2023 Comp Structure

[marshall stalin]

Add an 18th team in either QLD or WA and have 2 conferences - Sydney and Non Sydney - play teams in your conference twice and the other conference once - 25 games

Either top 5 in each conference and conference winners play off super bowl style

or

Top 4 in each group in a cross over finals series as per current finals format

Qualifying Final- winners through to week 3 and losers to week 2
1 v 2

Elimination final- winner to week 2 and losers eliminated
3 vs 4

 

[ReddFelon]

Add an 18th team in either QLD or WA and have 2 conferences - Sydney and Non Sydney - play teams in your conference twice and the other conference once - 25 games

Either top 5 in each conference and conference winners play off super bowl style

or

Top 4 in each group in a cross over finals series as per current finals format

Qualifying Final- winners through to week 3 and losers to week 2
1 v 2

Elimination final- winner to week 2 and losers eliminated
3 vs 4

You can't seriously be advocating for a conference where one can travel by bus to the majority of their games and the other is expected to fly thousands of kilometres a year and think it's fair.

 

[marshall stalin]

You can't seriously be advocating for a conference where one can travel by bus to the majority of their games and the other is expected to fly thousands of kilometres a year and think it's fair.

If the 18th team was a QLD team the non Sydney Conference would have 5 teams from QLD , Newcastle, Canberra , Storm and NZ - They would travel 12 or 13 times a year the same as they would normally do - they are flying not walking- NZ have to fly anyway to away games in any case.

Newcastle/ Storm/Canberra would fly 5 times to QLD and once to NZ and away games against the other 2 teams plus 4 or 5 times to Sydney.

If 18 teams the two conferences has to happen to ensure a equal comp for all teams in their respective conferences as all in their respective conferences would be playing the same teams. i.e teams in their conference twice and the teams in the other conference once

If you have the one comp with 18 teams you play 17 teams once and 7 teams twice - be the same argument about easy/ hard draws and not playing teams twice etc.

If 5 QLD teams all would have to be in the same conference so adding Canberra/Storm/Newcastle/NZ to that conference is more suitable.

Having all 9 Sydney teams in the same conference is a must as if you intend to have some in one conference and some in the other conference how will this be determined.

Would you put 4 Sydney Teams in the same conference with 5 QLD teams

 

[ReddFelon]

If the 18th team was a QLD team the non Sydney Conference would have 5 teams from QLD , Newcastle, Canberra , Storm and NZ - They would travel 12 or 13 times a year the same as they would normally do - they are flying not walking- NZ have to fly anyway to away games in any case.

Newcastle/ Storm/Canberra would fly 5 times to QLD and once to NZ and away games against the other 2 teams plus 4 or 5 times to Sydney.

If 18 teams the two conferences has to happen to ensure a equal comp for all teams in their respective conferences as all in their respective conferences would be playing the same teams. i.e teams in their conference twice and the teams in the other conference once

If you have the one comp with 18 teams you play 17 teams once and 7 teams twice - be the same argument about easy/ hard draws and not playing teams twice etc.

If 5 QLD teams all would have to be in the same conference so adding Canberra/Storm/Newcastle/NZ to that conference is more suitable.

Having all 9 Sydney teams in the same conference is a must as if you intend to have some in one conference and some in the other conference how will this be determined.

Would you put 4 Sydney Teams in the same conference with 5 QLD teams

Well let's put it simply, a 5th Queensland team is ridiculous and shouldn't ever be considered.

But more to the point, conferences are completely unnecessary in Australian sport. They're an almost exclusively American invention, an 18 team competition has no need for conferences. Exactly the same as the AFL.

The idea that Sydney clubs shouldn't have to travel is, as I said, ridiculous. Flights interstate and internationally are far more exhausting than a short trip on game day and flight fatigue causes injuries.

Case in point, Super Rugby was rife with injuries when it was South Africa, Argentina, Australia, Japan and New Zealand. Since shrinking to an Australia v. NZ model they've had a mass decline in injuries.

Sydney based clubs already get plenty of advantages, they don't need what amounts to 66% of the season being home games to add to it.

 

[Perth Red]

If the 18th team was a QLD team the non Sydney Conference would have 5 teams from QLD , Newcastle, Canberra , Storm and NZ - They would travel 12 or 13 times a year the same as they would normally do - they are flying not walking- NZ have to fly anyway to away games in any case.

Newcastle/ Storm/Canberra would fly 5 times to QLD and once to NZ and away games against the other 2 teams plus 4 or 5 times to Sydney.

If 18 teams the two conferences has to happen to ensure a equal comp for all teams in their respective conferences as all in their respective conferences would be playing the same teams. i.e teams in their conference twice and the teams in the other conference once

If you have the one comp with 18 teams you play 17 teams once and 7 teams twice - be the same argument about easy/ hard draws and not playing teams twice etc.

If 5 QLD teams all would have to be in the same conference so adding Canberra/Storm/Newcastle/NZ to that conference is more suitable.

