ANZAC Test axed?

[Evil Homer]

You're just being petty now.

Think of it this way, if it weren't for the mid season tests, NZ may have been ranked number 1 earlier in the last 10 years. ;-)

No one here can deny that the mid season test has been maligned for pretty much it's entire existence. Think of the advantages this brings. A world wide agreed window for international Rugby League. Only international Rugby League. No City/Country or club competitions to take attention away from it. Where as the mid year test, the build up was always based around how much NZ would lose by or injuries to players for a pointless match, or this years one, how boring there's only 2 games on this weekend!

What did the mid season test do for the international game other than help the NZRL with some cash, which they will now get at the end of the year when the matches are played there?

There could be a 'world wide window' midseason as well as at the end of the season. The rep weekend could have effectively been a window, there were about 6 international matches during that weekend this year, it was a huge success and taking it away before it had the chance to build into a legit event is just absolute idiocy by the NRL.

I agree that the ANZAC test was mishandled in the past but it was great this year, on-field, commercially, ratings and interest wise, they finally got it right with the standalone weekend and now they're taking that away to be replaced by a f**king Origin match. Absolutely pathetic and sadly typical of the ARL.

 

[Hollywood Jesus]

They've got 3 years to organise something decent to replace it.

If NZ, England, Euro and Pac teams can get their act together they can put on a good weekend and shame the Aussies.

The only differences are that it has been moved in terms of scheduling and the Aussies are out. If that kills the "Rep Weekend" then it was never going to be a success to begin with.

 

[Foreign Legion]

http://m.smh.com.au/rugby-league/le...-into-a-dangerous-corner-20150810-giw805.html

 

[hutch]

So what now for NZ? If the four pacific teams play each other and none of the European teams want to travel to the Southern Hemisphere, who do the kiwis play? The only options I can see are some sort of kiwi origin which has been talked about for a number of years, NZ v the pacific champs or NZ v pacific island combined. If no PI teams are available then the kiwis have to play themselves in an origin contest. Why is it ok for Australian players to play 3 interstate games every year and New Zealand players potentially no rep games?

Dave Smith did say in his press's conference that they haven't even started to work on their NZ solution yet and there are big plans over there but I would be extremely dirty if I was the nzrl!

 

[JohnDoe]

Are there not 5 Pacific Island nations?

PNG
Tonga
Samoa
Fiji
Cook Islands

 

[docbrown]

You hear heaps of other sports saying - we need a world wide International window that doesn't clash with domestic comps.

Rugby League has had the opportunity to do that in October & November for some time now. The ARLC knows that. Other leagues know that.

So the NRL finally sees the light and goes -- yep we're having a post-season International window. Sure they haven't announced the full details yet, but they've been talking about regular matches against NZ, ENG, extended series and more matches again minnows. They're trying to build the International brand.

Yet for the sake of balance & negotiation with the domestic comp & origin, 1 team (Australia) is no longer going to play a one-off game in May (even though they've said it's going to be played in October instead) and some people act like it's the death knell. There's nothing stopping NZ from pulling their finger out of their arse and playing PNG, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, hell even France & England mid-season. And those October Aus-Nz are always better contests anyway. If NZRL get the same income from October, it's no loss.

Like that SMH article says the answer is either a) we don't know yet or b) it's bad.

If later on the game's leaders don't follow up re the International window - like the Trans Tasman test is scrapped or the tour/series don't eventuate or matches against minnows don't happen, then yeah it's bad. But until then, people need to take a chill pill.

 

[roughyedspud]

Dave Smith did say in his press's conference that they haven't even started to work on their NZ solution yet and there are big plans over there but I would be extremely dirty if I was the nzrl!

Nice of the NRL to think its their job to sort out the NZ solution lol


Aside from that im not going to bag the aussies,for once,they've set their stall out,they don't want to play mid season but they've let everyone else play during the weekend of game 2 of origin..

Its upto everyone else to pick the ball up and run with it

 

[Wilson1]

So what now for NZ? If the four pacific teams play each other and none of the European teams want to travel to the Southern Hemisphere, who do the kiwis play? The only options I can see are some sort of kiwi origin which has been talked about for a number of years, NZ v the pacific champs or NZ v pacific island combined. If no PI teams are available then the kiwis have to play themselves in an origin contest. Why is it ok for Australian players to play 3 interstate games every year and New Zealand players potentially no rep games?

