New NSW Second division plan "Platinum League"

[betcats]

There is going to be a lot of 16 yr old kids playing professional Rugby Union then... I'd forgotten how flushed with money they are...

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...ml?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook




Tl;dr - the NRL plans to revamp the NSW Cup into a regional league with no specific clubs represented.

So many things wrong with this. Gus Gould is on the warpath on twitter about it and I'd expect articles to hit soon.

1) What's the point? It's not even a national reserve grade - it's just a rejigged NSW cup. Further reach could be achieved by the NSW Cup just by accepting new team entries. Without....

2) Damaging development pathways. Clubs will lose control over their youth and backup players. Players from different clubs will be playing together in reserve grade for no benefit. Clubs will lose incentive to invest in youth, providing scholarships and opportunities.

3) Seriously though what's the point?

4) Increasing NRL squads by 5 (good) but increasing the cap by $150k (geniused). This is in effect decreasing the cap by 250k, since the minimum wage is 80k.

5) No consultation with the clubs who currently handle all development work (the NRL does *nothing*) is ridiculously unprofessional.

6) Another step towards clubs having no local identity - not long before they exist purely as professional franchises with no connection to their birthplace except in name. I know this works in US Pro Sports but it isn't the way it's done here and it isn't the only correct way to run a sport.

They are clearly trying to move towards a NRL run development pathway with NSW as the first trial, I'd guess culminating in a draft. Not long until the QLD Cup is on the chopping block and they won't get a say in it either, but presumably they'll put up a fight.

The NRL has zero experience in developing players and are taking this away from clubs who've been doing it for 40 60 or 100 years.

They might have their finances in order under the ARLC for the first time ever but their decision making process around the game itself is catastrophic. The ARLC, Todd Greenberg, Shane Richardson, are a trainwreck.

When you create a role like "head of strategy and development" and hire a profile figure(within RL circles atleast) then you have to change something, not just something small it has to be a complete "restructure' or s new "strategic alignment"....how else do you justify spending money on a new role with a high profile recruit?

 

[East Coast Tiger]

But its been happening for decades already you goose!

Union can offer kids scholarships to some of the best schools in Sydney and Brisbane....

A lot take them up and play, and then go and play League for the money when their school days are over...

Completely f**king spurious and nothing to do with the point at hand.

This plan WILL effectively force MORE kids to play other sports. The kid won't even really have a choice at 16 because NRL clubs CANNOT sign them. If you can't understand why this is an issue, you have massive problems.

 

[Perth Red]

Its leading to a draft, its the only reason you wouldn't allow kids at 16-17 to sign. Otherwise what is the advantage of not having them sign up?

I can see the ARLC offering the RLPA a significant salary cap increase in the new deal if they agree to a draft. Players just want more money so they will agree to it.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

If they bring in a draft they need shooting. Sacking will no longer be good enough.

 

[Perth Red]

Plenty of positives about a draft, especially if the game ever does move beyond its heartlands.

 

[BuffaloRules]

Completely f**king spurious and nothing to do with the point at hand.

This plan WILL effectively force MORE kids to play other sports. The kid won't even really have a choice at 16 because NRL clubs CANNOT sign them. If you can't understand why this is an issue, you have massive problems.

You are the biggest f**king doom and gloom merchant I have ever seen on these boards....( and that is saying a lot in the past 12 years)

As has been said repeatedly on the thread, how about we all wait for the full details before jumping off the gap...

 

[East Coast Tiger]

A draft will ensure clubs have no incentive to develop local players and will make the nrl even more of a closed shop for players outside the traditional pathways. I dont know why a perth fan would want this. It means any future perth team wont even be able to keep wa players.

It doesnt matter anyway because theyll be playing union or afl by then anyway.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

You are the biggest f**king doom and gloom merchant I have ever seen on these boards....( and that is saying a lot in the past 12 years)

As has been said repeatedly on the thread, how about we all wait for the full details before jumping off the gap...

You haven't waited for details before commenting.

It seems it's okay to post pure conjecture and assumption as long as you've got a hard on for whatever nonsense they're pushing.

 

[POPEYE]

Hallelujah . . . the best thing to happen to the game in years

 

[TheDalek079]

Brilliant idea! Just what the game needs

 

[Perth Red]

A draft will ensure clubs have no incentive to develop local players and will make the nrl even more of a closed shop for players outside the traditional pathways. I dont know why a perth fan would want this. It means any future perth team wont even be able to keep wa players.

It doesnt matter anyway because theyll be playing union or afl by then anyway.

It shouldn't be up to the NRL clubs to develop Jnr players, the NRL should be responsible for that along with whichever leagues clubs want to justify their existence. I don't have a problem with WA jnrs playing for east coast teams if the NRL is paying for those jnrs development. The days of cheering on a "local"side are long gone in professional sport.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

It shouldn't be up to the NRL clubs to develop Jnr players, the NRL should be responsible for that along with whichever leagues clubs want to justify their existence. I don't have a problem with WA jnrs playing for east coast teams if the NRL is paying for those jnrs development. The days of cheering on a "local"side are long gone in professional sport.

