2020 has forced the NRL into having a better schedule. Let's make it permanent.

[hutch]

f**k you're pathetic

He’s right though. The kangaroos have shunned international rugby league.

 

[adamkungl]

I agree with you Adam.

Additionally it also means interrupting the ESL for Test matches, and extended travel mid-season for a number of its players. Nah that's not disruptive at all eh proponents?

Yep. Mid-season long travel is a bust. The clubs will never go for it. And really it's unnecessary

 

[The_Frog]

which is why it won't stay at the end of the season past this year

It will go wherever it makes the most money.

 

[Perth Red]

What's the general rusted on origin fans vibe with it this year? I'm a bit meh at best about Origin (give me a Tonga game in front of a sea of red any day) but wondering if the more enthusiastic origin fans feel it is different (better or worse) being after the season?

 

[adamkungl]

What's the general rusted on origin fans vibe with it this year? I'm a bit meh at best about Origin (give me a Tonga game in front of a sea of red any day) but wondering if the more enthusiastic origin fans feel it is different (better or worse) being after the season?

A lot of people saying it doesn't feel like Origin time. It undoubtedly benefits from the saturation coverage.

Some people will have switched off the footy for the year, some people will have better things to do in summer.
We know these things are true because we've already seen it happen with test football.
Additionally, QLD is arguably weak and COVID simply has some people not interested in sport this year.

I'd be very surprised if it's a ratings winner.


Back on swapping test football to mid-season - it could be a ratings winner. But it would harm Origin which currently brings in more money, and make a functional international calendar more difficult to achieve with Aus playing state football while everyone else is playing tests. And for coherency in the schedule, playing state before national makes sense.

 

[Captain Apollo]

The other thing is the UK Super League plays a 29 game season (excluding finals) which see the regular season start in late January to early February and play thru until mid-September, with its finals series being mid-September to mid-October. They changed to a summer competition so they could get partly out of the EPL's shadow, so they are not going to muck around their domestic comp to satisfy some Australian fans who think the rugby league season should be centered around what they want. It is just completely unrealistic.

 

[adamkungl]

I've played around with a lot of different scheduling ideas and it's just very difficult to make it work well.

The sticking point is, if you move some test football to June-July, you're still interrupting the NRL so why move Origin at all. And if you dont interrupt the NRL season, then there simply isn't enough time for the amount of rep football the sport needs.

The Kangaroos could play an annual 3 or 4 games in November, but I'm a strong believer that they should be playing 6-8 games a year. This would be a poor compromise that sells the game short.

Edit:
Best case scenario if Origin moves to post-season from 2022, in 8 year calendar form.
It works ok, but it still interrupts the NRL season, so limited benefit from the change, and makes test scheduling more difficult. You could remove all mid-season rep games, but imo a 3 match series v NZ is crucial, insane that this isn't a thing now.
This is basically the same format as my ideal calendar for test football - but the extra time allows for longer tours and earlier finishes. Starting in November pushes everything back a few weeks and allows for no extra games.

every June
- Australia vs New Zealand 2 tests. 1 less game interruption than Origin, no other tests or rep games. 3 mid-season tests in World Cup years.

every October
- Origin. Wed 14-21-28. Finished before November.
- NZ v Tonga series. Sat 17-24-31. Best 2 ranked Polynesia nations face off. Samoa v Cook Islands and a Melanesia series PNG v Fiji alongside.

2022 November
-Australia v New Zealand game 3. doubles as a 4 Nations match.
-4-nations Oceania Cup featuring Australia-A, New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji
-Australia tour UK, 3 matches v England, 1 match v France or top European nation.

2023 November
-Australia v New Zealand game 3. doubles as a 4 Nations match.
-4-nations Championship featuring Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, England / top 4 ranked

2024 November
-Australia v New Zealand game 3. doubles as a 4 Nations match.
-4-nations Oceania Cup featuring Australia, New Zealand-A, Tonga, PNG
-Great Britain tours New Zealand, 3 matches v NZ, 1 match v Australia, 2 matches v pacific nations.

2025 November
-World Cup. Extends to mid-December.

2026 November
-Australia v New Zealand game 3. doubles as a 4 Nations match.
-4-nations Oceania Cup featuring Australia, New Zealand-A, Tonga, Samoa
-New Zealand tour UK, 3 matches v England, 1 match v France or top European nation.

2027 November
-Australia v New Zealand game 3. doubles as a 4 Nations match.
-4-nations Championship featuring Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, England / top 4 ranked

2028 November
-Australia v New Zealand game 3. doubles as a 4 Nations match.
-4-nations Oceania Cup featuring Australia-A, New Zealand, Tonga, PNG
-Great Britain tours Australia, 3 matches v Australia, 1 match v NZ, 2 matches v pacific nations.

