Club line-up for 2008 open-aged comp

[girvie]

http://www.panthers.com.au/default.aspx?id=3&ArticleID=541

Jul 31 - The NSWRL has announced the names of the teams which have agreed to take part in next season's revamped open-aged competition - in affect the new Premier League.
The entries which have lined up so far are:

Canterbury Bulldogs
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Windsor Wolves (Penrith Panthers)
Cronulla-Sutherland Cobras (Sharks / Cobras)
North Sydney Bears (Souths / Norths)
Newtown Jets (Roosters / Jets)
Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tigers (Balmain Tigers / Ryde Eastwood)
Wests Magpies
Central Coast Storm (Central Coast / Melbourne Storm)
Auckland Lions (Lions / Warriors)
​

Newcastle, Parramatta and St George-Illawarra and have been granted extensions by the NSWRL to complete negotiations with partner clubs. They are expected to make announcements in the next few weeks.


*****

So the main changes are the Central Coast joining and Canberra dropping out.

 

[girvie]

Does anyone have any more information on who the Cobras are and where they will play?

 

[roopy]

On Newcastle - the Central Charlestown Butcher Boys (an original 1910 club) have apparently put in a submission to field a Knights open age side and feel they can get the 150k a year they feel they need from sponsership.
The Knights are still discussing all options, including farming players out to the Newcastle comp.
The Butcher Boys have a wealthy leagues club, but apparently the by-laws of the club preclude them from funding an extra side.

 

[roopy]

Oh yeah - Erina have also expressed interest apparently.

 

[Cheesie-the-Pirate]

Has any one heard anything about which club Saints will be partnering with?

 

[jets fan]

Does anyone have any more information on who the Cobras are and where they will play?

they are from barden ridge which is near menai

 

[Henson Park Hornets]

I still think its a shame that most NRL clubs aren't fielding PL teams.

 

[Skinner]

I still think its a shame that most NRL clubs aren't fielding PL teams.

You really have to wonder how they are going to condition players back from injury
or form slump, if they don't fit into U20's.

Back to their feeder clubs comps just doesn't seem right.

 

[roopy]

I think it is a serious option for Newcastle and Saints to opt out of the PL and go with their local comps.
The Newcastle comp is stronger than the Jim Beam cup, and i imagine the Illawarra comp is as well.
Players in the Newcastle comp can get 1500 a win as opposed to 2 or 300 in the Jim Beam comp - and there arn't the restrictions on player experience that there are in JB either.
The real NRL (Newcastle Rugby League) has produced players like Bill Peden, Mark Hughes, Craig Hall, George Carmont, Chris Bailey, Todd Maddison, and probably a dozen others who have moved up to play firstgrade for the Knights - just this year a winger from Cessnock, Willie Pole'o, has made a real name for himself playing PL and he will probably play firstgrade next season.
If the Knights put players in the local comp they go from having 20 or so lower graders to 300 or so lower graders.

 

[cumberlandsashes81]

I think it is a serious option for Newcastle and Saints to opt out of the PL and go with their local comps.

I think that would be disadvantageous for both the Knights and the Newcastle competition - as the Newie competition, even if it is at or above JBC standard, would be well below PL and QC standard (surely). Same for Dragons.

This would mean two things - the club with all the NRL fringe players would be far too good for all the weekend warrior clubs and, in turn, the players wouldn't be tested before moving up into 1st Grade.

The Newcastle comp is stronger than the Jim Beam cup, and i imagine the Illawarra comp is as well.

Not a really relevant comparison as no club would ever use a JBC side as a primary feeder club, anyway. The CRL comps need to be at the same level or better than PL or QC to be considered as primary location for feeders.

In terms of the JBC v Newcastle/Illawarra - The comparison has hardly been tested aside from indications we can get from the Quadrangular series where the best of NSW Country was marginally better than the best of JBC. I'd say they're on the same level of the RL pyramid.

