*Official* NRL 2011 Season thread

[NUFAN]

Actually, looking at their squad for the 2010 4-Nations Paul Aiton played for them and he's the rake at the Sharks, so maybe there's more than one.

The Titans winger David Mead also plays for PNG, but was injured when the 4 Nations were on.

I'm not sure really which bid I like the most, although I would be leaning towards the expansion bids from Australia first. None of the bids appear perfect though.

The issue I have with the Ipswich bid is that they want to play all their matches at Suncorp. Yeah it's a great stadium and all and not THAT far to get to, but it just seems odd to have the home ground in a completely different city.

The Perth bid would be ideal for Foxtel if they played most home matches on Saturday night as the Super Saturday would be 3 live matches. I wonder how big the crowds would be though and have the Western Force turned League fans into Union?

[Ausage]

If you could get players back from the Old Dart, I agree that we could sustain a 17th team. However, with that unlikely, I don't want to see more Toyota Cup players in 1st grade. It's a very small nursery here in Australia. Moreover, a national sport like the AFL only has 16 teams (soon to be 17).

Why couldn't we get players from England? Aussies are willing to go there for money, there's no reason English players wouldn't be the same.

Also the AFLites on CW can correct me if need be but I doubt the AFL is any more a national nursery than League is. Far more NRL players will be developed in NSW and QLD than the AFL, just like the reverse is true of the southern states. Throw in NZ, PNG and England as three more nurseries and I think the best RL comp in the world should be able to sustain 18 full time squads.

[Ausage]

The issue I have with the Ipswich bid is that they want to play all their matches at Suncorp. Yeah it's a great stadium and all and not THAT far to get to, but it just seems odd to have the home ground in a completely different city.

The Perth bid would be ideal for Foxtel if they played most home matches on Saturday night as the Super Saturday would be 3 live matches. I wonder how big the crowds would be though and have the Western Force turned League fans into Union?

Agreed on Ipswich. Thing is if they play at a stadium in Ipswich they're underutilising Suncorp massively. Best stadium for League in the country and it deserves more games.

Perth have a very organized bid as I understand it so that would work in their favor. If the NRL bring 2 teams in, Perth and second Brisbane would bring in an enormous windfall from TV rights. I think over time they'd go ok in a city the size of Perth.

Then there's always the Bears. They were always my second team growing up so it'd be nice to see them included, but I think both the other bids have more going for them financially in particular.

[howardj]

I loved the Western Reds and thought they were one expansion team that should have been persisted with.

[Craig]

Ryan Tandy could face jail term | Foxsports.com.au

[Burgey]

Bulldogs player in law and order strife shocker.

[Ausage]

Really though, the guy played for the Storm, then the Dogs. With those kinds of influences he can't be held accountable for his actions surely.

[Prince EWS]

Really though, the guy played for the Storm, then the Dogs. With those kinds of influences he can't be held accountable for his actions surely.

He also played for Ireland in the World Cup. Not the sharpest tool in the shed.

[Julian87]

Quite disgusted that I quite like the Melbourne squad for this season. Besides Slater, obv.

[Craig]

He also played for Ireland in the World Cup. Not the sharpest tool in the shed.

I found it funny how the articles I've read have described Tandy as a 'Bulldogs star'. He is a journeyman, and before 2009, a fringe first grader. If you were a casual league fan, you would have NFI who he is.

[Jacknife]

I found it funny how the articles I've read have described Tandy as a 'Bulldogs star'. He is a journeyman, and before 2009, a fringe first grader. If you were a casual league fan, you would have NFI who he is.

Yes, he came over and played for Hull KR a few years ago and journeyman is probably what best describes him.

[Craig]

I'm going to the All Stars game next week, and I'm actually more interested in the curtain raiser between the NSW and Queensland Indigenous teams then the main game, and my housemate's nephew will be playing for QLD (he is now at Keebra High on a league scholarship with Wests Tigers), which is ironic considering he was born in Nowra and lived there for 15 and a half years (he turned 16 last week).

[Ausage]

Qld in stealing NSW player shocker.

[Craig]

Qld in stealing NSW player shocker.

TBF he has also stated that if he makes it, he will play for NSW. I don't think it means too much, I mean Benji Marshall played for the Australian Schoolboys.

[dontcloseyoureyes]

lol Nowra.

What's his name?