December 17, 2025 • 9 mins
The discussion around the Mana Pasifika NRL bid has picked up again after iconic New Zealand-Pacific hip hop artist King Kapisi has been reported as one of the key figures behind it.
The NRL currently has 17 teams - with the Perth Bears and PNG Chiefs slated to join over the next few years. It has been said the NRL wants to reach 20 teams.
Geoff Brown is the bid leader of Mana Pasifika, and he joined D'Arcy to discuss the latest.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZB Mana Pacifica.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
It's not Moana, that's Mana Pacifica. NRL bids picked up
the iconic New Zealand hip hop artist, the Pacific hipp
kinkitc oh Bill Urralei top Bloke. He's one of the
key figures behind this bid for yet a Nanda another
NRL side. We've only got the one. But what we're
(00:36):
not stopping trying Wellington. If you in christ Church, I
mean I, I mean next Queen's down to get a
bid for one. But they're looking at a Pacific based team.
Here there's seventeen teams currently in an RL, the Perth
Quakers and the Papua New Guinea Chiefs slated to join
over the next few years. The NRL want to reach
(00:57):
twenty teams, so Mana Pacifica Consortiums formally submitted its bid
to the NRL Commission to become the twentieth side. It's
proposal that involves an Auckland based side because the city
is home to the largest Pacifica population in the world,
around two and seventy five thousand people, so it's kind
(01:19):
of worth settling in here. Jeff Brown as the man
who is leading the.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Bid for Mana Pacifica.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
He joins us now to discuss.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Good day, Jeff, how are you good?
Speaker 4 (01:29):
Thank you Darcy, you know, good to be back and yeah,
excited for twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Tell us all about this bid. Just on the face
of it. What do we need to know? Because I
don't want to be a cynic, but I can't help myself.
You look at bids and there are bids being thrown
at the wall or over the show. What makes Mana
Pacifica any different?
Speaker 3 (01:50):
I think that I don't think we're different.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
But where we have strengths at the moment is that
we're current in the space for fifteen plus years in
the PACIFICA space. We know our marketplace, we know our people,
We're proven in the current market having played international games.
But also we're linked to the other nations with Tonga,
with the Cook Islands, Nue, Tokilao and were Also you know,
(02:14):
we're quite entrenched with the with the EWI, with the
years that we've been involved in the game, so you
know we're working with an ivy, a very strong EWE
in the game of Rugby League, and so you know,
our point of difference, I would say, is just the
fact that we're just more current and we're not relying
on forecasting at the moment, and a lot of other
bids are looking at just relying on information and tikboxes
(02:36):
and I know that having met with some of them
as well. So we've met face to face with the
other bids, but with our strength to the Pacific, but
also our knowledge of the NRL having dealt with them
over the years and with the Federation, we just have
a lot of insight with current information. Our point of difference.
We're in the pacifica city of Auckland. We're looking to
take the game to the islands. As we said from
the very beginning, it's important to take the game offshore
(02:58):
and make sure that those those Pacific nations are receiving
the same sort of opportunities that we have here in Auckland,
Wellington and christ through Austrain. Yeah, where Pacific owned at
the moment, and we're obviously looking to work with investors,
but also we're seeking support from from governments as well.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
So yeah, that's up point of difference in terms of
what we provide.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
What I Orca and Kia and the Warriors think of this,
have had any interaction with them more.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
Tool I informed Mark the owner of the Warriors, and
Cameron George that I was been part of purely because
I've been involved in the game in the Pacific space
and working with the Warriors. They just said, you know
all the best and then I've caught up with them
once or twice since then and they've been okay about
what they do and they just leave us to do
what we do. The South Oland bids, I've met with
(03:48):
Moth and I've also met with Tony Kidd, who is
now I think it's Frank Inderkot that says taken over
that side of the bit as well. So, to be honest,
we've been so busy preparing and like I said, preparing
a team, preparing a coach and making sure that investors
understand what we're what we're actually bringing to the table.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
It's just been full on, to be honest.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
What kind of traction have you made with the n
r L.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
A lot of our a lot of our dealings with
the NRAL has been through We have a we have
a consultant working with us. So he was a former
CEO of the n r L, val and Is. I
think everybody knows he's a he's a totally different character
to anybody else. And in terms of sports management, he's
taken the n r L and and rebooted it. I mean,
(04:32):
if you look at what he's done since COVID, when
you know, when a lot of people are struggling and
they see what he's done in that space to revive
the n r L and then now making it profitable
even more profitable. You know, he's certainly, certainly someone that
doesn't need to be told what to do. But our
dealings with him have just been purely just you know,
feedback is just it's just timing.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
You know.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
His his timing is about what he's trying to bring
to the marketplace. And we all know that he's issued
to licenses and my background in terms of you know,
when it comes to business is that when you've got
two licenses that are currently in process, his job will
to focus on that at the moment to make sure
that those two teams pick off on those due dates
that they say they're going to kick off, otherwise they're
going to be delayed.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Do you hear the scenes from them know that this
is acceptable or possibility. Is it pie in the sky?
