Hopes of a second NRL franchise based in New Zealand by 2026 have been dashed by a politically motivated decision to go to Papua New Guinea; the Warriors have fallen into a hole at the wrong time after being tipped to feature in an expanded Las Vegas 2025 season-opener; and
Christchurch NRL team: PNG set for NRL entry as US, Australia boost Indo-Pacific ties
Dejected Warriors, triumphant Black Ferns players and US President Joe Biden. Photos / Photosport, AP
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There don’t appear to be many within the Australian rugby league community who think it’s a good idea either.
There are sceptics around the mooted franchise’s likely competitiveness. Whispers are the team will train and live in Cairns, Queensland, and fly to Port Moresby for home matches only. The PNG locals are unlikely to care and will still turn up in droves.
The squad will also likely be packed with journeymen squeezing out one last big pay-day. Again, the PNG fans probably won’t care.
Pundits across the Tasman, including coaches and former players, are increasingly arguing Christchurch is a better bet. They include former player turned TV star Matty Johns and other ex-Kangaroo test players and commentating identities Laurie Daley and Corey Parker.
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But it will fall on deaf ears because the guaranteed funding ensures Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’Landys won’t have to pay for his next franchise but is still neatly provided with an extra game per week and leverage for his next big media rights negotiation in 2027.
In other words, the economics work at an opportune time and NRL head office wins influence in the highest echelons of the Australian Government (which will actually be funding the new franchise... go figure).
Expansion to 20 teams is on the NRL’s radar but not until 2030 at the earliest, which means Biden’s recent actions indirectly set back any New Zealand bid’s hopes for at least three years.
That’s a blow for the two Christchurch-based campaigns.
I’ve always felt 2030 is a more realistic lead-in for a second Kiwi side saddling up alongside the Warriors anyway. It also allows more time for potential to explore a second Auckland-based team which could have higher commercial appeal.
Familiar faces in race for second NRL team
A suspicion that PNG would always be favoured ahead of the South Island for the next expansion round hasn’t stopped the two rival syndicates in the Mainland from keeping busy.
The South Island Kea, headed by former New Zealand Rugby and NRL boss David Moffett, is steadily banging away behind the scenes and last week the first consortium out of the blocks, the “South Island NRL bid”, announced bolstered resources and manpower.
That bid, led by former Canterbury league chair Tony Kidd, announced on social media that Gold Coast-based businessman Michael Searle, a former part-owner of the Gold Coast Titans, had joined its team.
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Moffett also confirmed former New Zealand Rugby League chair Andrew Chalmers had approached him to discuss the possibility of a new NRL side, but wouldn’t elaborate on what was discussed.
Chalmers has clarified to the Herald that he has spoken to both bid groups, and is not associated with either bid.
His involvement would be significant. Chalmers was the driving force behind the Wellington-based Orcas franchise bid several years ago which failed to land the 17th NRL licence ultimately taken by Brisbane’s Redcliffe Dolphins, who entered the competition last year.
It seems to formally signify the end of the ill-fated Orcas campaign, which Chalmers drove after exiting ownership of former English Super League club Bradford Bulls.
While under his leadership the team saw some initial success on the field, but his ownership reign was turbulent (as was his leadership period at the NZRL from 2006 to 2008).
In a statement issued following his departure from the Bulls in 2019, rival club owner, Hull Kingston Rovers’ Neil Hudgell, claimed Chalmers was “rugby league’s No 1 delusional fantasist”.
Searle also has a colourful and controversial background.
He was one of the founders of the Gold Coast Titans NRL club and was also its first CEO. He stepped aside from the latter role in 2012 after the club got into financial strife and was also a central figure in a controversial charity scheme, Titans 4 Tomorrow, whose offices ended up being raided by Australian Federal Police.
A three-year investigation followed, ending in a trail of debt and a top-level administrator jailed for fraud.
The NRL ultimately took the Titans’ licence off Searle and his ownership group.
