I have recently read a couple of articles about possible structure changes and futures for the NRL, most recently an excellent article by Shane Wall.
I had been writing my own version of this for a few months so I thought I should put it forward.
I have had this simmering idea, this image of a possible rugby league future that won’t go away. It nags at me and has been begging to be released for quite some time. It won’t go away, so I’m going to share it with you, Roarers, just to get it off my back.
When I played my first game of footy at the age of four, for the Wagga Kangaroos, there was no such thing as a National Rugby League, and that was cool, the NSWRL was the highest level of rugby league in the world and they had some amazing history and rivalries to go with it.
Fast forward to today and we are at a crossroad, a staging point where the right decisions could propel league up to the dizzying heights we know it should be at, or, it could be left behind to fall into obscurity. Everyone outside Sydney is craving for a truly national competition, rugby league has grown, it has become the property of Oceania not just Sydney and Brisbane, and I believe that our competition should reflect that.
The Broncos are the most successful rugby league club in the world, and we should be analysing why that is and trying to replicate that at every club in the competition. I absolutely hate the idea of the Bombers bid, by allowing a second team at the same ground you are halving the Bombers’ chances of survival and halving the Broncos’ ability to be successful.
Really, the only people that want a second club in Brisbane are are Sydney-siders hoping to justify rugby league’s mistakes of the past by making the same ones again. The reality is that there should be less Sydney teams, effectively bringing Sydney clubs up to the same level as the Broncos, rather than bringing the Broncos down to Sydney’s levels.
Less Sydney clubs would also improve a few issues. Canberra’s problems attracting players and sponsors would lessen, stadium scheduling problems would be fixed, and game attendances would improve -bums on seats are atrocious in Sydney. Third part sponsorship would increase for each club – the less clubs, the more dollars per team – and there would also be more Friday night games for the remaining Sydney clubs.
In saying that, the South East Queensland region can support another team, and I would hope the governing bodies would see the merit in bringing an Ipswich team into the competition, hopefully lassoing Toowoomba’s enormous nursery as well as Logan and the western corridor. This whole area is responsible for (among many others) Anthony Milford, Cameron Smith, Mal Meninga, Johnathan Thurston, Alfie Langer, the Walters brothers and Peter Sterling (had to throw that in).
I also believe that we have an enormous opportunity right now to tap in to a new market in the Pacific Nations, the populations of Samoans, Tongans and other islanders in Parramatta, Redbank Plains and a few other places are so large that they could support a team by themselves. One team rotating home games between Parramatta Stadium, Suncorp Stadium, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and Papua New Guinea might bring multitudes of people to our competition.
I am tired of this supposed war with the AFL. I think the NRL should sit down with the AFL and work with them how to minimise our impact on their competition and vice versa, we are all a part of the Australian sporting landscape. They have superior game day experience, we have representative football.
I propose we take the best bits from all the success around us, look at the AFL game day and learn from it, look at the EPL scheduling and create an environment that supports bums on seats and TV ratings, look at the NFL and create mini conferences to maximise our derby games.
My proposal would be a 20-team four-conference competition where teams play each of their own conference teams home and away every year, and all the other conference teams once per year with a biannual home-and-away schedule.
That, I believe, is where the conference part should end though, come season’s end the top eight should play in the finals, which should remain untouched in its current format. This would result in a 23 round regular season. I also propose a six-week mini-representative season mid year but I’ll get to that in a bit.
That’s 33 weeks of glorious football, and our star players should have a couple less games to play per year, without the need for clubs to play without their elite players on the field. The biannual home-and-away gaming schedule should improve the bums on seats factor too.
Let’s take a look at the conferences.
Queensland Conference
North Queensland Cowboys
Central Queensland
Brisbane Broncos
Ipswich Jets
Gold Coast Titans
Sydney Conference
Manly Sea-Eagles
Eastern Suburbs Roosters
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Canterbury Bulldogs
Penrith Panthers
Southern Conference
Canberra Raiders
Melbourne Storm
Adelaide Sharks
Perth Pirates
St George Illawarra Dragons
Pacific Conference
Pacific Nations (Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Cook Islands, Vanuatu)
Newcastle Knights
Central Coast Bears
Auckland Warriors
Wellington Tigers
Now, the thing that rugby league does best is representative footy, so let’s embrace that and make it part of our season. I propose a six-week rep season.
Annual Representative Carnival Rounds
We could have State of Origin fortnightly, as stand alone games on Saturday nights. There would also be a New Zealand South versus New Zealand North fixture, Samoa versus Tonga and Papua New Guinea versus Fiji. The Pacific Nation fixtures could rotate annually.
Then over the six weeks there would be a Nines knockout tournament, including possible invitational teams such as the Queensland and NSW Cup premier and the Indigenous All-Stars. This could loosely mirror the FA Cup and Challenge Cup in England.
