David Moffet has bid for a Christchurch team to join the Trans-Tasman rugby league competition. The former chief executive of both NZ Rugby and the NRL is confident that the team, which he’s already named the ‘South Island Kea’, will be accepted.
“Our bid will make it absolutely impossible to look anywhere else,” he told The Platform.
“As we saw with the Warriors sellout preseason game (vs West Tigers in Christchurch), there’s an appetite for it here because there’s a lot of people who are fans of rugby and rugby league.”
Reports are that Papua New Guinea is the favourite to host the NRL’s next team, with expansion expected in 2026. However, thanks to a new stadium in Christchurch set to be completed that year - and the obvious rivalry vs the Warriors - Moffet reckons the Kea have a great shot at also joining the comp.
“We’ve got a fantastic stadium being built here that we know will excite the NRL,” he said. “One of the biggest things is we have an instant competition with Auckland - we’ll stick it to them.”
“Their coach came out and said there’s not enough room in NZ for another team. Well, when we win the bid I’ll offer him a job because he’s a good coach. But we’re coming and I would think that an opening game for the stadium between the Kea and Warriors would be phenomenal. We could sell out now if it happened.”
Moffet added that a second NRL team for the country would be important as it would help keep local rugby league talent from heading across the Tasman.
“We think instead of going across that ditch, they should go across the shorter ditch, the Cook Strait, and come to Christchurch,” he told RNZ.
There is another, completely separate, proposal for a South Island NRL team going on, which is a bit strange. However, Moffet was clear that no matter who wins the bid, he just wants NZ to have a second team.
He and his associates plan on owning half the team while leaving the other 50% for fan ownership. Finally, he added that part of the reason he chose the name ‘Kea’ is because it’s easy to chant.
Those are two incredible reasons right there - let’s make it happen, NRL.