Speaker 3 (05:19):
What do they think?
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Because without there say so, you're not going anywhere.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
They're up for it, right, yeah, Look, well we've got
some intel as well. I mean, it's not just relying
on the emails and as I said to you can
we have a very experienced consultant working with us and
also the NRL. But the big question is is that
you can't keep asking for more money if you're not
expending whether or not the expension that they've they've actually issues,
(05:44):
they've two licenses. Is you know, I'm going to excite
the NRL. You know, we're still questioning them, but they've
taken the money. They've taken the money on this and
everybody knows it's you know, but it's also you know,
it's also something that the Australians have always.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Done, you know, and around Papay Guinea and their ties.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
You know, geopolitical and I think everybody knows about it.
But bringing it to the four is going to be
a big task. And like I said, he's got to
get the twenty and that's part of you know, the
TV deal that was shared when when the TV rights
were discussed with the NRL. You know, we're just going
to continue to work. That's that's what we're doing. We're
in the game anyway. We've been involved in the space
(06:22):
for a long long time and as I said to you,
you know, we're hands on. So we just want to
be prepared our things, put a best foot forward and
make sure that if they can't kick off in twenty seven,
twenty eight will be ready at eden Park for twenty eight.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
You said Eden Park, You've got some heavy hitters on
your side. One of them is the Prime Minister of Auckland.
I'm sure you won't mind me calling it Brown and
of course the CEO of Eden Park, who does great
things for sport, and that's next aught. These guys are
one hundred percent right, they're behind you.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
Yeah, we're look, we have it.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
We have an executive team wishing, you know, wishing on
this purdon and obviously you know there's there's a lot
happening in Auckland. There's you know, there's there's talks of
a second stadium. We're a lot of things throwing around.
But one of the things that we were conscious of
as a a consortium was to focus.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
On preparing for the license.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
Regardless of what's been said about you know, having another
stadium downtown and all those things. I told them, I said,
look to build another stadium that's ten years away. We've
got to prepare, you know, something for the NRL that
we can go to them and say, well, here we are,
here's the investment, here's a stadium.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
We're a plug and play. And because we have our
own database, becausific a database, we're able to put a.
Speaker 4 (07:32):
Team together and I think a very competitive team by
twenty twenty eight. And that's that's pretty been our position
the whole time. I truly believe the numbers are here
in Auckland. But in saying that, you know, we're happy
to take the game around, you know, around the major
cities of Wellington, also christ Church for the new stadium
and possibly the need and if you can tell us
out going out to the smaller regions, like we're Cuttle,
which is, you know, which is the very strong rugby
(07:53):
league region in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
But it's all gold big enough for a second team
in the NRL, considering there are two rugby teams up
here trying to make a cross as well. And let's
not forget about the football AKAFC, really crowded market.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
Why have we got confidence here in this Well, I
just look at the way we look at things is
like I said to my background and offshore development and
also trade and development. We look at the NRL today
and their model. They have nine They've got nine teams
in Sydney. So you know, we have one point of
(08:29):
a million people in Auckland plus and they have five
million or nine teams. And you work on ratios, but
they've also got you know, far four teams in Queensland
and they've got teams scattered across Australia. I think having
worked in the space for this long, I've been involved
for fifteen years both late you both internationally but locally,
(08:50):
and I'm based here in Auckland. We've seen the numbers,
you know, and I think I've seen this before a
lot of people. We have a mass exodus in this country.
We are losing so much talent, not just in rugby
league but in rugby union to Australia, purely because of
the doorst It all comes down to the opportunities and
the Warrior has been one team and you know, and
they've had the luxury of you know, having all this
(09:12):
talent on their doorstep.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
You know.
