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How about an NRL Challenge Cup down under?

Roar Rookie
31st January, 2013
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Roar Rookie
31st January, 2013
10

The NRL is the world’s superior rugby league competition but there is still many things that it can still learn from its English Super League cousin.

The game in the UK/France seems to have it nailed when it comes to tradition, derbies and game atmosphere.

Where the NRL have a gimmicky ‘heritage’ and ‘rivalry’ round, Super League just have authentic games which are jam-packed with rivalries and heritage.

One fantastic example is the Challenge Cup, which has been going since 1896.

Much like football’s FA Cup its a knock-out competition which includes over 90 teams from all levels of England, France and Russia, culminating in the annual Wembley final, which attracts huge crowds, TV audiences and media interest.

The NRL could borrow from our northern neighbours and turn the current haphazard trial season, into a fantastic pre-season Challenge Cup-style competition.

Each regional competition winner and runner-up from the previous season could play in the first three rounds.

These rounds would be geographically-based, getting wider every round and include teams from all Australian states, as well as New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands countries.

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The winners of round three would then join regional pools of the the Queensland Cup, NSW Cup and New Zealand National Competition, along with the relevant NRL teams.

Another four knock-out rounds are played before the final.

The final could be shared between Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland and the whole competition from round one would be televised, supporting grassroots football, and adding a real exciting tradition to the NRL calendar.

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