The things I would change if I ran the NRL

No - the Independent Commission will not be able to make decisions for the good of the game. The current proposal is not actually independent at all and actually takes power from the league bodies and gives it to the existing 16 NRL clubs. The 16 clubs will be able to remove any commissioner that acts outside their wishes!

The spray but have very few supporters and even fewer membership. I think it is an idea that is worth debating. I sent a letter to the NRL regarding the West. It is my view, as an NRL supporter, not as a Panthers supporter, both Penrith and Parramatta should be relogated to a new NSW State premier league and a new team 50% owned by both clubs be born as the Western Sydney (whatever) With games played out of a new stadium at Blacktown or shared between both current, but upgraded, stadiums. It is worth debating. It may not be feasible for reasons I am not aware of, but all ideas no matter how outlandish they seem require the need to be debated. The East Coast Sharks (including the north shore region) Has a ring to it. As does the Western Sydney Bombers. Its time to now attack me. Do it gently please.

The MCG itself doesnt have a lot of character - its not much to look at - but it does have a history of association with two of Australia's most popular sports. Therefore, it has appeal as a ground. The SCG on the other hand, has managed to maintain that tradition and character - but at a cost. Its 40K capacity could not have been increased to 100K with the character and history maintained.

For a start.I would ensure more than one commercial radio station has the rights and a decent spread . There can be no further hding NRL games away in the southern states to some unearthly hour in the morning. I would insist that all clubs either have fully seated or covered grounds or play at a central venue.The simple reason suburban crowds are down at times,is lack of cover when it pours, and having a monday night game is hardly family friendly. Why the heck cant the new I.C. introduce a Sunday twilght game instead at say 5pm,and do away with a Monday night freeze your whatsees off. I would set up academies in Melbourne and Perth. I would do the utmost to ensure that the game gets more than a footing in Nth sydney and reinvigorate the junior base there. I would provide more funding to areas like PNG and the PI and bring more juniors from those areas into the junior grades. I would ensure that the Kangaroos ,be the pinnacle of the game,despite the SOO being of a higher standard.To represent one's country is the highest accolade. Accordingly I wouldnesure that players who do reperesent are well rewarded for their efforts. By 2013 the Sharks will be one of the financially secure clubs,watch this space.So there is more a chance of Easts merging with Manly both with few juniors ,than the Noahs,who also have a big junior nursery.

The central coast bears will play 1 game at north Sydney oval a year and that will be the heritage round against manly each year, there's 23000 for that event annually.a good business move plus nice to catch up with the picturesque oval Which NRL have only played 2 souths games there since 1999Then every home game is played at the bears den gosford and once we're in expect to see the stadium at gosford increased to 25000 in the not to distant future.. One game a year is all we need at NSO otherwise the novelty would wear off make it an event each year once only.

When will Sydney-siders learn that the Sunday suburban game is dead! Yes, you might get 20,000 at a game but ticket sales don't pay salaries so the game has a product that is marketable to a tv audience that attracts advertising. Big games, not nostalgia week every round. Only Sydney cares about the suburban game and, while it's nice, it doesn't belong in the national comp. The national game needs to grow meaning less teams in Sydney. Keep the NSWRL and the QRL running the local comps. Introduce the bears and central Queensland and have a relegation where only the best clubs play in the NRL. Non NSW and QLD teams are exempt which will encourage players to support league in developing communities. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.

you need to read what i said correctly i said melbourne not anywhere else.

Every nrl team should host 1 community day per season where they throw open the gates to all the fans. Also the dragons should play some of their blockbusters against teams like Parramatta, Bulldogs, Tigers & Roosters at the bigger grounds (sfs or anz stadium) 1 of the Saturday night games at 7:30pm should be dropped around May/June for the rest of the season in favor of a 2pm game on a Sunday.

Are you insane? How dare you speak of the most esteemed club in the game in that manor. Only club to be financially viable enough to participate in EVERY SINGLE SEASON.

