The NRL has been urged to prepare for the introduction of new franchises in Perth and Papua New Guinea by buying its own plane for players to travel on, and to be used as a money spinner outside game weekends.
In what would be the boldest step yet in preparation for a 20-team competition – potentially as soon as 2030 – two of the NRL’s most influential club bosses want the code to consider investing in a $15 million private jet.
North Queensland chief executive Jeff Reibel and Warriors boss Cameron George know the travel toll on players better than most, and have encouraged the Australian Rugby League Commission to seriously consider the idea when it confirms expansion.
The Perth-based Western Bears are favourites to be the NRL’s 18th team in 2027, followed by a Papua New Guinea outfit the following year, backed by a $600 million injection from the Australian government.
With the game’s footprint set to expand to the other side of Australia and through the Pacific, Reibel said it made sense for the NRL to look to the United States, where national basketball, baseball and NFL leagues transport teams across North America on their own aircraft – and some richer teams even travel in their own planes.
“I think it’s a wonderful idea as the game disperses truly nationally and internationally with the Warriors and potentially more, it’s a smart thing to also look at how we get our athletes to and from the games,” Reibel said.
The NRL has been urged to invest in a private plane before expansion teams in Perth and Papua New Guinea enter the competition.Credit: Nine
“All you have to do is look at American sport with NBA and WNBA and what other codes have achieved by doing that.
“From our perspective, the Warriors travel the most and we travel the second most. If there’s a 7.30pm game in Sydney, we’re lucky to be home by 2pm or 3pm the next day. The only way we better that is by taking a 6am flight the next day, which is not great from a high-performance perspective.
“This is not woe is North Queensland because we’re regional, but how do we be smart with the investments the NRL is making? There are opportunities for it to be used for revenue in the off-season and during the week.”
The NRL has aggressively expanded its asset base under ARLC chairman Peter V’landys, and already owns three hotels: one at Woolooware Bay in Sydney, Gambaro Hotel near Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium and the Mercure Sunshine Coast.
It has experience with using charter flights for players through the COVID-19 pandemic, and a used Boeing 767 retails for about $15 million.
George said the league owning a jet would create commercial opportunities outside the NRL season and during weekdays.
“In theory, it’s a sensible analysis for the NRL to do,” he said. “The benefit of charters for teams like ourselves, the Cowboys, a Perth team is you don’t have to stay the extra night.
“From a personal sense, it would definitely have its advantages. I don’t know the feasibility of it. The only challenge will be if you have multiple clubs travelling on the one weekend. Who gets priority? But it would have its advantages.”
The use of charter planes will come sharply into focus on the eve of the finals series with the Cowboys preparing to use one to jet out of Sydney straight after their final round clash against the Bulldogs in Sydney.
Canterbury footed the bill to ferry their players back to Sydney straight after last week’s win over the Dolphins in Bundaberg, with an eye to the short turnaround and trip to New Zealand.
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