Dave Smith did say in his press's conference that they haven't even started to work on their NZ solution yet and there are big plans over there but I would be extremely dirty if I was the nzrl!

If we want a game, we'll get a game. Would Samoa/Tonga rather play us or would they rather play each other?

 

[Foreign Legion]

If the nrl believe they need a NZ Solution, maybe i suggest an 8 team provinical league... with all nrl clubs having acesses. For every nz team, 2 nrl clubs can have them as feeder/scout teams

 

[RoosTah]

I know that Dave Smith etc probably should have involved the NZRL in this decision, but is there anyone who thought having a one off mid year test made sense?

I've always wanted a larger international scene, and hopefully by putting it at seasons' end we'll have something more interesting and meaningful.

I'm over the 4N though - I reckon we're much better off going to straight three test series between World Cups.

 

[DlEHARD]

Yak is right about the form of the Kiwis in this fixture. Hopefully we can get something up that can be a real transtasman brand for us. That is treated with respect and is consistent.

 

[CC_Roosters]

In international window australia and new zealand should be playing each other minimum at home and away. The nzrl needs the income of annual home matches desperately and this fixture can at least give them regular income.

In the current rfl structure there is zero space to allow a week off mid season, for players to travel south. Anyone floated the idea of nz v a pacific all stars? The other option is for nz to play one of tonga, samoa, fiji, png but that would leave 1 of those sides without a fixture in the rep weekend. Unless the cook islands step into the fixture

 

[RL The greatest game]

And you think there will still be around half of the English team in the NRL by then?

I think their will be more.
With expansion we are only going to see more young talented English players come here. For the short term at least.
We do as a game need to ramp up even more, junior playing numbers, especially in in Victoria and the Northern Territory.

 

[jim_57]

I have always liked the idea of NZ playing the Pacific Champions annually. How to squeeze that in though I'm not too sure, IMO we should try and keep the Maelanesia and Polynesia shields whilst also including Cook Islands ssomehow.

One mid season weekend and 5-6 weekends post season doesn't give us a lot to work with..

 

[docbrown]

In international window australia and new zealand should be playing each other minimum at home and away. The nzrl needs the income of annual home matches desperately and this fixture can at least give them regular income.

I think that's the intent.

NZRL probably weren't notified because the ARLC wanted the deal signed before it could be leaked and derailed by the other parties.

 

[Evil Homer]

You hear heaps of other sports saying - we need a world wide International window that doesn't clash with domestic comps.

Rugby League has had the opportunity to do that in October & November for some time now. The ARLC knows that. Other leagues know that.

So the NRL finally sees the light and goes -- yep we're having a post-season International window. Sure they haven't announced the full details yet, but they've been talking about regular matches against NZ, ENG, extended series and more matches again minnows. They're trying to build the International brand.

Yet for the sake of balance & negotiation with the domestic comp & origin, 1 team (Australia) is no longer going to play a one-off game in May (even though they've said it's going to be played in October instead) and some people act like it's the death knell. There's nothing stopping NZ from pulling their finger out of their arse and playing PNG, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, hell even France & England mid-season. And those October Aus-Nz are always better contests anyway. If NZRL get the same income from October, it's no loss.

Like that SMH article says the answer is either a) we don't know yet or b) it's bad.

If later on the game's leaders don't follow up re the International window - like the Trans Tasman test is scrapped or the tour/series don't eventuate or matches against minnows don't happen, then yeah it's bad. But until then, people need to take a chill pill.

'International window' is not an excuse for scrapping established matches and playing less internationals. We already play international matches at the end of the season, this is just some f**king feeble bullshit as usual from the Australians.

 

[docbrown]

'International window' is not an excuse for scrapping established matches and playing less internationals.

See, I thinking you're just assuming that.

At the moment all they've said was that the match will just move to October & they're still playing the Pacific Nations matches mid-season, so the number of matches will be the same.

In fact, if NZ plays a game mid-season, there will actually be 1 more match per year.

The Anzac test was a bit of a joke. For one it's played in May, long after Anzac Day commemorations.

They only played it in New Zealand twice & New Zealand have only won it twice in 16 matches. The last crowd in Brisbane was the lowest there. The last crowd in Sydney the second lowest. Even NZRL were going to drop it after 2008.

