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The Auckland Nines is fun to watch and there is plenty of excitement, but at the end of the day it really is just a bit of fluff.
And if the NRL aren’t prepared to force the clubs to send more of their stars to the tournament, then the clubs are entitled to play by the rules as they stand and send a relatively weak squad.
There has been criticism of some clubs for doing that, but it is misdirected.
Besides, the event has still got enough big-name players to make it a success. Johnathan Thurston, Shaun Johnson, Jarryd Hayne, Anthony Milford, Benji Marshall, Blake Austin, Michael Morgan, Jack Bird, Corey Norman and Semi Radradra are among those who will be playing.
Brian Fletcher, the CEO of Penrith, one of those clubs sending a weak squad, came out in The Daily Telegraph calling for the Nines to be scrapped.
“You can’t afford to send these players. A lot of our blokes were involved in the Four Nations, some are returning from injury, so the more you look at it, do we need to be there? The answer is ‘no’,” Fletcher said.
“I don’t think the selection criteria needs to be changed. I think you simply don’t need the Nines. How will it go next year when there’s a World Cup at the end of this year? We’d rather play some trials at home and then get on with the season.
“What benefit does the Nines have on our season?”
Fletcher could have been a bit less inflammatory with his remarks and simply said the Nines didn’t fit in with Penrith’s plans, rather than heavily criticise the event, but there is nothing wrong with the club choosing to send a weak squad.
The suggestion by some critics that players are more susceptible to injury playing in the Nines isn’t backed up by any statistics that I’ve seen.
Players can get hurt playing the 13-a-side game, or at training. They could be unfortunate enough to simply have an accident at home that can put them out.
But the event is played in another country, so there is a bit of travel involved, and it takes players away from their clubs at an important time in their preparation for the season ahead, with trial games starting.
It’s an interruption, a distraction that many of the clubs find annoying.
Does it really matter who wins the event, apart from the opportunity for clubs to pick up significant prize money?
I might not remember who won it last year had it not been Parramatta, but it was hard to forget in this case because the Eels were stripped of the title as part of their penalty for cheating the salary cap.
It would make a lot more sense if the Nines was played in Australia. That way, only one of the 16 NRL teams would have to travel to another country, as opposed to the 15 who are doing it this week. That might make it more palatable to clubs.
Critics say those that send weak teams aren’t looking at the big picture, in terms of publicity and promotion of the game. They say the Nines are a great advertisement for rugby league.
But it’s not rugby league. Not 13-a-side rugby league anyway, so if the clubs would rather prepare for the season kick-off than worry about the Nines then that is fair enough.
The event will still attract big crowds and lots of publicity. The presence of superstar players like Thurston, Johnson and Hayne, with enough of a supporting cast of stars, will ensure that.
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