By Steve Kaless
October 13th 2009 @ 1:02am
Related coverage
World Club Challenge should be played in Melbourne
Leeds Rhinos Jamie Peacock, right, and Ryan Bailey, left, tackle Melbourne Storm's Anthony Quinn during their World Club Challenge Rugby League match at Elland Road Stadium, Leeds, England, Friday Feb. 29, 2008. AP Photo/Paul Thomas
After attending the last two World Club Challenges in Leeds, and after seeing the Rhinos take their third consecutive title at Old Trafford on Saturday night, I’ve decided its time to start the campaign to take the fixture to the southern hemisphere.
It’s not that I don’t enjoy a few Yorkshire ales, but rather, that it’s time to take the first step forward and take the match to the next level by playing it in Australia.
Now, that’s not meant to be a cheap shot at English rugby league. If anything, the English are to be applauded for sticking with the concept and allowing it to build its foundations.
However, the detractors will point to the fact that the match is played on English soil at a time that suits the English and therefore doesn’t have a true legitimacy as it attempts to find the best team in the world.
So taking the game to Australia next year, and then on alternate years, could help boost the prestige of the event.
Also in its favour is the fact that it would be held in Melbourne.
Melbourne is without doubt the sporting ‘event’ capital of Australia. While their population still seems lukewarm about attending the Storm’s matches week in, week out, they have shown an appetite to turn up for Test matches and Origins.
Well, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.
I’d argue the novelty of the event might attract a few more first timers, rather than just fronting up to watch the Storm take on the Tigers or Rabbitohs.
The new found strength of the Australia dollar relative to the British pound also means the shift makes more economic sense.
The Rhinos have shown themselves to be bold in their efforts to spread themselves around the world.
They famously played a trial match against the Rabbitohs in Florida and their CEO Gary Hetherington has previously talked about taking the game to Australia or Dubai.
So there should be some willingness there from the current hosts.
It will take some negotiating, but I’d argue it will make a nice addition to Melbourne’s sporting calendar next year.
I would be happy to trade in my pint of John Smith’s at a bar at the Corn Exchange for a cappuccino at a café on Lygon Street.
Get Australia's best NRL opinion emailed daily.
Like this content? Buzz it up!
Free Email updates:
Our daily emails are only sent if there is content for the sport or that author. You can subscribe to multiple daily emails; or get the daily Roar email with all our content in it. We value privacy. More...
(54)
Ronnie Rhino said | October 13th 2009 @ 7:35am | Report comment
Wouldn’t mind our boys coming to Melbourne for the WCC. However, previous years February dates for the matches have been two weeks into our domestic Super League season so we’d not be able to travel there and back without some changes/rest to our regular schedule. Your teams have not been ‘in season’ when it’s been played up to now. How relevant do you view these one-off games ? I’d be interested in Oz views on the subject.
The Answer said | October 13th 2009 @ 7:23pm | Report comment
Ronnie,
Until the English teams start making similar sacrifices to the Aussie sides it won’t have the relevance it deserves in Australia.
The Link said | October 13th 2009 @ 7:37am | Report comment
Steve – agree that there must be some middle ground between the current UK based concept and the rolling circus that was the WCC during Super League. The Brisbane-Wigan game in the mid 90’s pre Super League was a huge success in Australia, so to start with at least one “one-off” game should make it to Australia in the next 2-3 years.
Perhaps a 4-6 team mini tournament could be the way to go to decide the League World’s best team??!!
WCC is a point of international differentiation for RL from RU and should be built upon accordingly.
MarkR said | October 13th 2009 @ 10:00am | Report comment
Ronnie – it’s not really counted as the team is 1 – out of season, 2 – often not the compelte team who won teh GF i.e. key players leave/retire. It is very useful for givng the UK bragging rights though & it gets us through a dry patch when there’s only some rubbish sport called cricket to watch.
Steve – you seriously want this to be a fair game ??? Next you’ll be telling us that you want the NRL judiciary to stop suspending Kiwis before the internationals…..it’s a conspiracy I tell ya ! Although having it in Melbourne could be a bit risky, Sydney/Qld would be a sure sell out & better atmosphere.
Brett McKay said | October 13th 2009 @ 12:42pm | Report comment
Steve, I would’ve thought the only time to play the game is now, immediately following both GFs. I seems silly to see Australian teams heading to England in February with squads nothing like what won the NRL Premiership.
