Teams residing at the bottom of the NRL ladder year on year and without any obvious prospects that suggest they will improve in the short term, are problematic.
Any fictitious belief that a salary cap ensures clubs will all have their turns in the premiership window should be parked at the door before reading on.
Third-party deals, supposed destination clubs, the lure of a quality coach and the players’ desire to get themselves into a winning environment quick smart, all make the cap a little comical at times.
NRL fans under the age of 30, the most important ones in my view, will quickly rattle off the teams that are always in the hunt. Melbourne Storm, Sydney Roosters, South Sydney and the modern Panthers machine will top their lists.
Since 2000, of the 46 grand final spots available, those four clubs have occupied 23 of them, meaning that on average, one of the four has been in the NRL decider annually.
The other 23 spots have been filled by 11 clubs. The Sea Eagles, Cowboys, Bulldogs, Broncos and Eels have had their moments since the turn of the new century, all featuring in three or more grand finals, but the numbers suggest a significant divide.
In a perfect NRL world, clubs would come and go, rise and fall and fans could be assured of a certain rebirth based on the supposed financial parity instilled in the mechanisms of the competition. However, for a multitude of complex and convoluted reasons, that is simply not the case.
Newcastle lived a nightmare from 2014 to 2019, finishing no better than 11th and collecting three wooden spoons along the way. In fairness, it has been little better on either side of that period and the club remains non-competitive when it comes to premiership glory.
Is it time to introduce some levers that would aid clubs incapable of saving themselves? (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
The Gold Coast Titans, despite many a star wandering through the region and failing to deliver, have two finals appearances in the last 12 seasons and will do well to buck that trend in 2023. As for the Wests Tigers, well, where do I start?
The once great club has an average finishing position of 12th across the past 11 seasons and frankly, is nothing but a whipping boy in the modern game. The Dragons now loom as a fourth club set to suffer over an extended period, with nothing better than seventh on the ladder to boast about since 2012.
Canterbury, Parramatta, Brisbane and others have also spent decent periods in or near the cellar since 2000, yet are far different cases when it comes to the dysfunction being seen at the Tigers.
It begs the question as to whether the ARL Commission should be doing something more to alleviate the situation, as the AFL grapples with the idea of a mid-season trade period that would assist the teams mired to the bottom of the ladder.
Should the NRL be doing something similar, something greater, or something different to drag Wests from their own heap of incompetence, mismanagement and poor decisions? Or is helping an interruption to natural competitiveness and an insult to clubs who appear to get things right most of the time?
Things have gone from bad to worse for the Tigers in 2023. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Perhaps. But the damage done by a useless Tiger brand in the NRL over an extended period of time cannot be simply dismissed. Fan disillusionment, the impact on attendance and the commercial realities all would be concerning for the powers at be.
It is far too simple to apportion blame on a club and turn away without realising that each and every competitor is an important cog in the wheel. Whilst not competing realistically for a premiership every single year, it is important that the NRL has 17 teams in there fighting and realistic chances of winning 8-10 games per season.
Like the Knights of old, that is not currently the case with the Tigers.
Perhaps a national draft is required, to gift the Tigers a couple of young stars to develop. A mid-season trade period where clubs can shuffle the decks and look for a better mix of talent that quickens their rebound might be worth talking about.
Better yet, a stricter salary cap that tightens up the rather murky waters of third party payments should probably be considered, as should father/mother and son rules and exemptions in the cap for juniors development by the club for whom they now play. (Yes, I know, the Panthers will be tough to beat if that rule was implemented).
There are levers that can be pulled by the NRL to avoid uncompetitiveness. Some will care little, more interested in their team and simply say, “Tough luck Tigers, it’s your own fault.”
However, in an already compromised draw where a gift win or two could potentially make the difference for competitive teams looking to play finals, it seems a little foolish to turn a blind eye.
Perhaps every team could hand over one player to the Tigers just to help them out as a sign of goodwill? Nah, I’m not sure Wests would even be able to take advantage of that.
3 R M
Roar Rookie
I've spent a fair bit of time in Campbelltown BL . You periodically see Parra, Roosters, Bunnys cars and in over 1/2 a decade I can't remember seeing more than 1 tigers car the kids that I've met want to play for St George or the sharks. I don't know about the balmain side of it.
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
They have two international rep back rowers, the incumbent NSW hooker, an ex Aust prop, and a million $ halfback. The issue is not with the playing list. If throwing coin at high profile players was the solution the Bulldogs would be leading the comp and the Warriors would be running last, but they are not !
