Roar Rookie
Joined December 2017
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I love playing golf and watching Rugby League and some Soccer too. I follow the Knights and Parramatta and a major passion is how to improve the way RL is run.
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The TV ratings for 2017 have just been released again and once again, rugby league has emerged as a winner. The top-rating TV shows…
Nah, we need a league guy, not a Union has-been.
Fittler on his last legs? A top-notch coach is waiting in the wings if Blues are willing to think outside the box
As far as I’m concerned, you’re the only fan to get this almost right. You cannot grow the game unless you grow the amount of teams (whilst ensuring no remaining teams are folded or amalgamated). This can only be done fairly in multiple divisions as you mentioned. What you outlined is more or less the future for Rugby League, if it is to survive and prosper as Australia’s first (or second) most popular viewing sport. Pump money into junior competitions and you always have enough quality players. I think the addition of PNG has to be considered though.
Where should the NRL's 18th franchise go?
I agree with all that apart from keeping ALL Sydney teams in one conference. I don’t like the wealthier Sydney clubs not having the burdon of travelling, forcing the outlying clubs having to do even more travel than they do now.
Take the top performing club from the year before and put them in into Conf A. Then take the team that came second and they go into B, 3rd into A, 4th in B, and so on. This makes sure that both conferences have and even spread of talent and travel.
Experts Roar: Should NRL finals format be changed, number of teams reduced or expanded?
I actually like this idea. Evening up the competition makes it watchable, and that’s all that matters to me. To appear a little less racist perhaps we could just split us down the middle and have Australia A and Australia B? I do actually think the Indigenous team would possibly still win the world cup and I too would be so proud of this.
If the UK can split itself into separate teams then surely Australia can too.
Let’s have three teams, Queensland, NSW and the rest.
For the good of the game, we must cull the Kangaroos from the Rugby League World Cup
I agree with most of this article but if we really want to expand we should do so by opting for a 2 tier comp both composed initially of 10 teams. Reducing the costly need for lower grades would help as would freeing up clubs to do their own media/coverage deals. Reintroducing axed teams like the Bears, Magpies and Steelers and adding teams from other states and countries would make for a truly viable and world beating competion.
A controversial opinion on NRL expansion
So you want the failed “Super League” again? The solution is the opposite to what you are arguing for. Imagine a major expansion to 30 or more teams, in 3 divisions.
There’s room for a dozen Sydney teams and plenty more. I don’t care much about a thinning of talent, what I care about is that the game can either choose to wither and die, or expand and flourish. Bring back the Newtown Jets, Western Suburbs Magpies, North Sydney Bears, Illawarra Steelers and grow the game!
Which teams deserve the axe?
I’m all for the idea of a Liverpool Stadium. No idea why some are calling this a dead-zone as it is, and always has been a Rugby League strong-hold. Sydney should never try to concentrate on a few major stadiums as was done in Melbourne. It may work there, but in Sydney, geography and poor transport make it impossible. After the 3 major stadiums are built (not that I agree with that), future funding should go to outer suburban grounds where most supporters live. Grounds like Campbelltown, a new Liverpool, Parramatta, Penrith and perhaps the Norwest area. Continue the upkeep on all suburban grounds and the crowds will return in droves.
All of the NRL's problems - and how to solve them
Obviously, your comments come from a Melbourne/AFL perspective. From a Sydney/NRL perspective the opposite applies. Players and supporters do not like big stadiums and many refuse to attend if their home game is moved to one of them. It’s done for TV and not the fans and therein lies the problem. The suburban grounds in Sydney are mostly still great places to play and watch and clubs, together with sponsors and governments have all contributed in developing them over the years. I’m sorry this hasn’t happened in Melbourne but the two cities are not the same. Also In Sydney, most of the new migrants love both Soccer and NRL, it’s a win for both codes.
Why Australia's sporting competitions need fewer teams
The NRL went through exactly the same thing leading to the demise of first grade teams like Newtown and North Sydney; and the merging of teams like St George/Illawarra and Wests/Tigers. I my opinion, this process destroyed more than it creates. It fails to understand the tribalism that was and is Rugby League. This is not a business and should never be treated like one. Keep your suits at home and away from the management of our game.
