The Conference concept with 24 teams

[Albert Rosenfeld]

6 conferences. Each team plays its own conference twice, and each other team once.

Makes 26 rounds. Alternate home-away venue each year.

5 Queensland teams is the obvious fair redistribution of power.

3 New Zealand teams is necessary for international development.

PNG and Fiji are essential for international development.

This conference system should be introduced first with the introduction of 20 teams. The initial four additions would be Brisbane Bombers, Perth Pirates, Wellington Orcas, PNG Hunters.

Northern Conference:

PNG Hunters
Fiji Bati
North Queensland Cowboys
Newcastle Knights

South Queensland Conference:

Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Bombers
South Queensland (Ipswich-Toowoomba) Crushers
Gold Coast Titans

South Eastern Conference:

Auckland Warriors
Wellington Orcas
Christchurch Quakers
Melbourne Storm

West Central Conference:

Perth Pirates
Adelaide Rams
Canberra Raiders
Penrith Panthers

Sydney South-East Conference:

Sydney Roosters
South Sydney Rabbitohs
St. George - Illawarra Dragons
Cronulla Sharks

Sydney North West Conference:

Manly Sea Eagles
Canterbury Bulldogs
Parramatta Eels
Wests Tigers

 

[siv]

In 1995-1996 we had 20 teams 5 conferences of 4 teams decided by prior years table positions

And we 10 team finals series

 

[Jimmy-o]

Is Remi Casty going to be the Christchurch Quakers' marquee signing?

 

[applesauce]

How about an 18team divisional concept?

More likely to see it in our lifetime.

Three, 6 team divisions. Top 2 of each division (regardless of record) into the finals. Final 2 spots to round out the 8 are wild cards with the next best records.

Play home and away with 5 other teams in your division (10 games) and yearly alternating home or away with each of the other 2 divisions (12 games).

22 round season.

 

[Perth Red]

24 teams? I'll have a pint of what your drinking!

 

[Centralcoastdragon2]

Not enough players to go around

 

[CC_Roosters]

How about an 18team divisional concept?

More likely to see it in our lifetime.

Three, 6 team divisions. Top 2 of each division (regardless of record) into the finals. Final 2 spots to round out the 8 are wild cards with the next best records.

Play home and away with 5 other teams in your division (10 games) and yearly alternating home or away with each of the other 2 divisions (12 games).

22 round season.

6 team divisions is a bit radical for Australia. I could see a 2 conference system working with 8 teams in each then 9 etc.... with expansion.

I have heard Grant say that once the NRL has full control of scheduling they will be looking to build more integrity into the draw and without being specific he said there were mechanisms they were looking at to do that, so hopefully this concept is one of them.

An eventual 18 team league on one ladder will create the perception of a lot of dud games as it will eliminate more teams from the finals in the closing rounds. I think splitting them into conferences would hide that to an extent as I would have 4 finalists from each conference. And I would not go down the American route of isolating finals teams from each conference until the grand final. Instead I would have:

Week 1- Qualifier 1v2, Elimination 3v4 in each conference
Week 2- Semi final Loser 1v2 V winner 3v4 in each conference
Week 3- Prelim final Winner Qualifier conf A v Winner Semi conf B
Prelim final winner Qualifier conf B v Winner semi conf A

The crossover in week 3 would mean we are sure to get the best in the big dance even if from the same conference and it does not rule out any GF matchup between rivals etc....

But my overall preference is to have a 2 division NRL with promotion and relegation and a full home and away fixture. Could be done with 20 teams but 2 leagues of 12 teams would be the ultimate goal.

 

[Last Week]

How about an 18team divisional concept?

More likely to see it in our lifetime.

Three, 6 team divisions. Top 2 of each division (regardless of record) into the finals. Final 2 spots to round out the 8 are wild cards with the next best records.

Play home and away with 5 other teams in your division (10 games) and yearly alternating home or away with each of the other 2 divisions (12 games).

22 round season.

Yep. I like this. But the make up of the divisions is what puzzles me. Who should be with who.

 

[siv]

Dont like divisions deciding semi final positions

A big flaw in the NFL system

But 18 teams with 3 pools of 6 teams with 22 rounds can work

 

[applesauce]

Yep. I like this. But the make up of the divisions is what puzzles me. Who should be with who.

Assuming:

4 QLD teams
9 Sydney teams
1 Newcastle team
1 ACT team
1 VIC team
1 WA team
1 NZ team

You could do something like this:

NRL North
Brisbane Broncos
NQLD Cowboys
Newcastle Knights
Manly Sea Eagles
Sydney Roosters
South Sydney Rabbitohs

NRL South
Gold Coast Titans
NZ Warriors
Melbourne Storm
Cronulla Sharks
St George Illawarra Dragons
Canberra Raiders

NRL West
WA Pirates
Ipswich Jets
Wests Tigers
Parramatta Eels
Penrith Panthers
Canterbury Bulldogs

I tried to make a logical split of the teams based on location but also tried to preserve as many rivalries as possible.

Dont like divisions deciding semi final positions

A big flaw in the NFL system

But 18 teams with 3 pools of 6 teams with 22 rounds can work

The divisional system is what makes the NFL so successful.

It values rivalries and values the divisions. Sure sometimes teams with worse records than others get into the post-season but the thought process is you must win your division.

This accomplishes two things by making more games meaningful for longer in the season.

1) divisional games are closer and more heated allowing even shitter teams with nothing to play to affect the seeding or even the playoff entry for another divisional team at the end of the season.

2) a simple record based approach knocks out more teams from playoff contention sooner in the season than a divisional structure. Meaning more interest in games, greater implications and more possibilities.

 

[johnny plath]

Assuming:

4 QLD teams
9 Sydney teams
1 Newcastle team
1 ACT team
1 VIC team
1 WA team
1 NZ team

You could do something like this:

NRL North
Brisbane Broncos
NQLD Cowboys
Newcastle Knights
Manly Sea Eagles
Sydney Roosters
South Sydney Rabbitohs

NRL South
Gold Coast Titans
NZ Warriors
Melbourne Storm
Cronulla Sharks
St George Illawarra Dragons
Canberra Raiders

NRL West
WA Pirates
Ipswich Jets
Wests Tigers
Parramatta Eels
Penrith Panthers
Canterbury Bulldogs

I tried to make a logical split of the teams based on location but also tried to preserve as many rivalries as possible.



The divisional system is what makes the NFL so successful.

It values rivalries and values the divisions. Sure sometimes teams with worse records than others get into the post-season but the thought process is you must win your division.

This accomplishes two things by making more games meaningful for longer in the season.

1) divisional games are closer and more heated allowing even shitter teams with nothing to play to affect the seeding or even the playoff entry for another divisional team at the end of the season.

2) a simple record based approach knocks out more teams from playoff contention sooner in the season than a divisional structure. Meaning more interest in games, greater implications and more possibilities.

I like this, and think that this is a reasonable workable system. I guess that team strengths would change over time, but as per your suggestion NRL North really is a group of death. Arguably the five of the strongest clubs in that group.

 

[Quidgybo]

Yep. I like this. But the make up of the divisions is what puzzles me. Who should be with who.

Why do the divisions have to remain static? They could change every year but still maintain logical groupings. For example the three or four Queensland teams might always be in the same division with teams like the Warriors, Storm, Raiders, Knights rotating in and out of the division. A division of primarily Sydney teams could have five of nine Sydney teams in one year but a different combination of five the next. Canterbury and Souths might always be in a division together but move between divisions each year. Etc etc.

Leigh.