Sydney-based National Rugby League clubs will lose a combined total of A$34.1M ($26M) this season "in continued worrying signs for the game," according to Dean Ritchie of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH. Alarming figures "show all Sydney clubs will operate at a loss" for the '16 season "where not even the premiership-winning Cronulla Sharks could post a profit." Five of the nine Sydney franchises "sank deeper into the red," headlined by the Eels and Canterbury, as it is revealed collectively clubs will lose A$4.5M ($3.4M) more than last year. Parramatta's record loss of A$11M ($8.4M) for the season was an increase of A$3M ($2.3M) from the previous year. While the Bulldogs' A$5.2M ($4M) will be offset by a A$4M ($3M) League Club grant, it was A$1.7M ($1.3M) more than '15 and "comes amid a massive clean-out of Des Hasler's coaching staff." In other figures set to be delivered to members or private owners:
- South Sydney suffered almost a A$4M downturn in fortunes after posting a "healthy" A$1.4M profit last year.
- The Sharks "performed the best," posting a loss of just A$500,000 ($380,235) this year.
- The Sydney Roosters will lose A$3.2M ($2.4M).
- St. George Illawarra lost $A2M ($1.5M) which was underwritten by a Leagues Club grant.
- Privately-owned Manly is A$1.5M ($1.1M) in the red "after being locked in a court dispute over alleged non-payment of a major sponsorship."
- Penrith and the Wests Tigers sustained operating losses of A$5.4M ($4.1M) and A$2.8M ($2.1M), respectively.
After being the sole Sydney club to post a profit last season, Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly "put this year’s concerning financial result to several factors." He said, "We have traditionally been break-even or profitable over the last three to four years but we have made some investments into our football program and also into our new community high-performance center at Heffron Park" (
DAILY TELEGRAPH, 11/10).
