Is there the depth of talent for expansion?

[MarkC]

I think expansion is the way to go.
I don't think there is a significant lack of talent, there are lots of players running around in QLD cup and similar competitions that don't quite make it to NRL level.
Given more opportunity some of these players will come through, the population of the country is growing all the time the main risk is junior players being lost to other sports.
Eventually the talent level of expands to meet the number of clubs, or is at least shared reasonably evenly.
The evenness of the comp so far this year shows there is no lack of talent, once you have reasonably competent coaching at all clubs the standard improves.
Another factor with more clubs is SOO will be drawn from more clubs and have less impact on a single club.
For example I think a 2nd Brisbane club would be good for the Broncos in the long run, sure it is more competition on a number of levels. But it will create a real local derby and intense competition, as well it is another source of SOO players for the QLD team.
I QLD SOO players don't need to be based in QLD, but many prefer to live there and in the past the Broncos have lost a lot of players at SOO time.
I also think an expanded comp will solve an number of other problems and improve the comp in a number of ways.

 

[CC_Roosters]

I think expansion is the way to go.
I don't think there is a significant lack of talent, there are lots of players running around in QLD cup and similar competitions that don't quite make it to NRL level.
Given more opportunity some of these players will come through, the population of the country is growing all the time the main risk is junior players being lost to other sports.
Eventually the talent level of expands to meet the number of clubs, or is at least shared reasonably evenly.
The evenness of the comp so far this year shows there is no lack of talent, once you have reasonably competent coaching at all clubs the standard improves.
Another factor with more clubs is SOO will be drawn from more clubs and have less impact on a single club.
For example I think a 2nd Brisbane club would be good for the Broncos in the long run, sure it is more competition on a number of levels. But it will create a real local derby and intense competition, as well it is another source of SOO players for the QLD team.
I QLD SOO players don't need to be based in QLD, but many prefer to live there and in the past the Broncos have lost a lot of players at SOO time.
I also think an expanded comp will solve an number of other problems and improve the comp in a number of ways.

I agree it gives junior players additional second tier clubs to have a go with and we wont lose so many u20 players once they graduate from NYC or whatever replaces it. Might be a couple of years of increased score margins but the long term benefits are clear.

 

[woodyk2]

Don't worry about depth of talent, worry about depth of crowds.

 

[Perth Red]

Perth will draw 20k in a couple of weeks. A well run Brisbane 2 will draw 20k every home game. Too many teams in a stay rated area combined with poor stadia, high ticket prices, crap Ko times and apathy is the problem, not number of clubs in the nrl.

I'm in Brisbane at mo and would have gone to Suncorp last night, but no game on so went to pub instead.

 

[DC_fan]

Anyone who thinks there is enough depth of talent to cater for another 2 or 4 teams I suggest you take a look at tonight's Tigers v Cowboys game and you will see how wrong you are.

Here we had a game missing just a few origin players and the standard was terrible.

 

[Perth Red]

Playing style and fitness over skill was clearly on show. Take subs down to 6 and speed up the game and there was plenty of exciting talent on display last night to have been a decent game.

 

[ona2001]

Expansion beyond 16 teams at NRL level is something the game can look at in 10-15 years time but IMO not enough developed talent exists at the top level to make this possible without having a tangible effect on week in week out match quality. Sixteen, let alone the 20 we had in 1998, IMO is already a well stretched number necessary to achieve parity with the AFL in the value of broadcast rights. Don't forget that not only do we need sufficient elite players to expand, but elite coaches and administrators to oversee and operate the new teams and business entities. Given how much trouble a number of clubs have had with corporate governance and finances, at present there appears to be little evidence there's a surfeit of talent in the required areas. We never want to see the carnage that occurred after the Super League/ARL merger happen again.

Expansion at the state cup level however, should be encouraged as a part of a wider NRL strategy to consolidate support and junior talent stocks in NSW and Queensland and encourage professional development in periphery RL-supporting markets like PNG. The inclusion of the PNG Hunters in the Queensland Cup has been the one of the best steps forward in the grassroots area of the game for a long time. Inclusion of teams from Darwin, Adelaide and Christchurch/Dunedin for example in the NSW and Queensland state competitions would be an excellent next step toward developing playing numbers and fan support in potential gain regions for the game. Proper investment with the understanding of short term loss for long term gain is all that's needed.

 

[Perth Red]

At the moment the NRL seems to have little idea about what to do top or bottom. I read other week PNG Hunters were in dire financial trouble as they have to pay everyones travel and accommodation (sound familiar?). Our Sg ball set up only continues to exist due to a very generous supporter. They've done a good job getting some DO's into PNG and PI but need to be doing much much more to grow the talent pool.

 

[fourplay]

The talent argument has never made sense since it is all relevent to the viewer anyway, and the u/20's is now a higher standard than the NRL was 15 years ago.

If anything, a higher gap between the most skilled player in the competition and lower skilled would make for a more exciting game by highlighting the top players superior skillsets.

 

[hutch]

There are good team and bad teams in every sporting comp on earth. We should expand to 18 teams in 2018, it's as good a team as ever and regions are crying out for a franchise!

 

[alien]

the nrl must expand or relocate 2 sydney teams

 

[The Charlatan]

Souffs should merge with Easts, play all games in the Eastern Suburbs, and have a small rabbit on the shoulder of the tri-colours jersey.

 

[morley101]

Here is a list of players not yet signed for 2016 as of 14/7/15 that could make a very competitive team.