Speaker 4 (09:14):
But what people don't tell you is that we're losing
you know, we're losing fifty to one hundred kids every
six months. That's literally, you know, a recruitment database for
a club.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Wire.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Seeing you all the best, Jeff, thanks so much joining
us on the News Talk ZB. You look after yourself,
work hard, take no prisoners, and have a merry Christmas.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Thank you, Darcy, go tell Oliver May to take care.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talk z'
B from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on
iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZB Mana Pacifica.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
It's not Moana, that's Mana Pacifica. NRL bids picked up
the iconic New Zealand hip hop artist, the Pacific hipp
kinkitc oh Bill Urralei top Bloke. He's one of the
key figures behind this bid for yet a Nanda another
NRL side. We've only got the one. But what we're
(00:36):
not stopping trying Wellington. If you in christ Church, I
mean I, I mean next Queen's down to get a
bid for one. But they're looking at a Pacific based team.
Here there's seventeen teams currently in an RL, the Perth
Quakers and the Papua New Guinea Chiefs slated to join
over the next few years. The NRL want to reach
(00:57):
twenty teams, so Mana Pacifica Consortiums formally submitted its bid
to the NRL Commission to become the twentieth side. It's
proposal that involves an Auckland based side because the city
is home to the largest Pacifica population in the world,
around two and seventy five thousand people, so it's kind
(01:19):
of worth settling in here. Jeff Brown as the man
who is leading the.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Bid for Mana Pacifica.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
He joins us now to discuss.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Good day, Jeff, how are you good?
Speaker 4 (01:29):
Thank you Darcy, you know, good to be back and yeah,
excited for twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Tell us all about this bid. Just on the face
of it. What do we need to know? Because I
don't want to be a cynic, but I can't help myself.
You look at bids and there are bids being thrown
at the wall or over the show. What makes Mana
Pacifica any different?
Speaker 3 (01:50):
I think that I don't think we're different.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
But where we have strengths at the moment is that
we're current in the space for fifteen plus years in
the PACIFICA space. We know our marketplace, we know our people,
We're proven in the current market having played international games.
But also we're linked to the other nations with Tonga,
with the Cook Islands, Nue, Tokilao and were Also you know,
(02:14):
we're quite entrenched with the with the EWI, with the
years that we've been involved in the game, so you
know we're working with an ivy, a very strong EWE
in the game of Rugby League, and so you know,
our point of difference, I would say, is just the
fact that we're just more current and we're not relying
on forecasting at the moment, and a lot of other
bids are looking at just relying on information and tikboxes
(02:36):
and I know that having met with some of them
as well. So we've met face to face with the
other bids, but with our strength to the Pacific, but
also our knowledge of the NRL having dealt with them
over the years and with the Federation, we just have
a lot of insight with current information. Our point of difference.
We're in the pacifica city of Auckland. We're looking to
take the game to the islands. As we said from
the very beginning, it's important to take the game offshore
(02:58):
and make sure that those those Pacific nations are receiving
the same sort of opportunities that we have here in Auckland,
Wellington and christ through Austrain. Yeah, where Pacific owned at
the moment, and we're obviously looking to work with investors,
but also we're seeking support from from governments as well.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
So yeah, that's up point of difference in terms of
what we provide.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
What I Orca and Kia and the Warriors think of this,
have had any interaction with them more.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
Tool I informed Mark the owner of the Warriors, and
Cameron George that I was been part of purely because
I've been involved in the game in the Pacific space
and working with the Warriors. They just said, you know
all the best and then I've caught up with them
once or twice since then and they've been okay about
what they do and they just leave us to do
what we do. The South Oland bids, I've met with
(03:48):
Moth and I've also met with Tony Kidd, who is
now I think it's Frank Inderkot that says taken over
that side of the bit as well. So, to be honest,
we've been so busy preparing and like I said, preparing
a team, preparing a coach and making sure that investors
understand what we're what we're actually bringing to the table.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
It's just been full on, to be honest.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
What kind of traction have you made with the n
r L.
Speaker 4 (04:12):
A lot of our a lot of our dealings with
the NRAL has been through We have a we have
a consultant working with us. So he was a former
CEO of the n r L, val and Is. I
think everybody knows he's a he's a totally different character
to anybody else. And in terms of sports management, he's
taken the n r L and and rebooted it. I mean,
(04:32):
if you look at what he's done since COVID, when
you know, when a lot of people are struggling and
they see what he's done in that space to revive
the n r L and then now making it profitable
even more profitable. You know, he's certainly, certainly someone that
doesn't need to be told what to do. But our
dealings with him have just been purely just you know,
feedback is just it's just timing.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
You know.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
His his timing is about what he's trying to bring
to the marketplace. And we all know that he's issued
to licenses and my background in terms of you know,
when it comes to business is that when you've got
two licenses that are currently in process, his job will
to focus on that at the moment to make sure
that those two teams pick off on those due dates
that they say they're going to kick off, otherwise they're
going to be delayed.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Do you hear the scenes from them know that this
is acceptable or possibility. Is it pie in the sky?
