Now that the much lauded NRL Auckland Nines have morphed from rugby league off-season mirage into hastily approaching reality, perhaps it’s time we ran a Ronnie Palmer like eye over how the tournament is shaping up.
As a completely new concept recycled from the mid-90s, it’s expected that the Nines will have a few teething problems first go round.
Hell, State of Origin has been going for over thirty and no one can agree as to how we should referee that, so to be too critical on the Nines would be overly harsh.
Even so some features of the Nines have already begun to raise eyebrows, particularly given that they have for the moment replaced the popular All Stars match on the NRL calendar.
As it stands here is what I see as being some of the pros and cons of the tournament as it exists.
Pro: Teams that are coming off a mediocre season or four (Parra) have the chance to restore some pride and ensure their fans aren’t bullied at work so much.
Con: When this early season form promptly vanishes into Glen Air at the start of the premiership rounds the tournament trophy will only serve as a cruel mock for the rest of the year.
Pro: A pre-season tournament brings back fond memories for fans that grew up on a diet of Coca-Cola sevens and Tooheys challenges.
Con: No Morocco somersault tries, flagrant USA forward passes or Illawarra Steeler upsets in this competition.
Pro: NRL sides can introduce their rising stars in a less brutal form of the game.
Con: Apparently some of these rising stars are 42-year old commentators playing for a couple of laughs on The Footy Show.
Pro: You get to witness your club’s problem child turn it all around after a big season of training the house down.
Con: Quickly realising your club’s media officer is a pathological liar.
Pro: Teams can get a bit funky with their merchandise, and produce some exciting one off playing strips that will become collectors items and talking points among the footy trainspotting weirdos (me) on the hill for years to come
Con: Teams will take the chance to let surrealist graphic designers produce horrid one off playing strips that manage to include several sublimated levels of tattoo style insignia, but fail to include your team’s playing colours of the last eighty odd years.
Pro: A batch of new rules has been drawn up for the tournament which will serve as a good testing ground for the future evolution of the sport.
Con: With each half only going for nine minutes it’s quite possible Paul Gallen may end up arguing with the referee about said new rules for a quarter of each Sharks match
Pro: Wide open spaces thanks to less players on the field means plenty of ball movement.
Con: Plenty of ball movement combined with usual early round fumbling means more balls are set to hit the ground than in your average Bernard Tomic tennis match.
Pro: Sixteen NRL teams in the one place at the same time means lots of mingling between fans in a carnival type atmosphere.
Con: Sixteen NRL teams in the same place for a weekend means NRL CEO Dave Smith will be a nervous wreck for 48 hours and the city of Auckland will be looking at implementing security in the nightclub district usually reserved for G20 summits.
Pro: The Nines in being held in New Zealand, thus widening the game’s appeal in the country and capitalising on the Warriors signing of superman Sam Tomkins.
Con: Trying to get work to send you there to cover it.
Pro: It’s footy season again.
Con: Absolutely nothing!
The Auckland Nines will be played on the 15th and 16th of February and will be televised live on Fox Sports. Find out all the details here.
Click here for the full list of squads from the Auckland Nines.
a
Guest
should be exciting the nines
mushi
Roar Guru
When I read pro's and con's i though we were going to discuss the groupies and Packer
Simon85
Guest
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Simon85
Guest
I'm not sure how the nines will go but am looking forward to it much then the pointless all stars game. What makes me laugh about the all stars game is when I was at primary school we started playing black vs white footy games at lunch and didn't we get in some trouble for it, now its a national event.
PhillNZ
Guest
Robbo the 9's will not grow league in NZ. RL is mainly played by Islanders and Maori but struggles to gain popularity amongst Europeans. Same can be said with soccer in NZ mainly played by Europeans especially expats. RU dominates with everyone playing and with the AB's going thru a season unbeaten internationally , SXV winners and college footy going great guns , league has to promote itself via the Warriors ,but 9's is more of a gimmick compared to 7's which is a total contrast to XV. 9's is just league less 4 players on the pitch simple. The growth of RL is mainly due to the Warriors and there is millions being poured into them and the rest of RL is getting left behind.
PhillNZ
Guest
Robbo the 9's will not grow league in NZ. RL is mainly played by Islanders and Maori but struggles to gain popularity amongst Europeans. Same can be said with soccer in NZ mainly played by Europeans especially expats. RU dominates with everyone playing and with the AB's going thru a season unbeaten internationally , SXV winners and college footy going great guns , league has to promote itself via the Warriors ,but 9's is more of a gimmick compared to 7's which is a total contrast to XV. 9's is just league less 4 players on the pitch simple. The growth of RL is mainly due to the Warriors and there is millions being poured into them and the rest of RL is getting left behind.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Same here. All star/exhibition game with no meaning on one side; tournament with 16 clubs (i.e. no made up/plastic teams) on the other is a no brainer. Plus the nines format is similar enough to league to make it interesting and different enough to have everyone excited/with a chance. quite impatient to see how this looks on the field.
Mantis
Roar Guru
I 100% agree. Its obviously a fantastic vehicle for raising money and awareness for indigenous issues, but I wasn't attached to either team. I think a game to raise money is great, but the way the teams are chosen should be different, something similar to the way all star games are chosen in America. I somehow cant imagine them having an African American all stars or native American all stars vs 'the all stars'
Mantis
Roar Guru
James Roberts is a big loss for Penriff
ozzy
Guest
Hey Robbo. Unfortunately because of the prize money involved it will be about who wins. I doubt whether it will grow the game in NZ more then what it is. I realise that rl has some popularity in Auckland but not a lot (pretty much nil) in the rest of the country. You may not think this because all the major media outlets are based in auckland and aucklanders think the world ends there. I'm not saying people don't support or watch the Warriors because we are an extremely porochial and all kiwis love and want kiwi teams to be successful. In fact most kiwis love watching the warriors on a sunday. In the hearland of NZ rugby union is a religion and is often the heart of most communities. I have played in teams where police officers are playing along side gang members. It is quite hard to explain really All the best aye
turbodewd
Guest
Auckland 9s?! ROFL!
Robbo
Guest
Someone a little threatened by the chance of another successful RL tournament. LOL @ WC being a farce. In only 2 months since WC Ireland have gained full Govt recognition to allow for funding, Fiji have gained major sponsorship deal and setting up academy, PNG have revamped their development programs to work towards 2017 WC, all due to participation in RLWC.
Robbo
Guest
Very narrow-minded of you Dave! This 9's tournament is not about who wins, it was devised by the rich owners of the Warriors to showcase the game of Rugby League in NZ to grow the game and to also make this NZ's premier annual sporting event. And with 90k attendance I think they will achieve their goals and by the sounds of what I've read there will be a lot on non-RL fans present.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Michael offering his usual words of "wisdom "LOL, coming from a sport where passports are alien.
Marldon
Guest
I disliked the all stars immensly, from its silly big brother style voting system through the petty selections process and none event game for nothing only a practice run. The Nines has real backing, real clubs and real money. Its a million times better already. I can't wait for kick off to show you sour pusses just what for.
gurudoright
Guest
My eyes...my eyes. In saying that, the Roosters jersey looks awesome
wMC
Guest
its also NOT at Mt Smart - its at Eden Park
BULLDOGS 4EVER
Guest
good I'm happy it only on fox & not on 9 or 10
John
Guest
This is so much more interesting then the all stars game. At least your club can win 2 million and it's over 2 days. Awesome for pre season.
Marldon
Guest
Correction - the All Stars game was not popular, it was rubbish from beginning to end.