Alternating between the countries seems like a no-brainer through..
Steve Kaless said | October 13th 2009 @ 7:16pm | Report comment
It is an interesting point Brett, but many clubs are loathe to play anything so close to the Grand Final given the “Grand Final hangover” which tends to occur literally and emotionally.
Anything too close to a Grand Final may cheapen the respective titles as the sides are immediately focusing on something else.
Football teams don’t seem to worry about the changing of squads etc for the following year’s Champions League etc.
Hansie said | October 13th 2009 @ 9:40pm | Report comment
Steve Kaless is right – clubs wouldn’t like this move and the players wouldn’t like it because it would interfere with Mad Monday and GF celebrations. But imagine the best team from each competition playing off a week or two after the respective grand finals. It could be a great clash, and the venue could alternate between north and south.
Tom Alexander. said | October 13th 2009 @ 1:07pm | Report comment
Would have been a good idea to play it at the new Stadium in Melbourne. Christen it with a special game/occasion etc. Probably would attract a few English Ex-Pats who follow Rugby League as well. The biggest problem with our game is that some of our current administrators can’t seem to see the forest for the trees. At least the Australian Super-League implemented their ideas like the International Club Challenge etc, without procrastinating over it forever and a day. The umming and arrring that we regularly get from Gallop over some decent concepts like the Indigenous 13 team (thank God for Campbell, Bennett and Searle) just leaves you shaking your head. How about a Grand Finalists challenge with all 4 teams. I reckon Parramatta Eels vs Saint Helens would have been alright.
Ben said | October 13th 2009 @ 4:41pm | Report comment
Good idea Steve – Melb Storm vs English SL team in what month ? October-November ? Gee they will be flockiing away from Flemington to get to that match!!!
Dumb idea.
No-one outside QLD, NSW and the North of England care about League so Victoria is a silly idea. Do not start on the RL World Cup – if you gave the Pacific Islands/PNG netballs it would probably be more popular than League.
The Link said | October 13th 2009 @ 5:11pm | Report comment
“No-one outside QLD, NSW and the North of England care about League so Victoria is a silly idea.”
Funny that since 650,000 from Melbourne tuned into the NRL grand final
Steve Kaless said | October 13th 2009 @ 7:12pm | Report comment
Gold star to Ben for bringing up some of the most tired cliches used on the Roar.
Mr cheese said | October 14th 2009 @ 11:55pm | Report comment
isn’t there some struth in what he says ?
as i understand it, your RL is superior to ours ( England’s ). So……..playing this match in England evens things out and gives the English club a chance ( even though the Aussies still won this year ).
If you take it to Australia, the Aussie club will win by 50 points. That’s not good for English RL or for its Aussie equivalent.
Be careful what you wish for, Steve.
Doing this in Aussie will just put another nail in the RL coffin. Play it in England.
Mr cheese said | October 14th 2009 @ 11:59pm | Report comment
some “truth”
not “!struth”
John Ryan said | October 13th 2009 @ 10:34pm | Report comment
Gee Ben what Code do you follow ?
Dave1 said | October 13th 2009 @ 4:54pm | Report comment
Word Club challenges are usually played in February
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Club_Challenge
Ben said | October 13th 2009 @ 5:47pm | Report comment
February – even better.
Between World Series Cricket finals and NAB AFL pre-season ?
Throw in a new s15 team kicking off and a Socceroos warm up for a real World Cup in South Africa……..genius stuff.
League is great as it is – a battler Aussie sport with no interest outside NSW and QLD.
Leave it alone.
Dave1 said | October 13th 2009 @ 6:11pm | Report comment
League doesn’t have to worry about s15 at the best of times but especially not next year because it starts in 2011.
the Socceroos are playing
6 January 2010: Kuwait v Australia @ International Jaber Al-Ahmad Stadium, Kuwait City, Kuwait (AFC Asian Cup 2011 qualifier)
3 March 2010: Australia v Indonesia @ Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (AFC Asian Cup 2011 qualifier)
that won’t keep people away from league
also indecently last year 36,297 watched Australia play England at Telstra Dome in a league match on November 2 two days before the Melbourne cup and 1 day after derby day.
also incedently last year 36,297 watched Austrlia play England at Telstra Dome on November 2 two days before the Melbourne cup and 1 day after derby day
The Answer said | October 13th 2009 @ 7:21pm | Report comment
Great work Ben, you didn’t know when the game was actually played or even what year the Super 15 team may (seeing it hasn’t been decided) start.
