Here’s the basic idea of creating a pre-season NRL tournament that has a proper structure, can be taken to regional and expansion areas, and can be sold to broadcasters.
You could have an NRL pre-season country cup with pools of four teams playing 20 minute matches against each other.
For an 18-team comp there would be three NRL teams in each pool plus one other team for a total of six pools of four. Those additional teams would be made up of local sides, Amco Cup-style, representing future expansion areas like New Zealand, Central Queensland etc. The make up of the pools would change each week such that every team plays nine other teams across the the first three weeks.
If you ran that format for three weeks teams would have played 180 minutes of pre-season football rather than the current 240 minutes – but you’d have 18 pool games to play around regional and future expansion areas.
You could guarantee one pool round every year for Perth, Adelaide, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Gosford, Sunshine Coast, Central Queensland, Cairns, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Fiji and PNG, or, when those areas get new teams, then you can look at games at heritage stadiums in existing locations.
There would be enough games at grounds with lighting and enough daylight games that you could televise the majority of matches, earning additional revenue.
The six qualifying teams could have a game in their local area, so obviously Central Queensland would get a pool game at Rockhampton etc – but it means that there would be three NRL teams in the area out there visiting the local communities.
After three weeks the best four teams on the overall ladder would qualify for a final week of competition structured in a similar manner but with a seventh 20-minute game between the best two performing teams out of the final four.
Of course to do this the World Club Challenge needs to be moved to October (where it should be and alternated between host locations) and the All Stars game could be held on the Friday or Saturday of grand final week, or those players would simply be exempt from round one of pool matches.
The Charity Shield match could simply be scheduled as the first game of the proper NRL season for the Rabbitohs and Dragons.
Johnno
Guest
If anyone knows anything bait suburban amateur footy, they will know it is a health insurance nightmare, as injury risk can be high sometimes. Many ex AFL players have complained about suburban footy when they have had a run, as being almost like lawless is the message and energy i am getting. Acker Jason Ackermanis complained about him getting hit in the nose and all the cheap shots that did not happen in the AFL, Dell wendall sailor used to say he hated playing club rugby for fear of someone getting a cheap shot. Mark Geyer copped heaps in his stint at Umina. Coz they are amateur and there are no strict strict rules, in that if a player knocks a player's head off he will not get fined or a lengthy suspension it has no professional impact on his employment, plus there are no videos to check for foul play, and the refs are not full time pro so it doesn't hurt them as much either with regards to not enforcing discipline.
Go warriors
Guest
Go idea Gareth a 7s or 9s tournament I think would definately work.
Pete75
Guest
Now there's an idea....
Pete75
Guest
I'm with you B.A, I'm always nervous when you get non-professional players playing up against professionals. I reckon there's too much incentive to "knock someone's block off" so you've got a crowning achievement in your life to tell your mates down the pub. "Remember when I knocked Billy Slater's head off and he was out for the season?" Good post though. I reckon we should be doing more to showcase the game in regional areas. An idea like this with a few tweaks might work in some capacity.
Gareth
Guest
Bring back the Sevens, and have it hosted by a different regional centre each year.
B.A Sports
Guest
20 minutes games? Teams will spend more time warming up and warming down than playing. I'm pretty sure you would find a coach who would claim you are increasing the risk of injury to players. Do you also end up with two teams trying to score a try for 10 minutes, then spending the final 10 minutes trying to kick a field goal? Sorry. don't like to hail down ideas, but 20 minute games, thats not helping any teams prepare for the season.
oikee
Guest
World club challenge does not work in October, after you have won the premiership you want them to get up for the club challenge game.? It would die a dredful death. I like your idea, and you could add maybe a invited team from other codes to make up for the missing club challenge team. Keep thinking outside the box, what people want to see. If you add other codes by invitation, you get more veiwers.
jcvd
Guest
I like the pre season as it is. Clubs choose who/where they want to play and this can include feeder cup sides as well. Only change I would make is making some of those televised. World club challenge should definitely be in October and alternate between England and Aust/nz