3 Grades on Game Day

[True_Believer]

I’m not hung up on juniors
it’s called lower grades which are not necessarily juniors.
There is no solution except cut full time professionalism and the money thrown at the Elite level
Club and NRL funding more evenly dispersed through the grades with obviously a little bit more for first grade to pay higher part time wages etc
You will only ever now get these teasing compromises like It’ll work for 1 or 2 games that they select on a Saturday or Sunday

You tell me where and when you last saw 3 grades for both teams on the one day, same venue following each other in an 16 team “international” competition

Don’t ever remember Warriors Nth Qld or Melb flying 3 sides every 2 weeks to play in the NRL at the same venue sane day.
Not even sure Brisbane and Gold Coast did it as well
I have to go back to the NSWRL maybe combined with the QRL running the game for that

The NRL can’t even hold 3 progressive grade games on grand final day any more.
They got a bring a reserve grade champion of champions game New South Wales versus Queensland and the women’s game to fill the time.

If you’re so sure it can be done under the current environment and was done you tell me your solution
I really wish it could happen but I know it won’t especially across the 8 games in the current 16 teams with Fox and 9 paying and competing / sharing the rights and coverage

Unsure how any QLD team or Melbourne will be able to do it at all. I know for a fact that the Cowboys don't have all of their lower grade players playing for the same team. They have players spread across teams located in FNQ and CQ - so not sure how they go about selecting a team. Unless they pick one team to play at a time - but then that's not getting a picture of the full lower grade team. You might only get to see 1 or 2 players depending on the team that's playing.

Melbourne and Brisbane are the same. Their players are spread across multiple teams in the Brisbane and Ipswich areas. So again, difficult to do unless you are just going to say "OK this week we'll play the Ipswich game as an opener and next week we'll play the Redcliffe team as an opener"

Even if this is the case, you won't see the teams playing the same teams in the lower grade as the first grade. Especially if a QLD team is playing a NSW team.

 

[Walpole]

Geez, we can find something to argue about on this forum. Be good to see 3 grades on a Sunday afternoon at Kogarah. I personally liked seeing the old program. Our reserve grade back row back then was better than our current one.

 

[possm]

Unsure how any QLD team or Melbourne will be able to do it at all. I know for a fact that the Cowboys don't have all of their lower grade players playing for the same team. They have players spread across teams located in FNQ and CQ - so not sure how they go about selecting a team. Unless they pick one team to play at a time - but then that's not getting a picture of the full lower grade team. You might only get to see 1 or 2 players depending on the team that's playing.

Melbourne and Brisbane are the same. Their players are spread across multiple teams in the Brisbane and Ipswich areas. So again, difficult to do unless you are just going to say "OK this week we'll play the Ipswich game as an opener and next week we'll play the Redcliffe team as an opener"

Even if this is the case, you won't see the teams playing the same teams in the lower grade as the first grade. Especially if a QLD team is playing a NSW team.

It is very easy. Either Clubs that do not support lower grade competitions or junior competitions in their district, should sign up enough players to run a reserve grade side and an under 21 side.

Yes that would be an expensive exercise but given that clubs like SGI already do this, would suggest that those clubs are doing it on the cheap. The other benefit would begin to raise it's head and those clubs might become more inclined to foster a junior club competition in their district.

 

[denis preston]

Great idea and at least they can have reserve grade if third grade would be a logistical problem . For me ,if it goes ahead can we cut out the 30 minute delay between games ?

 

[Dragsters]

Yes, Bring It (BACK) On!!!

 

[goldiesaintz]

Great idea and at least they can have reserve grade if third grade would be a logistical problem . For me ,if it goes ahead can we cut out the 30 minute delay between games ?

C'om Denis,
Wouldn't you rather listen to Brandy on Fox and Fittler on Nine bagging the Dragons at every chance they can get in the lead up to the main game?

 

[BLM01]

Unsure how any QLD team or Melbourne will be able to do it at all. I know for a fact that the Cowboys don't have all of their lower grade players playing for the same team. They have players spread across teams located in FNQ and CQ - so not sure how they go about selecting a team. Unless they pick one team to play at a time - but then that's not getting a picture of the full lower grade team. You might only get to see 1 or 2 players depending on the team that's playing.

Melbourne and Brisbane are the same. Their players are spread across multiple teams in the Brisbane and Ipswich areas. So again, difficult to do unless you are just going to say "OK this week we'll play the Ipswich game as an opener and next week we'll play the Redcliffe team as an opener"

Even if this is the case, you won't see the teams playing the same teams in the lower grade as the first grade. Especially if a QLD team is playing a NSW team.

And Gold Coast. Their lower grades are split between Tweed Heads Seagulls and Burleigh Bears.

 

[BLM01]

Great idea and at least they can have reserve grade if third grade would be a logistical problem . For me ,if it goes ahead can we cut out the 30 minute delay between games ?

Agree, but they cant.
The TV audience need to be entertained with a bit of light hearted comedy, some serious footy talk or questions (not too much as apparaently boring to the masses) but mixed with in house mate jibes and off topic social chit chat. Thats my rant over re Channel 9.

 

[BLM01]

Geez, we can find something to argue about on this forum. Be good to see 3 grades on a Sunday afternoon at Kogarah. I personally liked seeing the old program. Our reserve grade back row back then was better than our current one.

What about a 3.00pm kickoff on Grand final day for 1st grade. Not really sure what they pack into GF day from 11.00am to 11.00pm these days anyway.

 

[muzby]

What about a 3.00pm kickoff on Grand final day for 1st grade. Not really sure what they pack into GF day from 11.00am to 11.00pm these days anyway.

Don’t be stupid.

The lower grade players are all working at McDonald’s on a Sunday afternoon.

Why deprive them of the chance of watching the grand final?

 

[BLM01]

Don’t be stupid.

The lower grade players are all working at McDonald’s on a Sunday afternoon.

Why deprive them of the chance of watching the grand final?

Nice deflection.....but their shifts go into the evening so that wont work either
Still waiting for you to answer the question, which you have had all day to ponder over!
When you saw a 16 team International competition that functioned perfectly well across 3 grades?

 

[boardlumps62]

Always thought we lost all grades in 1985 GF.I watched the games must have had too good of a time at the pub. Can you believe it we lost 1st 6-7 too the Bulldogs. Life sucks. Go the Dragons!

 

[goldiesaintz]

Always thought we lost all grades in 1985 GF.I watched the games must have had too good of a time at the pub. Can you believe it we lost 1st 6-7 too the Bulldogs. Life sucks. Go the Dragons!

Don't you remember ..................

One down, two to go.
Then it was, two down, one to go.
Then we cried in our beer.
I still dislike Steve Gearin & Steve Mortimer to this day.
In fact, the Dogs tend to suck all round.

 

[BLM01]

Don't you remember ..................

One down, two to go.
Then it was, two down, one to go.
Then we cried in our beer.
I still dislike Steve Gearin & Steve Mortimer to this day.
In fact, the Dogs tend to suck all round.

What about my old school mate Glenn Burgess taking bombs all day
Imagine if the fullback that day was Dufty who funnily enough his Dad was good mates with Burgess

 

[T-Boon]

It should be a nines game before the main event. Reserve grade was always a bit boring and hardly anyone turned up early. At least make the preliminary game entertaining.

 

[Inisai Toga]

It should be a nines game before the main event. Reserve grade was always a bit boring and hardly anyone turned up early. At least make the preliminary game entertaining.

Fair enough, although i had a different perspective. Always enjoyed Reserve Grade and watching to see how potential up and coming players mix it with the hard heads in the Autumn of their career. Saw some wonderful Reserve Grade games over the years. In addition, it also cultivated wonderful mentor relationships both on and off the field that benefited the club. Nines is a bit too much like touch football for my taste and there is enough of that already on display in first grade i feel.

 

[goldiesaintz]

Fair enough, although i had a different perspective Always enjoyed Reserve Grade and watching to see how potential up and coming players mix it with the hard heads in the Autumn of their career. Saw some wonderful Reserve Grade games over the years. In addition, it also cultivated wonderful mentor relationships both on and off the field that benefited the club. Nines is a bit to much like touch football for my taste and there is enough of that on already on display in first grade i feel.

True that, IT.
Players who excelled in one grade, maybe got to come on in the second half of the next grade as a reward and as a prospect for the future.

 

[muzby]

Nice deflection.....but their shifts go into the evening so that wont work either
Still waiting for you to answer the question, which you have had all day to ponder over!
When you saw a 16 team International competition that functioned perfectly well across 3 grades?

Oh, you’re serious about that?

I recall sitting on the hill At WIN watching all 3 grades in 2007..

But if you’re trying to work out when it started, we had all 3 grades for 16 teams starting 1995, plus if my memory serves me correctly we even may have had it when we had 20 teams in the late 90s..

But I could be wrong on that last one..

Either way, we’ve done it before when there was less money and less professionalism in the game, so there’s nothing stopping us now.

Except for negative Nancys.

 

[possm]

It should be a nines game before the main event. Reserve grade was always a bit boring and hardly anyone turned up early. At least make the preliminary game entertaining.

For me and my family, reserve grade and third grade/under 23s was always interesting. Keeping an eye on new talent coming through, players getting match fit prior to returning to first grade after injury and seeing the reaction of players who were dropped from first grade.

I think the return of 3 grades playing on game day is a great idea. But if you are bored with the 2 curtain raisers, maybe you can turn up just for first grade.

 

[SBD82]

Oh, you’re serious about that?

I recall sitting on the hill At WIN watching all 3 grades in 2007..

But if you’re trying to work out when it started, we had all 3 grades for 16 teams starting 1995, plus if my memory serves me correctly we even may have had it when we had 20 teams in the late 90s..

But I could be wrong on that last one..

Either way, we’ve done it before when there was less money and less professionalism in the game, so there’s nothing stopping us now.

Except for negative Nancys.

I don’t think it even needs to be done perfectly for it to be worthwhile.

If I knew that there would be a guaranteed 3 games whenever we played in kogarah or the gong on a weekend, I’d spend more on tix, spend more at the game, and probably spend more on merch too.