One thing we know is you won’t be busy with any Mensa meetings.
Ben said | October 13th 2009 @ 7:27pm | Report comment
TV Ratings are rubbish and everyone knows it – if 650,000 people tuned into the NRL GF, how come there was no uproar about ch.9 leaving the match early to go to the news?
Anyway I am not trying to get people upset………I just think that how WCC concept is rubbish.
My vote is for League and Union to somehow work out some compromise.
League has so many great players and no international stage.
Union has the international stage (plus loads of cash) and not enough great players.
I love the ROAR BTW, great site.
Michael B said | October 13th 2009 @ 8:09pm | Report comment
Ummm… Ben, some people did give a stuff about switching to the news… and guess what, they were from Melbourne!
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/storm-reigns-supreme/comments-e6frf7jo-1225782671996
My vote is for AFL and Gaelic Football to work out some compromise so they can play each other at international level…. oh wait…:-)
Karlos said | October 13th 2009 @ 9:02pm | Report comment
Michael, I came to Perth 7 and a bit years ago and was open to giving AFL a go knowing it would never replace Rugby League in my heart. I began following the comp and even took on freo as my team, because my friends here support them.
Then one Friday night I sat and watched a mob of so called professional sportman from our nation make an absolute mockery of what it was/is to be Australian. The match I speak of was the All Australians v Ireland. As far as I understood Aussies stood up for the underdog. They respected the battler, those up against unfair odds and then I saw what The All Australian side did to those part timers from Ireland. Bashed and ridiculed and bullied and I was ashamed.
I switched it over to the Australian v New Zealand Rugby League test on that same night and witnessed all those things I held/hold dear about Australia and I have never watched another AFL match with any interest since; other than to see how they carry on like a pack of good sorts.
By the way. Yes play the WCC in Melbourne.
Dave1 said | November 25th 2009 @ 6:52pm | Report comment
The problem was the Irish were kicking the Australians and that is about the worst thing you can do on a sports
field.
http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=102690
“…..”There is one thing I would like to pass on to the Irish ahead of the revived International Rules series. You can punch an Australian and we won’t be totally insulted. But if you kick us you are going the wrong way about it.”..”
Karlos said | October 13th 2009 @ 8:51pm | Report comment
Ben, Melbourne fans from Melbourne have been on a pasionate campaign for years to get better coverage. There was a very large outcry when the celebrations were cut off after the GF. Maybe you need a bit more research. And please, Rugby Union only wants to destroy Rugby League. Always has. Always will. The League International stage is getting better slowly and as you noted; league has so many great players. The game allows them to showcase thier skills. The game will continue to grow because of this.
Jeff Baxter said | October 13th 2009 @ 8:10pm | Report comment
^ yawn.
Anyway I thought tha main reason the WCC took place in England was financial?
JimC said | October 14th 2009 @ 1:36am | Report comment
The vehmence of the frequent trolling attacks on rugby league here on the roar and on other websites is just testimony of how well the game is travelling.
Can’t wait for the 4-nations.
The WCC should alternate between Australia/NZ and Europe. I think they should play it after both regular seasons start though. It would make it a better quality match. Some of the NRL teams that have competed have been very underdone.
danwighton said | October 14th 2009 @ 1:44am | Report comment
I agree – I think that it should be organised to be played on a bye weekend for each team, perhaps around three or four rounds into the year. It should be alternated between Europe and Australasia from year to year (with the same rules applying as in week three of the finals – home ground but at the biggest ground in the city/region – i.e. Titans at Suncorp, Eels at the SFS).
I think it would highlight the international game, an aspect of RL which is often criticised but has been reasonably well developed in recent years.
And as for the attacks – very rarely do you see an attack from someone who has an actual knowledge of the game. Criticism from AFL fans about ‘only people from NSW and Qld’ caring about league are obviously short sighted and ill-informed. “No uproar about Ch 9 leaving early”…….there was constant uproar – it was all I heard about on talkback radio, on TV (not ch 9 of course) and online for days – and yes, that was in Melbourne.
swamprat said | October 14th 2009 @ 4:21am | Report comment
Rugby League is a great sport . Unfortunately its run by Idiots . Here in England the sport needlessly trys to fix something thats not broken . Drivn by Sky money decisions are made by people who have no love or knowledge of the game.