What? That's nonsense. The NRL is already responsible for development but clubs are involved. If they're not that's a massive resource being unused. And as for people not wanting local players in their team, that's bullshit. Bred not bought ring a bell?

 

[Mr Angry]

Can someone tell me how the VFL draft provides a level playing field?

Same teams make the finals, it is the easiest game in the world to tip as there are about 5 games all year that might go either way...the other 400 the favorite wins.

I do not favor a draft one bit.

As for the splitting up of NSW, seems bizarre at first....need more details.

 

[Ourimbah Magpies]

I think its good players can't sign contracts until later. I am more for players in Harold Matts and S.G.Ball to all stay in their respective areas. If players haven't been chosen for their respective areas as first choice then they may move to other areas. There is to much pressure on young players to succeed and this is why the suicide rates are up.
The Matts and Ball competitions are supposed to be all about development, with only 9 rounds played teams with much easier draws can qualify for the semi finals.
In my opinion if you play in the Manly competition you play for Manly, if you play in the Penrith competition you play for Penrith, if you play in the Newcastle competition you play for Newcastle etc, etc, "simple as that".

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

All that work for what? It sounds like a retraction, not expansion. It looks like a cost cutting measure, but then the NRL cap is increasing to compensate anyway.

Parramatta, Penrith, and Manly etc. will have their own 2nd tier regional feeder team.. but Bulldogs, St George, and Cronulla all share a team?

If this format was already in place, what's to stop a situation like this from happening?:
-

11 regions was no doubt to parallel the 11 NRL teams...

New England (North Coast)
Hunter > Knights
Central and Far West
Canberra ? South West > Raiders
Illawarra ? South Coast > Dragons
Central Sydney > Bulldogs (probably) or Rabbits
Canterbury-Bankstown, St George & Sutherland > Shark (assuming the above is correct)
Northern Beaches ? Central Coast > Sea eagles
Liverpool- Macarthur > Tigers
Parramatta > Eels
Penrith. > Panthers

New England and West NSW are the two difficult ones. I would assume Easts and Bulldog/Rabbits would be the sides to contribute players.

That or they will just have no NRL players and some teams doubt up...

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

I love that the ARLC is looking to take over junior development...

When left to the clubs, the ad hoc approach has areas of overlap and areas missed entirely. This means no area is left unattended.

Phil Gould AM ‏@Gus10Gould 2h2 hours ago Phil Gould AM Retweeted Sean O'Sullivan
Club like Roosters can't survive long term under this proposal
Phil Gould AM added,

A) why would they not survive?? the ARLC is taking the burden AWAY from the clubs...

B) I really dont trust Gus's opinion in this. He'd rather his team got an advantage than the game got ahead for once.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Good ideas on the restriction on youth contracts and also on the squad size to 30. I do also agree in principle that the nsw cup should be about the whole state and not just a reserve comp for the nswrl sydney clubs.

But the makeup of the teams mentioned just doesnt look or sound right and i think the final solution should and will embrace existing brands. The article does seem intent on stirring controvesy so i wont judge it until the review is public.

Id rather they didnt take on the NRL brands...

This is obviously an attempt to create a College Football-style development league, independent of the NRL. Taking on the names of the NRL clubs just presents them as shitty, cutprice versions of the original.

This comp can be that community oriented, amature/semi-pro league we all get so nostalgic about. And this could be developed into that National Reserve grade some of you keep demanding (just with unique brands)

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

I like the idea... maybe they should also try and do the same in NZ

Im sure they will...

This seems like a trial run for a temple they intend to make national.

i would rather they had this comp as the 3rd grade comp (ron massey cup) and for the 2nd grade/reserve grade comp, they just had the nrl clubs

For what purpose??

I have never understood the value of a national reserve grade. It just seems like a low quality version of the NRL.

This "Platinum League thing" (while still offering the same development opportunities) can offer a more community based and oriented League; as the NRL moves to the central stadiums, this becomes the Suburban League reminicant of the 1970 NSWRL.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

The two contreversual ones are

Northern Beaches / Central Coast
Canterbury / Cronulla

Sorry dont support their mergers ar junior level

But like the idea of NSWRL and CRL being merged

Like the idea of Western Division and North Coast being added

Why??

The ARLC is obviously looking to devolve and reform these archaic bureaucracies to make them more efficient and more effective.

Do you prefer to keep these weird old rivalries going...

 

[siv]

Why??

The ARLC is obviously looking to devolve and reform these archaic bureaucracies to make them more efficient and more effective.

Do you prefer to keep these weird old rivalries going...

Ever tried to travel from the CC to Manly - they are two seperate regions

In today modern age I cant see the need for a NSW-CRL

NRL has taken over the old Sydney-NSWRL responsibility.

So we can bring NSW into line with all other states and have a single state body