lol, doesn't he know that up until this season the Titans have been one of the best supported clubs in the NRL? Last year they were drwadful and got the spoon yet still bettered half a dozen teams support.

Their financial woes are not due to lack of supporters, lack of corporate sponsors or GC cluture. They are down to a CEO/owner making some very bad building investments.

lol, doesn't he know that up until this season the Titans have been one of the best supported clubs in the NRL? Last year they were drwadful and got the spoon yet still bettered half a dozen teams support.

Their financial woes are not due to lack of supporters, lack of corporate sponsors or GC cluture. They are down to a CEO/owner making some very bad building investments.

CQ NRL Bid beefs up the region

Sam Woods | 28th March 2012 10:54 AM



CQ NRL Bid representatives Walson Carlos and Steve Bell with Denison State School students, Kaleb Bock, Kiersten Reiner and Daniel Putarakkit.

GRASSROOTS football is where it starts, and if Walson Carlos has anything to do with it, that's where it is going to end as well.
The CQ NRL Bid community and business development manager was getting stuck into a skills and drills session at Denison State School yesterday, alongside former State of Origin legend Steve Bell and Central Highlands development officer Andrew Lawrence.
The CQ Bid has always maintained local football as one of its primary areas of focus.
"One thing that we are acutely aware of is the importance of grassroots rugby league to the overall health of the game," Carlos said.
"Every element of the grassroots of rugby league in Central Queensland has been carefully considered and planned for."
To that end, Carlos and his roving team of development co-ordinators appear to be making every effort to ensure the next generation of CQ footballers are active participants now and well into the future. Even if they can't quite grasp the correct name of their local hero just yet
"And who knows who this is?" one development officer asks of his Grade 3 audience, indicating in Steve Bell's direction.
"Yeah, you're Mason!" comes a reply in quick succession.
After a number of visits to schools throughout the Central Highlands this week, Carlos said the bid team was beefing up its presence in the region.
"It's an exciting time for the bid," he said.
"There will be a shortlist down to three to four bids, and they advised us that by September or October we should know who they are."
Already there have been strong claims made by a number of rival NRL Bids from across the country and overseas, including Central Coast, Perth, New Zealand, a second Brisbane team and even Papua New Guinea as an outside chance.
However, just like the grassroots plan, what the CQ Bid team believes will give them the edge will be their "viability" as a potential NRL club.
"Denis (Keeffe - CQ NRL Bid CEO) has been very positive about the latest developments," Carlos said.
"He has been very impressed with the grassroots football and development programs... in the end it comes down to viability."
The quality and quantity of talent this region possesses is sure to add more weight to Keeffe's viability argument.
From the beginning it has been Keeffe's desire to draw on this grassroots base they are so heavily investing in, with the ambition to recruit 70% of its playing staff from Central Queensland.
Carlos said the Bid team will continue to develop its school clinic program in the region, with visits at least once a term.


www.cqnews.com.au/story/2012/03/ ... on-sports/

CQ NRL Bid beefs up the region

Sam Woods | 28th March 2012 10:54 AM



CQ NRL Bid representatives Walson Carlos and Steve Bell with Denison State School students, Kaleb Bock, Kiersten Reiner and Daniel Putarakkit.

GRASSROOTS football is where it starts, and if Walson Carlos has anything to do with it, that's where it is going to end as well.
The CQ NRL Bid community and business development manager was getting stuck into a skills and drills session at Denison State School yesterday, alongside former State of Origin legend Steve Bell and Central Highlands development officer Andrew Lawrence.
The CQ Bid has always maintained local football as one of its primary areas of focus.
"One thing that we are acutely aware of is the importance of grassroots rugby league to the overall health of the game," Carlos said.
"Every element of the grassroots of rugby league in Central Queensland has been carefully considered and planned for."
To that end, Carlos and his roving team of development co-ordinators appear to be making every effort to ensure the next generation of CQ footballers are active participants now and well into the future. Even if they can't quite grasp the correct name of their local hero just yet
"And who knows who this is?" one development officer asks of his Grade 3 audience, indicating in Steve Bell's direction.
"Yeah, you're Mason!" comes a reply in quick succession.
After a number of visits to schools throughout the Central Highlands this week, Carlos said the bid team was beefing up its presence in the region.
"It's an exciting time for the bid," he said.
"There will be a shortlist down to three to four bids, and they advised us that by September or October we should know who they are."
Already there have been strong claims made by a number of rival NRL Bids from across the country and overseas, including Central Coast, Perth, New Zealand, a second Brisbane team and even Papua New Guinea as an outside chance.
However, just like the grassroots plan, what the CQ Bid team believes will give them the edge will be their "viability" as a potential NRL club.
"Denis (Keeffe - CQ NRL Bid CEO) has been very positive about the latest developments," Carlos said.
"He has been very impressed with the grassroots football and development programs... in the end it comes down to viability."
The quality and quantity of talent this region possesses is sure to add more weight to Keeffe's viability argument.
From the beginning it has been Keeffe's desire to draw on this grassroots base they are so heavily investing in, with the ambition to recruit 70% of its playing staff from Central Queensland.
Carlos said the Bid team will continue to develop its school clinic program in the region, with visits at least once a term.