Dave1 said | November 3rd 2009 @ 4:50pm | Report comment
Reading the annual report for Rugby league, it looks like the sport is doing well in England.
http://www.therfl.co.uk/clientdocs/RFL%20Annual%20Report.pdf
Ben said | October 14th 2009 @ 10:43am | Report comment
Calm down.
My point is that Rugby League is good at the moment – why tamper with it? No one is interested in the WCC.
I agree with other sentiments about getting Phil Gould involved in administration, as well as John Howard as both have the games best interest at heart. Rugby League’s appeal is limited given the very nature of the brutality of it. That is crap about Rugby Union trying to destroy Rugby League – if anything it would be AFL trying to destroy League and Union is being supportive.
Anyway keep up the good work – a great debate.
Dogs Of War said | October 14th 2009 @ 11:36am | Report comment
No one is interested in the WCC? Geez, back in 2005, many of us Dogs supporters got up early and went to the Novatel to watch the game on a big screen to watch them take on Leeds (Game played in England). I loved it, and so did the missus. I am sure supporters of other teams also enjoy it, especially being the first taste of real footy played for the year.
Personally it would be better if our seasons where aligned better so the WCC could take place immediately after the respective Grand Finals.
Steve Kaless said | October 14th 2009 @ 9:35pm | Report comment
Dogs,
The Super League Grand Final is currently on the week after the NRL one (just long enough to get over the jetlag). I think they start about two or three weeks earlier. Pretty tough to make it any more aligned.
Cheers
Jeff Baxter said | October 15th 2009 @ 12:36am | Report comment
It was also Leeds best attended game (with very few away fans) by several thousands. 33,000 versus 20,000 versus St Helens, and thats 33,000 outside the season ticket. The interest is there and is in fact well established. In fact the game illustrated a particular point. The internet boards where awash with “who cares, doesnt mean anything” before last years game but the people turned up in good numbers and it was a tough, properly contested game. The lesson: jibber jabber on the web doesnt mean owt.
TammyS said | October 14th 2009 @ 2:51pm | Report comment
“Rugby league is good at the moment – why tamper with it?” lol Ben, IT’S ONE GAME!!!
Mick from Giralang said | October 14th 2009 @ 7:12pm | Report comment
The envy among the rugby league haters at the prospect of a strong international progam looming over the next few months is palpable.
swamprat said | October 14th 2009 @ 11:58pm | Report comment
Mick , describe what you beleive to be a strong International Calender. It only exists in the mind .It doesnt matter how many times you repackage it , theres only 3 teams that play it.
Jeff Baxter said | October 15th 2009 @ 12:43am | Report comment
The scheduled four nations must be a figment of our collective imaginations. As is the pacific cup and the european cup, both of which will soon be qualifying tournaments for the four nations (should be five in my opinion).
Mr cheese said | October 15th 2009 @ 7:18am | Report comment
Are you including Wales in that group of 5, Jeff Baxter ?
As Kevin Keegan almost said: “I would LOVE IT if the Welsh took to Rugby League.” Let’s be honest, though: it ain’t going to happen. It’s only a small place and they already have football and Rugby Union.
Mick from Giralang said | October 15th 2009 @ 3:08pm | Report comment
If Melbourne can attract 900,000 TV viewers to a rugby league match (and 30,000 spectators to a league match on AFL grand final day), Wales will be a cinch.
Jeff Baxter said | October 17th 2009 @ 1:39am | Report comment
No Mr Cheese i meant that the qualifiers from the euro cup and the pacific cup should qualify for the four nations every year rather then alternately. that could mean wales if they won the euro cup but is most likely to be france.
Im not sure what standards you are using – wales has a professional club in the superleague, a colts team of all welsh born lads tearing up the national youth league in the winter. what more do you want?
AndyRoo said | October 14th 2009 @ 11:18am | Report comment
Phil Gould has too many interests and enemies. He is not seen as impartial and it would be best to leave him on the sidelines where he is still free to comment but without representing the commision when he comes up with something crazy.