The nature of any involvement of Chalmers and Searle is not yet publicly known. Both are unlikely to be cash investors. Are they going to have an ongoing role if the bid is successful?
Sports Insider emailed Kidd seeking elaboration on the duo’s involvement.
He replied: “We’ve nothing to say at this stage as we’re tying up a few loose ends. We have some exciting things happening around our naming and branding process in the near future that I’d be happy to talk about in a week or so.”
The sudden appearance of Chalmers and Searle and exactly what their roles would be will divide some within important league communities on both sides of the Tasman. I’m not sure it’s a positive.
Warriors get inside running for Las Vegas 2025 appearance
Speaking of the NRL and its American links, the Warriors were recently tipped as one of the four teams that will be included on next year’s Las Vegas opening-round billing.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that reigning three-time NRL premiers Penrith Panthers and the Warriors are favoured to be among the four teams selected to open the season at Allegiant Stadium after this year’s successful double-header.
The NRL could be favouring the Warriors as part of what looks like a ploy to convince American viewers of the game’s international appeal.
English Super League clubs Wigan and Warrington, both owned by the same billionaire, have contacted the NRL seeking to play each other in an expanded weekend league extravaganza.
That would allow the NRL to promote Australian, New Zealand and English involvement.
The NRL has also confirmed there will almost certainly be a women’s game added to the Vegas round.
But the Warriors’ bid to secure a start ahead of other NRL rivals is not being helped by the form slump they’re currently enduring. Decisions are about to be made and the Warriors falling in a hole will not endear them to the ultimate decision-makers.
All Blacks are still the No 1 brand in world rugby
A rare piece of good news for New Zealand Rugby during a challenging year: the All Blacks are still the most valuable brand in rugby.
The men in black have topped the rugby sector in independent brand valuator BrandFinance.com’s annual report, considered a credible barometer globally.
Any concern that the men in black were in danger of losing that lofty perch given the Springboks have now won the last two Rugby World Cups can be dismissed.
The UK-based company placed a brand value of US$282m ($473m) on the All Blacks - that’s a 53 per cent increase since 2019 despite two unsuccessful World Cup campaigns.
After measuring the strength of international rugby brands using various metrics including social-media performance, heritage and business performance from revenues generated by sponsorship and merchandising, the All Blacks topped the pack at a score of 88.9 out of 100.
Hugo Hensley, head of sports services at Brand Finance, observed that “national rugby brands are more than just teams” and that the All Blacks’ heritage had put them in good stead.
Second on the list was England at a brand value of US$264m, but more for their wallet than on-field performance with the report noting the Poms “boast the highest total revenue of all national rugby brands”.
World Cup hosts France climbed to third place (US$159m) off the back of pre-event excitement for last year’s tournament and the team’s strong performances leading up to the event.
While vanquished by the All Blacks in the quarter-finals, Ireland’s recent test-winning streak helped them bump Wales from the top four with a US$150m brand value.
If you wondering where the Springboks sit after back-to-back World Cup triumphs, they are sixth at US$117m. Australia maintained seventh place with Scotland replacing Japan in eighth place and Italy rounding out the top 10.
Team of the Week
The Magnificent Sevens: New Zealand’s men’s and women’s sevens teams backed up their Hong Kong double with a repeat feat in Singapore. Don’t whisper it too loud but both are now favourites for gold at the Paris Olympics in July.
Joey Manu: Soon to become one of the world’s highest-paid rugby players, the Hamilton-born league superstar hasn’t forgotten his Cook Islands heritage. As a parting gift for league, he has organised for his club the Sydney Roosters to partner with the Cook Islands Rugby League to provide free coverage of their NRL matches.
Lando Norris: From his face being wrapped in bandages after a drunken night on a boat to winning his first Grand Prix in 110 starts, Lando Norris is the King of Miami after finally breaking his F1 duck.
Trevor McKewen is one of New Zealand’s most experienced journalists and sports business commentators. He is a former Head of Sport for NZME and has also held senior executive roles at New Zealand Rugby and the Warriors and holds a particular interest in the commercial side of sport.