Other comparisons may be the Red Devils when they came up from Wollongong to play in the Metro Cup. They hardly set the place on fire (no pun intended).

 

[roopy]

In terms of the JBC v Newcastle/Illawarra - The comparison has hardly been tested aside from indications we can get from the Quadrangular series where the best of NSW Country was marginally better than the best of JBC. I'd say they're on the same level of the RL pyramid.

.

The quad series matched the best players from the JB Cup against a side that was over half from the Newcastle comp - but that doesn't really measure the stength of the sides in the comp.
The JB cup has a points system that only allows for a small number of NRL experienced players per side and keeps the sides young and inexperienced.
The Newcastle comp has no restrictions.
An example - the Wyong club was easily the strongest club on the Central Coast, with Erina being the eternal bridesmaids.
When the JB Cup started Erina joined up - had to cut some of their experienced players who went to Wyong, and they won the JB Cup (I can't remember if they won first or second year).
Wyong joined the Newcastle comp because they didn't want to cut their salary cap in half and get rid of all the local guys the club was set up for in the first place. Wyong missed making the semis in Newcastle for ages and i think their best finish yet has been 3rd. The Wyong leagues club (or clubs because they have three) is worth about 120 million and is fully owned by the football club - so they weren't interested in playing in a comp with a tiny salary cap. - That makes them 3rd or 4th richest club in the newcastle comp I think - with the Rosellas being the richest, who were able to fund the Mariners without turning a hair.

 

[hgfds]

wonder if foxsports will pick this up,the 2:30 pm saturday slot is vacant ,thursday night is also an option but lately this has been filled by the esl.

 

[roopy]

wonder if foxsports will pick this up,the 2:30 pm saturday slot is vacant ,thursday night is also an option but lately this has been filled by the esl.

The under 20s comp is obviously a made for TV comp. All the sides will have instant following because they are representing established clubs - the games will be all held at grounds where the TV cameras will already be set up, and the format is taylor made to promote open and attractive footy.

 

[hgfds]

So roosters souths extend their influence as inner city clubs eventually everyone will forget about norths,newtown,balmain wests,glebe etc ,etc
What will dragoons do ? will they move further south by basing there team in the gong ,surely the steelers are pushing for this and would be good news for cronulla
Newcastle will probably stay inner city bound and stay with wests instead of becoming a true hunter based team

 

[Nfed]

An example - the Wyong club was easily the strongest club on the Central Coast, with Erina being the eternal bridesmaids.
When the JB Cup started Erina joined up - had to cut some of their experienced players who went to Wyong, and they won the JB Cup (I can't remember if they won first or second year).

Erina have failed to get in the top 5 in the JBC in all 5 seasons. Most of the Erina players came from Norths P/L but new blood was brought in over the last 2 seasons when they failed to produce results. They still wont do better than 8th this season.

 

[Nfed]

Does anyone have any more information on who the Cobras are and where they will play?

I believe that Cobras were only formed in 2007 and were denied entry by the Cronulla JRL and were then accepted into the St George comp where they had to beat Hurstville yesterday to get a spot against The Grove in the grand final.

 

[roopy]

Erina have failed to get in the top 5 in the JBC in all 5 seasons. Most of the Erina players came from Norths P/L but new blood was brought in over the last 2 seasons when they failed to produce results. They still wont do better than 8th this season.

yeah sorry - i meant The Entrance - always get them mixed up - don't know why.

 

[newtownbluebags]

Newcastle, Parramatta and St George-Illawarra and have been granted extensions by the NSWRL to complete negotiations with partner clubs. They are expected to make announcements in the next few weeks.

anyone heard any info on these teams 2008 intentions yet?

 

[newtownbluebags]

this is real cloak & dagger stuff this :roll: NSWRL will make an announcement in March 08 most likely............... :?

 

[yappy]

All I've heard is that Parra and Wenty seems to be a done deal.