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Rugby league is being dragged kicking and screaming into a bold new era, but in a bid to move forward, may have to copy the past.
The NRL is looking at expansion to Gosford, Perth, Wellington, Central Queensland and another team in Brisbane.
Some of these won’t happen, and others might, but not any time soon.
The biggest question is this: are there enough quality players to fill two, three or even four new rosters? And will it signal the death of the under-20s competition if there aren’t?
After watching the matches on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, you could argue there isn’t even enough quality in the existing competition at the moment.
The new teams will need to grab their players from somewhere, and coaches won’t want to complement their superstars with ‘honest’ players.
It would be much easier to sign the best teenagers in the country and wait for them to blossom into first graders.
It’s not a foreign concept in Australian sport.
The AFL is currently doing the exact same thing at the Gold Coast Suns and the Greater Western Sydney Giants.
The Suns and Giants won’t win a premiership in the first five years of their existence, but the rest of the competition better watch out once those boys turn into men.
So, will any potential demise of the under-20s competition lead to the resurrection of reserve grade?
I will admit that since the under-20s started I’ve watched perhaps one whole game in total. It has nothing to do with the way the product is presented, as Fox Sports does a fantastic job, but it just doesn’t interest me.
I would much rather see a first-grader who is trying to regain form, or a promising young player take on grown men prior to first grade.
Currently the first-grader who is trying to regain form does so at a suburban ground in front of three people and his mum, while the promising young player only tests himself against other 18 and 19 year olds. That isn’t doing the club or the player any good.
Honest players will be needed at expansion teams to fill the reserve grade ranks, and they’ll be needed when injuries strike, but they can also educate the next generation of stars.
Hopefully expansion will take the NRL back to the future. Now, if I could only see some change out of a $20 note when I get a pie, chips and a drink at the footy!
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