Code's so-called leaders found wanting as woes mount

[butchmcdick]

Also tell me any other sporting comp in the world that carry a full team of over-age players.

There is none, at best they have a mixture which is the way to go. And is the way the smart teams go.

The NBA

 

[bartman]

I really think that to move forward, we have to say to clubs like cronulla, if you can't keep up, relocate, or enjoy the NSW Cup as a feeder club.

How many places are trying to get in, yet we persist with this joke of a club. How are Cronulla more important to the game going forward than say the Bears, Reds, Sunshine Coast, Ipswich/Logan, NZ 2, hell even Adelaide or PNG?

They should have been booted in the 90's only to be bailed out yet again. Then, they went to Super League, got cashed up, did well from 99-03ish until the money dried up, and now they are woeful again. >< so frustrating we are wasting so much effort for absolutely no gain just to keep Reefy and Quigs happy, when we booted clubs like Rabbits, North Sydney, Perth, Gold Coast.

Fair comment. Cronulla's time at the top level is surely up very soon?

 

[bartman]

Also tell me any other sporting comp in the world that carry a full team of over-age players.

There is none, at best they have a mixture which is the way to go. And is the way the smart teams go.

The A-League?

 

[Hanscholo]

I dont think there is any doubt that news ltd needs to go, immediatley. Secondly the restructure has to put reserve grade back into the fold, that is non negotiable. Phill as totally correct with all of his points. its time we cut this cancer out of our game.

 

[El Diablo]

The A-League?

aren't there 40 year olds playing NFL?

 

[Perth Red]

One slight flaw in his argument, MONEY! Clubs claim they can't afford a reserve grade side or to have bigger squads and a bigger wage bill.

The other major problem is we don;t have one body running RL at all levels so why would teh NRL/Gallop care about the NSW or Q'land cup and vice versa re teh NSWRL, QRL and CRL caring about the welfare of NRL clubs.

 

[m0nty]

I wonder if his next article will draw an analogy of how union ran down its grassroots since the glory days of the early 90s and concentrated too much on the elite players, which is a crucial part of why it is crap these days, and how the NRL may be slowly rolling down that same path. NSW Cup = Australian Rugby Championship? There needs to be a better pathway between the grassroots clubs and the NRL clubs that doesn't chuck blokes back on the street once they turn 21.

Having said that, I'm sure the owners would love to increase player salaries and have larger squads as Gus wants, but there's just not enough money in the game right now. It's not as if running an NRL club is a licence to print money these days, the owners are just trying to limit their losses. This is another eternal argument that can only be solved by a much better broadcast rights deal.

 

[Brutus]

IThis is another eternal argument that can only be solved by a much better broadcast rights deal.

Which is what we should have received last time around.

 

[taipan]

Fair comment. Cronulla's time at the top level is surely up very soon?

After they beat the EELS 11 blot,understand your point:lol:

 

[Noa]

The NBA

Wrong, but youd be used to that.

 

[$$Poor Boy Blues$$]

It sh*ts me how Gus cops a great deal of flack for being a passionate support just like all of us. He's a great rugby league fan, and whilst he may make some questionable calls and such, he only wants the best for the game. This is a very good article.

its only an under 20s comp so news can rape the game one more time.

its content for them.

we should be putting all our resources into a proper reserve grade comp.

its under 20s because they need players those ages to put on a good show enough for people to want to watch, and it "streamlines" operations. no one wants to watch old farts amongst youngsters in reserves (by and large).

the nrl should look after its own and be all encompassing. there are too many "leagues" out there.

make no mistake, in spite of whatever support the thing has, it is yet another money-reducing compromise designed to keep costs down and make foxtel some cash.

why must the game continually compromise.

bring on the commission, and its why I have been such a long time supporter of the commission

I originally mentioned it in 2000

 

[$$Poor Boy Blues$$]

One slight flaw in his argument, MONEY! Clubs claim they can't afford a reserve grade side or to have bigger squads and a bigger wage bill.

The other major problem is we don;t have one body running RL at all levels so why would teh NRL/Gallop care about the NSW or Q'land cup and vice versa re teh NSWRL, QRL and CRL caring about the welfare of NRL clubs.

this ties into the whole suppression of funds theory conducted by our owners. if they paid us our true worth we COULD afford such a thing.

And such a thing is clearly called for here in the nrl.

the under 20s is a bullsh*t comp. not only is it pushed for tv, it is under 20s to keep costs down.

some compromise. it should be superceded once they get more money.

