Auckland Nines

[Perth Red]

I'd go with a 16 team comp
Top 10 NRL clubs from previous season get initial invites, 4 int teams, 2 SL teams
4 pools, each team plays others in their pool over fri & sat
Top 2 of each pool go through to finals, bottom 2 go into plate finals
Finals played on Sunday
2 x20min halves with 5 min ht
Each team gets $25k appearance fee to help with costs
Decent prize money on offer
Let each state bid for the event
$30 for 3 day pass or $15 a day ticket
For NRL/SL clubs to be accepted they have to have one marquee player and min 4 first teamers in the team
Play it early Feb

I would certainly spend a long weekend watching it!

 

[tumbidragon]

A PLAN for a $2.2 million NRL season launch with a "super Nines" tournament will be presented to the 16 club chief executives this week. A revolution that will see the winner pocket more than the NRL premier, the scheme hatched by New Zealand promoter Dean Lonergan will be presented to the league's powerbrokers on Wednesday.

The concept has gained momentum since it emerged that Lonergan was planning a nine-a-side pre-season competition in New Zealand.

Players, including St George Illawarra and Canterbury stars Brett and Josh Morris, have thrown their support behind the proposed tournament.

Lonergan said yesterday he would present his proposal to all 16 NRL chief executives.

The Kiwi businessman has also spoken to executives at Fox Sports and Channel 9, who have indicated they are keen on the idea.



Lonergan was responsible for organising the Fight For Life charity boxing event, which featured league players Paul Gallen, Greg Bird, Willie Mason and Manu Vatuvei.

He moved to ease concerns the new tournament would take away from the NRL All-Stars game.

He confirmed the tournament would be played two weeks before the event.

"There's been some conjecture about the timing of the Nines," Lonergan said.

"I just want to make it clear that the plan is for both competitions to co-exist.

"The Nines would be held two weeks prior to the All-Stars, which I think is a wonderful concept."

Bulldog centre Morris said the Nines tournament would be a welcome addition to the pre-season.

"Some say the season is already too long," Morris said.

"But really, getting out of a week of pre-season training would be a good thing.

"It sounds like a lot of fun, and I would love to get out on to the field with Ben Barba and Josh Reynolds and see what we could do.

"I used to watch the Sevens tournament when I was younger and (it) is something I always wanted to have a go at," he said.

"It would certainly be exciting and something I think the fans would like."

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...sed-to-the-nines/story-e6frexnr-1226579579596

 

[tumbidragon]

Looks like Lonergan really knows how to get the ball rolling. Just a question to the fans. Would you rather see set sides in the comp i.e. Bronco's players playing in a 9's Bronco team. Or hybrid teams comprised of players from different teams ala the Big Bash or the IPL?

 

[applesauce]

I think having NRL teams gets fans more into the upcoming season and you would see greater ratings and memberships as a result.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

If it as in Sydney it would make a lot of sense to have NRL teams to draw the club fans. But in Auckland I don't know how much support will be there for anyone other than the Warriors. They MUST make it an international invitational event. Get Tonga and Samoa teams and it will boost the crowd and fans would also enjoy seeing the likes of the USA, Fiji and maybe teams like NZ Maori.

 

[applesauce]

If it as in Sydney it would make a lot of sense to have NRL teams to draw the club fans. But in Auckland I don't know how much support will be there for anyone other than the Warriors. They MUST make it an international invitational event. Get Tonga and Samoa teams and it will boost the crowd and fans would also enjoy seeing the likes of the USA, Fiji and maybe teams like NZ Maori.

Won't it be like the Rugby 7's. A 2day event with all the NRL clubs, go for the atmosphere and event, get dressed up and pissed up. Fill Eden Park up and then in future years have it bid on by different Australian and NZ cities.

It will be televised so having NRL clubs will be the best thing for the upcoming season to get fans engaged and excited. Anyway it is a moot point as the only way clubs will take part will be so they can GET THE PRIZE MONEY.

 

[SilentOne]

Won't it be like the Rugby 7's. A 2day event with all the NRL clubs, go for the atmosphere and event, get dressed up and pissed up. Fill Eden Park up and then in future years have it bid on by different Australian and NZ cities.

It will be televised so having NRL clubs will be the best thing for the upcoming season to get fans engaged and excited. Anyway it is a moot point as the only way clubs will take part will be so they can GET THE PRIZE MONEY.

That's how I understand they want it.

 

[POPEYE]

Nines would be great idea as long as the NRL has a major part. There is also a slight but dangerous chance it might become wildly successful,
especially if the US, South Africa, China etc became interested. Why would a player suited to Nines bust his gut for a full season in Australia
if there is more money available for less effort overseas. Stranger things have happened.

