Peter Badel – NRL news (18 September)

0:00Rural Queensland at A-Bendom with you. We have a huge weekend of rugby league thanks to Ariette and Ariette.com.au two games of football in the rugby league world plus a pre-lim in the AFL world and it all relates to Queensland. To Chelsea through just the semi-finals but also this big story that was happening out of To Womba is none other than the chief league writer for the career male Peter Badelli joins me this morning. Pedra, good morning and I appreciate your time. How are you Dobbo? Well mate, well I'll get to the tips shortly but this to Womba yarn the Clides does trying to bid to actually hold a franchise in the NRL the 20th franchise. It's gaining some momentum and it's got some big names around it. Yeah certainly does. This is a huge story for the people of the Greater West and Borodora Brisbane. A secret bid, it has been secret for the last three weeks but I broke the story the other day that there is this to Womba bid that's now emerged as a genuine

1:03rival to the existing Yves-Witch bid which has been run by Steve Johnson. Now the male Dobbo is that they've indicated in the NRL that they have $100 million ready to go to pay for the licence fee which is the entry fee the Peter Valani is seeking for the 20th team and it's a I'm told it's a consortium of businessmen now they all like to stay anonymous as we know but the one guy I do know that's involved is a guy called Greg Mullins. I'm told that he's a cattle farmer, business tycoon, has interest in quite a bit of property and he's part of this team of businessmen that have the that I'm told their collective wealth is around a billion dollars. Now if that's the case they could put up the money for the entry fee and they've sounded out or identified Ben I can as a person of interest that they'd like to be involved in the bid now of course Ben I can form a Broncos Biosk URL CEO one of the sharpest minds in rugby league and what a coup that would be Dobbo with to Womba can get the services of Ben I can to speed head this bid. Look you've got that you've also got the romance of Wayne Bennett

2:08who's down in Sydney who's country is at Alara who would love to be involved in setting up I think he's ultimate dream would be setting up a franchise based out of to Womba and the Daling Downs. Now what I will say about this is that if you look at if you look at just the whole the whole thing you could go to every second farmer and get three million you could raise a hundred million dollars from the community in to Womba in a heartbeat. So I don't think the money is the big issue now right and I think that consortium if you bring the wagons into it there's a lot of big businesses talking to them in the last couple of days and plenty of cockies it'll be like well we we'd all chip in. The only thing I want to know is is that is a genuine from Peter Valandes is he's interest I mean I think the south of Auckland south of New Zealand has a it's capped I don't think the market is there I think it's a small that there's not the population I think that the Western corridor is a huge huge lift biggest inland city in Australia it's got an airport

3:12it's got the facilities it's got the DNA of rugby league it's a rugby league town it's got the schooling it's got infrastructure it makes a lot of sense and it's far enough away that you're not encroaching and I think the people of Ipswich and through there they would support it I think the westward supporter I think it's a it's a really good thing now does Peter Valandes honestly like that or is he more interested in that Ipswich bid well they're all fantastic points to go and is he interested in the absolutely I mean I spoke to Peter Valandes when I got wind of this story I called him and said look P.O. is is is he ill in the place that they're going for second term because that was the male that I had that they were the absolute raging favorite and he said Queensland is absolutely an option but he said the one on the go shabble is the $100 million licence fee if you don't have the money if you're not prepared to show us that you can pay this licence fee then we're not interested so that brings that I'd honestly believe Dobbo that's Womba is a genuine competitor I think as you said for all those reasons you just stated

4:15that's a reason they're a competitor and the other interesting adjunct for this to Womba big Dobbo is in the last 24 hours they have aligned with central Queensland with all service the Queensland central Queensland region if they get the licence so the consortium of business will own the licence but they will then have a goodwill align with central Queensland of course another very first whole area and they will help the capters and they'll play games you know maybe preseason games in central Queensland so they they want to pull at the Queensland heartland and I as you said Dobbo is a lot of money in both areas and I absolutely believe that they are a genuine chance and we're the second New Zealand team Christ Church is another serious location they're looking at so and this is honest it you can draw the dots however you want Wayne Bennett coaching director Ben I can see and Ben and Shane Walker the inaugural coaches of this franchise you actually can see what's happening and that that's the alignment and they've

5:20all broncos DNA yeah absolutely I mean it blows my mind if you look at there is no region like Ipswich in the Western corridor into Womba that has produced the legends of rugby league that that area has I mean Wayne Bennett still has a farm at Warwick the Alphillanger and Kevill Maltes Ipswich Jets boys I mean Shane Regent Steve Price Jonathan Thurston you know it just keeps on going you go capables they're at Charleville you think about Lockier from Limeron one day on let the corridor is rich in history and I'm forgetting a few I mean both firm or Dolby you just keep a ash tail up like just keep on going on and on and on and on Corey Pikes they're just there that they are I could get to that all it's there it would double in the team of the century the 17 man team of the century 12 people came from that even switch to Womba region it is unbelievable unbelievable what what nursery they had so what happened how long is going to be a decision

6:22it like you know I mean journalists and we all love the guessing game but in all seriousness how long till there is an actual decision well I wrote a story quoting Peter Vellani's double a week ago where he said that one of the decision by Christmas so they want to make a decision on the 2018 by December look sometimes he's dragged out but I believe by early next year I believe they will have made a call on the 20th team so this is not this this won't drag out I think this is the decision is imminent and they better sharpen their pencils the big teams because they are dead-tipped serious about having a 20th team in 2029 I agree okay let's talk about these two guess semifinals quickly no no football Friday night football tonight you got the women playing but tomorrow you've got roosters taking on Criteria that's it Ali Arts I think the chook should get it done but there's an amazing stat about teams backing up against Penra than semi final football

7:22yeah there is look double I've always gzcm walk was playing in this game I took the roosters to be raging favorites but look the sharks there they've always been a very consistent team they've never really proved and they can maybe make the grand final take that next step to win the comp they've always been used to value in the finals and I thought they were very other than a very good last week not not at their best but they did what they had to do against the car boys because this is another step up I really like what's survival of your last week for the roosters I thought our outstanding against Penra say it was a genuine heavyweight battle that went down to the boy I put it easily on the golden point and I think double the combination of survival and dc if they're on I think they'll be too much for the sharks I think they'll get through um we look at that game then I'm going to be an Eden park this is a big one massive game for the wires the wires taking on the might of the new castle night so do you tip in this one oh dob I look traditionally there's always one team that goes out in straight set and I really

8:26hope it's not the warriors I think they've been a joy in a blessing for the game they've been magnificent this season they deserve their top four spot I worry that the night's supplying home dober I mean Kaelin Pong is in supreme touch they've got some great connection in the spine oh look I really hope the warriors get this done they're at home Eden park I'll be 50,000 people I mean then you've been to that ground is the wonderful venue that is going to be rocking that place and I think with the home crowds of four the total weight of support I reckon the wires will get this done and march on I think you're right as well uh all thanks to area.com.au Peter Badell appreciate your time this morning really great chat thanks for being with us no any time dollar talk to you later we're going to take a break come back this is rural coins