Eagles, Dockers don't mind us: Rabbitohs

[William Johnston]

SMH: Eagles, Dockers don't mind us: Rabbitohs

South Sydney chief executive Shane Richardson claims both Fremantle and West Coast are supportive of NRL games being played in Perth as the Rabbitohs look to increase their presence in AFL-mad Western Australia.

The West Australian Rugby League is campaigning to get a Perth-based team in the NRL by 2013 despite the past failure of the Western Reds.

The Rabbitohs have played a big part in increasing the profile of league in WA.

South Sydney attracted 15,197 fans when they hosted Melbourne in a regular season fixture in Perth last year and both teams will return to ME Bank Stadium in June to face off in round 16.

"This is not about a threat to the AFL and I've got to say we've had lots of discussions previously with Fremantle and West Coast and they've been nothing but supportive of ourselves over here," Richardson said in Perth on Tuesday.

"It's about giving an alternative to people who have an interest.

"You have a large population from the east coast that are supportive of rugby league.

"You have a large population from England.

"We understand the value of putting rugby league into this area and trying to re-establish it after what happened in the past.

"We're over here to promote rugby league and give a genuine alternative for people who like the rugby game."

Richardson revealed the Rabbitohs were aiming to play two home fixtures in Perth, back-to-back, in both 2011 and 2012.

"We've always wanted to play two games over here but we weren't able to because we haven't really got any support in doing that, so we had to do it all ourselves," he said.

"We'd like to play two games back-to-back here.

"Several things have got to happen there; we need support from the government to do that, not a lot of support but some, and we need support from the WARL.

"And the second thing, I think we need to make sure that we arrange for our NRL fixtures to allow us to ... get out to the Pilbara.

"We want to take our indigenous programs into the regional areas.

"We've proven we can do it now in Western Australia, we've proven that rugby league has an interest and there's a great opportunity to be able to expand that interest."

Richardson said the Rabbitohs would no longer play games in Perth once WA gets their own side.

WARL chief executive John Sackson said: "Having two of the NRL's heavyweight teams playing for vital competition points at ME Bank Stadium will again put the spotlight on the great game of rugby league in WA.

"A sell-out crowd will further enhance our prospects for an NRL franchise to be awarded to Perth in the lead up to season 2013."

[William Johnston]

"And the second thing, I think we need to make sure that we arrange for our NRL fixtures to allow us to ... get out to the Pilbara.

"We want to take our indigenous programs into the regional areas.

What indigenous programs? Does he mean "Souths Cares"? Isn't Souths Cares the same as Firepower, all smoke and mirrors? Have the cunts created one job? Don't they just take a couple of players to the outback on the bye weekend each season and get photographed showing some locals how to pass a footy? Seriously, the Pilbara - WTF? :cannabis: :cannabis:

Maybe the club can recover their costs from taking games to Perth by digging up some iron ore from the Pilbara and selling it to China? :cannabis:

[Wayne1966]

"We've always wanted to play two games over here

Well, well, well. What a shame you didn't see fit to tell the members that in 2006 before the privatisation vote. :wall1: We were promised that our home ground would not change without a member vote.

If they had declared that the heritage protection clauses would be ignored, there is no way the yes vote would have got up.

I am not necessarily opposed to 2 games in Perth if they put a strong business case to members, but the lack of respect they are showing members with regard to the deed is an absolute disgrace.

Put it to a vote Mr Pappas !

[The Perp]

Rugby League Week, 31 March 2010:

"David Gallop has given the strongest indication yet that the Central Coast Bears and Perth Reds will be added to the NRL as soon as 2013.

In a dramatic departure from the party line, Gallop told RLW he's impressed with the claims of both areas and "history shows you only need a lead-up time of around 18 months."

"There's obviously advantages in having two teams, not one," Gallop tells RLW exclusively. "Personally, I see a lot of attraction of having a team from Perth back in the competition."

While choosing his words carefully, Gallop left little doubt Central Coast and Perth deserved favouritism. The Reds appear to have come from nowhere to join the Bears at the top of the contenders list.

"In the case of Perth, what's very encouraging is the crowd figures for Souths games and also the Dragons' pre-season matches," Gallop said."


Coincidence or hidden agenda?

[Rabbitoharry]

Never mind the fact that better homes & gardens is on at 4pm Sundays and the NRL is shown the next day at 1 am on Fridays & Sundays ??

Perth has a long history of rah rah followers as the local comp here is much bigger than the league hence the large Force following .

Most can't distinguish between league & union in Perth . I work for the East Freo juniors AFL comp as a sports trainer and not a single person I deal with knows or cares about RL .

I just can't see the NRL spending 15 million a year to have the Reds back ? It sure would be great but I can't see it happening ???

[The Perp]

I accept what you say, Harry, but that just makes it more likely that the NRL will try instead to transplant an up-and-running team like Souths to Perth. There's something like $15 million on offer for an established NRL team that wants to relocate to Perth or Gosford.

While this speculation has been around for some time about our club, I haven't heard Peter, Russell, Shane, or Nick come out and specifically deny it. They'll make off-handed remarks like "we've got a 10 year deal with ANZ Stadium", but they don't say "Souths will never ever relocate to Perth."

It's insightful in my opinion that the club keeps telling us that we are a global/national brand. The club does this to distance us to just being a South Sydney team.

Our major sponsors are all national businesses and they would benefit from us being a one city club as we would be in Perth. Imagine the extra business they'd get.

I've always taken notice when Pappas, who lives at Double Bay, tells the media that he doesn't like Souths being referred to as "battlers". The snob Nick says this because he resents us being representative of what some still see as a down-trodden neighbourhood.

My guess is that in the next couple of years Russell will nationalise our brand by just calling us the Rabbitohs and taking South Sydney out of the equation. By then the football club will be stacked with new members, many from Perth, with no historical ties to the club, who'll vote for anything Crowe wants, including relocation.

It'll be a gradual transition with the first step being taking two home games to Perth. When there's no opposition, they'll take the next step.

[Rabbitoharry]

Thanks Perp ,

I disagree .

Talk over here is quiet hopeless in the feel that we will ever get a team happening .

The WARL couldn't organise a knock in a knock shop with a fistful.

I feel it will never happen , only time will tell I guess .

[Brianj]

[B]"David Gallop has given the strongest indication yet that the Central Coast Bears and Perth Reds will be added to the NRL as soon as 2013.



Sharkies to Central Coast and Storm to perth?

How on earth would Melbourne support 2 Soccer teams, a rah rah Team and all there AFL teams plus a League team?