ARLC gives IRL another kick in the guts

[Coastbloke]

Can these deadshits get any lower?

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

 

[latingringo101]

I understand where the NRL is coming from with the state vs origin debate, but the pacific tests were a real treat and had lots of passion on those Saturday nights. Pacific nations are going to have a great game builder taken away from them which is a real shame. A compromise could have been moving Origin to Wednesday night and have ladies origin on Friday and pacific double header on Saturday and NZ vs Tonga on Sunday.

One positive is that the women's representative game could be expanded and hopefully the mid season tests scrapping means an extra game or two for pacific nations in October/November

 

[RL The greatest game]

Can these deadshits get any lower?

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

The game here is getting more insular by the day

 

[mikail-eagle]

I understand where the NRL is coming from with the state vs origin debate, but the pacific tests were a real treat and had lots of passion on those Saturday nights. Pacific nations are going to have a great game builder taken away from them which is a real shame. A compromise could have been moving Origin to Wednesday night and have ladies origin on Friday and pacific double header on Saturday and NZ vs Tonga on Sunday.

One positive is that the women's representative game could be expanded and hopefully the mid season tests scrapping means an extra game or two for pacific nations in October/November

Players like Jerome Luai and Brian To'o would probably have chosen Samoa over NSW if the games are held in the same week. And the NRL didn't what to take chances to see which way they would choose.

 

[Coastbloke]

It damn well stinks.
Put a little effort into Internationals and they might see it's potential...

 

[RL The greatest game]

It damn well stinks.
Put a little effort into Internationals and they might see it's potential...

The NRL/ARLC commission are far to insular for that.
The biggest honour in team sport is to play for your country not a city suburb or a state.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

They have committed to the post-season international window, so it's not all doom and gloom. Granted, they don't have the best track record so let's see if they follow through this time and give the international game the room it needs to thrive.

 

[RL The greatest game]

They have committed to the post-season international window, so it's not all doom and gloom. Granted, they don't have the best track record so let's see if they follow through this time and give the international game the room it needs to thrive.

I just hope that we and Kiwis turn up at the world cup next year and not find and excuse not to go

 

[LeagueXIII]

Players like Jerome Luai and Brian To'o would probably have chosen Samoa over NSW if the games are held in the same week. And the NRL didn't what to take chances to see which way they would choose.

And that is the bottom line...protect origin.

 

[LeagueXIII]

It is no coincidence that the NRL Clubs/ARLC are killing off competition during the season and confirms more that they are following Shane Richardson's plan outlined here:

 

[LeagueXIII]

Also he has mapped out plans for UK:

Dissecting Shane Richardson's plan for British Rugby League | Love Rugby League

The much-publicised paper from former Super League board member and NRL head of strategy Shane Richardson on the restructuring of British rugby league has been released.

www.loverugbyleague.com

 

[LeagueXIII]

The sad thing is they are stopping Australia and NZ from playing Tests in season, poor.

I'm sick of Origin.

 

[RL The greatest game]

The sad thing is they are stopping Australia and NZ from playing Tests in season, poor.

I'm sick of Origin.

All the while origin draws the crowds and a large TV audience internationals will be secondary to the ARLC, but if and when origin starts to lose it's appeal the ARLC will have to get serious about international football

 

[siv]

I mentioned the impact of covid will last a decade

International RL has been is main casuality

Mid season tests will take a long time to recover

 

[LeagueXIII]

I think you need to look deeper, its more about the clubs, the games partners and the lack of control to take the game forward.

Take Channel 9 they dont want anything threatening origin so they kill off anything that could do this eg.international games mid season.

It is frustrating.

 

[siv]

Not at this stage

There is too much uncertainty in the schedule due to covid, so going back to a simple schedule makes sense

But you are right bringing back the mid season rep round which needs NRL and non-NRL players to mix will be challenging, as not having it suits the NRL

 

[Perth Red]

We can blame Ch9 and a pss weak NRL leadership. Wouldn't mind but they didn't even pay any extra money for this or for the extra content expansion brought. I recall Dave Smith saying that he wanted to make the Kangaroos the pinnacle of the game for players and that internationals would be the great saviour of rugby league. Vlandys is like, nah we want Sydney tribalism

 

[yakstorm]

A fair share of blame needs to go to the IRL and APRL for this as well. They forfeited the weekend as they weren't prepared to take on the costs of underwriting it themselves.

The NRL naturally was happy enough to see it removed in the recent rights deal, but in fairness Abdo & PVL did offer a window to the IRL, the caveat being they wouldn't underwrite the matches.

 

[latingringo101]

Last year in 2021 in Sydney the only international match was Philippines vs Brazil at Mascot. This was run entirely by volunteers and even livestreamed too.

Part of me is disappointed the NRL Isn't continuing with this, but the other half is wondering why nations (especially the pacific nations) didn't organise games themselves.

A point could be made that they want to make a profit with Utilising NRL players, fan revenue, NRL covering costs etc, like they use to. But I think just continuing to get your specific communities going with regular fixtures (NRL support and players or not) and promoting your brand is better than nothing happening at all.

 

[Perth Red]

A fair share of blame needs to go to the IRL and APRL for this as well. They forfeited the weekend as they weren't prepared to take on the costs of underwriting it themselves.

The NRL naturally was happy enough to see it removed in the recent rights deal, but in fairness Abdo & PVL did offer a window to the IRL, the caveat being they wouldn't underwrite the matches.

A few years ago NRL leaders where full of bluster about how important it was to support the PI and NZ tests as great vehicle for promoting the game in those regions and rewarding all the players in the NRL who dont get to play Origin. We even had a PI strategy to engage the region more.

Now they want the IRL to pay for it? How times change.

Sport: NRL boss says Pacific is a big part of rugby league's future

National Rugby League boss Dave Smith says the Pacific Islands will continue play an important and expanding role in the future growth of the sport.

www.rnz.co.nz