In the lead-up to the biggest club game on the NRL calendar, here are some things rugby league needs to change.
Referees
The referees did not have a good year and were part of the reason for the NRL’s poor attendances.
It was not their fault as they’re doing what they’re told – one game being strict, the next being soft with penalties. They need to keep it the same all year round.
The Bunker also needs to be scaled back, as it slows down the game. They could bring in a captain’s call – but only one chance each half for each team – making that the only times to use The Bunker.
Bring back the Auckland Nines
This was an exciting comp at the start of the year, which got fans hyped for the NRL season, but they have now ended it.
The NRL did make a good announcement recently about the All Stars game, with the Indigenous to play the Maori next year, but the NRL needs the Nines back.
Expansion
We’ll have to wait until the broadcast deal ends in 2022 for an expansion, but before then, more games must be played in Perth, Adelaide, Wellington, Cairns, NSW Country, and Darwin. They could even try a round where every team goes to either WA, SA, NT or Tasmania.
Upon expansion, a team must play out of Perth, as we need a team in WA. The other team they bring in should either be PNG, Fiji, Wellington, Brisbane or Central Queensland (Rockhampton or Mackay).
Also, the NRL should relocate between two and four Sydney teams – probably the Dragons, Bulldogs, Tigers and Manly. The Wellington Dragons, Brisbane Bulldogs, Rockhampton Sea Eagles and West Coast Tigers sounds good.
Best of the best game
This game would see the best players in the NRL vs the best players in the Super League as a way too have some fun to end the year off.
Graeme
Guest
What about the uneven draw, country rugby league and lack of marketing and entertainment re games.
Jive
Guest
Move parramatta and canterbury Both areas could absorbed by tigers And move cronulka who coukd be absorbed by dragons and souths
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
Relocate the Dragons, one of the most followed teams of all time, to NZ, thus having no teams between the Shire and Melbourne? The problem is your lack of thought process. You say a team on Brisbane needs to be added, then go on to talk about the Brisbane Bulldogs? So are we talking three teams in Brisbane? Save this article for your obsure blog no one reads
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
Brisbane Bears?
Harvey Wilson
Roar Rookie
It has been said plenty of times elsewhere that if Manly move, there is no team in northern Sydney. I would like to see PNG come in and hate to see another Brisbane team. Mainly because Brisbane Bombers is like the crappiest name ever. How about something original?
BA Sports
Roar Guru
What is the evidence that the Nine event gets everyone "hyped" for the NRL season? Were crowd numbers in the first couple of weeks of the season proper better when the Nines was on? I don't know the answer, maybe they were but to me, I never watched five minutes of the Nines. It was on Fox only and played in NZ, so how many people does it actually connect with?
Marty
Guest
Yeah. Relocate a team from a catchment area of 1 million (northern Sydney and Central Coast) to a region of 220,000 (Central Queensland). Seriously, think (or do 2 mins of research) before typing.
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
‘Adam Elliott’ lol
Adam Elliott
Roar Rookie
Yea cmon 6k week after week is passable for a game of Rugby League
Matt Collins
Guest
No team north of the bridge and no south west Sydney team? Yeah that’s real smart. That would give a free shot to other codes in that area.
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
The NRL is probably in the best state it has been in for a long time. I don’t think there is a problem with the referees although scaling back the Bunker through a captain’s challenge could be worth looking at or at least giving the Bunker a time restriction to make the call. There is a place for the Nines but not in the pre-season. Ideally, I would like the NRL to be put on hold in June for internationals/Origin, play it across two weekends. Four cities host four teams each in a one-night round-robin (Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Wellington), then top two progress to Brisbane finals the following Saturday. Expansion: each team takes two games to regional NSW/QLD/VIC/NZ, Adelaide, Perth, NT. West Coast Pirates + Jagera Jets 2022-23 then two of Adelaide Rams/Central Coast Bears/PNG Hunters/South Pacific Cyclones 2027-29. Play internationals instead of Super League vs NRL. Align NRL and Super League seasons then bring forward World Club Challenge 1-2 weeks after the NRL/SL Grand Finals at a neutral venue e.g. Doha, London, New York, Denver, etc.
Paul
Roar Guru
These aren't problems the NRL needs to fix. This sounds like a wish list for Santa. At what point do you and others start to think about the players? A guy good enough to play for Australia this year alone, might have played 25 games in temperatures varying from minus to in excess of 40 degrees, 2 SOO games and perhaps 2 Tests. Now you're suggesting other games on top of that, plus additional travel, so the little time this player has to see his wife and family is reduced even further. I really don't think so.
peeeko
Roar Guru
none of this makes any sense. yeah lets move the Dragons to Fiji or Adelaide? why pick those 4 teams and not roosters, souths etc? as for the refs its a lot more complicated. they had a go at stopping negative play but the coaches and a negative media made them stop. the coaches just continued to let their players give away penalties. nines - thats not going to make any difference best of the best game - please be serious
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
Poor attendances? They were slightly up this year. Can improve but they didn’t drop nor did tv ratings.