As a matter of official policy, the NRL makes explicit reference to its goal of ensuring that national selection for the Kangaroos is seen as the pinnacle of the sport.
This further adds its intention to ensure a vibrant international scene, particularly among Pacific nations where the NRL has its most immediate impact.
Based on this, one can assume that the game’s administration understands the value to its own domestic competition – commercial and otherwise – of being able to provide its players a grander stage for them to aspire to.
The Kangaroos are one of the world’s great sporting successes but as some have rightfully suggested, a diminished opponent makes the story of the Australian national team harder for the public to invest themselves in.
England has provided the odd upset victory but have rarely maintained a challenge. Until a decade or so ago, New Zealand were much the same.
The English have regained a good portion of their former competitiveness by consistently challenging Australia in recent matches. The Kiwis have taken the next step and have actually gone on to defeat Australia when it mattered most on many occasions now.
What we are seeing in international rugby league is a levelling up of the competition. Australia now has real opponents who can beat them. From this will emerge a rugby league narrative that the sporting public can identify with and take ownership of.
It is by providing such a narrative, the NRL can ensure the realisation of their ‘international charter’. And ironically, the best way for that realisation is for the UK’s Super League to become a a legitimate competitor to the NRL.
At the moment, the NRL is able to attract some serious UK talent. The general view is that these top-line players need to play in a top line competition and the NRL happens to be that competition.
If such stars were able to be retained by the Super League, however, it would mean that the prestige of playing in that competition will have risen.
Such a rise would ensure a positive rivalry between Australia and England, creating a meaningful narrative for the sporting public to tap into. For this to occur, the NRL will have to see that supporting the Super League is actually a long term investment in the NRL’s international future and part of actualising its own goals and directions.
Whether that support is financial, technical or administrative, the recognition that a successful Super League is an integral part of a vibrant rugby league future is essential.
Russell Johnson
Guest
Nothing wrong with being miffed just that the difference isn't worth the worry!
Jay C
Roar Guru
Glenn, you can't just combine the two (AFL and NRL), I see your reasons for doing it but they don't make for good analysis. NFL competes with other sports for $ as well. If you think of it as a pie, you are taking two pieces of Australias pie (which represent some 60-70 percent of the pie) and saying, "Well these two pieces of pie put together are bigger than that one piece of pie over there. The NFL still competes with MLB, Ice Hockey and Basketball in the US. US average wage 2013 $44 880 (Social Security Administration) Vs. $57,980 (ABS) Australian average wage November 2013. The average exchange rate for November was Approximately 93 us cents. Ergo Australian have high WAGES. And on, the USA not being split in two, I would argue that there is actually more competition with 4 very popular sports. NFL, Basketball, Hockey and Baseball. 3 in Australia, AFL, NRL and Cricket. Whilst the audiences might not be quite as dramatically divided by State (although they are still fairly divided) the competitions still have to compete with one another for the consumers dollar as well as corporate sponsorships, tv ratings, etc. So even if the whole country like basketball and the whole country like NFL they won't will still have to divide their discretionary income into all of the avenues they wish to pursue. If, broken down, your argument is that the NRL should be wary about relying on TV money for it's future success then I would agree 100 percent. I have already argued why attendance should be the yardstick by which success is measured. I do enjoy our little squabbles Glenn.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
I'm all for that.
Glenn Innes
Guest
Yes you can if you are capable of lateral thinking, neither Rugby League or Australian Football are national sports in the sense the NFL is and neither ever will be. So if you wish to compare Rugby League with the NFL you are really looking at the QLD,NSW.ACT markets, if you wish to compare AFL you are looking at the rest so you are going to come up with the same figures either way,so why not just combine them? The American market isn't half the country follows football and half follows basketball, if you don't take that into account well...you end up with crap. Also the median household income (not average which is skewed by very high income earners) in the USA in 2013 US$51939 the figure for Australia from the ABS was 47730 Australian dollars so what are you talking about? The gap in average income is actually much greater in favour of the US but I was generous and took the median figure.Makes part two of your reply pretty stupid, but then so is part one You my friend are the one making things up as you just pulled the higher wages thing straight out your backside without bothering to do any research, I do my homework sunshine, I don't make things up like you do.
chibimatty
Roar Rookie
I'd love to see an international component to the Nines, maybe Super League clubs could send some full-strength teams down here with the serious intention of winning it? If they were competitive, they could get some positive exposure for them and their competition.
