Best use of CEO recruitment discretion

[joshreading]

Ok, reading the Hunt thread I thought a broader discussion is needed around this topic.

There is an argument to be made that players and clubs will try and manipulate the system. This idea from the NRL does give the NRL room to recruit the best players from any Rugby Competition in the world is beneficial.

My thoughts (as posted in the other thread are) that I think CEO payments should be used for players that are of strategic importance to the whole game. The NRL needs to start thinking like a Competition with it's eyes on the world not just our backyard.

The NRL needs to be ready to recruit players not for increasing our own viewership in Australia solely but the profile of the NRL in strategic markets where there is a Rugby presence in particular and bring financial benefit. This could also be done by partnering with Australian centred RL connected companies that have a presence in these nations (killing two birds with one stone) to help fund these raids.

These nations would be like France, Italy, Argentina, Japan, South Africa and New Zealand.

Recruiting the highest profile players from these nations from Union and INTENTIONALLY using marketing initiatives to bring a focus on the NRL as the toughest and biggest 'Rugby' competition in the world.

Imagine recruiting strategically the highest profile African background Springbok and key Africaans background player (this would particularly work well with expansion into Perth as well) BUT the point would be to flood SA TV and the web with Vox Pops of these players declaring 'Watch me step up into the toughest Rugby Competition in the world!". Creating a TV appetite in these nations for the NRL is important.

Increasingly and creating foreign TV markets and strengthening the International presence of RL is crucial to our long time growth.

The NRL also needs to make it 'normal' for ALL Blacks in NZ to consider a stint in the NRL as the only way to prove they are truly world class 'rugby' athletes. Once they have won a Rugby World Cup, what else have they got to prove in Union, they still have alot to prove as 'Rugby' athletes and we need to ensure they know it.

 

[Perth Red]

Ideally we would see the NRL take on a world leadership role in developing the game but sadly I just don't see it.

If they wanted to they could fund a professional ten team league in png, sign up a team from SARU to boost the WC Pirates admission, get enough Fiji players into the NRL to strengthen the Fiji rep side, get a Wellington team into NRL and properly fund nzrl for jnr development, bring across a heap,of French talent etc etc. within 20 years we could have 6-8 international sides genuinely capable of winning the RLWC. Now that would be massive for RL in Australia and globally.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Ideally we would see the NRL take on a world leadership role in developing the game but sadly I just don't see it.

If they wanted to they could fund a professional ten team league in png, sign up a team from SARU to boost the WC Pirates admission, get enough Fiji players into the NRL to strengthen the Fiji rep side, get a Wellington team into NRL and properly fund nzrl for jnr development, bring across a heap,of French talent etc etc. within 20 years we could have 6-8 international sides genuinely capable of winning the RLWC. Now that would be massive for RL in Australia and globally.

Youre right that the ARLC should effectively run the world of Rugby League, but they shouldnt be funding any of this...

Thats what governments are for.

 

[Perth Red]

Governments are there to fund professional sport? Since when?

 

[BranVan3000]

Your ideas are intriguing to me and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter

But I think the likelihood of Springboks fans following NRL because of a big name player changing codes is about as likely as me following UK rugby because of Sam Bugess. Not gonna happen

 

[Parra]

What you are suggesting is along the lines of what the ARU do to top-up contracts of players who are required for the Wallabies. The ARU does this because it has an international presence - not to create one.

The NRL has to remain NRL focussed. CEO top-ups could just be for the Kangaroos - but that leaves out Burgess, SBW, Benji & potentials along the lines of O'Driscoll, Wilkinson or Carter.

I can't see why the NRL should spend it's money to create benefit outside of the NRL. Better to ditch the salary cap than be open to accusations of favoritism and abuse.

 

[Parra]

Increasingly and creating foreign TV markets and strengthening the International presence of RL is crucial to our long time growth.

NRL will continue to be strong even if RL lost the international presence it has. Understand that this is not a criticism - this is how strong the NRL is.

 

[eozsmiles]

What you are suggesting is along the lines of what the ARU do to top-up contracts of players who are required for the Wallabies. The ARU does this because it has an international presence - not to create one.

The NRL has to remain NRL focussed. CEO top-ups could just be for the Kangaroos - but that leaves out Burgess, SBW, Benji & potentials along the lines of O'Driscoll, Wilkinson or Carter.

I can't see why the NRL should spend it's money to create benefit outside of the NRL. Better to ditch the salary cap than be open to accusations of favoritism and abuse.

I'm guessing that the long term benefit internationally will in turn advantage the NRL as the number one comp in the sport. Added interest in other nations will, over time, increase NRL revenue, size of player pool, club revenue. Basketball is played everywhere but the NBA gets the money. Soccer is huge and the biggest leagues get the bulk cash. That is the position the NRL would want to be in as the prime league, so any growth of the game should benefit them.

 

[BranVan3000]

What you are suggesting is along the lines of what the ARU do to top-up contracts of players who are required for the Wallabies. The ARU does this because it has an international presence - not to create one.

The NRL has to remain NRL focussed. CEO top-ups could just be for the Kangaroos - but that leaves out Burgess, SBW, Benji & potentials along the lines of O'Driscoll, Wilkinson or Carter.

I can't see why the NRL should spend it's money to create benefit outside of the NRL. Better to ditch the salary cap than be open to accusations of favoritism and abuse.

Because NRL should want to be part of a growing business, and the way to do that is internationally.

 

[Parra]

Or they should concentrate on their core business, and not bleed away to profits on areas that show no return.

 

[Perth Red]

Smith admitted sbw and burgess leaving was as much to do with glamour of playing Int RU as money.

Maybe if the RLWC was as big as the RU one, maybe if RL 9's was serious and in the Olympics etc the lure of union would be gone all together?

 

[BranVan3000]

Or they should concentrate on their core business, and not bleed away to profits on areas that show no return.

Increasing the talent pool of the NRL, increasing global exposure for international TV deals and decreasing the talent pool in rugby union all show returns

 

[Parra]

The returns are measured at club level. The clubs are the NRL.

 

[Dogs Of War]

Yep, I think the first action is to get Folau to the Bulldogs as a fullback on a 5yr contract. NRL pays for it.

 

[Perth Red]

The returns are measured at club level. The clubs are the NRL.

The NRL is now responsible for the whole game, jnrs to international, so returns need to be measured way beyond just 16 clubs.

 

[TheDalek079]

Imagine recruiting strategically the highest profile African background Springbok and key Africaans background player (this would particularly work well with expansion into Perth as well) BUT the point would be to flood SA TV and the web with Vox Pops of these players declaring 'Watch me step up into the toughest Rugby Competition in the world!". Creating a TV appetite in these nations for the NRL is important.

in the 90s a Springbok was signed. Don't think the South Africans cared.

 

[Perth Red]

in the 90s a Springbok was signed. Don't think the South Africans cared.

Can't be in isolation, needs to be part of a coordinated strategy otherwise won't make any difference. 5 top SA players with funding for SARL and support for the Rhinos to play more international tests, NRL games taken to SA, off season visits by top players for media and coaching clinics etc etc. but that takes effort, long term strategy and will to grow the game, something RL has lacked for over a century so I have no expectation it will ever change. We can't even get NRL games played across Australia ffs.

 

[I Bleed Maroon]

I think it's a stupid idea. If you want to give clubs salary cap exemptions for players outside the code, then just f**king do it. None of this overly cautious shit.

 

[Parra]

The Rhinos? You are nuts.

 

[Parra]

I think it's a stupid idea. If you want to give clubs salary cap exemptions for players outside the code, then just f**king do it. None of this overly cautious shit.

Exactly.