NRL Season Format

[jimmythehand]

Keep hearing complaints about player burnout, season too long, etc, and it's not hard to disagree. And then at the end of the season when all the players are tired and injured, and cricket is starting, they tack on a four nations international tournament and expect us to care?

I'm sure Channel 9 want 26 rounds to maximise their revenue, but are they shooting themselves in the foot by doing this? There's so many games with little meaning in 26 rounds, because every team has the chance to rest key players and risk a loss because there's so many games. This leads to less interest and worse tv ratings.

So here's an idea.

What if the teams play each other once and only once. 15 rounds seems just a little too short, so maybe expand to 18 or 20 teams. Player talent might be a bit thin to begin with, but hopefully that would get better.

With 17 or 19 rounds, each game could be vital in order to make the semi finals. This makes each game more captivating, so more bums on seats and better team ratings. The NFL has a similar length season.

State of Origin can then be played on 3 stand alone weekends. But .... only stand alone from the NRL. At the same time, a Pacific Islands round robin tournament could be held to help appease Channel 9. Could also include a team from NZ or NZ Maori, and a second string NSW and QLD team. So an 8-10 team tournament, will give Channel 9 5 or 6 games for the weekends that the NRL is off. And now every club is in the same boat about risking better players of injury in non-NRL games.

At the end of the season, we're still a long way from Summer, not in cricket season, player burnout is less, less players injured etc. The four nations tournament would be a lot more interesting since its in season and less players are fatigued and injured.

What are your thoughts?

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

22 Rounds is plenty, and yes Origin should be standalone with rep fixtures for other teams, but not an 8-10 team tournament featuring second string NSW/QLD and NZ maori (how would a 8-10 team tournament even work over a 3 week window?).

If rep fixtures are going to replace a round of NRL then they need to actually mean something.

 

[jimmythehand]

Maybe just a Pacific Nations tournament then. The test match I watched last year I think it was Samoa and Tonga was awesome. There was so much passion, and it meant a lot to the players. A 4 team Pacific Nation tournament would mean they play each other once over 3 weeks.

Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and Papua New Guinea?

 

[fourplay]

The lack of player talent is really a myth. The top under 20's teams right now would likely crush the top teams from 15 years ago they are at such a high level. Look at the where most of the players from great u/20 teams from just a few years ago are like the Warriors 2011 team and you realise just how good the talent is. The talent level is all relative anyway, and I don't see how spreading it wider is a bad thing. If anything it makes the game more exciting by allowing the superstars more ability to shine.

 

[Stagger Lee]

Player burnout - I call bollox. Cricketers used to claim that 25 years ago now they play at least double the games.

The season is way to short - more games / more teams / ASAP please

 

[Diesel]

22 rounds is about right, have a break mid season for Origin/Tests, problem solved.

Problem is the players that are complaining of burn out play most club games per season (say 20 games) while being paid $600k plus a season then they'll play Origin and Tests, Nines perhaps All Stars and collect another $100-150k in rep bonuses and then 3rd party sponsorship

 

[goodplayer]

some of the best players can play 38 to 40 games per year

nines tournament, 1 or 2 trials, 26 nrl rounds, anzac test, city v country origin, 3 origins, 4 finals, end of season kangaroos games 3 to 4, WORLD club championship , any others ? = total depends on the player, about 40 games

european union players over 50 games per year

 

[Timmah]

EPL teams are playing 38 games a season, A-League 27 plus finals (up to 3 more). Our players rarely play more than 28 competitive matches in a season.

 

[MrAnonymous]

EPL teams are playing 38 games a season, A-League 27 plus finals (up to 3 more). Our players rarely play more than 28 competitive matches in a season.

Yeah because soccer has as much impact as rugby league on the body. They also have massive squads in soccer and rotate them regularly. You don't have that luxury in league.

22 rounds and Breaks for SOO would be perfect.

 

[Canard]

EPL teams are playing 38 games a season, A-League 27 plus finals (up to 3 more). Our players rarely play more than 28 competitive matches in a season.

Like comparing boxing to fencing.

 

[Starkers]

Radical idea - in order to help compress the season a bit, what about playing Origin after the season?

 

[jimmythehand]

Starkers you don't want Origin after the season because then you have no form guide from players that didn't play the semis, and also those that you want picked haven't played in over a month. Also its the end of the season where players are playing with niggles, fatigued, etc. SOO needs to be in the middle of the season when players should be at peak form.

You can't compare Rugby Union, Soccer etc with Rugby League. The number and ferocity of collissions is incomparable. Rugby League players need to play a lot less games than the other codes.

I like the idea of each team plays each other once and once only. 17 or 19 rounds would be long enough for one competition. If you want more games, then extend the season with the International tournament, and perhaps a world club championship, and also the auckland nines.

 

[goodplayer]

inglis might play the most games this year ,auckland nines?, a trial?, 26 rounds. anzac test ?, 3 origins, 3 finals, 4 kangaroos games?

 

[pHyR3]

Keep hearing complaints about player burnout, season too long, etc, and it's not hard to disagree. And then at the end of the season when all the players are tired and injured, and cricket is starting, they tack on a four nations international tournament and expect us to care?