 

[TheDalek079]

Why not? If clubs don't want their top players to get injuries then they can pick players from their U20s. And in the shorter format, some speedsters from the lower grades might be better than some of the top grade backs.

Do we get international teams there? 16 NRL + Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and NZ amateur? PNG? QLD Cup IX? NSW Cup IX? Wigan?

 

[East Coast Tiger]

It has to be the 16 clubs plus it could include eight invitational sides, preferably eight nation teams, to make a good workable figure of 24. Tonga, Samoa, PNG, Fiji, USA definites. The other three could be England and France but I doubt they would send teams at that time of the year. If they don't come I'd like to see teams like Jamaica, Serbia and Lebanon.

However, the plan seems to just make it for NRL teams. If that's the case it is another wasted opportunity and another NRL-centric move from the NRL-centric ARLC. 24 teams would be a lot to organise and would cost a lot, but it would also be much better for the game.

 

[no name]

It has to be the 16 clubs plus it could include eight invitational sides, preferably eight nation teams, to make a good workable figure of 24. Tonga, Samoa, PNG, Fiji, USA definites. The other three could be England and France but I doubt they would send teams at that time of the year. If they don't come I'd like to see teams like Jamaica, Serbia and Lebanon.

However, the plan seems to just make it for NRL teams. If that's the case it is another wasted opportunity and another NRL-centric move from the NRL-centric ARLC. 24 teams would be a lot to organise and would cost a lot, but it would also be much better for the game.

A KIWI promoter has a $2.2 million plan to kick off the rugby league season with a super Nines tournament - with the winner pocketing more money than the NRL premiers.

The idea was brought up by a Kiwi.

. He said there was a plan to draw up a formal recommendation to the ARL commission after the upcoming chief executives' meeting.

It hasn't even got to the ARLC yet.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

The idea was brought up by a Kiwi.


It hasn't even got to the ARLC yet.

No shit. Who said otherwise? Look up the word "if" in the dictionary.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

If we are going to have a 7's or 9's, at least make it world wide like the 7's used to be, there are plenty more countries playing now and a lot of that has to do with the 7's from years gone. And that's the kicker, they shouldn't have stopped playing the tournament in the first place.

 

[no name]

No shit. Who said otherwise? Look up the word "if" in the dictionary.

So you're getting your rant in early just in case....

 

[MacDougall]

Should play it between the 16 NRL clubs but let each of them sign a ring-in or two from somewhere else. Whether that's Union, ESL, AFL, hell even NFL ... whatever they can get their hands on. That'd be fun as.

Tigers potential side -

1. Tedesco
2. Koroibete
3. Lawrence
4. Moltzen
5. Naiyaravaro
6. Marshall
7. Farah
8. Blair
9. Woods

10. Galloway
11. Murdoch-Masila

 

[RockWheel]

Is there a preferred format? Would people rather straight knock out (16, 32 teams), or group stage followed by knockout? What about shield, plate, bowl etc. Personally I'd like to see 24 teams, group stage followed by three knockout groups, so every team plays at least four games.

 

[MacDougall]

Day 1:

16 NRL teams/4 groups

QLD/NZ

NZ Warriors
NQL Cowboys
Gold Coast Titants
Brisbane Broncos
Southern

Melbourne Storm
Canberra Raiders
St-George Illawarra Dragons
Cronulla Sharks

Metro/Northern

Manly Sea Eagles
Newcastle Knights
Sydney Roosters
South Sydney Rabbitohs

Western

Parramatta Eels
Penrith Panthers
Wests Tigers
Canterbury Bulldogs

3 matches for each side. 30 minute matches with 15 minute halves. Top 2 from each group go on to day 2.

Day 2:

a) Highest Ranking Winner vs. Lowest Ranking Winner
b) Second Highest Ranking Winner vs. Third Highest Ranking Winner
c) Highest Ranking RU vs. Lowest Ranking RU
d) Second Highest RU vs. Third Highest RU

Losers c & d eliminated.
e) Winner c plays loser b
f) Winner d plays loser a

g) winner a plays winner e
h) winner f plays winner b

i) loser g plays loser h (third place playoff)

j) winner g plays winner h (grand final)

 

[RockWheel]

30 minute match with 15 minute halftime?

 

[unforgiven]

30 minute match with 15 minute halftime?

Read it again

 

[MacDougall]

If they're playing 3 games it equates to a little over a normal game. Wouldn't want to burn them out. And with nines that should be well and truly enough time to score loads of points.