Expansion of the Women's Competition

[MugaB]

You mentioned this but also had Adelaide Rams as one of your team names... which is a male sheep...

I don’t disagree with you though that it can be a way of slight divergence. Canberra already have something like this set up with their female team/branding being the Valkyrie.

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Yes Adelaide Rams is one i forgot about, purely as i was thinking of the current clubs we have now, but yes Adelaide Ewes probably should be the next expansion to the NRLW hehe

 

[MrE_Assassin]

It was good getting out to see the Women's National Championships at Burleigh over the weekend and seeing some of the sporting talent on display. Congrats to NSW City who took out the comp.

There were some good emerging prospects and some of the skill and never-say-die attitudes on display were to be applauded. For some teams it was a war of attrition with multiple injuries across the 4 days, if note just across one game. Even still, with their team down on numbers and fatigue setting in the girls showed some true grit.

There is still a gulf of experience across the game, evidenced by both NSW teams again in the final for the second year running, with the two QLD teams playing off in an 18-all draw for third spot. The ADF and CAS teams were a little out of their element across the comp with both teams copping huge scores in their games against NSW and QLD sides. This is to be expected though of teams that have very little preparation and are pulled from all ends of the country just to have a run. It was still good to see them compete.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Yes Adelaide Rams is one i forgot about, purely as i was thinking of the current clubs we have now, but yes Adelaide Ewes probably should be the next expansion to the NRLW hehe

Canterbury Bankstown.... what's the name for a female dog again?

 

[MugaB]

Canterbury Bankstown.... what's the name for a female dog again?

Not sure but is there a male version?
Surely its not a bull

 

[MrE_Assassin]

Is Sydney Chicks PC friendly?

South Sydney Bunnies?

Nth QLD Cowgirls?

I don't think we need to alienate the women's comp by giving their clubs gender specific names.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Is Sydney Chicks PC friendly?

South Sydney Bunnies?

Nth QLD Cowgirls?

I don't think we need to alienate the women's comp by giving their clubs gender specific names.

F@#k PC - it is just a way to control what you say

 

[MrE_Assassin]

F@#k PC - it is just a way to control what you say

Exactly my point. If we panda to the PC brigade and change the team names to be female specific mascots then we just alienate the women’s game from the rest of the NRL.

 

[MrE_Assassin]

With the WNRL only a few weeks away, I'm throwing up a hypothetical question. Let's say the NRLW were to expand after 2022, as part of a whole of sport expansion (meaning the NRL expands both the mens & womens comp to create more tv content in both leagues), and the NRLW were given 2 new licences, where would you expand to and why?

My 2 would be:

Melbourne Storm: The women's competition in Victoria has been going pretty good. The Victorian team taking out the CAS tournament is further evidence of the developing game in the southern state. For this reason I think Melbourne would be a great place for another NRLW team and start the development of a National women's comp.

Parramatta Eels: The Parramatta juniors has been developing RL at many levels for a long time, not just in the standard men's game but womens, disability and schools programs too. This as well as tying up the Western area of Sydney would be great for development and opportunity for women to enter the professional ranks.

Again, this is all hypothetical and I'm interested in others' ideas.

 

[T-Boon]

Melbourne Storm: The women's competition in Victoria has been going pretty good. The Victorian team taking out the CAS tournament is further evidence of the developing game in the southern state. For this reason I think Melbourne would be a great place for another NRLW team and start the development of a National women's comp.

Parramatta Eels: The Parramatta juniors has been developing RL at many levels for a long time, not just in the standard men's game but womens, disability and schools programs too. This as well as tying up the Western area of Sydney would be great for development and opportunity for women to enter the professional ranks.

Again, this is all hypothetical and I'm interested in others' ideas.

I don't think the Parra Eels knuckle draggers are interested. They haven't been to date so why would they suddenly have aspirations in this area.
Open it up to clubs to express interest and if it includes clubs that did not put in a bit a couple years ago make them explain why they did not bid and issue a public apology and sack those idiots responsible then tell them they can wait until the next round of expansion.
Let some non NRL clubs bid.

 

[MrE_Assassin]

I don't think the Parra Eels knuckle draggers are interested. They haven't been to date so why would they suddenly have aspirations in this area.
Open it up to clubs to express interest and if it includes clubs that did not put in a bit a couple years ago make them explain why they did not bid and issue a public apology and sack those idiots responsible then tell them they can wait until the next round of expansion.
Let some non NRL clubs bid.

They do have interest though if they are promoting and running womens competitions in their district though, which they have been doing for a few years. They may not financially have aspirations to back an NRLW team; however thats why this was a hypothetical idea. There doesn't need to be an actual intent. Moreso just putting yourself as the head of the NRLW, where would you go?

I did think of non-NRL teams and I thought this would be a good way to have the NS/CC Bears in some capacity.

 

[T-Boon]

They do have interest though if they are promoting and running womens competitions in their district though, which they have been doing for a few years. They may not financially have aspirations to back an NRLW team; however thats why this was a hypothetical idea. There doesn't need to be an actual intent. Moreso just putting yourself as the head of the NRLW, where would you go?

