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The NRL is set to emulate football’s English Premier League by introducing a new, FA Cup-style tournament as part of a radical plan behind the push for a national reserve-grade competition.
Sport Confidential can reveal the code’s wish for an NRL reserve grade is officially dead – but another bold proposal has been tabled to strengthen rugby league’s second tier.
Key stakeholders are in talks to create an additional second-tier tournament in which teams from the Queensland and NSW Cups would square off in a “crossover” competition.
It would also allow reserve-grade outfits from the Broncos, Titans and Cowboys to take part against NSW Cup teams such as Penrith, the Bulldogs and Newcastle, giving NRL brands more representation in the second tier.
The Broncos would field a team in the proposed knockout tournament.
The Queensland and NSW Cup competitions will still exist in their current format.
But this additional league will see approximately 30 teams – comprising the two state leagues plus the Broncos, Titans, Cowboys and a new Toowoomba side – going toe-to-toe in a cross-border bonanza.
Several formats and names are still being discussed. One suggested name is the Challenge Cup.
In UK football, 124 teams participate in the famous FA Cup knockout tournament, while English rugby league has the Challenge Cup, which had 63 entrants last year.
QRL chairman Bruce Hatcher confirmed the original NRL reserve-grade concept has been scrapped as bosses explore other options – including an Australian version of the Challenge Cup.
The Bears are a powerful NSW Cup side.
“We need to refine the concept a little more, but we have proposed an FA or Challenge Cup competition where the Queensland and NSW Cup teams can crossover to play each other,” he said.
“There is not a great appetite among the 16 NRL clubs for a national reserve grade, but this can be a successful alternative.
“The Queensland and NSW Cups will have their existing competitions and this Challenge Cup competition could be played as a separate knockout league or over seven or eight rounds leading to a grand final.
“By having a Challenge Cup competition, that would enable the Broncos, Cowboys and Titans to field reserve-grade teams.
Wynum-Manly would presumably have to compete without their Broncos aligned players
“You could have the Broncos reserve-grade side playing against the Newtown Jets in the Challenge Cup which would be great to see.
“It’s quite an exciting proposal and a very good alternative to the NRL reserve-grade model.”
Hatcher said the NRL’s most influential administrators are committed to ensuring the proposed new competition is not killed off after one season.
“It’s possible a Challenge Cup league could come in next year, but it’s more likely to be in 2024,” he said.
“When it’s done, we would look at a five-year arrangement to test the format and iron-out any issues that are raised along the way.
“This proposal is in the greater interests of rugby league.”
