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Rugby league is the greatest game of all, but it isn’t perfect. From on-field rule changes to growing the game and fixing the schedule, there are a number of changes which the NRL can make to help improve the game.
1. Fix scrums or get rid of them
If you can’t contest a scrum why bother keeping them in the game?
As it stands, they only serve to slow down play, winding down the clock and eliminating momentum.
When a scrum goes against the feed it is more often than not pulled up. If they aren’t going to be implemented properly then get rid of them.
Replace the scrum with a simple play-the-ball or tap.
Another rule change that needs to be made is the video referral system. As it stands, too much time is taken up by decisions being referred to the Bunker. To make the game flow better, how about the NRL reduce the number of Bunker referrals.
The referee will call a try or no try and the captains of either side have the opportunity to challenge the decision. Each captain will receive one challenge per half. If successful in their challenge, they get to keep it. If unsuccessful in their challenge, they lose it.
The referee needs to be making more decisions on the field without referring to the bunker and also need to start stamping out particular infringements out of the game.
Incorrect play the ball? Blow the whistle. Forward pass? Blow the whistle. Offside? Blow the whistle.
Referees need to put their foot down and stamp out these plays. Players will continue to take advantage of the referees’ lack of will to act unless they are penalised.
One off-field change the NRL must make is to the way that golden point and draws are handled. It is a joke that two sides can slog it out for 90 minutes and at the end of the day only one team will come up with the points.
If a match is drawn after 80 minutes, each team is awarded a point. The team that wins in golden point gets another point. 2 points for the winner, 1 point for the loser. Sure the ladder might look a little bit off kilter but it is for the better.
2. Take steps to grow the game
Expansion. It is the dirtiest word in rugby league circles. It’s always on everyone’s minds yet never actually discussed.
The NRL needs to take a bold step forward and commit to a feasibility study into a number of potential markets. We need to start making plans for the next 20-50 years to help ensure the future sustainability of the game.
The NRL have a duty to help grow the game in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region and must explore markets such as Perth, Brisbane 2, New Zealand 2, Honolulu, Papua New Guinea and Adelaide.
In moving towards expansion, the reserve grade system needs to be restructured with the NRL taking full control of feeder competitions from the NSWRL and QRL offering cities without NRL teams the opportunity to prime themselves for expansion.
Take the current Intrust Super Cup teams (Western Mustangs will replace Tweed Heads Seagulls) and add Fiji, Perth, Newtown, North Sydney, New Zealand 2 and Northern Territory.
The competition should fall under the NRL banner with coverage given to the competition through the form of a match of the round being aired on either Fox League or a free-to-air partner as well as streaming.
On another note the NRL need to stop ‘protecting’ the Perth market if they aren’t going to bring a team there. The RFL have reportedly expressed interest in Western Australia for future expansion following a similar model to the Toronto Wolfpack however, they are unable to as the WARL belong to the NRL and hence any movement for a Perth-based Super League team will be blocked.
If the NRL don’t want a team there, let the RFL do the groundwork. If the Perth-based team enters the Super League and begins to breed a genuine appetite for rugby league in the golden west, the NRL could consider inviting the franchise to join their competition. At the end of the day, they should not be competing with the RFL but rather working together to grow the game of rugby league.
(AAP/Action Photographics, Colin Whelan)
3. Fix the Origin period
The Origin period is drawn out and killing the game. The NRL is put on hold each year for nine weeks for the so-called jewel in the crown that is State of Origin and the competition is suffering as a result.
Ideas on how to schedule Origin are thrown up every year and I offer another alternative. Get it over and done with in five weeks.
It’s not too short that it will lead to player burnout yet not too long that it will lead to fan burnout.
Each team plays two games over that period with one standalone weekend.
The first fortnight sees four games played one weekend followed by Origin on the Wednesday and the remaining four games to complete the round the following weekend.
The competition will then be put on hold to accommodate for Origin II being played on Sunday night in a standalone weekend alongside international Test matches featuring the likes of England, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.
The third phase will be similar to that of the first. Four games one weekend, Origin on Wednesday and the remaining four games to complete the round.
Each state selects a squad of 22 players to remain in camp for the whole period.
It’s a simple fix that could go a long way to solving the problem.
4. Improve rugby league coverage
This is more of a cosmetic change but something that the NRL should aspire to. Fox League has shown the appetite for original rugby league-based content, and the NRL must produce their own in-house programs.
They showed the potential last year with their Kangaroos Four Nations Documentary. The NFL have the perfect model with NFL Network offering shows such as America’s Game: The Super Bowl Champions, A Football Life and SoundFX.
Imagine how good it would be to watch ET retell the story of the Sharks’ 2016 maiden premiership or Russell Crowe tell Souths’ 2014 fairytale featuring interviews with players such as Paul Gallen and Sam Burgess.
What about a SoundFX spin-off with people such as Johnathan Thurston, Craig Bellamy, Ronnie Palmer or the notorious referee whisperer Cameron Smith.
Who wouldn’t want to watch documentaries on each of the Immortals or a countdown series showcasing the top 100 players of all-time? There are countless stories that the NRL could tell offering another dimension to the game we all know and love.
Additionally how about the NRL team up with the RFL to bring fans ‘League Pass’. It would be an upgrade on the current NRL Live Pass offering live streaming of all NRL and Super League games as well as lower tiers such as the Championship, League 1, Intrust Super Cup and Intrust Super Championship.
Throw in match replays, archives stemming back decades and the aforementioned in-house content and rugby league could be onto a winner. $9.99 a month would get a rugby league fan’s mouths watering.
Another change to coverage is the addition of Sunday Night Football as a timeslot. Yes we’ve just introduced Friday 6pm but I genuinely believe that a Sunday Night fixture to round out the match would be an absolute hit for ratings and crowds by offering another marquee fixture which will make a more equitable spread of games across the week for clubs such as the Broncos who never play on Sundays.
Offer an explosive event every week. Schedule big games for the timeslot: Broncos versus Cowboys, Bulldogs versus Eels, Storm versus Sharks. Add pyrotechnics, entertainment, the whole works. Make it an experience for the person at the ground and at home on the couch.
One final point regarding the NRL’s coverage: keep the players in the dressing rooms for the warm-up and build the anticipation. Have a countdown timer for the fans and make teams run out on time or else they will face fines. Save the lunges for the sheds and the big hits for the field.
Roarers, what changes should the NRL make to help improve our game? Do you agree with the four proposed reforms?
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