SA Rugby League community welcome news of a potential Adelaide team within next decade

Rumours of a potential Adelaide team competing in the National Rugby League have excited Adelaide clubs and fans, who believe the game in South Australia is ripe for the picking.

South Australian rugby league clubs and fans have backed the idea of having an Adelaide team in the national competition, saying it would do “a world of good” for the game in the state.

It comes after Australian Rugby League Commission Chairman Peter V’landys alluded that Adelaide could be one of three new teams added to the NRL all within a decade, in a $400 million bid to grow the competition from 17 to 20 teams.

The news has excited the rugby league community in SA, where there are currently between 2500 to 3000 registered players with NRLSA, the game’s peak governing body.

On Sunday, immediate former Adelaide Hills Rugby League Club President, Geoff Ford told the Advertiser that there was massive potential in Adelaide to add a new team.

“It’s like any sport … it needs investment in the grassroots and if you can get the investment needed, then you can grow the sport and start improving things,” he said.

“Everybody says that you gotta have juniors before you have seniors when it comes to something like the NRL, but to me, if you have an NRL side here in Adelaide, you’re gonna attract the juniors.

“It would be enormous.”

Women’s Rugby South Adelaide Bull Dogs, Maryanne Longstaff tackles against Central District Roosters RLC at Eyre Sports Park, Penfield. Photo: Russell Millard

At a senior women’s game between the Central District Roosters and South Adelaide Bulldogs clubs in the state league on Sunday, South Adelaide Rugby League Club President, Andrew Unger said the game in SA was going through a “growth period”.

“(Growth period) That’s mainly due to the start of major women involvement … and then again, it’s the fastest growing sport nationally,” he said.

“There’s a place for all sports … we have a lot of expats in South Australia and they love to play the sport that they grew up with and if it’s Rugby League, then great.

“There’s also a lot of talented young fullas here that have been scooped by the eastern states comps.”

Player Alan Wieland. NRL rugby league – Adelaide Rams vs South Sydney match at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Pushing to get an NRL team established in Adelaide for the past few years, Co-founder of Facebook page, ‘Bring Back the Adelaide Rams’, Aidan Laird said he got “goosebumps” after hearing the news.

“Seeing in the news this morning (Sunday) saying that the NRL is now actually seriously considering Adelaide, and you know, a $400 million bid … I had goosebumps … I was so excited seeing that,” he said.

“If you put money into grassroots rugby league and you put money into the schools and stuff like that, kids will jump on it and then you get the grassroots movement.

“I think the thousands of rugby league fans in South Australia will jump on the Adelaide NRL team so quickly, it’s no-brainer really.

“You’ve got a state of nearly 2 million people, it will be like the Melbourne storm all over again.”

The Advertiser has made attempts to contact National Rugby League South Australia for comment.