Boomshanka
Guest
Meanwhile in Melbourne on GEM (Nines so called HD channel), the bitrate gets turned down every now and again on Friday nights. Sundays delayed game comes in crystal clear though. Ads are in high definition though.
Boomshanka
Guest
Try Sky Sports 1 and Premier Sports. Sure it's Pay TV but it is a Professional Sport. Still better coverage than anywhere in Australia.
Jay C
Roar Guru
You can't combine two competing sports and go against one. The NRL gets 200 million per year for its media right. Times 14 is 2.8 billion. Or the equivalent of 3 billion. Take into account the much much higher wages and thus discretionary income in Australia and it is probably about right. Why do people insist on just making things up to prove their point.
Jay C
Roar Guru
THe (not) Anzac test will be a fizzler. NZ don't turn up for one off's.
Jay C
Roar Guru
Honestly that spine just looks awful Scott. Segeyaro can't play 80 minutes and also should be playing for PNG. Greg Inglis should be fullback but he will be pretty old. DCE hasn't shown me anything at the top level to think he can hold these other guys together and Moses/Hastings have barely debuted. Smith has said he wants to play the next World Cup, that's in 3 years so he will probably still be at Hooker. I am hopeful the Ben and Anthony show kicks off in early 2015 and they can take over the halves with Smith at 9, Friend/DCE off the bench and maybe Inglis or Moylan at fullback. Or maybe Izzy!
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Sure, but the NRL has said it and it is listed as part of their goals. The only way for the players to believe that an Australian Test jersey is the pinnacle is for Tests to be staged regularly and that a fierce rivalry between New Zealand and England is developed and maintained. If they can help achieve that then a lot of coin could be headed their way.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Lot of assumptions about mission statements not offending reality in this article. There's a lot more effort put into selling Origin than internationals.
Muzz
Guest
It would be criminal if it's not a full house after the 4 Nations.
Glenn Innes
Guest
The NFL gets about three billion US$ per year for it's media rights.Now consider that America has about fourteen times our population and the NFL is genuinely national. If you combine the NRL and AFL deals you are looking at about 450 million Australian per year now multiply by fourteen and you are looking at 6.3 billion Australian. Even allowing for the exchange rate the two main winter sports in this country are doing incredibly well for themselves at least in comparison to the NFL . So how much higher could they go with no anti siphoning laws? Or the more troubling question are they both already overvalued?Looking at the NFL figures you have to wonder whether the media rights inflation of the last fifteen years in Australia may be coming to an end.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Actually, the very fact a person can even ask the question seriously as to who is the best just goes to show how far things have progressed. When you can ask that question, it means that it doesn't matter who wins the match. But let's hope for a good one anyway... with a New Zealand victory.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
lol
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Australia has the same problem...
Muzz
Guest
Seriously looking forward to the Anzac Test. Hope both teams are at full strength so we can sort this sh^t out.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Doesn't their connection with the original Bradford Football Club, formed in 1863, mean that Bradford are the oldest rugby league club in the world? I mean, Bradford left with the other clubs to form rugby league, so... But, meh, you're probably right. Still an old club....
Tripehound
Guest
Yes change is inevitable, whether peopel like it or not. Bradford won the superleague in 2005 and as you say are now in the second tier. Not wishing to be pedantic Sleiman but there are loads of clubs older than Bradford, who were formed in 1907. Huddersfield and Hull FC were formed in the 1860's, Leeds, Wigan, St.Helens and Warrington all formed in the 1870's.