▁remove ▁three ▁teams : ▁the ▁W A ▁Red s , ▁the ▁South ▁Queensland ▁Cr ush ers ▁and ▁the ▁Hunter ▁Mar in ers . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁the ▁Ad ela ide ▁R ams ▁and ▁the ▁Gold ▁Coast ▁Ch arg ers ▁were ▁also ▁removed ▁from ▁the ▁competition . ▁The ▁same ▁fate ▁happened ▁for ▁the ▁South ▁Sydney ▁Rab bit oh s ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁ ▁In ▁addition , ▁the ▁N RL ▁achieved ▁further ▁reduction ▁in ▁the ▁number ▁teams ▁through ▁mer gers ▁of ▁established ▁clubs ▁from ▁Sydney ▁and ▁regional ▁New ▁South ▁Wales . ▁There ▁were ▁ 3 ▁mer gers , ▁with ▁ 1 ▁col laps ing ▁and ▁with ▁ 2 ▁surv iving ▁- ▁St . ▁George ▁Drag ons ▁merged ▁with ▁Il la war ra ▁Ste el ers , ▁Western ▁Sub ur bs ▁Mag p ies ▁merged ▁with ▁Bal main ▁Tig ers , ▁and ▁Man ly - W arring ah ▁Sea ▁E ag les ▁merged ▁with ▁North ▁Sydney ▁B ears . ▁ ▁South ▁Sydney ▁Rab bit oh s ▁ ▁The ▁South ▁Sydney ▁Rab bit oh s ▁were ▁re - ad m itted ▁to ▁the ▁competition ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁N RL ▁season ▁after ▁a ▁legal ▁battle ▁with ▁the ▁N RL ▁over ▁their ▁exp ulsion ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁season , ▁with ▁the ▁help ▁from ▁New ▁Zealand ▁actor ▁Russ el ▁Cro we . ▁ ▁Gold ▁Coast ▁Tit ans ▁The ▁Gold ▁Coast ▁Tit ans ▁were ▁admitted ▁to ▁the ▁N RL ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁season