The anticipated announcement that the World Club Challenge has been expanded to six teams next year is a complete waste of time.
While originally I was excited for an idea like this, the format that has been selected is all wrong and only adds to player burnout.
Next year, the 2014 premiers will be joined by South Sydney and Brisbane in a six-team World Club Challenge. If South Sydney or Brisbane win this year’s premiership then the Warriors will be joining them.
It is believed that Wigan, Leeds and Warrington will be the English teams involved. If South Sydney win the premiership this year then we would potentially be sending two teams that didn’t even make the top eight. That is hardly the cream of the crop.
The format of the competition also leaves a lot to be desired. The two third-ranked teams will play each other, followed by the two second-ranked teams which would then be followed by the actual World Club Challenge.
That seems to me like a whole lot of travelling for not a lot of point.
Ideally an expanded World Club Challenge would be a great idea if it involved sending the top three or four teams from each competition to play in some sort of a round robin competition where the winners of each group play off in the final.
But while this idea sounds good in theory, in reality it is asking too much of the players when they have a full season of football ahead of them. It would also probably take too long to stage as well.
We hear about player burnout all too often these days and many people in the know suggest that we are asking too much of the players, especially the elite representative players, so why are we adding more games to an already congested season? Already we have the World Club Challenge as it stands now combined with the all-stars game and the nines competition, the preseason seems too congested as it is if you ask me.
The craziest thing about this whole concept is that only one of the three matches has any merit, that is the playoff between the two premiers. The other two games are nothing more than exhibitions and who honestly is going to remember who won them in years to come. I wouldn’t be surprised if coaches rested players from these two matches and left some of their stars in Australia.
Premiers returning from England after the World Club Challenge often suffer from pre-season ‘hangovers’ where the travel they have had to do takes a toll on them over the first few rounds of the season. Normally that is seen as a challenge for the premiers to overcome and is another way of providing such an even competition.
If next years concept goes ahead, and it is believed at this stage that it will, then we will have three teams potentially starting the season flat and jet-lagged. A team like the Broncos, who may miss out on this year’s finals, definitely can’t afford to start on the wrong foot if they want to improve under Wayne Bennett.
By inviting teams the whole prestige of the event is taken away. I understand that Brisbane and South Sydney have the most fans and attract the biggest market and that is why they have been selected to go but what is the real point?
My suggestion is to keep it how it is. The top NRL side plays off against the top Super League side but lets alternate it between countries every year. It was great to see it in Australia this year so hopefully it is back in 2016. This way the game is still an honour and considered worthwhile and meaningful to both players and fans
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
I agree.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Straightforward, isn't it...
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
"Alright villagers, pitchforks down." lol
robertdowney
Guest
you miss the point of the WCC. its a revenue spinner and the english support its concept. its not about the NRL or ARL. its also allows some variation and connection between the two comps as well as promotion of the comps and an international flavour.
rob
Guest
Why was Brisbane and Souths chosen? What a missed opportunity by the Nrl to give smaller clubs some exposure. Not surprised the Nrl only cares about money
Paulie St Helens
Guest
A huge amount of people over here in the UK watch NRL games every week on Premier Sports. It would be great to see some of the teams over here. The only problem with the format is our Super League is a country mile behind NRL in terms of intensity and skill level. Seeing our teams get an ass whoppin wouldn't really do much to promote the Super League brand. Also I'd love to see Beau Knows Super League, that would be a funny piss take!
Cadfael
Roar Guru
My concern with an expanded WCC is how many of our top line players will go? How many are either going to be injured or getting over an injury thus being unable to attend. And this will happen. A lot of talk here about trial games and they should take precedence for the game here. The trial games are for those wanting their chance, the regular first graders will be there to support their mates. They are trial games so there can be no enforcement about making the start players turn up.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
If they want to expand, expand the Nines. It went off very well earlier this year. It was entertaining, good crowds and people enjoyed the carnival atmosphere. A knockout basis over 2 days for 16 teams seems such a waste. Open it up for other teams like English super league sides, another NZ side or teams from Perth and Adelaide. It is just that a rugby 7s comp has upwards of 40 teams competing over the same time period. My concern with the WCC would be clubs "resting" players. These competitions need the best to be playing.