I did think of non-NRL teams and I thought this would be a good way to have the NS/CC Bears in some capacity.

Yep this is what I meant. For example Parra could easily have had a team and the fact they (or any other Western Sydney club) didn't bother set the competition back and the NRLs attempts to keep pace with AFL in yet another area.

I would start a brand new Western Sydney club and yes I agree the Bears should try to get a team in. Actually maybe the Bears could rename themselves the Western Bears and put in a bid to play out of WSS and then ultimately put in a bid under the same name for the WA club. I love the Bears brand (cool mascot, great colours).

I would go something like:
Roosters
Dragons
Rabbitohs
new western Sydney club
new Brisbane
Brisbane Broncos

I think NZ should have their own comp and maybe the winners of each comp play against one another.

 

[Perth Red]

Its not just mens expansion where the NRL is light years behind!

https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/07/26/huge-turnover-of-stars-to-spark-nrlw-expansion-debate/

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09...teams-despite-aflw-impasse-mclachlan/11519184

 

[mongoose]

14 teams is ridiculous for AFLW, the standard is no where near high enough to expand so fast, not that i'm a good judge of fumbleball standards. AFL are just trying to get in early and lure as many female athletes as they possibly can to their novelty competition.
I hope the NRLW keeps their comp elite and high quality and not just allow heaps of teams to come in just for the sake of opportunity and positive headlines.

 

[Perth Red]

14 teams is ridiculous for AFLW, the standard is no where near high enough to expand so fast, not that i'm a good judge of fumbleball standards. AFL are just trying to get in early and lure as many female athletes as they possibly can to their novelty competition.
I hope the NRLW keeps their comp elite and high quality and not just allow heaps of teams to come in just for the sake of opportunity and positive headlines.

Bit naive, there is some serious strategy behind the AFL's moves including significant government infrastructure funding, corporate and media support and flow down into school participation. What they do at the top is for a long term goal across their business. Something we still really dont get in RL.
Who cares if quality is lower, its not like the short term goal is people watching it.

Just the fact AFL clubs are desperate to get in on the comp as opposed to our clubs who arent should be telling you something about the different approaches to this.

 

[T-Boon]

Bit naive, there is some serious strategy behind the AFL's moves including significant government infrastructure funding, corporate and media support and flow down into school participation. What they do at the top is for a long term goal across their business. Something we still really dont get in RL.
Who cares if quality is lower, its not like the short term goal is people watching it.

Just the fact AFL clubs are desperate to get in on the comp as opposed to our clubs who arent should be telling you something about the different approaches to this.

So true

 

[Bojackhorseman]

Bit naive, there is some serious strategy behind the AFL's moves including significant government infrastructure funding, corporate and media support and flow down into school participation. What they do at the top is for a long term goal across their business. Something we still really dont get in RL.
Who cares if quality is lower, its not like the short term goal is people watching it.

Just the fact AFL clubs are desperate to get in on the comp as opposed to our clubs who arent should be telling you something about the different approaches to this.

Interestingly the ratings for their Competition are significantly lower than ours with many games attracting less than 20000. More is not always better. I try not to get too excited about the afls obsession with manufactured stories of success. The game has no international future and it’s stocks of male players is diminishing in states like Victoria and tasmania.

 

[Stallion]

14 teams is ridiculous for AFLW, the standard is no where near high enough to expand so fast, not that i'm a good judge of fumbleball standards. AFL are just trying to get in early and lure as many female athletes as they possibly can to their novelty competition.
I hope the NRLW keeps their comp elite and high quality and not just allow heaps of teams to come in just for the sake of opportunity and positive headlines.

That's not progressive. Rather an inclusive intent for more teams than exclusive. That just stops possible female recruits from playing the code!

 

[siv]

AFL have a strategy and pushing ahead even if it takes time to develop

Their target is simply to have 18 teams represented by women's team

Something NRL could also achieve as most NSW NRL clubs are playing in the W-NSWRL comp these days

 

[Bojackhorseman]

AFL have a strategy and pushing ahead even if it takes time to develop

Their target is simply to have 18 teams represented by women's team

Something NRL could also achieve as most NSW NRL clubs are playing in the W-NSWRL comp these days

The nrl has a strategy too. It’s about playing quality games and growing steadily. Aflw is constantly criticised for its poor quality with many games having negligible tv ratings as a result. There are other women’s national comps we can learn from. Slavishly copying a sport that manufactures heroes and headlines isn’t a good idea.

 

[flippikat]

Here's a crazy thought.... what if the WNRL acepted a joint-venture Sydney team in the competition?

Say, a team 50-50 owned by the Penthers and Tigers (West Sydney Lynx, anyone?). A partnership like that could be a first step to closer ties between the mens teams.. not necessarily the first step in a merger of the men's teams... but things like reciprocal ticketing, player trade arrangements, etc...