As we head into 2018, there’s plenty of reason for those at NRL HQ to be filled with optimism.
However, as with any business, there are always areas that could do with some improvement. Here is a list of New Years Resolutions that should be on every NRL executives list.
Player transfers
The situation we have at the moment, where players can sign for other clubs more than a season in advance, is a bad look for the game, and needs serious attention. Personally, I don’t like the idea of a post-season transfer window, which has been touted as a possible solution, as it leaves off-contract players with an uncertain future.
It’s not fair to expect a fringe first grader to wait until October to know whether they have a job in January. I’d rather see a post-season transfer announcement period. This allows players and their managers to negotiate with rival clubs throughout the season, allows players to settle their futures, but prevents players, managers and club officials from discussing player movements until the conclusion of that players final season.
The media speculation will still continue, but fans won’t have to endure an entire season knowing their idols will be playing for another club next season.
The salary cap
The NRL credits the salary cap for evening out the competition and spreading the talent pool among all the clubs. However, fans have grown sceptical of the entire salary cap process. And when the same clubs make the big signings year after year, can you blame them?
As far as the fans are concerned, the entire salary cap process happens behind closed doors. Bringing transparency to the salary cap will provide the fans with confidence that the system is working the way they are told.
To achieve transparency, the NRL should make the details of player contracts public. Doing so will ensure absolute transparency and accountability, and end the constant doubt over the buying power of some clubs. Then the fans can see if, as some clubs insist, two plus two really does equal 5.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Expansion
Now that the NRL has successfully secured the futures of both Newcastle and Gold Coast, the NRL should revisit the idea of expansion. By the end of 2018, the NRL should be in a position to announce both the location of the expansion clubs, and a timeline for their inception.
It seems a foregone conclusion that a second team in Brisbane will be the first new team added. The NRL’s big job is to work out where the other team should be based. There are plenty of candidates putting their hand up for inclusion, including Perth, New Zealand and Central Coast, however as much as I’d love to see the Bears return, I can’t see the NRL squeezing another team between Sydney and Newcastle.
It’s possible the NRL may consider adding two clubs from Queensland. Whatever the NRL decides, it’s great for the game to see so many regions vying for inclusion in the NRL competition. However with seemingly only two additional clubs to be added, clearly there are going to be a few disappointed.
The international game
After the success of the lower tier nations at the recent World Cup, the time is now for rugby league to grow the international game. Let me be clear though, it is not the NRL’s job to grow the international game.
The NRL does not own rugby league, however as the dominant competition, any opposition to increasing the number of internationals played would surely kill the idea.
The fans have proven that there is an appetite for international rugby league. And while the clubs and NRL HQ may view internationals as a threat to the national competition, they should realise that international football gives them a product that the AFL cannot compete with.
(NRLPhotos/Scott Davis)
By elevating the international game to it’s rightful place as the pinnacle of the sport, it can effectively elevate the rugby league, and by extension, the NRL, to a level above anything the AFL could ever hope to achieve. With the level of investment the AFL has made into rugby league heartland, the NRL needs every advantage it can find.
There are plenty of other areas of the game that the NRL could include on this list, from growing crowd numbers, to working out what to do with the Nines format.
One thing is for certain though, 2018 shapes as a pivotal year in the games future.
Last Straw
Guest
Great strategy. Cut established clubs who are currently and successfully trying to establish a greater fan base nationally at their own expense, and then ask lots of questions like "what do we do now?' You are a gucken fenious.
Big Daddy
Guest
Agree entirely about expansion. Having 18 teams will kill the second tier just when it is starting to gain momentum and also Fiji will be in the intrust nsw premiership in 2019 They need to add at least 2 teams to that comp if any one can afford it with no promotion and relegation. Build on what you have got.
BeastieBoy
Guest
Promotion and relegation is not on. There is too much money involved in long term media contracts to introduce added instability and the development pathways we are trying to develop off that. However the administration needs the strength to remove at least 2 and possibly 3 clubs from the Sydney Region. The obvious ones are Roosters, Tigers, and Cronulla or St George. Then the obvious ones to introduce are one or two in Queensland and then Gosford. Then the question becomes do we want to try another non traditional area like Melbourne. Do we do Perth or Adelaide? Then do we continue with the Warriors. If so do we add Wellington to create the local rivalry?
BA Sports
Guest
If Todd Greenberg could do one thing in 2018 that would please me no end it would be to come out and say - officially - that the NRL is looking to grow and establish in new markets BUT there is no plan to increase the number of teams beyond 16. While he is at it, he may as well announce we will never have promotion/relegation. Most with half a brain understand that, but it would end the conversation for those who don't get it. How anyone thinks it is a remotely intelligent idea to try and create an 18 team competition, with the current amount of players and talent in the player pool, with the current amount of money available, with the fact that the NRL funds the salary cap for all clubs at the moment, with the current shifting in media consumption (moving away from traditional television to online streaming and the uncertainty of the impact that could have on revenue going forward) and with the current amount of competent administrators (or lack there of),... is beyond me.
3_Hats SSTID 2014
Roar Rookie
Perth Expansion? TV timeslots and fans in the West is the ONLY plus! It is the long-distance travel and the costs associated with that is the real debate. The longer distance you fly, the more you pay, it is that simple! A Perth franchise would need an Airline Sponsor. Virgin Quantas or Jetstar. Clubs who travel to Perth always seem to lose the following week. The long distance there and back just kills you! Souths 9 times, only 1 win the following week. That includes the years they were a TOP 4 team!