Having all 9 Sydney teams in the same conference is a must as if you intend to have some in one conference and some in the other conference how will this be determined.

Would you put 4 Sydney Teams in the same conference with 5 QLD teams

Based on splitting Sydney on rivalries and creating a fairer travel scenario with a 20 club competition


Arthur Summons Conference

Panthers
Eels
Bulldogs
Wests
Knights
Broncos
Titans
Cowboys
Brisbane2
Qlnd5

Norm Provan conference

Dragons
Rabbits
Sharks
Roosters
Sea-Eagles
Raiders
Warriors
Storm
Pirates
Adelaide or NZ2

 

[moffla]

Magic round will be interesting. Which side misses out?

 

[soc123_au]

Magic round will be interesting. Which side misses out?

Broncos would be amusing.

 

[BunniesMan]

You can't seriously be advocating for a conference where one can travel by bus to the majority of their games and the other is expected to fly thousands of kilometres a year and think it's fair.

I'd be happy to agree to the teams outside Sydney getting an allowance from the NRL to go towards their travel costs. It would be extraordinarily spiteful for anyone to want to deny maximising rivalry games. Also if the 18th team is also a QLD team then really the only clubs this would affect is Melbourne and NZ. Putting them in the QLD conference would hardly be a crime against humanity.

 

[Valheru]

The OP makes the most sense and is probably what a 17 team comp would look like.

 

[The_Frog]

Magic round will be interesting. Which side misses out?

Wooden spooners from previous year.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Canberra to have the bye every week.

 

[soc123_au]

Canberra to have the bye every week.

Stick would still find a way to f**k it up.

 

[Last Week]

It'll have to be a 26 round season again with every team getting two byes.

1 bye every round in non Origin rounds. (total of 24 byes. So 10 teams will need their second bye during the Origin period)
5 teams get a bye before Origin 1.
Other 5 teams get a bye before Origin 3.

Whole comp off for Origin 2.

Still the same amount of games played by each team.

 

[_Johnsy]

I honestly wouldn't be surprised to see the NRL go with the NSW + Non NSW conference system. That all but guarantees 4 NSW teams make the finals every year which is exactly the sort of cynical shit I would expect from this regime.

I would have thought you’d be please to see a few QLD teams gifted a spot in the finals they don’t deserve.

 

[marshall stalin]

Well let's put it simply, a 5th Queensland team is ridiculous and shouldn't ever be considered.

But more to the point, conferences are completely unnecessary in Australian sport. They're an almost exclusively American invention, an 18 team competition has no need for conferences. Exactly the same as the AFL.

The idea that Sydney clubs shouldn't have to travel is, as I said, ridiculous. Flights interstate and internationally are far more exhausting than a short trip on game day and flight fatigue causes injuries.

Case in point, Super Rugby was rife with injuries when it was South Africa, Argentina, Australia, Japan and New Zealand. Since shrinking to an Australia v. NZ model they've had a mass decline in injuries.

Sydney based clubs already get plenty of advantages, they don't need what amounts to 66% of the season being home games to add to it.

Melbourne and NZ will have to fly no matter what to away games -So easy to add them to the non Sydney Conference with the 5 QLD teams

Canberra and Newcastle also

It takes 3 1/2 hours to travel from Canberra to Sydney by Bus ( 7 hrs or so round trip ) - Newcastle to Sydney - 2 1/2 hours or so ( 5 hrs or so round trip)

 

[yobbo84]

It'll never happen ($$$) but I'd prefer an 18-team, 17 round competition run on a 2 year home-and-away cycle. Have a week off after then play Origin and Tests.

I think 2020 showed me how much more I enjoyed that format. So much of this year was treading water, waiting for the finals to roll around.

 

[Munky]

I'd be happy with less club games played with more split rounds, the Origin period kills the momentum of the comp.

As long there is at least a Thursday, Friday, Saturday night and a Sunday arvo game every week would the broadcaster's be that worse off?

 

[Jamberoo]

Based on splitting Sydney on rivalries and creating a fairer travel scenario with a 20 club competition


Arthur Summons Conference

Panthers
Eels
Bulldogs
Wests
Knights
Broncos
Titans
Cowboys
Brisbane2
Qlnd5

Norm Provan conference

Dragons
Rabbits
Sharks
Roosters
Sea-Eagles
Raiders
Warriors
Storm
Pirates
Adelaide or NZ2

What is the advantage of that compared with no conferences?

 

[Munky]

What is the advantage of that compared with no conferences?

The winners of each conference get to play in a stadium which resembles a bowl shape and it will be a super game?

 

[Perth Red]

What is the advantage of that compared with no conferences?

More consistent rivallary scheduling, you would always play your conference rivals twice, bit more Interest for the fans following the fortunes of two conferences, you could even split each conference into two divisions ala nfl to add more spice to play off places.
or 20 team comp 19 game season 9 extended team play offs. With 10 games a week we wouldn’t lose anything in tv money.