A combination of all the above representative fixtures should provide enough games every week so that the TV broadcasters won’t even notice the difference and we would be watching an improved version of footy without taking from our clubs
International
The World Cup would be held ever six years, with the Four Nations held every two years – one European and one Pacific.
The World club challenge tournament would be held at the end of season in the off years, and to include the grand finalist teams from both years (eight clubs in total, culminating in top four Super League ranked clubs versus top four ranked NRL clubs).
I’m almost done. One of the things that is detracting from our game is the constant rule changes and interpretations, partly because of the passion of State of Origin. For example, Justin Hodges scores off a wrap around, no one is impeded but he ran behind a player, the try is awarded and south of the border cries foul, the rules get changed and no one knows what is going on with the obstruction rule for four years.
The rules of the game should be only changeable by an international committee, not the NRL, and only changeable at set intervals, say, for example, after a World Cup meet. Let’s call that every six years and just stick to it. To create consistency we need to have stability.
I think we need to make a few changes and then stop messing with the game, and give it a decade or so to settle and build momentum. If we tweak it after that so be it, but as little as possible.
Okay, last thing. Please bring back reserve grade, and create a separate salary cap for it, managed by the clubs, not as an amateur feeder. This was a great idea and should never have been abolished.
Albaneasy
Guest
Pat, you live in the sydney bubble, and you actually believe the crap been brainwashed to you. Your clubs want you to believe this and they lie to you to keep you happy. The raw truth is going to hurt. The transition period where through the growth of the game is when the power base shifts out of Sydney and it is inevitable. When there are more clubs and say in the game outside of Sydney. Why do you think the growth of the game has been stifled so much in the last 10 years, to keep the power in Sydney. North Queensland and Melbourne are founding clubs of the NRL. to say they are not is a lie!
cedric
Guest
the Warriors seem to get a game there on an annual basis, last year thanks to Souths calling their home game there. Couldn't the NRL trial just 6 or 8 games there a year for a couple of years 1st, just to see how it goes? Brisbane is the best opinion and maybe Perth. I read earlier someone was talking as if a club dosn't win much footy their team is on the radar to be taken from Sydney and relocated! Really, I lived in Oz for 20 years up until 96'. During that time and going to numerous places from Perth to Darwin Melbourne/Adelaide etc I would say the most worn jumper I saw in a pub was Souths! They hardly won a game in how many years and they tried to take their team away, that's B/S! And now people are talking about taking more Sydney teams away, to me that's BS. I'm a Warriors fan, but I would stand with anyone who's team was being taken away for some pie in the sky idea!!
Jay C
Guest
I already said I wasn't trying to convince you of its merit. Perth will get a team. Sydney will lose 1 or 2. It is going to happen. You will need to deal with it. Having no team there is a huge leg up to every other code.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Hate to be a kill joy Glenn ,but why not? The latest stats as at December 2014 suggest all is not doom and gloom re population growth in Perth.In fact the complete opposite; http://www.wapropertynews.com.au/perth-popularity-growth/-3631 Bearing in mind the problems besetting the mining industry( falling Chinese demand,overseas comp,infrastructure and labour costs) ) there,have been hovering around for some time.Commodity prices are indeed falling fast due to lack of demand,but so is the Oz dollar dropping like a stone. And guess what mining is taking a hit in Queensland in places.Coal IMO has not a long term future compared to iron ore. By comparison house packages over there(Perth) are in the main far cheaper than Sydney. And demand for iron ore etc will pick up eventually ,especially when we have two huge populated countries to our north : India and China. Remember Newcastle when the steelworks closed,some suggesting the city would lose people in huge numbers .The populace and admin adapted to the new reality.It is the samller regional cities that take the biggest hit when a major employer shuts down.That's not to say people are not affected by the situation in WA.Every job loss hits home and is devastating.
Brian M
Guest
Where's the money come from to prop up teams in second tier comps? Costs less, but less gate receipts, no TV money, etc.
Von Neumann
Roar Guru
Hi glenn, i should have made mention of the fact I used wasteland as a bit of melodrama. No, it will never over take Brisbane, and I was not specifically addressing your point because --> What you say is true. Mining booms dont come round often. After it I doubt we have the current structures and laws to allow for further investment into these areas/new resources. It would seem in our economy that we will have to accept lower living standards as a result because no one wants to take cuts to other things. Thats the aussie way..... I dont want to get political, and there's a fair bit of hippocracy in policy atm, but I can see why the govt wants to try and reign in spending, ect. Well that feeds back into the Perth argument. Sure its 11% of the population, and no I dont think that insignificant. It has the added bonus of being 11 NEW Per Cent too. Populations are not static. There's no team in Perth. I think there should be a team in Perth. Its a missing dimension to the comp and it offers much. ___ On a separate note but related to the article, this season will see a carnival of sorts in Brisbane with all the internationals. Maybe some people are getting what they want anyway. This is not an administration who don't listen/do good things.