www.cqnews.com.au/story/2012/03/ ... on-sports/

Titans And Cq Have Clear Differences

This news item was posted at 12:17 pm on the 27th March, 2012

There has been much said and written recently about the Titans and most of the discussion concerns the club’s finances. My main interest, however, was the announcement of their signing of Dave Taylor to a multiyear playing contract commencing in 2013. If there was anything that confused me a little about Queensland’s newest NRL club was their propensity to sign New South Wales players and coaches.

FULL ARTICLE: www.cqnrlbid.com.au/2012/03/tita ... fferences/

Titans And Cq Have Clear Differences

This news item was posted at 12:17 pm on the 27th March, 2012

There has been much said and written recently about the Titans and most of the discussion concerns the club’s finances. My main interest, however, was the announcement of their signing of Dave Taylor to a multiyear playing contract commencing in 2013. If there was anything that confused me a little about Queensland’s newest NRL club was their propensity to sign New South Wales players and coaches.

FULL ARTICLE: www.cqnrlbid.com.au/2012/03/tita ... fferences/

CQ NRL Bid Supports Tour De Cure

1,500 km bike fundraiser from Biloela, via Rugby League Central to present 40,000 signature petition than to the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Article - www.cqnrlbid.com.au/2012/04/cq-n ... r-de-cure/

CQ NRL Bid Supports Tour De Cure

1,500 km bike fundraiser from Biloela, via Rugby League Central to present 40,000 signature petition than to the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Article - www.cqnrlbid.com.au/2012/04/cq-n ... r-de-cure/

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJD6wVZr ... r_embedded

CQ NRL Bid Junior Camp 2012

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJD6wVZr ... r_embedded

CQ NRL Bid Junior Camp 2012

The Spotlight – Junior Development Camp & Cup Success

Report on the recent CQ NRL Bid U14 Development Camp (rated as one of the leading programs at that age) and Capras (crowd among the top in QCup - 1500 last week) and Mackay Cutters success, Rhys Wesser Shield, Young Guns, Where are they now.

Includes U14s expected to play matches in likely Bundaberg, Mackay and Rockhampton against Northern and Brisbane teams this year (can't mention another potential big match up)

www.cqnrlbid.com.au/2012/04/the- ... el-morgan/

The Spotlight – Junior Development Camp & Cup Success

Report on the recent CQ NRL Bid U14 Development Camp (rated as one of the leading programs at that age) and Capras (crowd among the top in QCup - 1500 last week) and Mackay Cutters success, Rhys Wesser Shield, Young Guns, Where are they now.

Includes U14s expected to play matches in likely Bundaberg, Mackay and Rockhampton against Northern and Brisbane teams this year (can't mention another potential big match up)

www.cqnrlbid.com.au/2012/04/the- ... el-morgan/

Developing Our OWN

Last week the CQ NRL Bid development squad conducted their first camp of 2012 at Yeppoon, under Head Coach Lionel Harbin and his very professional coaching staff. This year, the first team to wear the CQ NRL Bid colours are under 14. Even though it is less than twelve months since they came together for the first time, I have noticed some dramatic differences in their persona. The young and often shy and insecure 13 year olds of last year are now much more confident and mature young men. It is the measure of this wonderful program that these changes are more than obvious.


www.cqnrlbid.com.au/2012/04/developing-our-own/

Developing Our OWN

Last week the CQ NRL Bid development squad conducted their first camp of 2012 at Yeppoon, under Head Coach Lionel Harbin and his very professional coaching staff. This year, the first team to wear the CQ NRL Bid colours are under 14. Even though it is less than twelve months since they came together for the first time, I have noticed some dramatic differences in their persona. The young and often shy and insecure 13 year olds of last year are now much more confident and mature young men. It is the measure of this wonderful program that these changes are more than obvious.


www.cqnrlbid.com.au/2012/04/developing-our-own/

Premier's stand won't hurt: Bid

Kerri-Anne Mesner | 18th April 2012 4:00 AM





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Tags: campbell newman, denis keefe, nrl stadium
CORPORATE boxes and an NRL stadium in Central Queensland are not the same, according to CQ NRL Bid chief executive officer Denis Keeffe.

CEO Denis Keeffe
CHRIS ISON
Advertisement

CORPORATE boxes and an NRL stadium in Central Queensland are not the same, according to CQ NRL Bid chief executive officer Denis Keeffe.

Mr Keeffe's statement comes after an SMS was published in the Morning Bulletin, by Col, the Caves, who believes Premier Campbell Newman's cut of government hospitality boxes at NRL stadiums was a sign the Liberal National Government didn't support sports.

Mr Newman announced last week the boxes would be relinquished or hired to private users.

He said as was part of his plan to cut waste and save taxpayers money, he had directed Cabinet ministers at the first meeting of the cabinet to not retain the boxes.

Mr Keeffe, and bid chairman Geoff Murphy, were in Brisbane yesterday, meeting potential sponsors and government departments.

Mr Keeffe said as a private citizen and taxpayer, he supported Mr Newman's decision about the corporate boxes.

He said this decision would not impact financially, or the design, of a Central Queensland NRL stadium.

"As far as we are concerned, they will be occupied by companies," Mr Keeffe said.

He said the bid crew allocated the number of corporate boxes for the local NRL stadium.

"We haven't allocated anything for government usage.

"One of the things we are doing while we are here is talk to different elements of government about the stadium."

The CQ NRL Bid needs $500,000 from the State Government for stage one, which is known as the licensing and approval stage.

This includes examination of the proposed site, soil testing and any necessary steps to gain ownership of the land.

Then the bid would be at "shovel ready" stage, which has to be done by the end of the year.

The LNP earlier this month sidestepped the $500,000 question, but confirmed its commitment to a stadium within the normal budget process.

www.themorningbulletin.com.au/st ... -hurt-bid/

Premier's stand won't hurt: Bid

Kerri-Anne Mesner | 18th April 2012 4:00 AM





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Tags: campbell newman, denis keefe, nrl stadium
CORPORATE boxes and an NRL stadium in Central Queensland are not the same, according to CQ NRL Bid chief executive officer Denis Keeffe.

CEO Denis Keeffe
CHRIS ISON
Advertisement

CORPORATE boxes and an NRL stadium in Central Queensland are not the same, according to CQ NRL Bid chief executive officer Denis Keeffe.

Mr Keeffe's statement comes after an SMS was published in the Morning Bulletin, by Col, the Caves, who believes Premier Campbell Newman's cut of government hospitality boxes at NRL stadiums was a sign the Liberal National Government didn't support sports.

Mr Newman announced last week the boxes would be relinquished or hired to private users.

He said as was part of his plan to cut waste and save taxpayers money, he had directed Cabinet ministers at the first meeting of the cabinet to not retain the boxes.

Mr Keeffe, and bid chairman Geoff Murphy, were in Brisbane yesterday, meeting potential sponsors and government departments.

Mr Keeffe said as a private citizen and taxpayer, he supported Mr Newman's decision about the corporate boxes.

He said this decision would not impact financially, or the design, of a Central Queensland NRL stadium.

"As far as we are concerned, they will be occupied by companies," Mr Keeffe said.

He said the bid crew allocated the number of corporate boxes for the local NRL stadium.

"We haven't allocated anything for government usage.

"One of the things we are doing while we are here is talk to different elements of government about the stadium."

The CQ NRL Bid needs $500,000 from the State Government for stage one, which is known as the licensing and approval stage.

This includes examination of the proposed site, soil testing and any necessary steps to gain ownership of the land.

Then the bid would be at "shovel ready" stage, which has to be done by the end of the year.

The LNP earlier this month sidestepped the $500,000 question, but confirmed its commitment to a stadium within the normal budget process.

www.themorningbulletin.com.au/st ... -hurt-bid/

www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 1x7q4.html

Strong interest by broadcasters in a second Brisbane team may prompt the ARL Commission to ask TV networks to lodge a separate rights bid for an 18-team competition.
Both Fox Sports and Channel Nine are keen to televise a second Brisbane team and capitalise on the parochial ratings of Queenslanders.

www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 1x7q4.html

Strong interest by broadcasters in a second Brisbane team may prompt the ARL Commission to ask TV networks to lodge a separate rights bid for an 18-team competition.
Both Fox Sports and Channel Nine are keen to televise a second Brisbane team and capitalise on the parochial ratings of Queenslanders.

Central Queensland’s bid for an NRL Team has ramped up even further with the CQ NRL Bid announcing the engagement of Brisbane and Sydney based PR/Media consultants. The CQ NRL Bid has engaged Major League Corporate Marketing (Brisbane) and Active Communications & PR (Sydney). CEO Denis Keeffe says it is a vital step for the CQ NRL Bid.

“The CQ NRL Bid has made significant progress with our Business Plan submission and the implementation of our Grassroots Programs that will carry through to the NRL Team. Now is the vital time to ensure that the Southern media is fully aware of the great work we are doing and of the compelling nature of our bid for an NRL license.”


Major League Corporate Marketing has worked with such clients as the Wallabies, Socceroos, Brisbane Broncos and Queensland Reds. Jodie Hawkins of Active Communications & PR has had extensive experience in PR roles for NRL clubs over the last 10 years.


The CQ NRL Bid continues to present a compelling case for NRL expansion with 40,000+ Bid Members, 12,000 Leagues Club members, 9,600 Facebook members and over 150 Corporate Partners.


Major League Corporate Marketing - Jason Greenhalgh – 0400 716 166
Active Communications & PR – Jodie Hawkins – 0418 295 335


www.cqnrlbid.com.au/2012/04/cq-n ... nsultants/


Get Ready!

Central Queensland’s bid for an NRL Team has ramped up even further with the CQ NRL Bid announcing the engagement of Brisbane and Sydney based PR/Media consultants. The CQ NRL Bid has engaged Major League Corporate Marketing (Brisbane) and Active Communications & PR (Sydney). CEO Denis Keeffe says it is a vital step for the CQ NRL Bid.

“The CQ NRL Bid has made significant progress with our Business Plan submission and the implementation of our Grassroots Programs that will carry through to the NRL Team. Now is the vital time to ensure that the Southern media is fully aware of the great work we are doing and of the compelling nature of our bid for an NRL license.”


Major League Corporate Marketing has worked with such clients as the Wallabies, Socceroos, Brisbane Broncos and Queensland Reds. Jodie Hawkins of Active Communications & PR has had extensive experience in PR roles for NRL clubs over the last 10 years.


The CQ NRL Bid continues to present a compelling case for NRL expansion with 40,000+ Bid Members, 12,000 Leagues Club members, 9,600 Facebook members and over 150 Corporate Partners.


Major League Corporate Marketing - Jason Greenhalgh – 0400 716 166
Active Communications & PR – Jodie Hawkins – 0418 295 335


www.cqnrlbid.com.au/2012/04/cq-n ... nsultants/


Get Ready!

Interview: Multi-millionaire backer Geoff Murphy on why CQ must be the next NRL franchise

geoff-murphy

Born, bred and diehard Queensland rugby league man Geoff Murphy has made a substantial fortune from construction – estimates put it at $120 million – so he knows the importance of strong foundations.

Away from his day job as General Manager of his JM Kelly (Project Builders), and his chairmanship of Beef Australia, he is the driving force and funding source behind a Rockhampton-based Central Queensland bid to enter the National Rugby League.

The tireless, knockabout 70-year-old – “I’m like a wild boar,” he says – has travelled around the world on behalf of the bid, tying up a sister club deal with NFL’s Green Bay Packers, and ploughed an amount “in the millions” of his own money into the three-years-and-counting project.

A significant proportion of that money has gone towards a business plan which is almost complete. It is the foundation of the CQ story and the document Murphy believes has his bid towering above other contenders including Perth, Ipswich and a second Brisbane outfit.

A key component of that plan is a report commissioned from Colin Smith, a powerful and significant name in the realm of TV rights. Smith, a director of Global Media & Sports, is being paid as a consultant by the Australian Rugby League Commission as it pushes for new deal, expected to surpass the AFL’s recent $1.25 billion TV bonanza.

The ARLC has yet to set a time table for expansion, although a report in the Sydney Morning Herald last week suggested they were investigating the level of extra rights money that could flow from a ninth match each week. That story suggested TV executives from Fox and Nine favour a fourth Queensland team to be based in Brisbane, but Murphy says that is not backed up by Smith’s report.

“I employed him to do the research for us in August 2011 but we haven’t made it public because we decided to keep the report as part of our business plan,” Murphy tells SportBizInsider.

Murphy is excited by Smith’s judgement and although he is keeping the full report in house he is happy to share its conclusion, saying: “I want to read you the last paragraph.

“Choice of location for an expansion team should be based on the chance of success of the new team. The success of the new team will be determined by local support of fans and business. The survey shows fans’ support will be the highest for a Central Queensland expansion team. Given the propensity of Queenslanders to support their NRL team, television audiences for a new team in Brisbane, Ipswich or Central Queensland will not vary. Likewise, pay television subscription growth is not expected to vary depending on the location of the new franchise.”

“So he’s saying we are as strong as anywhere in some areas but stronger in others.”

Since commissioning the Smith report Murphy and the CQ team, including CEO Denis Keeffe, have continued to build their business plan, including paying for a preliminary design of the stadium.

“We have a fantastic business plan but we’ve gone a step beyond that and had it reviewed by PricewaterhouseCoopers, so when it goes to the NRL it will have been ticked off by one of the major five.”

If Murphy’s approach is basement up, he feels one of the bids main rivals, the Brisbane Bombers, is doing the opposite, working on the fittings rather than the foundation first.

“We haven’t gone out there and announced players and colours and names and coaches,” says Murphy. “That’s what the Bombers have done in Brisbane. They haven’t put together a decent business plan, they’ve just gone out and named who they’re going to go and buy as players and who their coach is going to be.”
Murphy said naming teams and potential signings before the bid was successful was horse-before-the-cart thinking.

“It was a deliberate step that we wouldn’t go out to the market place with unfounded announcements until we could be sure we could do what we were saying we could because we think we would lose credibility,” Murphy says. “Sooner or later we will do that but we’ve concentrated on putting down the foundations, ticking all the boxes.

“We believe the decision the NRL will make will be based on viability. We think that’s the most important thing and the colours and names are things that aren’t critical yet.”

He believes that when expansion happens a fourth Queensland team is “a given”.

“From there I think the most important thing the Commission will look for is look for is long-term viability,” Murphy says.

“The reason I say that is we have a new Commission, we have a team like Melbourne for example who haven’t been able to survive off their own money, who are still supported by News Limited and I believe that sooner or later that understanding of on-going support will stop.

“When it does, if the Storm can’t survive under their own steam where are the funds going to come from? I believe the NRL will have to continue to support it because I believe it will be critical that a team remains there.

“If the NRL has to do that it will be heart-wrenching for them and I don’t believe the Commission is going to want to put another team in where it might have to put its hand in its pocket to support it down the track. Viability is very important. And that’s why we are saying we are putting together the best viable bid to win it.”


Geoff Murphy on . . .
. . . His rugby league passion

“I grew up always following rugby league. I played rugby league in my school days and after I left high school only until I was about 18. It was then that I started my own business and I never really had the opportunity to play. From then my passion was to watch the game rather than play it because I was involved in developing a business and bringing up a young family. I’ve always been very passionate about rugby league, it’s the game I’ve always loved. I was born and bred in Toowoomba and in those days the Darling Downs was a great breeding ground for footballers. My two sons both played rugby league and I’ve got grandchildren looking at playing soon.”
. . . Why CQ is rugby league central

“In the area of CQ we have 600,000 people and their main sport is rugby league – we’re the heartland of the game and I don’t say it lightly. For State of Origin last year Central Queensland had the highest viewing rating per person of population of anywhere in Australia. There are no national sporting teams in our areas; no other teams in soccer, AFL, basketball, whatever. The people here are very passionate about rugby league.

“It’s a the perfect place for expansion in Queensland because you’re tying up the heartland for rugby league. It is seven hours drive to Brisbane and a bit more to Townsville. The people here love the game so much many travel to Brisbane or Townsville to see games. We do feel we’re entitled to a team in CQ; consider the number of young lads bred here who just don’t make it when they go away from their home base, their daily support.”
. . . A second Brisbane team

“I think it’s important to look at failures in the past, like the Crushers, and about congestion. We have two NRL teams in South East Queensland already, in the Broncos and Titans. The Broncos are one of the top teams in the NRL and that’s fantastic and we aspire to be as good as them – some people say we would be weakening them but that’s wrong. The Titans need support, they have had bad times. Another team in SEQ is going to put pressure on both of those, so what about this gap in the centre of the state where there are no teams but there are avid, passionate rugby league supporters?”
. . . Why CQ deserves to be a front runner

“We’ve been going for about three years. We are well organised, we have our junior development in place. We have a scholarship for 12 young lads who we’re putting through school at the moment, we’re out promoting and have a development officer in 120 schools in the area. What puts us ahead of the others is that we’re developing the grass roots right now. I don’t believe any of the other bid teams are doing that. We’re out there developing the game in CQ, giving young lads an opportunity now to start developing their careers.

“On top of that we’re blue sky. There’s no other competition to compete against, not just in rugby league. In SEQ for instance they have national cricket, basketball, the Roar, the local league comp, the Broncos, there is so much sport to go to and you split the sporting spend and sponsorship. Clubs in SEQ have to fight for sponsorship. Up here people are looking to sponsor something.”
. . . His dream scenario

“My dream is kicking the butt of the Broncos, kicking the butt of the Titans, kicking the butt of the North Queensland Cowboys! Central Queensland always gets eaten up by those people so we’ll love kicking their butts! Really? My dream is regularly paying NRL games in Central Queensland every couple of weeks.”


Bid milestones*

Received $440,000 from a consortium of leading companies in the coal mining industry to fund the development of a comprehensive business plan to be submitted to the NRL. These companies led by BMA are committed to working together to develop a long-term sponsorship of the CQ NRL Team.
Commitment from Queensland Government to build a new stadium in Rockhampton that will hold 20,000 people. The Stadium will be based on the model of Skilled Park on the Gold Coast.
Links with the Green Bay Packers.
More than 10,000 junior rugby league players registered in CQ region.
A burgeoning Leagues Club that has more than 11,000 members and has experienced over 500 percent growth in membership in the last two years.
Moe than 40,000 Bid members, 150 Corporate Partners and 10,000 Facebook fans.
QR National sponsors the Schools Program where a development manager attends 120 schools in CQ annually delivering Rugby League and healthy lifestyle programs.
QR National sponsors the Scholarship Program – it provides educational scholarships to 11 disadvantaged youths in CQ. Funding to these families offsets education and sporting expenses. Eleven former NRL players are on board as mentors including greats of the game Gary Larson, Jason Hetherington, Matt Sing, Mark Graham and Steve Bell.
CQ NRL Bid Junior Development Program. Started in 2011 a highly innovative Junior Development Program that focuses on the holistic development of a select group of elite U13s and U14s players from the Central Queensland region. This team will form the core of the Under 20 team in the NRL. The CQ NRL Club will comprise mostly CQ players, coaches and staff. Committed to 75 percent of all players and staff in CQ NRL Team to be local products.
Major sponsors: JM Kelly Builders, QR National, APN Publications, WIN Television, Telstra, CQ University
Commercial business ventures and links with Indigenous Traditional Owner groups and peak Indigenous organisation in the Region CQID.
CQ University MOU and Heads of Agreement

*Supplied by the CQ NRL bid team.

sportbizinsider.com.au/news/inte ... franchise/

Interview: Multi-millionaire backer Geoff Murphy on why CQ must be the next NRL franchise

geoff-murphy

Born, bred and diehard Queensland rugby league man Geoff Murphy has made a substantial fortune from construction – estimates put it at $120 million – so he knows the importance of strong foundations.

Away from his day job as General Manager of his JM Kelly (Project Builders), and his chairmanship of Beef Australia, he is the driving force and funding source behind a Rockhampton-based Central Queensland bid to enter the National Rugby League.

