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

[Valheru]

March 5th - NRL season starts.
Rounds 1 - 12 are played and season is suspended.

May 30th (Sunday) - Origin 1
June 6th (Sunday) - Origin 2
June 13th (Sunday) - Origin 3
Obviously test matches should be arranged here also.

June 18th - NRL season resumes
Rounds 13 - 24 are played.
September 5th - NRL season ends.
October 3rd (public holiday the day after) - Grand Final

October 23rd - 27th November - RLWC

And for future years, the entire month of November and the last 2 weeks of October should be dedicated to international matches.

The main difference between this format and the current is that the season starts 2 weeks earlier.

This is the right solution IMO and it even gives the TV networks a better ratings night for origin.

The only slight issue may be that round 12 may need to not have origin players as 7 days is a short time to prepare for the first SOO game.

 

[Last Week]

This is the right solution IMO and it even gives the TV networks a better ratings night for origin.

The only slight issue may be that round 12 may need to not have origin players as 7 days is a short time to prepare for the first SOO game.

I completely agree about prep time for Origin. 7 days isn't enough. It's been mentioned numerous times by the coaches about prep time.

Upon reflection, I can't see any way around it. If there were an extra week off prior to origin to allow more prep time, the season would be starting in February.

And then there's the demand for Origin to be played on Wednesday nights. Which would mean that players would back up a couple of days after the last game (assuming Origin would be played on Wed, Sun then Wed).

The only solution is to shorten the NRL season. Shave off 2 weeks, making it a 22 round season.

 

[Valheru]

I completely agree about prep time for Origin. 7 days isn't enough. It's been mentioned numerous times by the coaches about prep time.

Upon reflection, I can't see any way around it. If there were an extra week off prior to origin to allow more prep time, the season would be starting in February.

And then there's the demand for Origin to be played on Wednesday nights. Which would mean that players would back up a couple of days after the last game (assuming Origin would be played on Wed, Sun then Wed).

The only solution is to shorten the NRL season. Shave off 2 weeks, making it a 22 round season.

TV broadcasters won't want less than 24 rounds and the NRL don't have the balls to leave money on the negotiating table so I reckon the single round (round 12) without origin players is palatable.

Another possible solution is keep origin on Wednesdays so players will have 10 days prep for that first game

May 23 (Sunday) - Last day of round 12
2 June (Wednesday) - SOO 1
9 June (Wednesday) - SOO 2
16 June (Wednesday) - SOO 3
18 June (Friday) - Round 13 commences

You may still get SOO players not playing round 13 but it wouldn't be mandated.

 

[adamkungl]

TV broadcasters won't want less than 24 rounds

Common wisdom before 2020 has said this, but with less money to go round post-pandemic, maybe less rounds for less money would have some appeal.

My schedule idea is similar to @Last Week 's
But I think there's an argument for making a shorter season and starting in April.
18 teams, 18 premiership rounds - once each + Rivalry Round.

March: All Stars, Trials
April-May : Rounds 1-9
June :
Origin, NZ v Tonga best of 3, other tests
finishing with Australia v NZ in the 4th week. (bring back the mid-season test)
July-August : Rounds 10-18
September: Finals
October long weekend: Grand Final
October-November: International season

With a shorter premiership season, we would have more flexibility to maximise some other things:

It's always an idea that gets tossed up, but a Knockout Cup could take place during the June window to keep the club gates ticking over, and TV schedules full. Top clubs would compete without all their rep players, giving the mid-bottom places clubs a good shot. The Final, on the same week as the AUSvNZ test, would give the NRL another trophy event to sell.

By bringing back the mid-season test, and having a shorter club season, Australia v NZ could become an annual 3 match series. It's criminal that it isn't already. Literally just copy the Bledisloe. It's the easiest concept to sell on earth.