Muzz
Guest
You know those big massive monster trucks that move the Iron Ore.Some companies are now operating them with a remote control from their HQ in Perth.Then you have channel 9 that still can't offer HD.
Glenn Innes
Guest
Von Nuemann - I never suggested it will be a wasteland, simply that it will never overtake Brisbane and that commodity prices are falling fast and that will hit Perth hard and slow it's population growth in the short to medium term. Economic history shows there has never been a mining boom that didn't end painfully they all end in oversupply falling prices and big time job losses and this one will be no different. As to whether you describe it as small, well WA represents about eleven percent of the Australian population so make your own call on that. Jay C So because somebody else does something you must do it as well..... up to your usual standards!
Cedrick
Guest
The NRL was created by the joining of ARL and Superleage, NSWRL still exists in the Sydney Cup??
jason
Guest
What if they moved the Broncos to Perth and re-named them to Perth Brumbies and changed the logo. Would it still feel like the same club.
JB
Guest
As a North QLDER, in Cairns, our local team is QRL Pride, we go to games, our NRL team is Cows, we watch on TV only as getting to a game means travelling 400km which happens once or twice a year anyway.
Charles NSW
Guest
Those that follow Rugby League knows there are always people wanting to change the game without understanding the consequences. The Barry is right when he says what damage that was caused with Super League. As I keep saying over and over, we need to study every aspect of the game before formulating a blue print for the future. Most people keep saying we need to put a club here or there and move others out of the competion altogether. I ask why? For example how many clubs are you having and how does it fit into a competion. What happens when you have areas that are not in the competition who has grown to such an extent that they meet all the requirements to be included. Australia is growing at a much faster so we not only have to gauge now but also for the future generations. A lot deep thought is needed and not just putting or taking a club from here there and everywhere. Growth has to come from within as well as growing outwards.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
If those ideas do get up and running - and prove to be very successful - I think you will find that the premiership season will be shortened.
The Barry
Roar Guru
It's pretty well considered that super league did more damage to the game than anything else in its history...now you're saying that Super league should have been allowed to do what they wanted...? Seriously? There was no strategic plan for inclusion of Sydney teams in super league as has been discussed above - it was just grab whatever you can. I don't think there are any posts here saying do nothing. I don't think there's anyone saying concentrate only on Sydney. What people are saying is don't destroy or relegate the club I've followed for longer than yours has been in existence and replace it with some soulless, plastic franchise and expect me to follow it.
marco
Guest
Ever been to Perth? They tried having a team in Perth some years ago with not much success. I think there is only one exhibition game in Perth this year.
Von Neumann
Roar Guru
If you are referring to me, i dont see how, but if, I would like to here state my affirmation. You said this "Particularly Perth, NRL is now the only major Australian sporting code without representation there. If you think this is acceptable then I am not going to bother trying to convince you otherwise." And I agree. And Perth is NOT small by any means. Some people on the thread seem to think it will be a waste land in 20 years or something.... ___ CARNIVALS below ________ To have such a carnival, though you don't think it would disrupt the season? And what about the quality of matches - would people watch? I know it would be a good thing to have more teams as such playing in the season, but we can't tie them to the NRL and NRL season. And what about team limits we face here (which is the reason why we have a tight, focused season schedule to begin with). We are not Euro football --> where in england for example they have 2 knock out league cups, euro league cup, champions league, internationals, euro cup qualifyers and world cup qualifiers, then those 2 big tournaments. Fans switch in, out all the time, and its all mingled together ---- but guess HOW MANY teams that comprises -- 100's....maybe thousands with the league cups.....and how many games are they playing, and the extra population....and how many extra players do football teams have in soccer? Um, in NRL we have 16 teams, and a 2 state teams, and 9s, and the odd test plus city/country and all stars. Carnivals are hard to pull off. The 9s being the exception, specifically because of where it is situated on the calendar, and then tests as well because of where they are situated (mid year test is difficult and has been for some time, but its a nice disruption, however I feel sometimes its too much of a disruption) So we already get fan-focus disruption during origin time. Its hard to switch off a competition for another one for any period of time then come back to it. Its why seasons begin with a bang. We'd have to change the entire momentum of the season - but I think fan-fatigue-focus is the defining reason. Carnivals are a bad idea. Disruption/momentum, and limited resources of teams/players. IF we are to have such a season layout, we can't do it under current regulations. But what would be the benefit to do it anyway in such a no holes barred manner. No....the best thing to do is creep up on it and in a very limited fashion. I however personally think the tight/stiff season structure we have now is just fine. There is one opportunity to do something like a carnival. Origin time. But of your best players are out. Plus its spoken about in the article about putting origin on saturday night. I doubt that will work and we have a precedent for it not working. Can't condone this level of changing, sorry, and for that I affirm I do not agree with the article, nor carnivals of the nature outlined.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
I'd be happy to see anything happen if it allowed a more international focus. My concern would be to ensure that the governing bodies get a reasonable slice of the pie as well as making sure the matches are a meaningful part of World Cup and/or Four Nations qualification. I'm a big fan of double-headers, for example, but is the NRL willing to give up a small part of its profits in order to allow Samoa etc to participate?
