wamberal
Phil Kearns (64)
With 5 franchises worth of professional rugby contracts to be filled from 2 (& 1/3 [ACT]) nurseries of talent in Qld & NSW, young talented players will always be leaving QLD and NSW to further their career with the Rebels, Ponies or Force.
I hope you are wrong, otherwise the whole point of expanding the Australian conference - to spread the game nationally, and grow it in the other states like Victoria and WA - is flawed.
I would argue that the ACT is in a category of its own, it has always been relatively strong.
If the Rebels and the Force cannot lead to a significant growth in the grassroots in their home states, then I for one can see the day when they will disappear.
If the price we pay for propping them up in perpetuity is to weaken Qld and NSW, we face the certainty that support for the game in our heartlands will continue to fall.
There are a few ifs and buts of course, but it seems to me that Darwinism will win out. Victoria and WA, put as much effort as you can into growing playing talent, or face oblivion.