Tom Alexander. said | October 14th 2009 @ 1:26pm | Report comment
That Broncos/Wigan match at QE2 was a pretty intense game. Looking at it on tape with all the smoke and haze from the fire works, for the first 10 minutes you could barely make out the players. And yet it attracted an awesome crowd which vindicated the decision to play it down-under. Phil Gould should be on some sought of advisory body along with Bennett, Raudonikas, Murray, Lowe and Beetson. Some of the older coaches and players need to be given more input into the game. TV executives get more say on how the game is run than the people that played and coached it. Roy Masters is a pretty smart cookie who is constantly defending the game on AFL Insiders every sunday, throw him in there as well.
swamprat said | October 15th 2009 @ 12:20am | Report comment
Find a system and stick with it . Continuarity will build a strong support base and the rest will follow . Changing the personal that run the game perpetuates the myth that the game is progressive and innovative where in fact the people that run R.L are shallow and out of their depths . If I was trying to ruin a sport I couldnt do a better job. What surprises me is why so many fans buy into this circus.
MarkR said | October 15th 2009 @ 8:41am | Report comment
Swamprat – I’m with you, when you get teams in the finals other than Australia with the filler being NZ or England THEN you’ll have an international comp, & no Australia vs PNG with a 50-0 scoreline doesn’t count. The issue for league is there’s a heaqp of conutries playing it but it’s not daylight between the top 3 & everyone else, it’s light years between them.
Dogs Of War said | October 15th 2009 @ 8:56am | Report comment
Yeah, but until the Australian comp is working well, it’s hard for Australia to assist PNG and the Pacific Islands to improve there strength.
Same goes for the relationship between England and France, England really needs to make sure France is right, and then look at other countries (like Russia?), who could follow that model and host a high level team.
MarkR said | October 15th 2009 @ 9:17am | Report comment
DoW – you’re kidding right ?? The Oz comp is BRILLIANT, Australia are #1 in RL year in year out with the toughtest comp in the world. Even with a team finally in te NRL the Kiwis (Warriors) can’t get into the final (except for the year the Bulldogs lost their points).
swamprat said | October 16th 2009 @ 7:36am | Report comment
Why the desperate need to be seen as an International Sport? The strength of R.L is in the clubs . The failed World Club Championship of years ago was an over ambitious failure but could have been a success if it had a realistic format that could have been allowed to grow. Resources are wasted by administraters who feel the need to constantly reinvent the game on their latest whim.
Dogs Of War said | October 16th 2009 @ 7:47am | Report comment
I though the Super League season WCC was awesome. Only because of the war was the perception that it failed. Given time and a better setup, I think it could become a real standup event.
Dave1 said | November 3rd 2009 @ 4:37pm | Report comment
The problem with the Super League world club challenge, is that they asked the players what they wanted and they said they wanted every club involved.
It may have worked with only the top clubs from England and Australia
JF said | October 16th 2009 @ 7:50am | Report comment
Excellent point swamprat.
I really don’t understand the obsession with expansion. Who cares? Spend millions of dollars so supporters can then jump on The Roar and score some points in the ‘which sport is more popular’ stakes? RL expansion will add little to an already high quality game bursting with talented juniors. The sport is not going to die..ever. The fact that RL is played in only in certain parts of a few countries adds to the sports identity.
The Link said | October 16th 2009 @ 7:55am | Report comment
JF, no sport can afford to rest on its laurels. RL will expand internationally because it will increase revenue into the game from increased sponsorship / TV rights, as well as getting more people to play the game. Sports that don’t grow wither on the vine.
JF said | October 16th 2009 @ 8:34am | Report comment
Sports can do plenty to ‘grow’ without international expansion. IMO RL should be building an east coast fortress and not even be thinking about expansion outside the home states. The patronage that the AFL enjoys in melbourne is the level of support the NRL should be aiming for before considering expansion. More teams, maybe a national Division 2 comp, improving grounds, I regard these as more important to the long-term health of the game. Expansion is just a pissing contest.
MarkR said | October 16th 2009 @ 8:36am | Report comment
Link – so AFL is going towither on the vine ? What about Baseball ?
Dave1 said | November 3rd 2009 @ 5:32pm | Report comment
Baseball has withered on the vine in Australia. I think the big mistake was moving from winter to summer seaons.
swamprat said | October 17th 2009 @ 1:28am | Report comment
Theres nothing wrong with R.L . Just wish they wouldnt invent another temporary International calender every year. The games run by Hairdressers.