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 Local rugby league fans may have a long wait ahead of them before a Central Coast team is given a start in the national competition after NRL boss David Gallop yesterday knocked expansion plands on the head.
The 16 clubs in the competition yesterday voted unanimously to focus on consolidation on the opening day of the NRL annual clubs conference. Club CEOs at yesterday's meeting in Sydney were united in their stance against any talk of expansion of the NRL in the near future.
The revelation is a blow for syndicates who have been pushing hardest for inclusion in an expanded NRL, including the new look Bears on the Central Coast as well as Central Queensland and PNG. "There was unanimous support that the game needs to be able to grow the existing pie so that we can increase revenue for the existing clubs, increase payments for players and increase the amount we can invest in junior development," NRL CEO David Gallop said yesterday. "You can't do those things and invest in expansion, and until there is a strong business case for any expansion contributing to the growth of the competition then it will not be part of our immediate plans." Central Coast Bears CEO Greg Florimo remains undeterred. “The Club is exactly positioned where we planned to be at this stage of our bid and we are just about to ramp up our marketing and community engagement program that will build our brand on the Central Coast and Sydney’s north,” he said. “We are also confident that with a catchment of over 1 million people, the third largest junior league in NSW, plus a purpose-built playing arena in Gosford – the magnificent Bluetongue Stadium - that this announcement will help build us on our excellent stable of corporate supporters Mortgage House, Fortunity, Sinali and OOH. “We are excited by the prospect of the game being handed back to the clubs and are looking forward to presenting our business case to the NRL and the Independent Commission in the New Year.”
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