Jay C
Roar Guru
Rugby League died in 2006 when rule changes meant that you no longer needed to train attacking players. The last attacking team to win a grand final was the Tigers in 05. Look at the attacking teams this year, languisihing in the middle order. It is all about defence and wrassling. Which is also why we have an injury crisis. Bodies aren't meant to be twisted so.
Johnno
Guest
Ranga I fell out of love not with RL(still watch the English Super League, and test footy), but with the NRL 2012- onwards. The new NRL rules, have made it soft and boring. Same with SOO. You loyal Parra fan Ranga, almost as long suffering as Souths, nothing since 1986.
Christian D'Aloia
Roar Guru
Well here's another unfair advantage the Broncos get for being the only club in Brisbane. I don't think they should be one of the three teams heading over, especially if they don't even make the eight. But even then they'd still probably be better than any ESL teams.
Ranga
Guest
It has not been rubber stamped yet. If and when it does get the go ahead, i'm sure they are not going to hand pick teams, that would put everyone off. If they have any brains, it'll be the top 2 or top 4 from each comp. Simple eh, btw, not everything you read from newspapers are the truth, esp when nothing has been put in writing as to how the concept will work. it is at the talking stage. And I don't care if you have supposedly watched RL for 20 years, all your comments trolling, bandwagoning and so on over the years here at the roar tell me otherwise. Loyal Parra fan since 1972.
Johnno
Guest
Ranga, tell me how this is a genuine WCC, do tell. I've watched tonnes of RL over the last 20 years, I used to watch 50 games a year on tv or at the game.
Ranga
Guest
johnno, you have trashed everything about RL above from the 9's to the NRL, SL and now WCC, you just don't like RL and it comes across in each post. You go for things that will hurt the game and you are against things that grow the game. I know exactly what sport you follow and why you continue to go along this rout.
eagleJack
Guest
Fair enough. I guess much like this year the Broncos put their best foot forward in the pre-season.
dayer
Guest
well i am a Broncos supporter and in general a rugby LEAGUE supporter, and i love that my team the Broncos and also the Rabbitohs are going over to physically expose their team and brand and also to promoting the GREAT game of rugby LEAGUE.
Cass
Guest
Sorry Redback but I watch and love Rugby League "THE GAME". Don't assume every fan is as narrow sighted as you. Believe it or not there are actually other football competitions around the world that the Dragons and other NRL teams don't play in and real fans of the game are watching and loving these games. The more the better I say, the off season is already too long for me. Stop complaining and enjoy the sport.
eagleJack
Guest
If I was a Souths or Broncos supporter I'd be fuming over this proposal. One of the main reasons that the Roosters have a chance of going back-to-back is because they played the WCC in Australia this year. Cam Smith has stated you don't get over the effects of the travel until Rd 5. And then you start to feel the pinch as the finals approach. I have no doubt that the WCC being played in England has been a big contributing factor why no team has gone back-to-back in years. Imagine not even winning the comp, and in the Broncos case maybe not even making the 8, but then being handicapped for the following season. Silly concept.
Brisboy
Guest
Dunno mate is it ? :)
Rob9
Guest
I take your points Alvin. But I believe the NRL primary concern is the health of the game here, not NZ or the UK. And on the home front, there’s still much improvement to be made in our heartlands and much to achieve in other states. I know this isn’t necessarily a popular school of thought here, but I also have my doubts as to how effective the NRL and its clubs can be as a promotional vehicles in other countries. We don’t have the massive financial and cultural drive behind us like European soccer and many of the US sports codes. I know the NRL season remains the pinnacle of the code, but I don’t see the sense in gimmicks that are detrimental to its strength, especially when their purpose is simply to serve the interests of other countries.