Wests Tigers veteran Benji Marshall says relocating the joint venture would be shattering for their fans, as the NRL continues to grapple with the possibility of future expansion.
The expansion debate continued on Thursday with Western Australia’s rugby league boss John Sackson vowing Perth would embrace any team relocated to the city, and Manly owner Scott Penn insisting his club held a key geographical piece for the NRL.
Thise views were aired as NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg continues a study on the future footprint of the game.
This week Greenberg questioned if there’s enough talent for 18 teams but suggesting growth could still come in Perth and through a second Brisbane side regardless for the next TV rights deal in 2023.
News Corp also reported the NRL was seeking the power to force clubs to move if they needed financial assistance, as part of ongoing negotiations over perpetual license agreements.
Manly, Cronulla and the Wests Tigers – who turned a profit for the first time in their merged history last year – are traditionally mentioned as clubs most likely to be moved.
However, the Sharks last week secured their short-term future after announcing a $40 million deal to develop their Woolooware base.
“I feel like we’ve got too much of a membership following in Sydney, we always get good crowds to our games,” Marshall told AAP.
“I don’t think it’ll be us. I would be shattered. To move a club away from their fan base … I think adding more teams is a better idea, not breaking the hearts of fans.”
If the NRL does add teams Marshall said a second New Zealand franchise on the South Island or in Wellington shouldn’t be discounted.
Elsewhere, Manly are adamant their future shouldn’t be questioned, given they’re the only club between the Sydney city and Newcastle.
“That has always been our heartland. The fact is if we ever walked away from that there would be no one to replace us,” Penn said.
“We’ve got over a million people in our catchment area and we’re the only team across any code in that district. I can’t see any justification for doing anything but supporting and encouraging us to grow our footprint.”
Meanwhile, WA officials say participation numbers in the state rose by 16.7 per cent last year, to the point where WA now only has around 100 fewer registered players than Victoria.
Sackson said any brand would be welcomed in a state which has seen success across multiple codes.
“If the commission and the game saw feasible in terms of a possible relocation of a team to Perth, I would be extremely optimistic the team would be very well embraced,” he said.