You then compare that to post-season matches over the same time period since 1997 it is Australia 16 wins, New Zealand 7 & 2 Draws.

Since 2010 it's Australia 5, New Zealand 3...

That's why they want it post-season.

Compare that to the Bledisloe where Australia haven't won it since 2002. Since then it's NZ 27, Australia 6 & 2 Draws.

The end of season Rugby League Australia vs New Zealand matches are more competitive than the Union Bledisloe. The ARLC want to change the perception and beat them on crowds, money & TV ratings to have another major property on their cards. That's the end goal.

Not just keeping something for the sake of itself.

 

[bazza]

Should schedule a weekend of Australia v NZ sporting events in October

Rugby League (Men and Women)
Rugby Union (men and women)
Netball
Basketball
Cricket

 

[Evil Homer]

See, I thinking you're just assuming that.

At the moment all they've said was that the match will just move to October & they're still playing the Pacific Nations matches mid-season, so the number of matches will be the same.

In fact, if NZ plays a game mid-season, there will actually be 1 more match per year.

The Anzac test was a bit of a joke. For one it's played in May, long after Anzac Day commemorations.

They only played it in New Zealand twice & New Zealand have only won it twice in 16 matches. The last crowd in Brisbane was the lowest there. The last crowd in Sydney the second lowest. Even NZRL were going to drop it after 2008.

You then compare that to post-season matches over the same time period since 1997 it is Australia 16 wins, New Zealand 7 & 2 Draws.

Since 2010 it's Australia 5, New Zealand 3...

That's why they want it post-season.

Compare that to the Bledisloe where Australia haven't won it since 2002. Since then it's NZ 27, Australia 6 & 2 Draws.

The end of season Rugby League Australia vs New Zealand matches are more competitive than the Union Bledisloe. The ARLC want to change the perception and beat them on crowds, money & TV ratings to have another major property on their cards. That's the end goal.

Not just keeping something for the sake of itself.

Australia already play NZ at the end of the season, apart from this year when they aren't bothering to play at all. Australia will be wrapped up in post-season tournaments for the foreseeable future (unless they decide to back out again which wouldn't be a surprise TBH). There is a perfectly good opportunity to play an international match in this mid-season rep weekend and it's being scrapped for the sake of f**king Origin. Once again, complaining about NZ not winning enough matches is just a pathetic, feeble as f**k and typical Aussie excuse. NZ won the last match and it outrated the Bledisloe.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ns-bledisloe-cup/story-fni3fh9n-1227328098391

Look at this. Yet you're scrapping the match. f**king morons.

 

[docbrown]

Australia already play NZ at the end of the season, apart from this year when they aren't bothering to play at all. Australia will be wrapped up in post-season tournaments for the foreseeable future (unless they decide to back out again which wouldn't be a surprise TBH). There is a perfectly good opportunity to play an international match in this mid-season rep weekend and it's being scrapped for the sake of f**king Origin. Once again, complaining about NZ not winning enough matches is just a pathetic, feeble as f**k and typical Aussie excuse. NZ won the last match and it outrated the Bledisloe.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ns-bledisloe-cup/story-fni3fh9n-1227328098391

Look at this. Yet you're scrapping the match. f**king morons.

Wow. With your overreaction you'd think the NRL just set fire to your house, f**ked your wife and kicked you in the nuts.

Does this really affect your life one iota?

As for New Zealand winning the last match, yeah that's true (not like I ever denied it, I told you the stats). But they also lost the 13 before it. Like I said, even the NZRL were looking at scrapping it after the Centenary test as they admitted they're at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to the mid-season test.

So it's finally happened. It's going to happen. I guess you have a choice really. Accept it or suffer an early heart attack. Maybe you can write a strongly worded letter to the NRL which they'll put straight in the shredder. I'm just saying, the amount of anger you seem to have over this is both illogical and unhealthy.

As for the Bledisloe comparison, I already know about the TV ratings and stats, I've talked about them long before this decision.

As for crowds, you can't tell me they can't improve. They will when the perspective changes. It would please the NRL if the Trans Tasman matches became as big as Origin, if not bigger. So really, I think you're just jumping the gun here.

Edit: I'll just add, like I said before, if their post-season plans are shit or don't come to fruition, then I'll probably be as annoyed. But I'm giving them the time to implement them first.