Brian Carney questions New York rugby league club's ambitious plans
Wednesday 11 March 2020 15:22, UK
Brian Carney is not convinced the proposed New York rugby league club will be capable of fulfilling the bold ambitions they have laid out for 2021.
The plans for the team were revealed on Tuesday, including putting together a full-time team, playing in the Challenge Cup and facing three NRL clubs in friendlies at the Red Bull Arena ahead of a planned entry into the British professional game in 2022.
It came just one day after Ottawa Aces' place in League One next year was confirmed, but Sky Sports rugby league expert Carney says he had much more confidence in the Canadian outfit's immediate prospects than those stated by New York.
"I listened to the press conference on Monday and Ottawa said they're going build slowly coming up through the leagues, and if they have to spend a lot of time in League One or the Championship then they'll do that, and they won't make the step up to Super League until they're ready," Carney told Sky Sports News.
"I watched the New York press conference on Tuesday. They said they're going to operate a full-time squad next year - that's before they've got a league to be in.
"They said they're going to play in the Challenge Cup, they're going to play three friendlies against NRL clubs next February and they're going to have 25 to 30 friendly matches next year.
"I will swim to New York towing a barrel of shark food behind me if any of that happens."
I will swim to New York towing a barrel of shark food behind me if any of that happens.
Carney was similarly sceptical about Toronto Wolfpack when their entry into the British set-up was first proposed but admits he has since revaluated his views following the club's rapid ascent to Super League just three seasons after joining League One.
Eric Perez, who played a major role in getting the Wolfpack up and running, is now involved with the Aces project and Carney is impressed by the backing the club has from the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group, which owns the city's Canadian Football League franchise Ottawa Redblacks.
"With Toronto I've moved from scepticism to cautious optimism," Carney said. "The Ottawa side have got the support of the Ottawa Sports Group.
"Eric Perez, who helped founded Toronto, has now moved onto Ottawa, he's got a huge sports body giving him structural and financial support, so there is a lot of structure behind the Ottawa Aces bid."
North American needs 'strategic plan'
While Carney is pleased to see rugby league expanding to new areas, he has called on the sport's governing bodies to come up with a coherent strategy for North America.
That means International Rugby League, the RFL and Super League getting together to decide what the long-term plan is rather than just approving entry for new sides without a vision as to what comes next.
"The only problem I have at the moment is there is no strategic plan for North America," Carney said. "We've got Toronto, with all the good they bring and all of the problems that are associated with the club coming to the fore now.
"We've got Ottawa coming in on top of that, but without the game as a whole - the international board, Super League and the RFL - putting together a strategic plan for New York.
"It seems to me, because there are low barriers of entry into the game of rugby league, someone with an idea can suddenly found a club and bring them into the competition without it being thought through."
