NRL Conferences

[MacDougall]

I'm sure this isn't a completely original thought, but with the desire to expand but also the desire to shorten the length of the competition to prevent player burnout, I feel that introducing conferences is the future of the game.

Basically how it would work is 20 teams. The current 16 + Perth, Central Coast, Central QLD and Brisbane 2 are divided into two conferences of 10. To balance them you base it on the performance of the teams in the season prior (minor premiership rounds). So if it were to start this season it would look like this.

Conference 1
Melbourne Storm
Gold Coast Titans
Wests Tigers
Parramatta Eels
New Zealand Warriors
Penrith Panthers
Newcastle Knights
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Brisbane Bombers
Central Coast Bears

Conference 2
Manly Sea Eagles
Canberra Raiders
Brisbane Broncos
Cronulla Sharks
Sydney Roosters
North Queensland Cowboys
St George-Illawarra Dragons
Canterbury Bulldogs
Central Queensland
Perth Reds

Each team plays each other team in their conference twice, plus 2 byes making 20 rounds. In round 21 the teams finishing 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th in each conference play against their counterpart to determine the final top 8. So let's say hypothetically each conference finished the way it's written there, Round 21 would look like (bold win).

1 v 1 = Melbourne vs. Manly
2 v 2 = Canberra vs. Gold Coast
3 v 3 = Brisbane vs. Wests
4 v 4 = Parra vs. Sharks

Then the final table would be;

Melbourne
Manly
Gold Coast
Canberra
Wests
Brisbane
Parra
Sharks

After which we have a normal McIntyre finals system.

This gives us 5 extra rounds (considering each team still gets two byes anyway) with which to conduct any of the following.

A) Pre Season Comp/World RL Sevens
B) Stand Alone Rep Weekends
C) Trade Window
D) Extra bye rounds to prevent player burnout

In addition after Round 21 you could have a second all stars match comprising the public selected best 17 players from the 12 teams that failed to make the finals. A last chance match to impress leading in to the internationals played after the end of the season. This match could take place before the Grand Final.

Pros/Cons?

 

[billy2]

It makes a lot of sense to have a NSW conference and a conference for the rest.

The reason that makes sense is because Sydney fans could travel to virtually all games their team plays, so could get in the habit of going to a game every weekend.

The other teams really can't have big numbers of fans travelling anyway.

 

[Bro Bear]

Sounds like a good idea.

 

[MacDougall]

It makes a lot of sense to have a NSW conference and a conference for the rest.

The reason that makes sense is because Sydney fans could travel to virtually all games their team plays, so could get in the habit of going to a game every weekend.

The other teams really can't have big numbers of fans travelling anyway.

I considered that but I think it would be unfair for non NSW teams to have to travel from like Auckland to Perth while the NSW teams can jump in their sportscars and zoom across town to games.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

I would support most plans that shorten the season. This would allow for the 4 Nations to expand to a six nations tournament, Stand alone state of origin weekend and also concept ideas such as a 'champions league' (Top 3 UK clubs and top 3 NRL clubs in a mini tournament) or an international 7s/9s comp.