Penrith would have been the first team punted from Sydney if the NRL had been having its relocation debate eight years ago.
So says Panthers chairman Dave O'Neill, who weighed into the relocation-versus-expansion debate by backing two new clubs to be based out of Redcliffe and Perth.
Powerhouse club: Penrith would have been earmarked for relocation when they were struggling eight years ago.Credit:Wolter Peeters
And to prove there were more than enough players to prop up two new teams, O'Neill said you only needed to look in Penrith's backyard, where there are 10,000 juniors.
"Relocation isn't the answer," O'Neill told the Herald. "I think you have to expand, and you have to have a team in Redcliffe and a team in Perth.
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"Perth will get the backing of the local government and Redcliffe has its own leagues club. At least you know you'll have sustainability there for 10 years, because that's how long it will take to get it right.
"You could relocate a team if they fell over financially, but it's not going to happen. You'd be only bringing up the old Super League wars when you start talking relocation.
"If it was eight years ago, Penrith would have been relocated. The leagues club was in dire straits. We couldn't even pay our bills.
"Now the club is flourishing. The leagues club is strong, we have our academy, and we've got all these juniors.
"There are enough players around to field two new teams. You could even bring back two teams of ex-pats playing over in England.''
Penrith, Parramatta and Canterbury all have proud histories but are competing for the same western Sydney market, while the Wests Tigers are more focused on Campbelltown and the south-west corridor.
Roosters supremo Nick Politis said at the start of the week that relocating a Sydney club would be "too complicated", adding "we went through all that hoo-hah with Super League".
The debate is back on the table only after NRL boss Todd Greenberg revealed there needed to be an "adult conversation" about the future make-up of the competition, which could include re-location.
Greenberg was asked by the Australian Rugby League Commission to get feedback from clubland and the broadcasters before reporting back with his team's recommendations at the end of the year.
Manly and Cronulla are two Sydney clubs who regularly come up in the relocation conversation.
Greenberg and ARLC chairman Peter Beattie fired off an email on Saturday night to all the club chairs and CEOs, reminding them any decision would not be rubber-stamped before everyone had been properly consulted.
Told about O'Neill's thoughts on Redcliff and Perth, Beattie said on Wednesday night: "We will have a look at Redcliffe and other parts of Queensland. We will certainly look at Perth, and then Todd and the NRL will give us a recommendation.
"The Panthers chairman, Dave O'Neill, is one of the smartest people in the game. I have an enormous respect for him and his opinion. I have enormous respect for Nick Politis and his opinion earlier this week. This will bRead More – Source
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