The Canterbury Bulldogs secretly discussed launching an audacious bid to buy the Western Sydney Wanderers in a move that would have changed the course of history for the A-League grand finalists.
As the Wanderers attempt to win their first premiership against Adelaide in the City of Churches, Fairfax Media can reveal Bulldogs powerbrokers discussed the prospect of owning their cross-code neighbours.
With the fledgling franchise in need of strong financial backing ahead of their introduction into the A-League, several parties were approached about the prospect of owning the Wanderers. One of those sounded out was the Bulldogs, who showed enough interest in the initiative to take it to the Canterbury Leagues Club board.
There was robust discussion about the prospect of basing the Wanderers at Belmore Oval, which would act as their base for training and the staging of home fixtures. The proposal held some appeal given the ground, which now hosts the occasional NRL fixture and is the home for NSW National Premier League Club Sydney Olympic FC, didn't host any elite sporting matches at the time.
What could have been: The Wanderers could be playing out of Belmore Oval. Photo: Getty Images
However directors, mindful of the $20 million losses accrued from the failed investment in National Basketball League side the Western Sydney Razorbacks, ultimately opted not to take a proposal to football supremo Frank Lowy.
"In an ideal world we could have played out of Belmore," revealed Bulldogs chairman Ray Dib.
"We had all the high-performance coaches, trainers and administration. They could have duplicated that to their specific needs.
"At the time we weren't playing any games out of Belmore. We're always looking at diversifying and looking at how to generate extra revenue.
"It was an idea taken to the board, there was a discussion. The feeling was we got burnt with basketball and it wasn't our mandate and our expertise. We decided to focus on what our constitution is based on and that's rugby league. We decided it wasn't right at the time."
It's not the first time an NRL club has given serious consideration to owning the Wanderers. Not long after the Bulldogs opted not to pursue the matter, the Penrith Panthers expressed interest in buying in. However, A-League boss David Gallop, the former NRL CEO, closed the door on any potential deal before an offer could be tabled.
The Newcastle Knights and Newcastle Jets both once came under Nathan Tinkler's Hunter Sports Group umbrella, while the Parramatta Eels once owned the Parramatta Power in the former National Soccer League.
The prospect of the Wanderers playing some games at Belmore Oval in the future remains a possibility given the team will need to find temporary homes while Pirtek Stadium undergoes a multi-million dollar rebuild.
The Bulldogs' decision not to invest in WSW could be viewed as a lost opportunity, given the success and popularity of the team.
Asked if there were any regrets about the decision not to proceed, Dib said: "I'm really happy for the code, the team and the people of the greater west.
"The more sports we get to the outer west, the better for everyone. The ultimately results in us having better stadiums, better facilities and healthy youth."
A crowd of about 50,000 is expected at Adelaide Oval for the A-League decider.
