20 teams and 20 rounds

[Perth Red]

late 90's we were still reeling from SL and had some real bludger clubs like Magpies and Bears stinking up the bottom of the table who knew they were on their last hurrah.
There is no reason why an 8 year plan couldn't see NRL at 20 teams without dilution of talent but it needs a strategy, investment and some vision. And thats where it all falls over.

 

[Timmah]

The lack of player depth argument is a furfy! Not sure if you played rugby league or not Timmah? In my past I was a trialist for an NRL club and reached the last 30 prior to being cut from an original squad of 300.Some of the players that were cut before my departure were freaks! I have seen the talent behind the scenes in the reality of a trialist scenario. The talent pool is clearly there. In fact more teams add to junior interest and further incentive to play rugby league. Limiting rugby league opportunity is shear folly.

Sure, I'll take your complete hearsay as fact in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

Untested expansion has consigned a number of AFL clubs to the dustbin because - the talent isn't there.

You can say it is til you're blue in the face, but it doesn't make it so.

 

[Perth Red]

Sure, I'll take your complete hearsay as fact in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

Untested expansion has consigned a number of AFL clubs to the dustbin because - the talent isn't there.

You can say it is til you're blue in the face, but it doesn't make it so.

There is a difference between the talent not being there, and the talent identification and development pathways not developing that talent to NRL level. With hundreds of thousands of people playing RL around the world it is hard to believe an extra 120 can not be unearthed and developed to a high NRL standard? Hell if worse comes to worse in short term just spend some $'s and raid Union around the world for backs!

 

[Stallion]

late 90's we were still reeling from SL and had some real bludger clubs like Magpies and Bears stinking up the bottom of the table who knew they were on their last hurrah.
There is no reason why an 8 year plan couldn't see NRL at 20 teams without dilution of talent but it needs a strategy, investment and some vision. And thats where it all falls over.

PR you allude to The North Sydney Bears as being a "bludger of a club"? I put it to you that the decline of rugby league in northern Sydney, including Manly can be linked to the loss of the rivalry between the Bears and Manly in an area with a high private school population and high socio-economic demographic. Quite simply the Bears demise caused more than the loss of numerous Bears fans but also eliminated the popular rivalry that was in many ways the bread and butter for these two North Shore clubs for over 50 years. . This sort of "killng" of sporting/cultural rivalry has created a vulnerability for rugby league in this area. As a result we now see codes like union and AFL fill.the void and appease the disgruntled /deserted masses that were the fabric of these strategically important clubs in northern Sydney. You can't see that but I'll give you the insight anyway!

 

[Fire]

We're due for another expansion. It's been 13 years.

The talent's there, but Greenberg's balls aren't

Who dares wins - take a risk Greenberg you f**king soft cock.

 

[Stallion]

Sure, I'll take your complete hearsay as fact in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

Untested expansion has consigned a number of AFL clubs to the dustbin because - the talent isn't there.

You can say it is til you're blue in the face, but it doesn't make it so.

Evidence to the contrary!? You are kidding! Easy to be dismissive when you haven't had a go! ? The armchair fan with no grasp of reality in rugby league. On top of that you have an integral position in a rugby league website! ? Well done!
You doubt my trial experience. The "heresay" is fact. My blood, sweat and tears were not fake! They were real and what I have seen as a rugby league trialist is absolutely true! The talent is abundant and untapped throughout many regions of Australia. The top flight RL playing opportunity is not as abundant.
Pathetic response from I suggest someone whom has not played rugby league at a reasonable level. Training runs (AFL)don't impress me. But the rugby league player is a different dimension altogether. You insult me in a cursive and dismissive way. You also insult the code that you purport to follow.

 

[Perth Red]

yeh Stallion's back, and here we go. Insert as required:

Games dying since Bears demise
Union are out to kill us all
Tickets are too expensive

repeat ad nauseum

 

[Stallion]

yeh Stallion's back, and here we go. Insert as required:

Games dying since Bears demise
Union are out to kill us all
Tickets are too expensive

repeat ad nauseum

Are you for real!? Much of what you have stated is contradictory. In an earlier post you described the NRL as "pissweak" with respects to not hosting the Lions next year and then you ridicule someone whom backs your stance!? I'm on the money champ and people whom don't want to see the "truth" are doing their best to deflect and discredit messengers such as myself. It's a rugby league website so I give it a go despite the obstinance and ignorance of some on this site.