I'm sure Channel 9 want 26 rounds to maximise their revenue, but are they shooting themselves in the foot by doing this? There's so many games with little meaning in 26 rounds, because every team has the chance to rest key players and risk a loss because there's so many games. This leads to less interest and worse tv ratings.

So here's an idea.

What if the teams play each other once and only once. 15 rounds seems just a little too short, so maybe expand to 18 or 20 teams. Player talent might be a bit thin to begin with, but hopefully that would get better.

With 17 or 19 rounds, each game could be vital in order to make the semi finals. This makes each game more captivating, so more bums on seats and better team ratings. The NFL has a similar length season.

State of Origin can then be played on 3 stand alone weekends. But .... only stand alone from the NRL. At the same time, a Pacific Islands round robin tournament could be held to help appease Channel 9. Could also include a team from NZ or NZ Maori, and a second string NSW and QLD team. So an 8-10 team tournament, will give Channel 9 5 or 6 games for the weekends that the NRL is off. And now every club is in the same boat about risking better players of injury in non-NRL games.

At the end of the season, we're still a long way from Summer, not in cricket season, player burnout is less, less players injured etc. The four nations tournament would be a lot more interesting since its in season and less players are fatigued and injured.

What are your thoughts?

I agree on most points. But don't like this second string QLD vs NSW idea. Same for NZ maori. Never been a fan of teams like that, maori, indig. Obviously, playing for your heritage is great, but i think it dilutes the 'international' aspect of the game. City Country would work in these standalone weeks.

Also, remove all stars and remove rep weekend and the anzac test. Only have 1trial, they are largely useless anyway in terms of revenue and crowds.

Keep an even number of weeks, it becomes hard to organise byes and stuff. 18 weeks with 18 teams could work.With a rivalry round every year to make up the difference. Tigers Cows, Manly Melbourne, Eels dogs, titans vs broncs etc. etc.

However, this is a very short season and very limited games. 162 vs 192 now. So, it may be better to have 20-22 weeks with 18 teams. And then look at adding NZ 2 and another team in 2023 for 20 teams with 20-22 weeks.

 

[Perth Red]

20 teams 19 games with gf in sept and full int program oct/nov.

 

[pHyR3]

The lack of player talent is really a myth. The top under 20's teams right now would likely crush the top teams from 15 years ago they are at such a high level. Look at the where most of the players from great u/20 teams from just a few years ago are like the Warriors 2011 team and you realise just how good the talent is. The talent level is all relative anyway, and I don't see how spreading it wider is a bad thing. If anything it makes the game more exciting by allowing the superstars more ability to shine.

agreed. That junior roos vs kiwis game was phenomenal. 15-14 as well,, so not high scoring as many games at the level tend to be.

I think the game could be ready for a 20 team comp. Fiji/PNG teams in reserve grade will strengthen pacific pathways, combined with the pacific plan dave smith is starting. And a 2nd NZ team would allow league to have even more players coming in from more union dominated areas like wellington. Problem is I'm not sure who the 4th team would be. PNG isn't ready. NSW cant have another. So that leaves 3 options, another QLD, Melb 2, Adelaide. None of which sound very promising in the short term (5-10 years), with perhaps some upside in 20 years. But even that is not certain.

But, i'll trust this review

 

[Alpha]

For me the competition is disjointed and teams should only be playing each other once. For those that don't know the clubs submit submissions to the NRL of their preferences to which club they play twice and the NRL creates the draw. There was an interview with a CEO explaining this and how the clubs choose clubs they know will draw well both for live and tv audiences rather than positions on the ladder etc. it must have been at one stage 4-5 years without the Roosters playing in Brisbane due to this.

 

[Card Shark]

This subject gives me a headache. Gets recycled so much.

We can't have less games or SOO in a different format or we will have to pay players less & have more doing a Jarryd Hayne.

We are stuck with it whether we like it or not.

 

[Warrior@Heart]

The whole lack of talent for expansion is definitely a myth. The problem is the teams stock up on quality and the poor clubs blame the universe and all it's conspiracies for not being able to attract equally talented players. Even some of the bottom 8 teams have ridiculous depth in centain positions. Look at the Knights for example on the wings this year they had Uate, McManus, S. Mata'utia, C. Mata'utia, Josh Mantellato & Jake Mamo whereas a team like Canberra had to resort to using a guy like B. Tupou.

One idea I had was that if they do end up scrapping the NYC than I think each team should choose squads of 25 and those players alone come under the main salary cap. The rest of the players outside of their clubs top 25 go into a Free Agents pool and can be signed by anyone, I'd also consider introducing a Free Agents Cap and even a fixed Free Agents contract which only lasts 1 year however no other teams are allowed to offer that player a contract until that contract expires giving the team that signs him a whole year to negotiate a long term deal.

 

[Stagger Lee]

Regular season need to be about 34 weeks long - and with 6 extra weeks of finals or representative footy. Player burnout pigs arse. Rotate and manage the squad will be another skillset that some coaches do better than others. Games at the start and end of the season will have to be played in the evening due to the heat but TV will not mind that one little bit.