Brisbane Tigers officials believe the success of the Dolphins proves the Queensland capital can accommodate a third NRL club as they launch their bid to become the Telstra Premiership’s 18th team.
After missing out on the licence for the 17th team to the Dolphins, Brisbane Tigers will have another tilt at NRL entry with an enhanced bid after the opening of their new $10 million stadium, which includes the Des Morris Grandstand.
Based south of the Brisbane River, the cashed-up club will target a growing population of one million people currently being eyed off by AFL and is also preparing for a future NRLW team.
The Tigers will host NRLW matches this season at Totally Workwear Stadium, which is home to a high performance and community centre with facilities catering for female players.
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“This club has been trying to get into the NRL for a long time, we were disappointed that we weren’t the 17th team,” Brisbane Tigers Bid Team chairman Shane Edwards said.
“We thought our bid was excellent and it was considered strongly by the NRL but that didn’t deter us, we want to be an NRL club and we are going to make it very hard for people say ‘no’.”
If granted entry to the NRL, the club would have to drop the Tigers name because of the existence of Wests Tigers and Edwards confirmed that Firehawks was again among the options being considered.
The club will play out of Suncorp Stadium, but it is understood they may consider joining forces with the PNG Bid Team if the NRL wanted a Pacifika team with a Queensland-base.
“We think we have got a strong bid, but we will listen to what the NRL say and what they are focusing on,” Edwards said. “At the moment we are fully focused on a stand-alone bid.
“I think the story we have got to tell over the coming months will give South-East Queensland a strong chance of having another team here.
“We are focusing on the area in Greater Brisbane on the south side of the river.
“If you use the river as a divide, there are 600,000 more people on the south side than on the north side and both the Broncos and the Dolphins are based on the north side.
“The Titans are 70km down the road, so we have a massive population at our doorstep and three of the fastest growing populations in the next 10 years are the Gold Coast, Logan and Ipswich.
“If you look at the south-west corridor [Logan-to-Ipswich], there is another 275,000 people so that will take the population to almost one million just in that region.
“That region is also the area where the Brisbane Lions have their leagues club and a world standard training facility, so we see ourselves as providing the support to the NRL and QRL to get into the south-west corridor and provide strong, consistent programs for rugby league.”
Edwards, who was a former CEO of the Broncos, said that despite the introduction of the Dolphins, Brisbane and Queensland was still under-represented in the NRL.
“The Broncos and Dolphins are No.1 and No.3 for attendances and the Titans and Cowboys aren’t far behind them, and if you look at television ratings it’s the same thing,” Edwards said.
“This year, during the 27 round regular season, there are nine weekends when there is no game at Suncorp Stadium so we can bring that game that everyone wants every week.
“You have just got to look at the attendances during Magic Round to realise that Brisbane can sustain another team, and it deserves another team because of the support it receives from all sectors – the corporate sector, the Queensland Government and the fan base.”