Gould Solves all the problems of Rugby League!

[docbrown]

Some people don't appear to know the meaning of the word "brainstorm"...

If our forefathers listened solely to the people who say "you can't" then it's quite likely we'd still have 15 players on each team playing in some god awful mess...

 

[Dingus]

Just have three stand alone state of origin games on sundays, three weeks apart.

Each team only gets one more bye which means club fans only endure one more weekend with out football, the weekend in which they can follow their state.

Broadcasters don't lose many games as there are no stand alone rounds, which are annoying anyway. There is a shorter buildup to SOO but the spectacle will be bigger. And most importantly, no shit games with rep players unavailable or backing up.

Doesn't the AFL (or use to), have a weekend where every team has a bye anyway?

 

[Ferryman]

[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]I think rugby league is entering into arguably the most vital stage of it’s existence in Australia. If things are done right, with the Independent Commission in place and the game earning the revenues that the market suggests it should, and these funds delivered efficiently back into the NRL clubs and the development of the game, then I see it as a golden period for the code. If not, and again we play second fiddle to an AFL broadcast deal that is impressive in it’s size, then I think the code will be condemned to the position of second tier sport to the AFL juggernaut.

Scheduling, in my opinion, is the second most important issue facing the code, after the broadcast rights deal. And the two issues are closely related.

A proposition:

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1. [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]I have a concern with the ‘loss’ of 16 NRL games a year (and one home game per club per year) with Gus's schedule and the impact that this will have on the broadcast rights. I know there is considerable aggregated commercial value of any deal.....but you can’t beat content. Good content at that! So my competition structure looks like this; 24 rounds (12 home and away with extra games decided by requests eg local derbies), 3 stand alone Origin weekends, 4 weekends of finals, 1 All Star weekend on the same weekend of the first trial games of the year, 1 week of further trials including headline trial games (Charity Shield, Foundation Cup etc) and one weekend of rest. 34 weekends in total. [/FONT]
2. [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]I think Sunday is probably the best night for Origin for many reasons (size of TV audience, preparation time of players) but also accept that the ability to have a festival of football in the host city is a great thing also. I would name Origin teams on the Monday two weeks before the game with still a club game to play as this builds anticipation without detracting from the fact that the best are still playing the coming weekend for their club. (NB. There will be some great trivia questions about players selected for Origin who were unable to play because of injury etc). I love the idea of representative matches for the NYC. To add more content, I would take it a step further and have NSW Country v NSW City v Qld City and Qld Country in a round robin to determine the best development area.
   [/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial]
Obviously the next broadcast deal is going to be vital to the growth of the game. I really see the league in a very strong position. Nine are being well beaten by Seven at the moment and they cannot afford to lose something like the league with it’s guaranteed audience....can you imagine scheduling 30 weeks of Ben Elton: Live from Planet Earth!! Seven, and Kerry Stokes will well remember the deathbed bid placed by Kerry Packer that saw them have to pay top dollar for the AFL in 2005. Wouldn’t he like to do the same to Nine....and if Nine withdraw then Seven have the money to pay and they will trounce Nine and Ten forever and a day with the two dominant football codes in the country.[/FONT]

 

[POPEYE]

I don't give a damn about the gf final series, as far as I'm concerned first past the post in the regular season is the best team of the year. To each their own.

No matter what part of the league season you like it is imperative that teams have a chance to press their claims. For that reason a way to give everyone, even the money

managers, a fair go is to split the season in two with an intermission.


In the intermission, say a 3 week period, only the SOO is played. All teams have a chance to nurse their injuries and even come up with something to

restart their season if it's going badly. The bottom dwellers like the Sharks wouldn't have to put up with losing their key players who the season is lost without.

The top players may have to play 3 extra games but at least they are given the opportunity to help their club by being fit and ready to play.

All the lollypop games like grand final series (top 5), tests, etc can be played at the end of season. The old days are gone, the number of top players being lost

to injury because of modern demands is affecting chances of teams more and more without the burden of losing players to SOO.

 

[The Engineers Room]

I don't give a damn about the gf final series, as far as I'm concerned first past the post in the regular season is the best team of the year. To each their own.

No matter what part of the league season you like it is imperative that teams have a chance to press their claims. For that reason a way to give everyone, even the money

managers, a fair go is to split the season in two with an intermission.


In the intermission, say a 3 week period, only the SOO is played. All teams have a chance to nurse their injuries and even come up with something to

restart their season if it's going badly. The bottom dwellers like the Sharks wouldn't have to put up with losing their key players who the season is lost without.

The top players may have to play 3 extra games but at least they are given the opportunity to help their club by being fit and ready to play.

All the lollypop games like grand final series (top 5), tests, etc can be played at the end of season. The old days are gone, the number of top players being lost

to injury because of modern demands is affecting chances of teams more and more without the burden of losing players to SOO.

No they are just the most consistent team. I am sick of this idea that just because you win the most games through 26 rounds makes you the best. I think everyone can see in 2009 how a team that was very poor then came good was a better team when it mattered. The Dragons were very consistent but at their best not as good as the Eels or Storm.

 

[Jono1987]

No they are just the most consistent team. I am sick of this idea that just because you win the most games through 26 rounds makes you the best. I think everyone can see in 2009 how a team that was very poor then came good was a better team when it mattered. The Dragons were very consistent but at their best not as good as the Eels or Storm.

That's why the length of the season must be shortened. It was clear we played our best football prior to the finals series. But there is basically little reward for playing good, consistent football throughout an absurdly long regular season.

