'll never work. Right now, the NRL does pretty much nothing across the board.
And the WARL from those that I've spoken to at a junior level are pretty hopeless.
They all really need to get their stuff together (and work together.)

 

[jirskyr]

And the WARL from those that I've spoken to at a junior level are pretty hopeless.
They all really need to get their stuff together (and work together.)

It's interesting you say that, because I was of the understanding that the WARL are arguably the strongest rugby league affiliated state (i.e. not NSW, QLD or ACT). Victoria have won the U18s 7 years straight, but WA have won the Men's Opens 15/19 of the last seasons (including last 8 consecutive).

It's not as if the NRL pathways are flooded with Victorian junior players, so that U18s success isn't currently translating to top-tier professional players. I would also understand that the WA Opens side may be good enough to win the Affiliated Championship without any players good enough to play in the NRL system, but they have been very dominant outside of the traditional states.

And then to put it in context, the Storm are a extremely successful on-field club with a strong but small core fanbase, but who have barely penetrated the Victorian market and rarely competed with AFL. They source almost all their juniors from QLD even 20 years after their inception, despite what are evidently moderately successful junior sides (per above). On the other hand, high-profile games like Origin and Finals translate very well into Victorian TV viewership, so one can argue the business case in Victoria is less about developing high-quality junior pathways or big merchandise-buying crowds, but more about taking some slice of the Victorian advertising / marketing / major event / TV ratings pie.

Can the same argument not apply to WA, particularly because they stand alone in a very attractive time zone, can bring more viewers and have only 2 AFL sides (vs 10 Victorian sides)?

 

[gallagher]

AFL, cricket and soccer all have womens teams in a national code. But the second biggest football code in the country cant support a mens team?

What crap.

Nothing worse than league fans always talking down the game.

 

[Doc_Tiger]

AFL, cricket and soccer all have womens teams in a national code. But the second biggest football code in the country cant support a mens team?

What crap.

Nothing worse than league fans always talking down the game.

Who's talking down the game?

 

[gallagher]

AFL, cricket and soccer all have womens teams in a national code. But the second biggest football code in the country cant support a mens team?

What crap.

Nothing worse than league fans always talking down the game.

Who's talking down the game?

You are. You've have nothing good to say about the game here.
In reality
NRL has regularly sold out NIB.
The WARL was reformed as NRLWA a couple of years ago.
Development officers have increased from 1 to 4,
The local competition has gone from 7 yo 11 clubs.
4000 juniors play the game.
The Pirates have been in the S G Ball the few seasons.
Youve either ignored all these good things or are living in a cave fearing daylight saving.

 

[Doc_Tiger]

AFL, cricket and soccer all have womens teams in a national code. But the second biggest football code in the country cant support a mens team?

What crap.

Nothing worse than league fans always talking down the game.

Who's talking down the game?

You are. You've have nothing good to say about the game here.
In reality
NRL has regularly sold out NIB.
The WARL was reformed as NRLWA a couple of years ago.
Development officers have increased from 1 to 4,
The local competition has gone from 7 yo 11 clubs.
4000 juniors play the game.
The Pirates have been in the S G Ball the few seasons.
Youve either ignored all these good things or are living in a cave fearing daylight saving.

Right. We were involved with the giants club in joondalup for a number of seasons. A fantastic bunch of people and club. Always struggled for players in all junior ages.
Nib is a terrific venue and ive been to plenty of games there. Never seen it sold out. I desperately wish it was. The clubs you mention, yes, they've expanded the number of clubs recently, Alkimos, Ellenbrook, etc… but reality is that the juniors are simply thinned out to the point whereby certain age groups just disappear due to teams running out with 9 players or playing a friendly and borrowing players from the other team and forfeiting the points. 4000 registrations doesn't mean 4000 play the season. My sons team for instance started with 31 and played 4 games with 10 players due to drop out.
I don't know enough about the pirates to comment too much, but I dare say that they will always struggle due to a lack of interest from the nrl.
And I'm pro daylight saving.
Look, Im not here to argue, but I just think as much as I'd love to see the game Australia wide and the number one football code, I can't help but think that it's not Perth's time. And I've lived in the city for 20 very frustrating years.
But I've recently moved, so maybe I'm not entitled to an opinion.

 

[gallagher]

NIB ground capacity is 20,500 since the re-development. They got 20,200 in 2013 and 20,700 in 2015.

 

[Cairnstigers]

If the Nrl helps an existing NRL club relocate to Perth and after 5 eight or even 10 years it fails to attract players and OR is not financially viable and can't survive alone
Will they continue to provide financial assistance
Will they allow that club to return to it's original stomping grounds or relocate them for a second time
The answer to that is probably not
I wouldn't like to be the club who relocates unless there is a guarantee from the NRL of financial support until the club can show a healthy profit for a minimum of 5 years and a strong membership base along with a number of finals appearances
I now it sounds like a lot
But if the NRL is serious about expansion in to the west then they need to put their money and support where their mouth is
Otherwise why would any club want to take the risk of extinction
Also if a club was to start up in Perth would players want to live their
It may be an issue to attract players
This is where a draught system may work
If international players want to play in Australia then maybe they should go into a draught system to help prop up the weaker team's
But that's another conversation

 

[gallagher]

NIB ground capacity is 20,500 since the re-development. They got 20,200 in 2013 and 20,700 in 2015.

And, only an NRL fan would say that the local comp going from 7 clubs to 11 clubs shows that the game isnt working here.
:brick: