Rival bids for Christchurch NRL team need to put egos aside and unite

The buzz about the prospect of a second NRL team in New Zealand hit fever pitch on Thursday, with confirmation of a new powerhouse bid for a Christchurch-based franchise.

Spearheaded by Kiwi coaching great Sir Graham Lowe and businessman Andrew Chalmers, the Southern Orcas have the weight of $360 million (NZD) behind them in their bid for a licence.

The franchise would play at Christchurch's new Te Kaha Stadium, which is expected to be completed in 2026, with its headquarters at a new $10m base in Rolleston.

The bid comes in the wake of the failed proposal from David Moffett's Southern Kea.

According to Israel Dagg, it's the kind of proposition the NRL will struggle to turn down.

"It's going to be a fantastic facility," Dagg said on SENZ's Scotty & Izzy. "I think it's only a matter of time.

"It all comes down to the dollar and when you've got $325m (AUD) at your disposal, it's hard to really turn your back on that."

Last month's Kiwis Test in Christchurch breathed new life into the push for an NZ expansion side, with a packed house at Apollo Projects Stadium putting on a spectacle for the NRL brass who were in attendance.
But with the Orcas now joining the Kea - who plan to resubmit another bid - and another proposal in the works backed by ex-Kiwis and Warriors coach Frank Endacott, Scotty Stevenson worries if they may be spreading themselves too thin.

He believes the city would be better served if egos could be put aside and all three prospective franchises could band together to create one undeniable bid for Ōtautahi.

"Is there a sense that these guys might just cannibalise each other?" Stevenson said.

"Is it a better option for them just to get together and present a united front here behind one of these bids, put the egos aside and say, look, this is the right bid for us?"

Christchurch resident Dagg concurs, admitting their chances of beating out their rival bidders to ensure New Zealand is awarded one of the coveted 2027 spots.

"We're only a small city. I can't understand why there are three bids, to be completely honest.

"They've got a genuine chance to get a team and there are three pundits going against each other and then they're going to get disappointed when they have Papua New Guinea and Perth continue to that trend of teams out of Australia.”

"Create one big, mammoth bid and have a compelling case when you go approach the bigwigs over in Australia."