Why Australia's sporting competitions need fewer teams
I must say I don’t agree with any of this. For the supporters, footy is NOT a business, in fact, it is closer to a religion. Just because Australia is silly enough to be big stadium mad, doesn’t mean our codes are failing. I also don’t believe the talent is spread thin, certainly from what I’ve seen. Australia’s population has doubled since 1972, so twice the talent and twice the fan base, therefore twice the potential number of teams. The problem in most cities is that they just need 1 massive stadium. The rest of the grounds need to be based where the supporters are and built to house the current fan base with some room for expansion. I could go on but I feel I might contribute my own article shortly to outline ALL the reasons for my vastly opposing view.
Why Australia's sporting competitions need fewer teams
I would agree that the NRL is doing OK and Rugby League is surviving… just. There are a few things that we need to be improved though to draw in crowds and make it a better spectacle.
Firstly, more television, particularly on free to air. Regional teams like Newcastle, Saints-Illawarra, Canberra, the Titans and the Cowboys need to have their game televised every week on their local stations. Is it too much to ask for at least 4 games a week on free to air? Friday, Saturday and Sundays for sure, and play them earlier, say 7pm so the youngsters can watch too. While we’re at it, how about sharing the TV rights and stop the channel Nine monopoly that just loves to televise the Broncos, and Roosters in particular.
Secondly, make the scrums a contest. Have the referee feed (in the middle) allowing the defending team to win sometimes.
Thirdly, increase and spread the funding of junior development. We’re losing our next generation to Soccer and AFL, even in our heartlands. We need to compete or the game will die.
Lastly, the competition needs to expand to survive. I can’t see why we can’t drop the reserve grade to save money.
With just a first grade and a reduced player roster of say, 20 per club, more teams could be viable.
I’d like to see 2 and eventually 3 divisions, each with 10 teams playing each other twice in a home-away situation.
Promotion and relegation would add a level of interest, as would expansion into places like the NT, New Guinea, more of Q’land, New Zealand and the Pacific as well as a return for Adelaide and Perth.
Come on NRL, expand and improve, we can do it!
Problems? The NRL is doing just fine
Yeah I didn’t get that comment either. Is he saying that it takes longer to tackle around the legs and get back on side, and so they risk being penalised for off-side? Whatever he means, around the leg tackling should be encouraged at every opportunity. It’s more effective, I believe more entertaining, and can be done by one defender, not 3 or 4.
Peter Sterling discusses the big issues ahead of the 2018 NRL season (Part 4)
This is a very sad article but I totally agree that this is happening. I spent time teaching and I saw it. On the rare occasions that the NRL sent players to schools, they were mobbed and treated as celebrities as they are well known by most of the students. AFL players would rarely get that same response in the northern states and this is where League can excel.
The NRL/ARL are big business these days but it won’t last unless we can get kids to play, watch and attend games. Money being spent on large empty stadiums at the expenses of traditional grounds where the atmosphere is better and the crowds flock, is totally detrimental to the game and it’s image. I can’t fathom why the NRL supports this.
As for kids playing, it simply needs to be safer, or to be considered safer by the parents, especially the mums. To start I’d revert to weight based, instead of aged based grading and teaching and enforcing safe tackling techniques.
AFL is winning hearts and minds because the NRL just does nothing
Don’t forget that unless it’s a major international event, or State of Origin, Sydney people will not travel (and the distances and times of travel are far greater than in Melbourne). So that money could have been better spent completely refurbishing all the traditional NRL grounds to a similar, 25 to 30k undercover seating capacity. This could have included, Penrith, Kogarah, Brookvale, Leichardt, Campbelltown, Cronulla, plus refurbishments at Parramatta, Homebush and Moore Park. We could have even had Belmore upgraded too and perhaps Henson Park and that nice Rugby Ground, Concord Oval.
Rugby League thrives in smaller, traditional, atmospheric grounds, not these monstrous, bland, concrete paviliions.
This is not just a waste of money but a serious threat to Sydney sport as a whole.
Nine things you can buy with $2 billion that aren't new sporting stadiums
Tedesco has served NSW well and, in my opinion has always been a better origin fullback than anyone else. Because he’s now older and has slowed down, it’s time to step aside. I’d call up Gutherson who plays with more heart and skill than any other fullback, just what is needed for origin and what Teddy had given us.
Playing Teddy in another position is a silly idea when there are specialists all over the competition.
In half-back, I’ve always thought Cleary never performed at Origin level. Moses did a much better job. I think Adam Reynolds would be the pick of the bunch though.
Could positional switch end Teddy's form slump?