Jay C
Guest
Don't worry about the naysayers Wayne. People in Sydney believe the only reason QLD gets a dawn is because they have to en over in the morning to tie up their shoes. Perth will get a team and teams will be culled or relocated out of Sydney. It has happened before and it will happen again. Particularly Perth, NRL is now the only major Australian sporting code without representation there. If you think this is acceptable then I am not going to bother trying to convince you otherwise. On the Carnival concept, I have floated the idea a few times. I think they would work as standalone weekends rather than a full six weeks. It's a good idea and I think one that the NRL will be looking at closely. You can have under 20's Origin. Maybe a NZ V Pacific Islands game. Or have a Pacific knockout cup. Play two triple headers (one in Brissy and one in sydney) with these games and make a carnival out of it, culminating in a Sunday night Origin match.
Von Neumann
Roar Guru
Wayne, no problem, regards above. I share such passion. The systems fascinate me, and I do try to jig them together in my mind as well, including those presented to me, such as yours. I have to break it in my head before I say to someone sorry, I can't see it. I said no such thing of yours either just that I dont see the need. Not to be a downer. These systems are juicy. Glenn, I dont quite understand the entirety of your derision of Perth. I mean you are quite right, glenn; but such ideas only fit in totally in a cynical sense. I don't see what the big rush is with Perth - baring the momentum thats already been built - its a great opportunity. But as to others who froth at the mouth, its secondary causes surely. I do think it has something to do with the fact that its an unrepresented big part of australia despite the drawbacks you mentioned. people must see the 2 afl teams going well with big crowds, and the fact that the Union has the Force over there, and soccer, and cricket is played there as well. I think people believe RL is missing out by not being in Perth - and on that sentiment I do wholeheartedly agree. They are still part of australia....but the NRL is already the most geographically diverse competition in the country and covers some 12+ million of the people. The one thing not taken into account in all of this is the 'other' secondary causes. The fact that its a whole new region, its showing interest in NRL, and when the competition gets perth it will open up a whole new section of sponsors who would like to advertise into perth as well. Thats got to make getting a sponsor that much easier. Not to mention the noble pursuit of spreading the game nationally. Adelaide I do believe should not have an NRL team before NZ gets a 2nd and brisbane gets a 2nd, due to its size and relative minor importance compared to the other cities. __ Just on Victoria. I was there recently and went to the MCG for the cricket. I saw more rugby league gear in melbourne (the west and city) than at any other time. I saw Storm jerseys in restaurants and people wearing rugby league gear that was primarily storm gear, be it the jersey or a hat. I saw that on no less than 10 occasions. Granted a couple of those were clearly northern tourists getting a kick out of it - one a little kid in a souths jersey. I saw the storm mentioned on tv and on the radio. It was apparent that they clearly existed. No - rugby league is not "big" there, but its getting bigger. ___ As to Perth, I guess while you are right ultimately, we cant completely take a measurement to this. We must step back and say "there is no massive rush - but all in good time, but hopefully that time is a prudent ASAP" There is nothing wrong with chasing a lesser region or a region that needs to be grown. It will be worthwhile still. One of the games goals is a truly national geographical footprint. And Perth has a lot to offer the sport; and its not dissimilar to the Melbourne situation. The benefits of having melbourne in the competition are vast; and Perth could compliment that to good ends. Plus of course the small fact of being left out; and left off a higher commercial and nationalistic prestigious plane that may exist. Simply getting a team in Perth and having it successful will mean so much to the sport and its image and its bottom line through all its resources. If we take these things into account, the potential, and realize that potential in cold hard figures, we begin to see why people froth at the mouth over Perth. But to some, I too think they must calm the farm. Striking while the iron is hot though has its merits.
Glenn Innes
Guest
Also as mentioned above I don't know why some people are so obsessed with Adelaide and Perth, if they have any importance it is more symbolic than anything. The vast majority of our population live on the eastern seaboard between Melbourne and Cairns, WA,SA Tassie and NT combined have less than twenty percent of our population..they really don't matter that much, this is Rugby Leagues big advantage over AFL.,With the exception of Victoria League is big where Australians actually live.