An idea has been floating around my head for the last week or so now – relegation. That’s right, relegation.
Every year we have a team that performed well below the standard set by the rest of the NRL.
Last year two teams had the same amount of points at the bottom of the table, the Newcastle Knights and Wests Tigers, yet neither was punished for lowering the lofty standard set by grand finalists the Brisbane Broncos and North Queensland Cowboys.
Only recently have I started to pay attention to the Super League, I never thought the quality was good enough. However, the quality has been slowly improving and this may be because of their promotion-relegation system.
The system is quite harsh and will upset fans of the relegated team(s), but the Super League is living proof that it gives teams an extra kick up the bum to play harder. Surely teams playing harder has to be better for the entertainment and quality of the game?
There are several pros and cons to the system but the Super League is proof that it does work in the long term. Several of the arguments against are simply that it is too harsh on fans to have a constantly changing landscape in the NRL every year, as well as no long-term security, which may lead to coaching dismissals and loss of sponsorship.
However, I will propose a system and argue its benefits.
Every year there are two great competitions that help grow rugby league around Australia and engage local fans, the Queensland Cup and the NSW Cup.
I would have the tournaments run as usual and then the two premiers in their respective competitions would battle it out for an NRL promotion spot. Then the two teams at the bottom of the table, for example the Tigers and Knights, would play a game dubbed the ‘Wooden Spoon Cup’. The loser is relegated.
It is a brutal world isn’t it?
One team’s loss is another’s gain, every year it would give the youngsters in both competitions the extra push to realise their dream of making it into the NRL. This in turn would most likely push more young Aussies to give rugby league a go with the chance of playing at the highest level.
This improved following by our younger generation would boost TV ratings, and thus boost sponsorship money and improve the financial security and profitability of our game.
What do you reckon, Roarers?
The power of Will
Roar Pro
Epiquin, shut your mouth
P Air
Guest
Great article. I have been saying the same thing for a few years now.
3 Hats
Guest
OK, so the Newcastle NRL team comes last and the Newcastle Premier League team comes first (the same club) So what do we do? Swap them around? NO, it doesn't work!
Birdy
Guest
Total agreement beergardner. All the GC ever had to do was get the front office right. In time they will rival the Broncos , cows and the western corridore creating a dynasty most Sydney clubs couldn't even begin to dream about. Instead of all the glass house knockers criticising the coast it's time they watch and learn.
Beergardener
Roar Pro
I hope you watched last night's game then TIOWAAT. Gold Coast matched it with the Broncos, indesputably one of the heavy-weights of the competition. I daresay you haven't watched any of Gold Coast's games this year, they have been competitive in all of the ones I have watched. Not a Titans fan but it seems some astute buying in the likes of Ash Taylor and David Shillington and the like, as well as getting their administration in order is showing they are hopefully on the improve and are starting to get the GC public back on board. 21000 at home last night is testament to that.
john latimer
Guest
yes bring it in then we add teams from every other state and those teams seeking to get into the nrl
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Fair call that. But in a culture that ostensibly supports the underdog, the idea of laissez-faire rationales won't get very far, hence the salary cap. Interesting posts Pete Bloor. Thanks.
Ismo Seppänen
Roar Rookie
Would the reason why promotion & relegation work in the EPL and football divisions in the Euro-leagues be because of the lack of a salary cap. The big teams can always afford the good players, and therefore have a major chance of not being relegated. Even Chelsea who are having an absolute shocker of a season by their standards never really stood a chance at being relegated. This keeps the big team up (Man City, Man United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Everton, etc) while the less rich teams are mid-tables or battling for promotion & relegation. That would mean the richer clubs & higher drawing power clubs such as Broncos, Rabbitohs etc would never be relegated. This would also make for one heck of a one sided comp and boring comp tho as we dont have all the cups to play off for that they do in the football!
Ismo Seppänen
Roar Rookie
Someone had an idea the other day of an ideal expansion plan: 2 more teams which brings the total to 18, then 3 pools of 6 team split via geographical areas. Each team play the teams in their pool twice per season and each team in the other 2 pools once totaling 22 games. Add in the 4 Rep weekends (3 SOO and 1 x International) and you have a 26 Week Regular season. Although I am not sure how the finals would work, perhaps top 2 from each group with the final 2 spots wild cards. Just a thought.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
I'd rather be a lefty who's white-anting bogans than an uncivilized ignoramus who's white-anting society.
Tonks
Guest
I would bloody love a 2-tier competition. It would get the NSW & QLD cup teams much greater attention & could penetrate NRL into disenfranchised pockets of fans. The big BUT though is that Australia simply does not have the population to support the lower grade!
pete bloor
Guest
Except that you're probably an NRL contracted player anyway given it's a feeder comp.
pete bloor
Guest
I don't think it would go that far. There would open a gap but the top teams would recognize that to make the money they need then they have to have smaller teams supplying them football games. It's like a large industrial manufacturer - they want to pay their widget suppliers as little as possible but not so little that they disappear and they have no-one to supply them widgets
planko
Guest
Exactly the ultimate penalty is it not dont break the salary cap. Demotion to NRL 2 will make a few clubs think would it not.
lester
Guest
It wasn't directed at you but rather turbodewd who said he wouldn't support the Raiders if they went down. Attitudes like that would have you absolutely laughed at overseas, even in other Rugby League nations like England. Someone who wouldn't support their team following relegation is nothing more than a filthy glory hunter.
Wascally Wabbit
Guest
Another angle. What if Brisbane get busted for salary cap rorting, get stripped of their points and finish last. It's a Four Nations year and half of the Broncos players fly over to England - whilst Bennett is over there coaching England. Brisbane field a virtual reserve grade team and get smacked by a pumped up Wentworthville. The following year we have an extra team in Sydney ( and on Parra's doorstep ) and no team in Brisbane.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
For the last time Will, nobody is making jokes about Alex ffs.
Epiquin
Roar Guru
"You mean I can't say whatever I want without people challenging me on it? Must be the PC police..." Wake up to yourself.
The power of Will
Roar Pro
Thankyou Dean! You rock
The power of Will
Roar Pro
Look Epi, I did not see the gay slur by EB&D. However I do not think jokes about Alex are okay