Neville Smith pushing for a Champions League involving 8 teams from the NRL and SL

[betcats]

I really think that essentially ignoring the Super League for 11 and 1/2 months of the year we lose a huge promotional opportunity for the code. If you are able to grow international interest and prestige within the code, you grow internal (both in ANZ and Europe) interest vicariously.

Who would care about AFL playing in Western Sydney when you have a meaningful international game both at club and test level? It would make the AFL look like the tiny but loud disaster it is and give a hell of a lot more interest intothe overall investment in following your club.

The SL is a credible, fully professional league played under an almost identical system with identical rules and a reasonably numerous core of dedicated, fanatical supporters. Its almost laughable that the NRL and SL don't pool their resources and that there isnt some kind of regular, meaningful tournament between the NRL and SL heavyweights. Now that the quality of the English game has seemingly risen in the last 10 years, the more teams in this tournament the better. And there seems to be a rising interest from within too. St Merge were the first team to trumpet the "world champs" tag with some genuine pride. Warrington are out here to play Souffs and Souffs played Leeds in the states a couple of years ago.

It wont get off the ground because as Sean says, we have become so NRL centric it is astonishing, but I'm just glad that its being mooted. I would be very happy to see my boys run around early against some different opposition than the same old year in year out.

Can you really see it fitting in to the current schedule?

 

[newman]

To add to this, while I would love to see a proper multi team tournament, I think a HUGE step in the right direction would be to play the WCC within shouting distance of the respective Grand-finals and alternate it between hemispheres.

 

[newman]

Can you really see it fitting in to the current schedule?

No. Obviously there would need to be changes to both the NRL and SL schedules.

 

[firechild]

One thing to note is it would HAVE to be the 4 prelimiary finalists and not the top 4. It is possible (it hasn't happened under the top 8 system but has happened previously) that a team from outside the top 4 wins the premiership and it would be absurd to have a WCC tournament that did not involve the NRL premiers. Having said that, the MP should also be there so maybe a system would have to be developed to handle this in the unlikely event the MP does not make the prelim?

 

[dangerousdave]

One thing to note is it would HAVE to be the 4 prelimiary finalists and not the top 4. It is possible (it hasn't happened under the top 8 system but has happened previously) that a team from outside the top 4 wins the premiership and it would be absurd to have a WCC tournament that did not involve the NRL premiers. Having said that, the MP should also be there so maybe a system would have to be developed to handle this in the unlikely event the MP does not make the prelim?

2 Grandfinalists plus the 2 highest ranked teams for the regular season who didnt make it

 

[newman]

No point quibbling over the make up of the tournament until they treat the WCC with the respect it deserves.

 

[Dragon_Taylor6]

If this was to happen I would like it to be the top 4 teams from the season. However, if the grand final winner is from outside the top 4 they will get a spot and team 4 drops out.

 

[RL1908]

I really think that essentially ignoring the Super League for 11 and 1/2 months of the year we lose a huge promotional opportunity for the code. If you are able to grow international interest and prestige within the code, you grow internal (both in ANZ and Europe) interest vicariously.

Who would care about AFL playing in Western Sydney when you have a meaningful international game both at club and test level? It would make the AFL look like the tiny but loud disaster it is and give a hell of a lot more interest intothe overall investment in following your club (Imagine seeing your club get to play from a possible 14 or whatever it is other teams and venues, rather than the usual suspects!)

The SL is a credible, fully professional league played under an almost identical system with identical rules and a reasonably numerous core of dedicated, fanatical supporters. Its almost laughable that the NRL and SL don't pool their resources and that there isnt some kind of regular, meaningful tournament between the NRL and SL heavyweights. Now that the quality of the English game has seemingly risen in the last 10 years, the more teams in this tournament the better. And there seems to be a rising interest from within too. St Merge were the first team to trumpet the "world champs" tag with some genuine pride. Warrington are out here to play Souffs and Souffs played Leeds in the states a couple of years ago.

It wont get off the ground because as Sean says, we have become so NRL centric it is astonishing, but I'm just glad that its being mooted. I would be very happy to see my boys run around early against some different opposition than the same old year in year out.

I think you're about right with mush of that. Eventually RL will connect its two heartlands - the same as the Sydney & Brisbane joined into one - it is only a question of time, distance & expense vs profitability.

If I was to speculate (for what that's worth I dunno!) I don't forsee the two hooking up for an end of season club tournament, but for something that goes from Feb to early May, and has teams representing:
Sydney x2
Newcastle
Canberra
Brisbane x 2
Melbourne
NZ
Perth
Yorkshire x2
Lancashire x2
London
France x2
Another UK/European team
Run it akin to the touring manner of Super 12/14 teams.