 

[TheEroticGamer]

not enough rugby league talent to warrant expansion lmao

hasn't penrith's reserve grade team been making first grade finals for the past few years

 

[titoelcolombiano]

NRL Round 1 - Magic Weekend in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth (rotating) before the AFL season starts
NRL Round 2 - 10
RLIF Rep Window 3 Weeks: State of Origin / Oceania Championships (every second year) / Pacific Tests (every other year) / England tour playing NZ and Pacific teams, other nations playing tests
NRL Round 11 - 20
NRL Finals 4 Weeks
RLIF Rep Window: 4 - 5 Weeks:

• 2021 and every four years World Cup
• 2022 and every two years: Regional Championships doubling as 6 Nations qualifiers (Euro, Oceania, Americas, MEA)
  
• 2023 and every four years: 6 Nations (or Confed Cup whatever just pick one and stick with it) plus 9's world cup
• 2024 and every four years: Regional Championships doubling as the WCQ (Euro, Oceania, Americas, MEA)

Repeat

 

[Timmah]

NRL Round 1 - Magic Weekend in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth (rotating) before the AFL season starts
NRL Round 2 - 10
RLIF Rep Window 3 Weeks: State of Origin / Oceania Championships (every second year) / Pacific Tests (every other year) / England tour playing NZ and Pacific teams, other nations playing tests
NRL Round 11 - 20
NRL Finals 4 Weeks
RLIF Rep Window: 4 - 5 Weeks:

• 2021 and every four years World Cup
• 2022 and every two years: Regional Championships doubling as 6 Nations qualifiers (Euro, Oceania, Americas, MEA)
  
• 2023 and every four years: 6 Nations (or Confed Cup whatever just pick one and stick with it) plus 9's world cup
• 2024 and every four years: Regional Championships doubling as the WCQ (Euro, Oceania, Americas, MEA)

Repeat

I still don't understand the logic of doing Magic Weekend as Round 1. The interest for fans to return to the game is already there - the idea of that kind of event should be to give crowds a shot in the arm as they do their usual drift. Magic Weekend would be better served mid-season

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I still don't understand the logic of doing Magic Weekend as Round 1. The interest for fans to return to the game is already there - the idea of that kind of event should be to give crowds a shot in the arm as they do their usual drift. Magic Weekend would be better served mid-season

The only time I would have it in round 1 is when it hosted by an AFL state as the AFL season starts later than the NRL season which would give us uninterupted access to the big stadia, media and general public attention that normally wouldn't happen in those cities and a fan takeover of the city which would certainly create a buzz around the game in a non-heartland once a year.

Other than that, you are right, if it is in NSW, QLD or NZ then mid-season is a good spot for it.

 

[Timmah]

The only time I would have it in round 1 is when it hosted by an AFL state as the AFL season starts later than the NRL season which would give us uninterupted access to the big stadia, media and general public attention that normally wouldn't happen in those cities and a fan takeover of the city which would certainly create a buzz around the game in a non-heartland once a year.

Other than that, you are right, if it is in NSW, QLD or NZ then mid-season is a good spot for it.

I can see the logic when you put it like that - having said that you'll have plenty of club fans howling they miss an opportunity early in the season.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I can see the logic when you put it like that - having said that you'll have plenty of club fans howling they miss an opportunity early in the season.

Yes I see your point. I think if they made the decision to sell it to those states they'd just weigh up the benefits in those markets vs the downsides. They certainly seem to be pushing the marketing for magic weekend which is a good sign. Hopefully this continues and it turns into another event that the NRL can shop around to the highest bidder.

 

[Walter sobchak]

I still don't understand the logic of doing Magic Weekend as Round 1. The interest for fans to return to the game is already there - the idea of that kind of event should be to give crowds a shot in the arm as they do their usual drift. Magic Weekend would be better served mid-season

Shouldn’t magic weekend be played in expansion areas? Like Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Eden Park Auckland etc.

 

[Perth Red]

Shouldn’t magic weekend be played in expansion areas? Like Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Eden Park Auckland etc.

Actually, no I don't think they should. Unless the NRL is confident you will get 50k fans travelling from RL cities to the event then it is highly unlikely that locals are going to pack the stadium enough over 4 consecutive days/nights to make it a success. Double headers work well for expansion cities. Magic should be in Brisbane that is a RL city starved of content and has a decent following for most clubs in the city. It is the best place besides Sydney for the chance of getting 20k plus at each game.

 

[Walter sobchak]

Actually, no I don't think they should. Unless the NRL is confident you will get 50k fans travelling from RL cities to the event then it is highly unlikely that locals are going to pack the stadium enough over 4 consecutive days/nights to make it a success. Double headers work well for expansion cities. Magic should be in Brisbane that is a RL city starved of content and has a decent following for most clubs in the city. It is the best place besides Sydney for the chance of getting 20k plus at each game.

Fair point. Didn’t realize that the Aussie version is to be played over 4 days and not 2 like in super league.

 

[Timmah]

Shouldn’t magic weekend be played in expansion areas? Like Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Eden Park Auckland etc.

Off topic, and I've already covered it in the later pages of its own thread --> https://forums.leagueunlimited.com/threads/magic-weekend-2019-suncorp.469530/

Hope that helps

 

[Timmah]

Fair point. Didn’t realize that the Aussie version is to be played over 4 days and not 2 like in super league.

In fairness I think it was originally supposed to be 3 days (we play two more games each round than SL), so ideally any expansion venue for a future year would be under that.

 

[T-Boon]

Shouldn’t magic weekend be played in expansion areas? Like Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Eden Park Auckland etc.

I think Brisbane is considered an expansion area. Remember Auckland and Melbourne have as many teams as Brisbane.