Nick
Roar Rookie
Yeah, the merger infighting is one thing, but also it's a club that has historical roots in areas that have abandoned the club. Balmain is so yuppie and highly educated professional nowadays it's completely divorced from original identity of the club. There are no working class heroes there anymore. You need to have household incomes of $400k to stand a chance of getting on the property ladder there. And Wests' old stomping ground has been swallowed up either by Parramatta RLFC or abandoned when the Chinese migrated en masse to Ashfield, Burwood, Lidcombe, Strathfield etc whom to this day show scant interest in league. They've tried transplanting themselves into a region (Campbelltown) that is so far from their roots and history that rusted on fans can't be asked going out there to watch
Ian_
Roar Rookie
I don't think the NRL should be helping clubs who make themselves into basket cases.
ScouseinOz
Roar Rookie
Why the drama? There are always going to be successful and unsuccessful clubs in a given year. I think it's good that clubs have to learn to be well run both on and off the field in the NRL. Parramatta and Cronulla seem well run now having been so dysfunctional for different reasons in the previous decades. I do think that the Dragons and the Tigers are still hamstrung by their joint venture strategy. There are too many influences pulling in different directions. They both just need to merge fully with one united board and look to the future (primarily) in one place. The past is a very long time ago. It's going to annoy parts of the fan base making strong decisions but they are wasting time on things that the other sides don't have to think about.
Worlds Biggest
Roar Pro
Stuart you can’t help those who don’t want to help themselves. Their Corporate Governance is set up as such that the Members have no say whatsoever in regards to how the Club is run. Sounds like your a long suffering Tigers fan so would be aware of this archaic, woebegone structure.
mushi
Roar Guru
Arizona cardinals have been waiting 70+ years maybe a draft will help...
mushi
Roar Guru
Was Stuart compelled to write this?
mushi
Roar Guru
It's a merger that keeps fighting itself.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
Yep the three or four home ground thing is just plain dumb.. doesn’t help
Mutley
Roar Rookie
True. If the NRL are paying the wages there should be a return on investment not more handouts
Panthers
Roar Rookie
I really think that there are a lot of good players at West’s right now. A couple of their junior grades did very well a couple of seasons ago. Those players are starting to come through their grades now. They definitely need a good leader as a halfback. Then with some good coaching, they will improve massively. With they halfback, they really do need to develop one themselves, just as Penrith have had to do. As top name players don’t go to the western suburbs. They don’t go to Penrith, Parramatta or West’s. These clubs mostly interchange players amongst themselves. Get rid of the playing all over the place as well for West’s & stick to Campbelltown.
Abbot
Roar Rookie
The NRL needs more control across all teams. Imagine a McDonalds where a franchisee decides to run its own menu and say to hell with hygiene laws. How quickly before MCD pull the franchise licence and replace the management… it won’t be long! For teams who don’t meet certain management criteria, there must be a way for the NRL to step in for a period of time to maintain its brand and remove inept management, or remove a teams licence to play top tier NRL.
criag
Roar Rookie
Spot on! They have a very healthy number of junior teams, too. Although I described them as a 'basket case', I'm confident that will change eventually.
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
bring back "no win, no pay" contracts where the players get a base pay and get extra for wins. then maybe some of these so called professionals will make an effort that reflects their high priced contracts
Jolls
Roar Rookie
As a Tigers supporter I find this condescending. Please get off your high horse and get real. We don't need pity or handouts. We need a broom swept through the competent management that runs the club for sure, but we know we have a problem and there is a plan in place to fix it. We recruited well this year and there was belief from many (not this fan) that Luke Brooks and Adam Douhie, behind a good pack, would come good. A big fat FAIL for Shenji and the rest of the selectors. We still have a healthy cap and will be unhindered by the price tag attached to Brooks next year as well. It is clear that Sheens and Co are chasing an experienced and dominant half - add a strike centre to partner the youth of Tupou and Bula and we have a backline that will be competitive in 24 and we can have a real crack in 25. We can claw our own way back off the bottom of the heap thank you. Wests and Balmain had a proud history and combined as Wests Tigers we will become a force again. It has been a long wait but there is light at the end of the tunnel and, for a change, it isn't a train coming the other way!
Megeng
Roar Rookie
The first problem was the merger. All we got was the magpies in a Balmain kit. To fix it, just hire Wayne when he's done with Redcliffe
blacktown leagues
Roar Rookie
going back four or five years now 3rm but my nephew lives at campbelltown and he told me the only players you saw at schools and saturday games were souths players true story his son ended up playing junior reps for souths while living a stones throw from campbelltown stadium the decline was going on then too worried about leichhardt and ashfield and there political merger rubbish and ignored the south west now paying the price and for some reason they see concord as the answer they say its their spiritual homeland at least thats what i hear from old magpie fans but those days are gone and they refuse to let go and become the wests tigers they say its a joint venture but i see it as a divided club hanging onto past glorys to their own detriment
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Yes I think they are the biggest points of trouble for them
Dwanye
Roar Rookie
Yeah, strange management, I don’t think they have the right ‘culture’ going also.