From May to early Oct is return to RL's core heartlands.

In England there is traditional comp with teams solely from Yorkshire, Lancashire & Cumbria.

In Aust there is a comp with just NSW, QLD & ACT clubs - play each other once, semi-finals, ending with a traditional Oct long weekend grand final:
Easts
Souths
St George
Manly
Brisbane
Gold Coast
Canterbury
Parramatta
Newcastle
Penrith
Cronulla
Balmain
Wests
Norths/Gosford
Nth Qld
Canberra
Illawarra

Origin is played on Wed nights 2 weeks apart in late June into July. Have 4Ns or similar in mid Oct to Nov.

No doubt there's a million holes that can be shot through that, but I reckon it could be done. The players have separate contracts for each competition.

 

[newman]

I dunno about a shift that far happening, but I like your innovative thinking.

You are the history buff Sean, apart from the WCC and the SL version have there been any tournaments throughout the ages that link Australian and British club league?

 

[RL1908]

I dunno about a shift that far happening, but I like your innovative thinking.

You are the history buff Sean, apart from the WCC and the SL version have there been any tournaments throughout the ages that link Australian and British club league?

No. St Helens came to Aust in 1976, and Harry Sunderland came very close to getting a Wigan team here in the late 1930s, but that's about it.

 

[newman]

No. St Helens came to Aust in 1976, and Harry Sunderland came very close to getting a Wigan team here in the late 1930s, but that's about it

Madness.

 

[the rebel]

For the NRL, I would add two further teams from out of Sydney.
Have two conferences one for the current 9 Sydney teams and another conference for the out of Sydney teams ( with two new franchises). Each team plays the other teams in their conference twice which means there will be more regular derby matches and one game against the teams in the other conference. This would equate to 24 regular season matches.

 

[Perth Red]

Another option would be for the NRL to also run a Challenge Cup knock out comp (even as a televise pre season comp?) with the winners of it playing the winners of the UK one at Wembley every year. Then make the WCC a legit game at the season end played in oz and you have two meaningful inter comp International club games in each hemisphere

 

[Perth Red]

For the NRL, I would add two further teams from out of Sydney.
Have two conferences one for the current 9 Sydney teams and another conference for the out of Sydney teams ( with two new franchises). Each team plays the other teams in their conference twice which means there will be more regular derby matches and one game against the teams in the other conference. This would equate to 24 regular season matches.

How would that go with FTA TV who like to feature NSW clubs?

 

[the rebel]

How would that go with FTA TV who like to feature NSW clubs?

Under my proposal, games each week would be mixture of local derbies and cross conference matches. I wouldn't structure the season whereby the local derby matches home and away are played first followed by the another round against teams from the other conference. I am merely suggesting that teams within the Sydney area would play each other twice and teams out of Sydney would play each other twice. As a Warriors supporter, the matches against Brisbane and Melbourne are always billed as big matches over in NZ. It would be great to ensure we have two of matches against those two teams every year.

 

[siv]

One important point he makes is that the WCC needs to have the "existing squads" playing

But a 2 x 4 team round robin will mean a 6 week comp

You cannot do that without destroying international football

Better to play the WCC in the 3rd week of Oct around 2 weeks after each GF

Best of ESL v best of ARL

Once NZRL, PNGRL, FRL, USARL get good enough we can expand it to 3 or 4 teams

 

[LeagueXIII]

I think playing these games under 4 quarter football, as was the case under the old midweek cup tournament, would even the field alot more.

I like the idea of a KO tournament as Perth Red mentioned.

 

[Billythekid]

I'd much rather them just extend the WCC and concentrate on improving the International scene.

 

[Loudstrat]

Why cant we leave it as it is and tell this wannabe Pom from the slums of BROOKVALE TO F*CK OFF?

 

[LeedsStorm]

Nothing wrong with blue-sky thinking in my opinion. It makes league quite innovative with regard to rule changes video refs etc, that union and soccer have less conviction to go thru with. However, it would likely be the ESL that would have the most trouble implementing this proposal. It's a great idea that would undoubtedly promote the game, but English teams already play way more games than NRL teams (the leeds captain Sinfield played 42 games last season). And this is in a league where not all teams can spend their salary cap due to lack of income. So without huge investment, clubs aren't going to vote for a shortened season so that the bigger clubs can have their party in the limelight.