PanthertillIdie
Guest
The point I feel strongest about is salary transparency. Why is this even a topic of discussion? It should simply be the case that player salaries are openly available in the public domain. Look how many other occupations have their salaries openly displayed to the public. In regards to privacy, we all know roughly what players are earning so what is wrong with the public having the accurate figures? I don’t understand what the negative factors are around an off season transfer window. I don’t get the point that it’s unfair on players to have to wait until October to know if they’ll have a contract the following season. If they are good enough to play in the NRL then they will secure a contract surely. Perth seems to me to be the ideal location for expansion. It doesn’t come without its risks as we’ve seen other sports struggle there in recent times. Simplistically they need to try and take the Melbourne model over there. Early on field success combined with sound business decisions and direction could be a great success for league on the empty Western side of the country. I’m sure I’m about the only one that feels this way about international rugby league but I just don’t really care about it! Sorry if that makes me a bad person but my interest level is just really low.
Big Daddy
Guest
Sorry, That's means that they've got 8 years to U.S. Hopefully they might have it sorted but it will be a big risk.
Peter Phelps
Guest
The Warriors makes more strategic sense than does the existence of so many clubs in Sydney. We have to expand that much is very clear. Not to have a team in Perth is criminal and a good case can be made for Brisbane 2 and even Adelaide though I accept that they would be a distant 3rd. The Warriors add a whole country to the sphere of the NRL along with its fans, members and tv rights. Don"t forget that the MRL benefits from screening rights over there too. Sure, numbers don't look very flash and clearly there is an issue with the Warriors as a club but they add to this comp in a way that any ano sydney club does not. I am all in favour of a second tier NRL system with automatic promotion / relegation. Let all these clubs come in and then let market forces decide who should be in the elite competition. That at least would sort out the basket case clubs and give everyone a fair go. Market forces win for a reason.
DaveL
Guest
For your information, and everybody else's, the next RLWC is in England in 2021 and the North America one is in 2025. Hopefully this will allow interest to be generated by the new clubs proposed in the US and Canada in good time for the tournament.
duecer
Guest
What they should be doing is trying to revive the competitiveness so there are 4-5 genuine contenders like there were around 50 years ago. Lebanon getting though with heritage players at the expense of a native French team certainly didn't help this cause. The heritage issue really needs to be looked at as it justifiably is making a mockery of certain teams. Don't think you're going to solve the code wars. You're always going to find those who will say nothing positive about RL and those that will say nothing negative. You really need some independent views to get a fairer view.
duecer
Guest
That is not correct - the vast majority of migrants come from the south of England, the mining boom isn't what is was either.
Danny Bagadonuts
Guest
Joel, can you, or anyone else, please tell me why the NRL should even entertain the idea of a second New Zealand team in the NRL when the one that we'd had for 22 years has been a basket case for the vast majority of that time?!?! On top of that, around 90% of rugby league fans couldn't care less about the Warriors and would shed no tears if they were removed from the competition. The impact of a second NZ team would be zero on those 90%. A second Brisbane team is a must and Perth makes the most sense to satisfy all concerns. There would be enough fans over there for them to be a boutique market like Melbourne that can get 12,000 to 15,000 (ie crowd numbers Manly and Easts would kill for), it gives the governing body more ammo in it's call as a "national" rugby league and gives a nice timeslot for the broadcasters as well.
Big Daddy
Guest
It's very obvious that everyone had too much to drink to celebrate NYE hence some pretty stupid comments. As far as player's disclosing salary I have no problem with that provided all the posters disclose their full name, salary and what they do on this site - I think not. Re next world cup. This is now the time for it really to stand up as it is being played in a country with really no rugby league history so I would reserve judgement. They have 4 years to get their act together to prove RL is truly an international sport. I don't concern myself with AFL as we don't really compete with them only in our minds although like all australian's we should be able to support all our sports regardless of people's different bias.
Greg Ambrose
Guest
A lot of time could be saved here and at times the refs don't go to the bunker when they should and the obvious way to counter that is to give the now helpless captain the right to challenge. I really don't understand why this is such a big deal. I've heard people say that it puts more pressure on refs when in reality if the correct decision is reached by any means the ref won't be reading about it in the paper for the next week.
Jacko
Guest
Maddi their is no AFL internationals. The rules are all changed because no other country plays AFL...League does not change the rules to suit some fake hybrid game. League will grow all on its own merrit.....not by changing to suit other different games....And as many have mentioned AFL is not trying to be an international game...they are happy being what they are...
Paul
Roar Guru
fair point about Newcastle Joel, but my point is to give them time to become a cohesive unit. I think it would irresponsible of the NRL to assume things will be rosy in either Club, therefore expansion should not be considered this year. Give it a year or two, then if things are stable across all NRL Clubs, look at expansion
Justin Kearney
Guest
In other words you’ve got nothing but spite to support your arguments.
Justin Kearney
Guest
Administrators should be leading the game with a strategic plan with clear goals. That is not evident as far as I am can see. The game ambles along at an international level without any clear direction and through the goodwill of enthusiasts. Compare that with union with its 7s circuit and its World Cup. We are a long way behind and shouldn’t be.
Joel Eggins
Roar Rookie
I love the idea of a captains challenge. Would limit the use of the video ref for tries where the player clearly knows whether he grounded it or not!
Maddi Still
Roar Rookie
Matt i just Researched it thanks. 40k in a 52k seat stadium which involved the home team and a thousand northern Englishmen who came out to watch. Yea its going great guns mate, now you just have to let the actual people in the countries competing know what Rugby League is. I can guarantee you there would be 48 countries where AFL is played in. Just like Rugby League in the back streets in primary school ovals played by 99% expats. Its called Globalisation