A shorter season would have less resistance on a strong Kangaroos calendar. A typical October-November season should look like:
2 more games vs NZ
a 4 Nations tournament, and/or Tour, or World Cup
playing 6-8 games a year


Origin in the post-season will kill the Kangaroos once and for all.
That said, I don't think it has legs. Too many players pulling out, and I suspect a chunk of the neutral audience will have switched off after the GF.
Test football faces the same problems, but at least it has a place of its own.

 

[Timmah]

Based on what I've heard the following is the case for next season:

All Stars 20 Feb
Charity Shield 27-28 Feb

Thu 11 March kickoff
Magic Round back (Fri-Sun only)
Origin returns to 2019 and prior style of Wed-Sun-Wed over a 5 week period
Finals September, GF October LWE

Then RLWC post-season

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

For context, I want to see Rep football boom (and I think it's RLs biggest opportunity), but I understand the reality that NRL is the current money maker

- Move State Of Origin to November. November is a dead period for football (Internationals really struggle for attention), but Origin is popular enough that it might buck that and get huge audiences (particularly with no other major sport to compete with). We will confirm or disprove whether origin can work in November in a few weeks.

- Pause the NRL for 5 weeks during the Mid-Season lull (June-July period) as we already basically do for Origin

- Use the break for a Four Nations (Kangaroos & nz + England or 2 pacific nations). We give the internationals sides the mid-season spotlight that has built Origin, we cement a calendar spot for the Roos and we use the excitement of the post-rep restart for momentum into the second half of the NRL season (this year is proof that people get super excited for the restart after the season is paused)

- Accept that the Roos arent playing in the post-season anyway. NZ, England, the Pacific teams and the rest can organise their own calendars and Australia can focus on Origin.

Im not pretending this is the perfect long term approach or anything. But as a way to build up the International scene in the medium term, the mid-season window would definitely get the rep teams some good attention.

 

[Last Week]

Common wisdom before 2020 has said this, but with less money to go round post-pandemic, maybe less rounds for less money would have some appeal.

My schedule idea is similar to @Last Week 's
But I think there's an argument for making a shorter season and starting in April.
18 teams, 18 premiership rounds - once each + Rivalry Round.

March: All Stars, Trials
April-May : Rounds 1-9
June :
Origin, NZ v Tonga best of 3, other tests
finishing with Australia v NZ in the 4th week. (bring back the mid-season test)
July-August : Rounds 10-18
September: Finals
October long weekend: Grand Final
October-November: International season

With a shorter premiership season, we would have more flexibility to maximise some other things:

It's always an idea that gets tossed up, but a Knockout Cup could take place during the June window to keep the club gates ticking over, and TV schedules full. Top clubs would compete without all their rep players, giving the mid-bottom places clubs a good shot. The Final, on the same week as the AUSvNZ test, would give the NRL another trophy event to sell.

By bringing back the mid-season test, and having a shorter club season, Australia v NZ could become an annual 3 match series. It's criminal that it isn't already. Literally just copy the Bledisloe. It's the easiest concept to sell on earth.

A shorter season would have less resistance on a strong Kangaroos calendar. A typical October-November season should look like:
2 more games vs NZ
a 4 Nations tournament, and/or Tour, or World Cup
playing 6-8 games a year


Origin in the post-season will kill the Kangaroos once and for all.
That said, I don't think it has legs. Too many players pulling out, and I suspect a chunk of the neutral audience will have switched off after the GF.
Test football faces the same problems, but at least it has a place of its own.

I agree with that, but the commission is going to be under pressure from clubs and the RLPA to maximise as much income as possible. So it's going to be a fine balancing act for them.

I like the idea of rivalries being played twice, but rivalries change.
For example, who is the biggest rival for the Titans?
What about Penrith? The Roosters? If so, does that mean Easts only play Souths once?

For an 18 team comp, there has to be more than one rivalry game for a team.

 

[siv]

Post season origin is a direct threat to the ever growing IRL program of games in Oct - Nov

Not by being played but how it suck all of Samoan Tongan etc players out of other rep teams and kill off the new found international pride

 

[typicalfan]

I agree with that, but the commission is going to be under pressure from clubs and the RLPA to maximise as much income as possible. So it's going to be a fine balancing act for them.

I like the idea of rivalries being played twice, but rivalries change.
For example, who is the biggest rival for the Titans?
What about Penrith? The Roosters? If so, does that mean Easts only play Souths once?

For an 18 team comp, there has to be more than one rivalry game for a team.

Titans, got to feed the Fifita vs Broncos angle. Round 1 that match up would get viewers for sure.

 

[siv]

My preferred place fir SOO is mid season

I would schedule two mid season rep fortnights seperated by 4 NRL rounds

Last 2 weekends May and first two in July

Then leave the 6 weeks of Oct-Nov for post season internationals

 

[redVinme]

When nsw win this year we won't have to worry anyways as origin will be dead again.

 

[Zadar]

I agree with that, but the commission is going to be under pressure from clubs and the RLPA to maximise as much income as possible. So it's going to be a fine balancing act for them.

I like the idea of rivalries being played twice, but rivalries change.
For example, who is the biggest rival for the Titans?
What about Penrith? The Roosters? If so, does that mean Easts only play Souths once?

For an 18 team comp, there has to be more than one rivalry game for a team.

For the roosters, You are right when you say rivalries change, roosters is, and always will be Souths, obvious. But the media have done a great job with the Ricky-Robbo rivalry, and the 2019 grand final has guaranteed there will be a raiders/roosters rivalry for a long time.

manly seem the next obvious one for the bob fulton years and actions, but younger fans don’t seem to know too much about it.

broncos/roosters should really be more a rivalry in my opinion because of each cities success and a bit of nsw v qld, but I don’t think it has really taken off.

Dragons roosters have a bit of grand final history, But I actually think the Anzac Day clashes bring a bit of respect rather than a hatred rivalry, both teams want to win the match, but when it’s over, and you realise why we are lucky to even be playing this match, makes it more of a celebration in my opinion.

 

[super_coach]

Makes no difference to my mob they have nobody who would get a run in SOO or the international stuff

 

[titoelcolombiano]

If Origin moves permanently to the offseason, you can kiss the international game goodbye which is by far my favourite form of RL.

 

[Spot On]

Origin will go back to mid season. The broadcasters won't allow it to be at the end after this year with too many players injured and getting surgeries.

End thread.

A no brainer.

 

[baselinepanther]

For the roosters, You are right when you say rivalries change, roosters is, and always will be Souths, obvious. But the media have done a great job with the Ricky-Robbo rivalry, and the 2019 grand final has guaranteed there will be a raiders/roosters rivalry for a long time.

manly seem the next obvious one for the bob fulton years and actions, but younger fans don’t seem to know too much about it.

broncos/roosters should really be more a rivalry in my opinion because of each cities success and a bit of nsw v qld, but I don’t think it has really taken off.

Dragons roosters have a bit of grand final history, But I actually think the Anzac Day clashes bring a bit of respect rather than a hatred rivalry, both teams want to win the match, but when it’s over, and you realise why we are lucky to even be playing this match, makes it more of a celebration in my opinion.

rivalries mean different things for different fans
ie
Penriths biggest rival is parramatta no question
but the panthers are not the biggest rival for parramatta .... as that is still the bulldogs

 

[baselinepanther]

End thread.

A no brainer.

agreed
everything else here is just pie in the sky

24 NRL rounds from mid march to first week in sept
origin from the end of may til early july
middle origin a general competition bye with pacific test window , split rounds for other 2
finals in sept
GF on the long weekend in October

Internationals & or WC in Nov

 

[baselinepanther]

when is the 2021 draw due out ?
Im assuming they'll have 2 draws , a full non covid one , & a contigency one in case it all goes backwards again

 

[This Year?]

I'm going to reserve judgement until after this SOO series. Right now we should be watching a test match and getting ready for internationals.

 

[adamkungl]

I'm going to reserve judgement until after this SOO series. Right now we should be watching a test match and getting ready for internationals.

Say goodbye to ever watching test matches if Origin stays in November