2029 November
-World Cup. Extends to mid-December.

 

[Valheru]

What's the general rusted on origin fans vibe with it this year? I'm a bit meh at best about Origin (give me a Tonga game in front of a sea of red any day) but wondering if the more enthusiastic origin fans feel it is different (better or worse) being after the season?

It will get a decent rating but the Melbourne Cup carnival is far bigger news this week IMO.

 

[siv]

Was glancing at the TV schedule and notuved Irigin maybe on the say after tomorrow

Not even thinking about it being on this week

Only international this rep season is the Kiwis v Samoa girls

 

[BadnMean]

What's the general rusted on origin fans vibe with it this year? I'm a bit meh at best about Origin (give me a Tonga game in front of a sea of red any day) but wondering if the more enthusiastic origin fans feel it is different (better or worse) being after the season?

A bit less hype- but I'm still interested. Probably post season hangover but maybe it's just because I'm not familiar with Origin being played right now. Cricket administrators around the world have learnt from Oz that locking in a BD/NY game schedule does wonders to build a crowd and occasion. It's not the date so much that is special (obviously holidays help)- but the regularity and habit/occasioan building that really mounts up year after year.

Both teams look weak- but QLD look worse.

I agree with you about the recent renaissance of Test football & Pacific football- great for the game & some of my favourite footy over the last few years (even as a Raiders fan suddenly swimming in enjoyable footy).

 

[The_Frog]

Additionally, QLD is arguably weak

There's your solution. Queensland will win game 1 and all will be back to normal. If it isn't, then they'll win game 2 as well. Origin only generates interest while Queensland are winning.

 

[jim_57]

Origin & Tests mid year on 3 stand alone weekends.

No bye/half/weakened rounds for NRL.

Enforce a maximum number of games a player can play in the regular season to ensure every player gets a rest for at least a week or two. Let the clubs manage it throughout the year.

Tests post season.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Isn't it the 40th anniversary of Origin?

Should have played 2 games at Lang Park and 1 at the SCG with a pre-game ceremony involving the surviving members of the 1980 game. That would build interest and bring back good memories.

How are ticket sales in Adelaide?

 

[baselinepanther]

It will go wherever it makes the most money.

which is what i said

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

I actually like the idea of splitting Australia; this was actually how RL did it for a long time (We split the UK into for teams and no one complains....)

Anyone who says "It cant work, NSW/QLD arent counties" is a moron who lacks imagination.

The only REAL issue is that it would exclude the non-RL states (Vic, WA, etc.)...

There would be more interest from the public in NSW and QLD if their states got to compete against England and NZ. Add Fiji, PNG, Samoa and Tonga into the mix, and we have RL's answer to the Six Nations and a chance to make RL the number one sport in the Pacific. It's no different to splitting Great Britain into England, Wales and Scotland so they can play in the Six Nations, which evokes the same level of passion as SOO.

Oceania Cup
AFFILIATED STATES
COOK ISLANDS
FIJI
NEW CALEDONIA
NSW
NZ
PNG
QLD
SAMOA
TONGA

Split it into two divisions.

 

[greenBV4]

How are ticket sales in Adelaide?

Never went back on sale after the move to Nov, so I guess its still sold out

 

[Marlins]

I’d like to see 20 H/A games a season with a break after 10 games for a mid season Origin & Test series.
Start season same time stop for 5 Weeks for 3 Origins and a annual 2 Test series with AUSTRALIA v Kiwis. You could also have South Pacific Teams play tests as well.

 

[greenBV4]

I’d like to see 20 H/A games a season with a break after 10 games for a mid season Origin & Test series.
Start season same time stop for 5 Weeks for 3 Origins and a annual 2 Test series with AUSTRALIA v Kiwis. You could also have South Pacific Teams play tests as well.

The thing with that is that you are shaving off 40 regular season games, which would more than likely come with a significant pay cut from Fox

Nien loses 15 games, but they should be good with standalone origin + internationals

 

[mxlegend99]

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/yo...l-want-swift-origin-call-20201101-p56ajl.html

Thoughts there from PVL that Origin will rate the roof off. I'm sure it'll still have solid ratings but gee I'm not feeling it this year. The footy season feels over

Im not feeling it either.

I'll watch because it's Origin and I couldn't not watch. But there's no hype for me.

 

[Captain Apollo]

The thing with that is that you are shaving off 40 regular season games, which would more than likely come with a significant pay cut from Fox

Nien loses 15 games, but they should be good with standalone origin + internationals

Nine would still want to pay less though. They'd argues 15 less games is less "bang for their buck" (even though they'd come out in front due to reduced production costs). They are notorious tight wads.