Less = more.

 

[LeagueXIII]

For the first time ever I agree with something you have written....

I thought I was the only one who was against this meaningless mid season comp idea...

Is anyone going to really care if their teams wins this manufactured, souless four week tourament played in the middle of the season without all the best players who are playing origin?

How can the whole comp shut down for a month in June-July in the middle of the television ratings season?...

What are we going to watch instead? This knockout comp, and wait for it - New Zealand v Samoa!

And we also get Origin played three weeks in row?

No thanks Gus.

When there was a pre-season cup competition, the clubs would play 3 full rounds with the two highest placed clubs meeting in the final. Why couldn't this take place again? It would certainly solve the problem you mentioned.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

That's why the length of the season must be shortened. It was clear we played our best football prior to the finals series. But there is basically little reward for playing good, consistent football throughout an absurdly long regular season.

Less = more.

I agree, less would be better - quality rather than quantity.

Unfortunately football is business. More games equals more people through the gates and more people on couches, even if they are watching poor games or their team lose for the 15th time of the year.

 

[Jono1987]

I agree, less would be better - quality rather than quantity.

Unfortunately football is business. More games equals more people through the gates and more people on couches, even if they are watching poor games or their team lose for the 15th time of the year.

Well the ARLIC will hopefully come up with measures to combat that very problem. Perhaps cutting a game or two every season until you reach the desired number of games? Shorten the regular season and move SoO to after the Finals. Then instead of having a 3 game series, why not increase it to 5? If you shorten the regular season, you have more time to include additional representative matches that should be more lucrative to broadcasters.

 

[POPEYE]

If the Premiership Shield was recognised as it should be instead of calling it the 'Minor Premiership' it would make a whole lot more sense.

Why bother trying to win a comp when 8th place will get you into the lottery to decide the 'best' team.

Why bother to lead the field through 26 gruelling rounds right to the end of the hardest league comp in the world only to get knocked out by having one off day.

If people must give underachievers the chance to steal the glory from the rightful best team of the year make it the best out of three.

After all, what would it prove having one SOO game

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Im curious to see Origin after the Grand Final, but I do fear how it will be received. Mid season has always been Origin time.

Perhaps a one off at the end of year (Sunday arvo PLEASE) to see how it rates?

 

[Jono1987]

Im curious to see Origin after the Grand Final, but I do fear how it will be received. Mid season has always been Origin time.

Perhaps a one off at the end of year (Sunday arvo PLEASE) to see how it rates?

If Origin is the drawcard we all believe it to be, it wouldn't matter when it was played. You could also add a NZ Origin to the mix. Play Aus Origin on Wednesdays and NZ Origin on Saturday nights over in NZ. Both could be 5 match series.

Trials > Regular season > Finals > Origin > Tests

 

[docbrown]

If Origin is the drawcard we all believe it to be, it wouldn't matter when it was played. You could also add a NZ Origin to the mix. Play Aus Origin on Wednesdays and NZ Origin on Saturday nights over in NZ. Both could be 5 match series.

Trials > Regular season > Finals > Origin > Tests

Well in terms of TV broadcasting February, March, October & November aren't as attractive as April to September.

 

[Jono1987]

Well in terms of TV broadcasting February, March, October & November aren't as attractive as April to September.

It's a good thing my Origin would be scheduled around August/September then.

 

[docbrown]

It's a good thing my Origin would be scheduled around August/September then.

Why would it be scheduled then?

 

[Jono1987]

Why would it be scheduled then?

Shortening the regular season to the point where Finals started in July.

Say we start the season in March and have it run until the end of June. Then a couple of weeks after the Finals, Origin would begin. Roughly around mid August.

 

[docbrown]

Shortening the regular season to the point where Finals started in July.

Say we start the season in March and have it run until the end of June. Then a couple of weeks after the Finals, Origin would begin. Roughly around mid August.

Sounds like SupeRugby to me.

There's a good reason why Union is behind NRL and the AFL.

 

[Jono1987]

Sounds like SupeRugby to me.

There's a good reason why Union is behind NRL and the AFL.

If anything I'm copying off the NFL, not Super Rugby. They do okay with minimal club games. Different game, different country I know.

I have never really thought through dates or anything like that. I know that we will never see a shortened regular season (huge shame). We will probably never see Origin played after the Grand Final either.

I just believe there is a much better way to schedule our season while reducing club games so that player welfare is suitably looked after for a change. Moving Origin so that our club game is not affected, and so that the standard does not drop.

 

[docbrown]

If anything I'm copying off the NFL, not Super Rugby. They do okay with minimal club games. Different game, different country I know.

I have never really thought through dates or anything like that. I know that we will never see a shortened regular season (huge shame). We will probably never see Origin played after the Grand Final either.

I just believe there is a much better way to schedule our season while reducing club games so that player welfare is suitably looked after for a change. Moving Origin so that our club game is not affected, and so that the standard does not drop.

NFL isn't competing with three other forms of football and have 32 teams to cover almost all the major media markets.

They're making preparations next year for a potential 8 game season and the financial impact it would have. If you were to cut the NRL season from 24 games back to 15-18 then you'd be taking a hit in both media exposure and finances.

There needs to be a continuity of NRL club games from opening night right through to the grand final, regardless of what form it might take, because ultimately its that tribalism that allows rep matches to even exist.

 

[Dingus]

can't have origin after finals. You would have players waiting around at least five weeks who didn't make the finals which would be pretty silly.