Monday Buzz: Weekend highlights, lowlights and the problems with a rugby league franchise in Perth

When expansion gets back on the agenda for the NRL, there are enormous challenges a franchise would need to overcome here in Perth. Plus the highlights, lowlights and talking points from another big weekend in sport.

Maroons and Blues players are seen during the national anthem before Game 2 of the 2019 State of Origin series between the Queensland Maroons and the New South Wales Blues at Optus Stadium in Perth, Sunday, June 23, 2019. (AAP Image/Richard Wainwright) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

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Check out the highlights, lowlights and talking points from another memorable weekend in sport.

HIGHLIGHT

The stadium in Perth is easily the best sporting venue in Australia. The atmosphere, food and beverages are great, and the beautiful corporate suites even have reclining chairs.

Optus Stadium looked superb for State of Origin Game Two. Picture: AAP

Comfy seats here at ⁦@OptusStadium⁩ pic.twitter.com/JPdNEcBw5k

— BUZZ ROTHFIELD (@BuzzRothfield) June 23, 2019

HIGHLIGHT II

The women’s Origin game at North Sydney Oval. No niggle and no rubbish in the play-the-ball. Extraordinary skill levels and a magnificent contest.

HIGHLIGHT III

The overwhelming condemnation on social media of multi-millionaire footy star Israel Folau and his greedy GoFundMe appeal to pay legal bills.

LOWLIGHT

Heartbreak and despair for the Matildas in France, so painfully beaten in a penalty shootout at the World Cup. The journey is over but the girls did our country proud.

Australia players console each other on the pitch after losing the penalty shootout to Norway. Picture: AP

LOWLIGHT II

The local cab driver who couldn’t find Optus Stadium. He eventually got us there, $36 later after what seemed a full tour of Perth.

HOLDEN OUT

The mail from inside the corporate suites on Sunday night suggested that Holden was on the verge of pulling out as the naming rights sponsor of Origin and talks are under way with Telstra to take over. We could have the Telstra Origin, with all its signage, at Optus Stadium.

DOGS OF WA-R

The Bulldogs are in talks with the West Australian government to bring a game to Perth next year once ANZ Stadium is out of action for its refurbishment.

SPOTTED

Former coach Peter Mulholland at a Western Reds reunion at Gloucester Park trots. Mulholland is having chemotherapy for a rare form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Still, he was determined to make it and caught a five-hour flight to catch up with all the boys.

Peter Mulholland, pictured during his days as coach of the Western Reds, is in the fight of his life.

TOURISM KILLER

Perth locals snapped up Origin seats so quickly there were only 15,000 tickets available for interstate fans. As a result, tourism dollars were down on what the government had hoped for. You could still get a good hotel room in Perth last night for $200, which is unheard of on the night of a major event.

SHOOSH

Manly have had five chief executives in six years — Grant Mayer, Dave Perry, Tim Cleary, Joe Kelly and Lyall Gorman. They are now chasing a sixth — a very good operator from a rival NRL club.

360 VIEW

Catch you Monday night on NRL 360 with Ben Ikin, Paul Kent, Kevvie Walters and Brandy Alexander for a full review of the big game.

MILLIONS OF REASONS AGAINST AN NRL TEAM

There are enormous challenges an NRL franchise would need to overcome here in Perth.

It’s OK to stage a one-off State of Origin match and have the South Sydney Rabbitohs in town once a season.

This is an AFL-mad city with phenomenal support for the West Coast Eagles. Their average crowd at Optus Stadium is 53,000. They have 80,000 members who spend an average of $800 per head each season.

The West Coast Eagles are the reason why Perth is an AFL-mad city. Picture: Getty

Last year the club made a profit of ­almost $8 million.

According to the 2018 annual report, they have $106 million in assets.

The club has also poured $141 million into junior development in WA since its inception in 1986.

The Eagles are almost three times bigger than the Brisbane Broncos.

Perth has a rich sporting history. The Wildcats have been the most dominant team in Australian basketball. The Scorchers are hugely popular in the BBL and Glory were the standout team in this year’s A-League competition.

Yet we all saw what happened to the Western Force in the rugby union, even with the support of local billionaire Twiggy Forrest (who was not at the game on Sunday night).

Mining billionaire Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest couldn’t save the Western Force. Picture: AFP

It just shows what the NRL is up against. The $13 million annual NRL club grant won’t go far in this city.

A new NRL franchise would need additional support for the first decade, like the Gold Coast Suns and GWS Giants get from the AFL. Even the relocation of an established Sydney team would need huge financial support.

I can’t see it happening any time soon.

CATTLE CLASS FOR COMMENTARY TEAM

If Channel 9’s commentary team didn’t sound as fresh and excited, this is why.

The network has banned business-class air travel.

The great Gus Gould, King Wally, Sterlo, even CEO Hugh Marks and director of sport Tom Malone now travel in economy. There is, however, one exception.

Ray “Rabbits” Warren, the voice of Origin and a notoriously bad flyer, will not get on a plane unless he’s seated upfront.

Originally published as Monday Buzz: Weekend highlights, lowlights and the problems with a rugby league franchise in Perth