1 Billy Slater
2 Daniel Toupou
3 Will Hopoate
4 Joey Leilua
5 Sam Perrett
6 Jordan Kahu
7 Chris Sandow
8 Paul Gallen
9 Nathan Friend
10 Ben Hannant
11 Sika Manu
12 Alex Glenn
13 Sam Thaiday
14 Sam Tagatese
15 Matt Prior
16 BeauFalloon
17 Scott Bolton
18 Mitch Cornish
19 Reece Robinson
20 Adam Docker
21 Dunamis Lui
22 Dominique Peyroux
23 Daniel Vidot
24 Justin Horo
25 Ben Ridge

 

[18to87]

Look at teams that have had a streak of injuries this year where they can't win a game. Penrith, manly, storm and dragons come to mind. How does this factor in to the original question?

 

[Perth Red]

There are around 100,000+ kids playing RL in Oz, NZ, PNG and Pi's. If 18 NRL clubs cant produce a mere 450 first graders out of that much jnr talent then the problem lies in not how many clubs there are but what clubs there are.

We just saw a game between arguable the two most talented set of players in the world (NZ aside) yet it was a blow out. If the logic is less teams equals greater talent per team then surely you wouldnt get blow outs or long winning streaks at origin?

If the NRL really thinks this is a problem then it should be working a lot harder in PNG, PI and affiliated states to bring more top talent through at 18. You cant just say there isn't enough talent so lets not expand otherwise the game will never grow any bigger than it is now. We've seen first hand in WA what having a decent system for elite Jnrs can do in generating first grade talent, that's as much about expansion as putting an NRL club into a new area.

 

[morley101]

Look at teams that have had a streak of injuries this year where they can't win a game. Penrith, manly, storm and dragons come to mind. How does this factor in to the original question?

It has always been like that .... Once in a while a team that is missing 6 -7 players can beat another team that is close to full strength. This normally happens about 2/3 through the comp where a bottom team has lost total confidence ( Newcastle and West Tigers 2015).
There are plenty instances where a player that a 5th or 6th choice player in their position within a club get a chance and does very well for a short time.

 

[Perth Red]

WAYNE Bennett fears the ARL Commission will dilute the talent pool by increasing the number of teams for the next TV rights period.

NRL insiders say no decision has been made on the premiership format for the 2018-22 rights period, despite negotiations with networks being well underway.

However, Bennett has warned the league not to be too hasty in expanding their horizons.

“We’re not ready for 17 or 18 teams yet — all it would do I believe is dilute the product,’’ Bennett told The Sunday Mail.

“We have an issue with that (talent pool) right now. What the game needs is to recognise we need more talent.


“If they make the state leagues stronger and put more money into development, in four or five years’ time we could be in a much better position. We could (then) be in a position for 18 teams.

“We have some teams underperforming and we have to make sure the talent is spread around between 16.’’
Cowboys coach Paul Green, however, is confident Brisbane can sustaiin a secon team.

“If you look at it from a business point of view, out of the 16 franchises, there are probably four who are only surviving due to help from the governing body,’’ Green said.

“All of the franchises in the NRL need to be self sufficient.

“(But) from a talent point of view, I think there are enough good players, especially if you are talking about another team in the southeast corner and maybe put a team into New Zealand.

“Four or five years down the track, they will be self-sufficient in developing players.’’

An NRL spokesman said there had been no decision made on two other important pieces of the puzzle of the game’s future — a rookie draft and the Holden Cup (under-20s competition), which is likely to be split into two less resourced, state-based competitions by 2018.

Some NRL clubs are lobbying for an increase in the league’s grant per club, from $10m to $12m, in 2018 out of the projected broadcast deal of at least $1.5 billion.

“A lot of the clubs aren’t making profits so it’s hard for them,’’ Bennett said.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-talent-dilution/story-fni3gv5x-1227475423190

 

[Perth Red]

COWBOYS coach Paul Green is confident there is enough talent in the Intrust Super Cup to form the base of an NRL expansion team.

Green, who worked in the second-tier Queensland competition as recently as 2012, is optimistic that an extra 25 or 50 NRL first-graders could be found for a 17th or 18th team without diminishing the standard of games.

The Walker brothers, Ben and Shane, have long maintained their Ipswich Jets team could beat the lower-ranked European Super League sides most weeks.

A new team could bring back those Super League players and also be able to recruit marquee talent from Rugby union.

“It’s hard to put a number on it but they (players) are definitely there in the ISC,” Green said.

“I brought Ben Spina up last year to give him his debut and he’s played some good games for us, fitted straight in.

“You need to have those guys, who are 25 or 26, because your back-up players can’t always been young players who aren’t quite there yet, unless they are budding superstars.

“It’s the tradesman-like players who just need an opportunity, most of the ISC clubs have those running around.
“If we had the money to take a more ruthless approach, with two new teams the clubs could buy a couple of the best English guys each.

“Blake Green is a bloke who’s done well (for Melbourne) when he came back from England. Todd Carney (Catalan) is elite level.”

Central Queensland bid team boss Geoff Murphy pointed out that five players from the region were in the recent Broncos-Storm game.

“I don’t think we’d have a drastic drop in standard (with extra teams). Just look at what Jake Granville has done at the Cowboys with a chance,’’ he said.

http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/nr...n-queensland-cup/story-fniablzd-1227475470270

 

[adamkungl]

No surprise to see self interest from Bennett. Broncos monopoly would be threatened once again..

There is easily enough talent. Aussies playing overseas, PNG, state leagues, and actual growth all can contribute. Poaching 1 player from each side wouldn't make a jot of difference in the overall quality either.

 

[Edwahu]

I don't see how diluting it a bit more would have much of an impact when over half the clubs have it permanently diluted by the current system.

Sure some lower and middle of the road clubs might win a couple less games but it's not like they are really competitive outside one or two fluke seasons a decade. Their fans are rusted on anyway.

You can be sure the clubs like the Broncos, Roosters and Dogs will continue to have equally strong rosters regardless.