V’landys calls for help to combat AFL
ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys has challenged the Broncos and Titans to “step up” amid fears the AFL is ready to topple the NRL in a sporting turf war in Brisbane’s western corridor.
News Corp can reveal Broncos football boss Ben Ikin met with former Super League supremo John Ribot a fortnight ago to discuss the NRL glamour club ramping-up development work in Brisbane’s booming western-corridor region.
Ribot presides over Queensland Clubs Management, which controls a number of Leagues Clubs, including the Ipswich Jets, who represent one of rugby league’s centrepiece operations in Brisbane’s west.
Jets bid chief Nick Livermore lashed NRL bosses on Wednesday, warning the code’s decision to expand north with the Dolphins has left Brisbane’s western league heartland open to a deadly attack from the AFL.
The AFL has made its strategic objectives clear, with the Brisbane Lions going west to Springfield as part of a $70m investment aimed at stealing the hearts and minds of sports fans in a region that will grow 179 per cent by 2041.
V’landys is wary of the AFL’s incursions into rugby league’s traditional heartlands and has urged the Broncos to take charge of developing the Ipswich area that unearthed Origin legends Allan Langer and Kevin Walters.
“The Broncos and Titans now have to step up,” V’landys said.
“They have got to step up to the challenge of growing the game.
“When you have competition, you naturally have to step up, so the Broncos and Titans have to rise up.
“They have to go in hard into that western corridor because the AFL is a threat in that region.
“The Broncos now have an opportunity to develop that western corridor. If they don’t do it, there is a risk someone else will.”
Ikin spoke to Ribot about beefingup Brisbane’s resourcing with coaching and development.
“This (looking after the western corridor) is no one stakeholder’s responsibility,” Ikin said. “If the game thinks there is not enough being done, then we will play our part as we always have.”