NRL got it wrong

[Timmah]

One Western Sydney WNRL team that all fans can support makes a lot of sense. There aren't enough players to have all of the Western Sydney teams in and none of them actually want in.
What, are we really going to have 9 WNRL teams in Sydney? That is the stupidest idea ever, when you consider everyone thinks 9 is too many mens teams.

The NRLW will likely expand season by season - I'd think that the idea is eventually to replicate the men's competition and have full seasons running side by side or at least fairly extensively compared to this year - as such it would make sense that most of the clubs would have a team.

While it might make sense to you to create some new random team because of the super evil western Sydney NRL clubs, reality suggests its not going to happen.

You're also going on the ridiculous assumption that the player pool won't grow with time. We're not talking about next year, we're talking about longer term growth of the women's game.

 

[T-Boon]

You're also going on the ridiculous assumption that the player pool won't grow with time. We're not talking about next year, we're talking about longer term growth of the women's game.

If we were starting the mens competition from scratch we would not be including 9 Sydney teams. Why make that mistake with the womens. 3 or 4 Sydney teams is enough.

 

[siv]

So he actually got it right, because neither club was willing to finance it themselves? Righto.

You made a assumption here

They dug their heels in saying W-NRL should get a better grant from the NRL

Neither club said they weren't prepared to fund any shortfalls

 

[Timmah]

If we were starting the mens competition from scratch we would not be including 9 Sydney teams. Why make that mistake with the womens. 3 or 4 Sydney teams is enough.

I'm not saying I know for sure what will happen, but I am fairly confident they won't invent a Western Sydney team for NRLW when there are already 4 that exist.

 

[Timmah]

You made a assumption here

They dug their heels in saying W-NRL should get a better grant from the NRL

Neither club said they weren't prepared to fund any shortfalls

That seems at odds with what @kbw said tbh.

Also, folks, it's NRLW.

WNRL is generally wheelchair rugby league

 

[kbw]

You made a assumption here

They dug their heels in saying W-NRL should get a better grant from the NRL

Neither club said they weren't prepared to fund any shortfalls

The 4 clubs that were granted the licenses also acknowledge the grant was poor but no way was the NRL going to give a grant of several hundred thousand to cover the whole cost. Neither Souths nor Cronulla were willing to put their money where their mouths are.

It was just not about relocation and player salaries, it was about a commitment to development and promotion. There were 9 criteria that had to be met, neither Souths nor Cronulla could meet those criteria infact South failed miserably in 6.
Souths have also showed their committment to women's RL by canning their Tarsha Gale side

 

[siv]

I think you will find if Souths and Cronulla didnt want to fork out the extra moment they would have withdrawn from the process

Which they didn't

Criteria as in 1999 was flawed

Or how it was applied

 

[Timmah]

"It wasn't my team failing to meet the criteria, it was the criteria's fault" LOL

 

[Perth Red]

It would be nice to think they could use the nrlw to help spread the game rather than just tie options to existing nrl clubs and once again limiit the footprint of the game.

As said if you were starting the game again you would aim for a different club spread than we have now so why not do it with the women’s game?

It would be funny if we had a snr WCPirates female nrl team before a male one!

In the mean time good luck to the ladies in the nrlwa ladies GF on Saturday.

 

[kbw]

I think you will find if Souths and Cronulla didnt want to fork out the extra moment they would have withdrawn from the process

Which they didn't

Criteria as in 1999 was flawed

Or how it was applied

Actually it was a case of the 2 clubs thinking they were the most deserving clubs and should be automatically given licenses so we are not going to put much effort into our bids.
Illawarra and other clubs not bidding have done more than Cronulla and Souths for worsens RL, so they were full of themselves.

To put it bluntly they wanted to run their teams from the NSW ISP cup, (well the sharks did not have one but they were just going to use the Crounlla Carringbah side. At least I guess souths hijacked RABs side beofre the bid. They didn't even want to pay the players expecting them to play for the love of it The RLPA negotiated a minimum pay for for the elite players and the free agents.

They were disgraceful and unless they change their attitudes they will not be granted licenses anytime in the future.

You can believe me or not but I got this information from a family member involved in the bid process on the NRL side. No I will not name names

 

[Eion]

Actually it was a case of the 2 clubs thinking they were the most deserving clubs and should be automatically given licenses so we are not going to put much effort into our bids.
Illawarra and other clubs not bidding have done more than Cronulla and Souths for worsens RL, so they were full of themselves.

