Should The Nrl Bring Back The Pacific Cup?

[jim_57]

It's a shame that it has been 8 years since the last Pacific Cup and there appears to be no future tournament in sight, especially as the NRL / APRLC could very easily relaunch the tournament by just adding one extra rep game to the schedule.

Taking the cheap and nasty route, having the winners of the Polynesian Cup take on the winners of the Melanesian Cup would be the cheapest way of bringing back the tournament.

Sure the final may not be a true reflection of the two best teams in the Pacific, but it would provide another guaranteed fixture (maybe two if they also do a 3rd v 4th playoff).

Of course if the NRL / APRLC had money to spend, a preferred option would be to have each of the four teams play each other once (3 rounds) with the team at the top of the ladder declared champions.

Arguably in this model you could leave the mid-year Test and simply add two at the end of the year. You could even let each nation host one game at home, one away and one in a neutral venue (Mid-Year).

Anyway it's nice to dream...

The cheap and nasty version is a start at least, then you at least have a very basic structure to build from as popularity increases.

Stand alone origin weekends could really be the key going forward. There is one from next year onwards if I remember correctly, the aim shpuld be to make that 3 with a really beefed up rep program. The main concern for networks would be lack of content if the NRL is put on hold, maybe they don't hace faith an international program coupled with Origin could make up for the shortfall, I really think it could though if you throw all the Pacific nations plus NZ V England, womens and junior rep games in to the mix.

 

[siv]

What needs to happen is for the NRL to drop 3 games of the year. Make Origin stand alone weekends so you can play the Pacific Cup games during those weekends. Include NZ and I too think its beneficial for all teams if a NZ Maori and Indigenous OZ are included as they will offer much needed competition and make up the numerical difference for an 8 team comp which will work better over the 3 weekends. So you'll have NZ, Samoa, Fiji, Cook Is, Tonga, PNG, NZ Maori & Ind OZ. You have four games over each weekend, winners play each other to see who advances to the final and the losers play for minor places.

For instance-

Origin Week one:

Fiji vs PNG - Fij
Sa vs Ton - Sa
NZ v Cook - NZ
NZM vs IOZ - IOZ

Origin week two:

Fiji v Sa - Sa
NZ v IOZ - NZ
Ton v PNG- Ton
NZM v Cook - NZM

Origin week three:

(Final) NZ v Sa
(3rd/4th) Fij v IOZ
(5th/6th) Ton v NZM
(7th/8th) Cook v PNG

I would also scrap the Indigenous/All Stars match, that match is pointless but adding IOZ to the Pacific Cup will make up for their lost match.

NRL already has dropped 3 games

Rep Weekend
And each team has 2 byes during SOO

All the NRL need to do is sanction these 3 weekends as 3 representative rounds

And a 4 nation Pacific Cup on these 3 weekends can be played

 

[ozenzud]

Lot of people saying (rightly) tht RLIF runs international footy not the NRL. While thats technically correct, in practice, its the ARL that does, with some input from Super League.

The SL and NRL generate the money. Especially the NRL is awash with the stuff. The AFL spend heaps on development but the NRL clubs want more money for themselves. Its sickening and really turning me off.

 

[Force]

NRL already has dropped 3 games

Rep Weekend
And each team has 2 byes during SOO

All the NRL need to do is sanction these 3 weekends as 3 representative rounds

And a 4 nation Pacific Cup on these 3 weekends can be played

Yes, make them rep weekends but you're gonna need more than 2 International games to make up for the loss of NRL games, hence why I proposed an 8 team tournament, 4 games plus the Origin game which is on par with your normal bye round during Origin week.

 

[siv]

Yes, make them rep weekends but you're gonna need more than 2 International games to make up for the loss of NRL games, hence why I proposed an 8 team tournament, 4 games plus the Origin game which is on par with your normal bye round during Origin week.

Here is how I would do it

NZ 3 test series on home soil
- 1 match Friday

3 round 4 Nation Pacific Cup
- 2 matches Saturday

SOO
- 1 match as Sunday NF

And I would add 30 team Midweek Cup
- Quarter Finals week 1
- Semi Finals week 2
- Final week 3
With their best non rep players that remain

Where 2 early knockout rounds are played in the pre-season trials at country venues

With Souths and St Merge to have bye so they can play Charity Shield

With best 14 non NRL NSW Cup(4) QLD Cup(4), Affiliate state champions, NSW Country divisional champions and NZ Cup(2) and PNG Cup and Fiji winners teams making up the other spots