Thanks everybody for the comments, A merger between Roosters and Sharks? It would be similar to the Rabbitohs debacle, which is a situation the NRL wouldn't need. However, the people in charge should take as much constructive criticism on board as possible with the FIFA World Cup in 2022 (should we get it) looming in the horizon.

The game itself is finally looking professional, blood bins, no pushing in scrums, 40/20, sin bin still needs work, but over-all the game is looking good. The problem is off the feild, we are getting player behavior better, (might not look that way) but it is getting there, the real problem lies with promotion and the running of the game, you could throw in commentators selling the game as well. Once we sort this mess out the game itself is fine. Fan enjoyment should also be looked at, we should be able to incorparate some music into certain parts of the game, the warriors seem to do this quite well, it does not effect the play because they shut it down once play recommences, but it keeps the crowd pumped. To me the warriors are the benchmark for other team fans, i have never seen there crowd down and out, even when they are losing. To sum this up for you, new blood, new ideas, more passion, lets bring the whole game up to origin level.. Bring it on..

You're having a laugh, the Coloseum has a "a metric tonne of history", the MCG is merely a modern cricket ground built a bit slightly over a hundred years ago. Outside of a handful of famous cricket games, it hardly has any history.

he did say in melbourne. The MCG has loads of character though and a metric tonne of history.The sad fact is that suburban grounds with 20-25000 seats couldnt hold the members for any AFl club and would be useless for all but non victorian away martches in melbourne. Note that the GWS and Gold Coast Home grounds will hold 25000 each.

Easts Sharks would boost both club fanbases, tying Cronulla's juniors with East's money - and about 75,000 leagues club members across both.

Which grounds do you refer to mick h? I think you will find that AFL is played at a couple more than two grounds. So Is it the MCG, SCG, Aami Staium, Subiaco or maybe the 'Gabba'? Fair to say that you are obviously a poor judge of 'character'

ac, forget the merge plans. Why on earth would the Dragons want to take on the problems of Cronulla. As a Dragons fan the only merge I would approve of regarding Cronulla is the Sharks fold up and St George Illawarra fill the void. As for Roosters/Bunnies, we have seen what happens when two club that hate each other merge, Manly and Norths, doersn't work. Why don't you suggest that Rooster and Sharks merge, lets face it Ricky Stuart screwed both of them.

That is not bad, like in the US army, they have M.P's to sort out and go after the riff-raff. I like this idea.

memberships are on the rise almost 145,000 this year and clubs are really pushing for 2011. a lot of rugby league supporters are fickle when it comes to going to a game and i agree scheduling is a big problem . on crowds a lot of suburban grounds only fit 18,000 to 20,000 fans comfortably the upgrades of kogragh 22,000 and win stadium 23,000 and eventually brookvale 25,000 should help boost attendances. there is no reason why the nrl cannot average 20,000 per game in the next few seasons and i believe season ticket holders are the key to acheiving this goal. i don't care about what the afl averages because the two grounds they play at in melbourne don't have character like the suburban grounds in sydney eg leichardt oval

Im also finally glad that the 15 years after the beginning of the "professional era", that the NRL is finally starting to be run somewhat professionally. It's mainly all talk so far, but at least they are finally saying the right things, and look to be heading in the right direction. As far as player support, I think an integrity branch of the IC could work well. Get some serious social workers etc involved, but also have an independent crew to police off-field player behaviour with uniform punishment...taken out of the clubs hands. Kind of similar to the on-field judiciary. This will definitely throw up a number of ethical issues and grey areas...but should do more good than bad.

While the Independent commission will be able to make decisions for the good of the game, it is another thing finding out the problems required to be fixed. Perhaps we need another Crawford Report (the 4th???) into the state of Rugby League. However by putting in place the commission they should be able to improve the corporate structure of the ARL and instigate reforms that ensure concerns like Stewarts are dealt with appropriately and lessons are learned. I do disagree that the higher tv ratings for league are the reason for lower crowds. I think it is simply that league is a much better game to watch on telly, and a large number of people watching on telly would not be attending the match anyway.