Rival clubs 'shocked' by Roosters boss' proposal

1 year ago 82

Sydney Roosters president Nick Politis has revealed rival clubs were "shocked" by his proposition the NRL should see expanding to 20 teams.

Politis was down the propulsion astatine a caller Annual General Meeting of clubs, where enlargement was 1 of the topics discussed.

ARLC president Peter V'landys has publically flagged the anticipation of an 18th squad arsenic soon arsenic 2025, with an summation to 20 by 2032.

Speaking connected 2GB's Wide World of Sports radio, Politis says the codification has nary enactment but to adhd much teams.

"We person to," helium argued.

"For the archetypal clip successful the past of the game, the clubs, acknowledgment to Peter V'landys and Andrew Abdo, the grants person accrued to a level wherever conscionable astir each nine is making a profit.

"That was a large accomplishment by the existent administrators. To turn we request much and much revenue.

"To get much gross from the media networks we've got to springiness them much product, it's beauteous simple."

Politis, arguably the astir almighty nine president successful the NRL, said his connection to summation the fig of teams took rival bosses by surprise.

"I suggested astatine an AGM a mates of weeks agone that possibly we should see 20 teams. I deliberation everybody was a spot shocked," helium said.

"We've got to grow, if we're going to beryllium a nationalist athletics we've got to beryllium successful each state.

"I'm not saying bash it now, possibly it volition instrumentality 5-10 years oregon more. We've got to enactment towards it and we've got to speech astir it to marque it happen.

"That's however you turn immoderate business, you've got to spell forwards, not backwards."

Stream the NRL premiership 2023 unrecorded and escaped connected 9Now

Writing successful his play file for Wide World of Sports, NRL large Paul Gallen conceded that portion enlargement is inevitable, admitting an 18th squad successful 2025 was "a stretch".

"If that's going to hap we request to cognize who it's going to beryllium wrong the adjacent mates of months, due to the fact that they're going to request clip to enactment everything successful place," Gallen wrote.

"Remember, players tin commencement negotiating for 2025 from November 1 this year. The Dolphins had a akin timeframe and ne'er came up with a marquee signing, and that was with the attraction of Wayne Bennett."

Gallen said that determination was "no doubt" the renewed involvement successful enlargement was driven by the Dolphins unexpected 2-0 commencement to their archetypal play successful the competition.

"I tin judge 18, but to get to 20 by 2032 you're looking astatine a caller squad each 3-4 years, and I deliberation that's a span excessively far," helium wrote.

For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!