The tireless, knockabout 70-year-old – “I’m like a wild boar,” he says – has travelled around the world on behalf of the bid, tying up a sister club deal with NFL’s Green Bay Packers, and ploughed an amount “in the millions” of his own money into the three-years-and-counting project.

A significant proportion of that money has gone towards a business plan which is almost complete. It is the foundation of the CQ story and the document Murphy believes has his bid towering above other contenders including Perth, Ipswich and a second Brisbane outfit.

A key component of that plan is a report commissioned from Colin Smith, a powerful and significant name in the realm of TV rights. Smith, a director of Global Media & Sports, is being paid as a consultant by the Australian Rugby League Commission as it pushes for new deal, expected to surpass the AFL’s recent $1.25 billion TV bonanza.

The ARLC has yet to set a time table for expansion, although a report in the Sydney Morning Herald last week suggested they were investigating the level of extra rights money that could flow from a ninth match each week. That story suggested TV executives from Fox and Nine favour a fourth Queensland team to be based in Brisbane, but Murphy says that is not backed up by Smith’s report.

“I employed him to do the research for us in August 2011 but we haven’t made it public because we decided to keep the report as part of our business plan,” Murphy tells SportBizInsider.

Murphy is excited by Smith’s judgement and although he is keeping the full report in house he is happy to share its conclusion, saying: “I want to read you the last paragraph.

“Choice of location for an expansion team should be based on the chance of success of the new team. The success of the new team will be determined by local support of fans and business. The survey shows fans’ support will be the highest for a Central Queensland expansion team. Given the propensity of Queenslanders to support their NRL team, television audiences for a new team in Brisbane, Ipswich or Central Queensland will not vary. Likewise, pay television subscription growth is not expected to vary depending on the location of the new franchise.”

“So he’s saying we are as strong as anywhere in some areas but stronger in others.”

Since commissioning the Smith report Murphy and the CQ team, including CEO Denis Keeffe, have continued to build their business plan, including paying for a preliminary design of the stadium.

“We have a fantastic business plan but we’ve gone a step beyond that and had it reviewed by PricewaterhouseCoopers, so when it goes to the NRL it will have been ticked off by one of the major five.”

If Murphy’s approach is basement up, he feels one of the bids main rivals, the Brisbane Bombers, is doing the opposite, working on the fittings rather than the foundation first.

“We haven’t gone out there and announced players and colours and names and coaches,” says Murphy. “That’s what the Bombers have done in Brisbane. They haven’t put together a decent business plan, they’ve just gone out and named who they’re going to go and buy as players and who their coach is going to be.”
Murphy said naming teams and potential signings before the bid was successful was horse-before-the-cart thinking.

“It was a deliberate step that we wouldn’t go out to the market place with unfounded announcements until we could be sure we could do what we were saying we could because we think we would lose credibility,” Murphy says. “Sooner or later we will do that but we’ve concentrated on putting down the foundations, ticking all the boxes.

“We believe the decision the NRL will make will be based on viability. We think that’s the most important thing and the colours and names are things that aren’t critical yet.”

He believes that when expansion happens a fourth Queensland team is “a given”.

“From there I think the most important thing the Commission will look for is look for is long-term viability,” Murphy says.

“The reason I say that is we have a new Commission, we have a team like Melbourne for example who haven’t been able to survive off their own money, who are still supported by News Limited and I believe that sooner or later that understanding of on-going support will stop.

“When it does, if the Storm can’t survive under their own steam where are the funds going to come from? I believe the NRL will have to continue to support it because I believe it will be critical that a team remains there.

“If the NRL has to do that it will be heart-wrenching for them and I don’t believe the Commission is going to want to put another team in where it might have to put its hand in its pocket to support it down the track. Viability is very important. And that’s why we are saying we are putting together the best viable bid to win it.”