Speaker 3 (05:19):
What do they think?
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Because without there say so, you're not going anywhere.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
They're up for it, right, yeah, Look, well we've got
some intel as well. I mean, it's not just relying
on the emails and as I said to you can
we have a very experienced consultant working with us and
also the NRL. But the big question is is that
you can't keep asking for more money if you're not
expending whether or not the expension that they've they've actually issues,
(05:44):
they've two licenses. Is you know, I'm going to excite
the NRL. You know, we're still questioning them, but they've
taken the money. They've taken the money on this and
everybody knows it's you know, but it's also you know,
it's also something that the Australians have always.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Done, you know, and around Papay Guinea and their ties.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
You know, geopolitical and I think everybody knows about it.
But bringing it to the four is going to be
a big task. And like I said, he's got to
get the twenty and that's part of you know, the
TV deal that was shared when when the TV rights
were discussed with the NRL. You know, we're just going
to continue to work. That's that's what we're doing. We're
in the game anyway. We've been involved in the space
(06:22):
for a long long time and as I said to you,
you know, we're hands on. So we just want to
be prepared our things, put a best foot forward and
make sure that if they can't kick off in twenty seven,
twenty eight will be ready at eden Park for twenty eight.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
You said Eden Park, You've got some heavy hitters on
your side. One of them is the Prime Minister of Auckland.
I'm sure you won't mind me calling it Brown and
of course the CEO of Eden Park, who does great
things for sport, and that's next aught. These guys are
one hundred percent right, they're behind you.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
Yeah, we're look, we have it.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
We have an executive team wishing, you know, wishing on
this purdon and obviously you know there's there's a lot
happening in Auckland. There's you know, there's there's talks of
a second stadium. We're a lot of things throwing around.
But one of the things that we were conscious of
as a a consortium was to focus.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
On preparing for the license.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
Regardless of what's been said about you know, having another
stadium downtown and all those things. I told them, I said,
look to build another stadium that's ten years away. We've
got to prepare, you know, something for the NRL that
we can go to them and say, well, here we are,
here's the investment, here's a stadium.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
We're a plug and play. And because we have our
own database, becausific a database, we're able to put a.
Speaker 4 (07:32):
Team together and I think a very competitive team by
twenty twenty eight. And that's that's pretty been our position
the whole time. I truly believe the numbers are here
in Auckland. But in saying that, you know, we're happy
to take the game around, you know, around the major
cities of Wellington, also christ Church for the new stadium
and possibly the need and if you can tell us
out going out to the smaller regions, like we're Cuttle,
which is, you know, which is the very strong rugby
(07:53):
league region in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
But it's all gold big enough for a second team
in the NRL, considering there are two rugby teams up
here trying to make a cross as well. And let's
not forget about the football AKAFC, really crowded market.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
Why have we got confidence here in this Well, I
just look at the way we look at things is
like I said to my background and offshore development and
also trade and development. We look at the NRL today
and their model. They have nine They've got nine teams
in Sydney. So you know, we have one point of
(08:29):
a million people in Auckland plus and they have five
million or nine teams. And you work on ratios, but
they've also got you know, far four teams in Queensland
and they've got teams scattered across Australia. I think having
worked in the space for this long, I've been involved
for fifteen years both late you both internationally but locally,
(08:50):
and I'm based here in Auckland. We've seen the numbers,
you know, and I think I've seen this before a
lot of people. We have a mass exodus in this country.
We are losing so much talent, not just in rugby
league but in rugby union to Australia, purely because of
the doorst It all comes down to the opportunities and
the Warrior has been one team and you know, and
they've had the luxury of you know, having all this
(09:12):
talent on their doorstep.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
You know.
Speaker 4 (09:14):
But what people don't tell you is that we're losing
you know, we're losing fifty to one hundred kids every
six months. That's literally, you know, a recruitment database for
a club.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Wire.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Seeing you all the best, Jeff, thanks so much joining
us on the News Talk ZB. You look after yourself,
work hard, take no prisoners, and have a merry Christmas.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Thank you, Darcy, go tell Oliver May to take care.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talk z'
B from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on
iHeartRadio
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