 

[Paullyboy]

Gus goes on and on about the NRL not giving enough money to the NRL clubs (saying they only get 50 of the 150 million). Where does the other 100 million go? If it goes into development (and assuming that money is being spent wisely - which is a completely different discussion) then I would suggest the current formula is right.

Whilst I love Gould's passion for the game, I feel this article does no good for anyone. I work in the sport industry myself and have to deal with his type of people a lot. They are the type of people who are good at pointing out what's wrong, but fail to provide a better alternative and trot out some throw-away line like "it's not my job to come up with the solution..."

Anyone can criticize, not many can improve. Until you can offer an improvement, all your criticism does is create negative feeling unneccesarily.

 

[babyg]

Don't worry about reserve grade, a self funded national second tier comp is what is needed. The Qld Cup is a good model. Have a national second tier comp, split in to conferences and have it as a franchise system where areas have to apply to get in. NRL clubs have their deals with certain clubs for their reserve plays. Keep it small (1-3 clubs per NRL club) so the talent isn't diluted. Old clubs like Newtown, the Bears and in the future possilby Cronulla get to retain their identities. Areas with no NRL team get to follow their second tier team, grow the tv rights, sponsorsip and it's players might get a decent wage. HAve a conference playoffs each season to determine the best conference - probably the Qld one.

 

[***MH***]

The Arrive Alive schools comp should be the focus of the National Youth competition, rather than the U20's NRL Club version.

An expansion of a national based Arrive Alive cup will see the top private and state based selective high schools compete in an NFL type Collegian system. The schools and their community would administer the funding which takes the pressure off the clubs, a proper draft system could take place, and the senior clubs can focus on their 1st grade and second tier teams.

Just look how big college football is in the States. And some of the crowds I've seen at Arrive Alive cup matches have rivaled NSW Cup matches, especially when bus loads of students come to watch their classmates play.

 

[adamkungl]

Don't worry about reserve grade, a self funded national second tier comp is what is needed. The Qld Cup is a good model. Have a national second tier comp, split in to conferences and have it as a franchise system where areas have to apply to get in. NRL clubs have their deals with certain clubs for their reserve plays. Keep it small (1-3 clubs per NRL club) so the talent isn't diluted. Old clubs like Newtown, the Bears and in the future possilby Cronulla get to retain their identities. Areas with no NRL team get to follow their second tier team, grow the tv rights, sponsorsip and it's players might get a decent wage. HAve a conference playoffs each season to determine the best conference - probably the Qld one.

Agree 100%. With some not too huge changes the NSW Cup could command the respect it deserves.

 

[LESStar58]

Quality yet again by Gus.

 

[Big-Steve]

One slight flaw in his argument, MONEY! Clubs claim they can't afford a reserve grade side or to have bigger squads and a bigger wage bill.

The other major problem is we don;t have one body running RL at all levels so why would teh NRL/Gallop care about the NSW or Q'land cup and vice versa re teh NSWRL, QRL and CRL caring about the welfare of NRL clubs.

This is exactly right.

I keep say this over and over but there is nothing esencially wrong with the lower grade comps only money and operational support and this does not happen because we have an NRL that runs the NRL comps while the NSW and QLD comps are run by the respective state bodies.

It's not the fault of the NRL as much as the ARL and the NRL clubs not working together to ensure that the lower grades are properly catered for.

There does not need to be any U23s added to this and that - that's rubish.

The lower grades just need to get their fair share of the money. The NRL clubs may think that because they make the money they should control it but in reality they could not exist without the lower grades.

Leave the lower grades as they are but support them properly. The NSW Cup could well be profitable if it had the resources it deserves.

 

[Dragonwest]

One slight flaw in his argument, MONEY! Clubs claim they can't afford a reserve grade side or to have bigger squads and a bigger wage bill.

The other major problem is we don;t have one body running RL at all levels so why would teh NRL/Gallop care about the NSW or Q'land cup and vice versa re teh NSWRL, QRL and CRL caring about the welfare of NRL clubs.

Correct, clubs cannot afford this set up currently but it should be reintroduced at the commencement of the new tv rights deal.

The new commission should evaluate the possible increase to the club grants and divide that money up to achieve three goals.

1. Re-instate Reserve grade to each club.
2. The first tier cap shifting to a 30 player minimum.
3. Increase the average cap worth of each player to deter players from shifting to the ESL & rugby union.

The comp will not improve if the current scenario is kept and the increased funding is only used to push up the cap.

 

[Brutus]

The NRL salary cap regulations have been put in place to keep costs down for the owners of the game and are not in the best interests of the game, as so often reported.

A worrying quote. This bloody commission couldn't come quick enough.