Geoff Murphy on . . .
. . . His rugby league passion

“I grew up always following rugby league. I played rugby league in my school days and after I left high school only until I was about 18. It was then that I started my own business and I never really had the opportunity to play. From then my passion was to watch the game rather than play it because I was involved in developing a business and bringing up a young family. I’ve always been very passionate about rugby league, it’s the game I’ve always loved. I was born and bred in Toowoomba and in those days the Darling Downs was a great breeding ground for footballers. My two sons both played rugby league and I’ve got grandchildren looking at playing soon.”
. . . Why CQ is rugby league central

“In the area of CQ we have 600,000 people and their main sport is rugby league – we’re the heartland of the game and I don’t say it lightly. For State of Origin last year Central Queensland had the highest viewing rating per person of population of anywhere in Australia. There are no national sporting teams in our areas; no other teams in soccer, AFL, basketball, whatever. The people here are very passionate about rugby league.

“It’s a the perfect place for expansion in Queensland because you’re tying up the heartland for rugby league. It is seven hours drive to Brisbane and a bit more to Townsville. The people here love the game so much many travel to Brisbane or Townsville to see games. We do feel we’re entitled to a team in CQ; consider the number of young lads bred here who just don’t make it when they go away from their home base, their daily support.”
. . . A second Brisbane team

“I think it’s important to look at failures in the past, like the Crushers, and about congestion. We have two NRL teams in South East Queensland already, in the Broncos and Titans. The Broncos are one of the top teams in the NRL and that’s fantastic and we aspire to be as good as them – some people say we would be weakening them but that’s wrong. The Titans need support, they have had bad times. Another team in SEQ is going to put pressure on both of those, so what about this gap in the centre of the state where there are no teams but there are avid, passionate rugby league supporters?”
. . . Why CQ deserves to be a front runner

“We’ve been going for about three years. We are well organised, we have our junior development in place. We have a scholarship for 12 young lads who we’re putting through school at the moment, we’re out promoting and have a development officer in 120 schools in the area. What puts us ahead of the others is that we’re developing the grass roots right now. I don’t believe any of the other bid teams are doing that. We’re out there developing the game in CQ, giving young lads an opportunity now to start developing their careers.

“On top of that we’re blue sky. There’s no other competition to compete against, not just in rugby league. In SEQ for instance they have national cricket, basketball, the Roar, the local league comp, the Broncos, there is so much sport to go to and you split the sporting spend and sponsorship. Clubs in SEQ have to fight for sponsorship. Up here people are looking to sponsor something.”
. . . His dream scenario

“My dream is kicking the butt of the Broncos, kicking the butt of the Titans, kicking the butt of the North Queensland Cowboys! Central Queensland always gets eaten up by those people so we’ll love kicking their butts! Really? My dream is regularly paying NRL games in Central Queensland every couple of weeks.”


Bid milestones*

Received $440,000 from a consortium of leading companies in the coal mining industry to fund the development of a comprehensive business plan to be submitted to the NRL. These companies led by BMA are committed to working together to develop a long-term sponsorship of the CQ NRL Team.
Commitment from Queensland Government to build a new stadium in Rockhampton that will hold 20,000 people. The Stadium will be based on the model of Skilled Park on the Gold Coast.
Links with the Green Bay Packers.
More than 10,000 junior rugby league players registered in CQ region.
A burgeoning Leagues Club that has more than 11,000 members and has experienced over 500 percent growth in membership in the last two years.
Moe than 40,000 Bid members, 150 Corporate Partners and 10,000 Facebook fans.
QR National sponsors the Schools Program where a development manager attends 120 schools in CQ annually delivering Rugby League and healthy lifestyle programs.
QR National sponsors the Scholarship Program – it provides educational scholarships to 11 disadvantaged youths in CQ. Funding to these families offsets education and sporting expenses. Eleven former NRL players are on board as mentors including greats of the game Gary Larson, Jason Hetherington, Matt Sing, Mark Graham and Steve Bell.
CQ NRL Bid Junior Development Program. Started in 2011 a highly innovative Junior Development Program that focuses on the holistic development of a select group of elite U13s and U14s players from the Central Queensland region. This team will form the core of the Under 20 team in the NRL. The CQ NRL Club will comprise mostly CQ players, coaches and staff. Committed to 75 percent of all players and staff in CQ NRL Team to be local products.
Major sponsors: JM Kelly Builders, QR National, APN Publications, WIN Television, Telstra, CQ University
Commercial business ventures and links with Indigenous Traditional Owner groups and peak Indigenous organisation in the Region CQID.
CQ University MOU and Heads of Agreement

*Supplied by the CQ NRL bid team.

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