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Opinion

Why divisions, not conferences, are better for the NRL

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Roar Guru
13th May, 2021
16

NRL expansion and the potential conference system have been a hot debate topic of late, and with the inevitable expansion of a new Queensland team, it looks like Peter V’landys is keen on making some big changes to the competition.

I really think a two-conference system is not ideal, as it rules the possibility of having an all-Sydney grand final or having the two best teams actually play each other in the grand final. There might also be a lack of interest among fans when teams are not playing from their conference, as ultimately it doesn’t have any real effect on their respective sides.

I suggest the NRL instead introduce a division system of four teams apiece.

This would create two scenarios. First, it would manufacture rivalries between all teams in the division. Even if the teams previously were not rivals, the introduction of a division system will organically create these rivalries among all sides trying to win their segment of the competition.

Knights fans

(Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images)

Second, the notion of fans not worrying about teams not in their own side’s conference won’t hold true in with divisions, as while the teams that win their division would make the finals, it would be the next best five sides across all divisions that would fill the other finals spots.

The NRL is looking at 17 teams at the moment, but ultimately it should expand to a 20-team competition with a fourth Queensland team, a second New Zealand team and a team based in Perth. Determining the location of the final team is a bit difficult, but I really think the NRL should enter new markets, so Adelaide should be the 20th side. It’s the biggest capital city without a team, and if we really want to be a national competition, we can’t be concentrated in the eastern states.

So we’d have 20 teams across five divisions of four teams each. Each division winner would make the finals and the next-best five would also qualify, which would lead to a ten-team post-season. This may seem like too many teams in the finals, but half the teams make the finals this year anyway. Anyway, having more games means making more money from the TV broadcast rights.

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This ensures teams wouldn’t be punished for being in a strong division. They could still hypothetically make the finals from last place in their segment.

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As per my plan, the divisions would be as follows.

North division
Brisbane Broncos, North Queensland Cowboys, Gold Coast Titans and the fourth Queensland team
This is very straightforward: all Queensland teams would play in the same division. Having 12 Queensland derbies would be very appealing to TV broadcasters.

Beaches division
Cronulla Sharks, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Sydney Roosters and Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
These teams are already rivals, and with most of them in close proximity to each other, Roosters and Sea Eagles fans won’t need to travel too far.

West division
Wests Tigers, Parramatta Eels, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Penrith Panthers
All four western Sydney teams would play together. This division would probably have the most passionate fans. Expect every game to be big.

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East division
Newcastle Knights, New Zealand Warriors, St George Illawarra Dragons and the second New Zealand team
Having both New Zealand teams together is simple. Given there are nine Sydney teams, one had to be cut, and as the Dragons are based in Wollongong, they would be best placed in this division. The Knights also had to be put somewhere, and this was the closest and most logical division for them.

City division
Melbourne Storm, Canberra Raiders, a Perth team and an Adelaide team
Not only are these four teams based generally in their respective capitals, but it also plays on the AFL-based rivalries between Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne.

The NFL is the biggest league competition in the world, and the division system would play a key role in that, making games between division rivals carry more weight and intrigue.

You would play each team in your division twice and every other team once to make 21 games. That falls three games shy of the 24 we have now, so you could make it that each team plays each divisional rival three times – though that might be overkill.

You could introduce a midweek cup featuring the top 16 teams from last year in a knockout tournament, or you could just leave it at 21 games, as the introduction of four new teams would already have 18 more games per year compared to what we have now. But teams would play three fewer games, hopefully meaning fewer injuries.

This is something that won’t happen anytime soon, but the NRL should be trying to plan ahead with a vision for how the game will look 20 years from now, and a 20-team division system would marry the good aspects of the current NRL system and the suggested conference system.

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