To put it bluntly they wanted to run their teams from the NSW ISP cup, (well the sharks did not have one but they were just going to use the Crounlla Carringbah side. At least I guess souths hijacked RABs side beofre the bid. They didn't even want to pay the players expecting them to play for the love of it The RLPA negotiated a minimum pay for for the elite players and the free agents.

They were disgraceful and unless they change their attitudes they will not be granted licenses anytime in the future.

You can believe me or not but I got this information from a family member involved in the bid process on the NRL side. No I will not name names

The only reason ever given for the 4 teams has been ‘geographical’. If you can find another reason elsewhere I’d be happy to read it.

You say the sharks wouldn’t have paid their women, but they paid players before this comp was even started.

This was classic nrl ineptitude....or worse.

And where is their ‘vision’ for the future. Are they expanding next year?

The women deserve better.

 

[Timmah]

The only reason ever given for the 4 teams has been ‘geographical’. If you can find another reason elsewhere I’d be happy to read it.

You say the sharks wouldn’t have paid their women, but they paid players before this comp was even started.

This was classic nrl ineptitude....or worse.

And where is their ‘vision’ for the future. Are they expanding next year?

The women deserve better.

This is some ludicrous deliberate pessimism. Chances are they'll review this season before deciding the next one.

It's also fairly evident they opted for four teams in the first season so they weren't stretching the player pool. It's all well and good to say we could've had six teams but if two of them got flogged for five straight weeks the whole thing would be called into question by as many detractors as possible.

So far it's been fairly successful IMO

 

[kbw]

Well I got it wrong not the NRL, with the comp still live it makes for an exciting weekend coming up.

]
You say the sharks wouldn’t have paid their women, but they paid players before this comp was even started.
.

when and who ?
I know there were very few players paid to play in the ISP and those payments were very small nothing like the min $5000 . Some were contracted players for Australia but not paid by clubs.

 

[Eion]

Well I got it wrong not the NRL, with the comp still live it makes for an exciting weekend coming up.




when and who ?
I know there were very few players paid to play in the ISP and those payments were very small nothing like the min $5000 . Some were contracted players for Australia but not paid by clubs.

When and who? Sims was the first contracted woman player to a club. The sharks. I don’t know how many were contracted, but it was a few and included Allana Ferguson as another example.

This was in 2017. When the NRL said they wouldn’t consider a woman’s comp until 2020. They had their hand forced by the sharks and the afl...they were getting embarrassed.

 

[Eion]

This is some ludicrous deliberate pessimism. Chances are they'll review this season before deciding the next one.

It's also fairly evident they opted for four teams in the first season so they weren't stretching the player pool. It's all well and good to say we could've had six teams but if two of them got flogged for five straight weeks the whole thing would be called into question by as many detractors as possible.

So far it's been fairly successful IMO

Well if they can get together a very high quality 2 SOO and NZ side that’s already 3 sides chock full of excellent players. Even if the rest to select from are duds...which is not the case... it is not a stretch at all to think 6 sides half full of reps players would be a decent spectacle. Broncos still managed to flog roosters.

Be nice for the nrl to get in the front foot and say they are expanding to 6 as soon as possible to take advantage of the excitement.

 

[kbw]

When and who? Sims was the first contracted woman player to a club. The sharks. I don’t know how many were contracted, but it was a few and included Allana Ferguson as another example.

This was in 2017. When the NRL said they wouldn’t consider a woman’s comp until 2020. They had their hand forced by the sharks and the afl...they were getting embarrassed.

you are correct in terms of Ruan I thought she was contracted to Cronulla Carringbah but it was the Sharks. Not sure how that worked as she never played for them (the Cronulla sharks that is)
Thats great thing even as just a PR exercise

 

[Eion]

you are correct in terms of Ruan I thought she was contracted to Cronulla Carringbah but it was the Sharks. Not sure how that worked as she never played for them (the Cronulla sharks that is)
Thats great thing even as just a PR exercise

Fergo also definitely was. If you want to hear directly what she said about it all (and the undeniable support the sharks played for the women’s game) I suggest you have a listen to the recent Betoota Advocate podcast featuring her. About 30 mins in. Quite interesting actually, she’s a league tragic.

 

[Timmah]

Well if they can get together a very high quality 2 SOO and NZ side that’s already 3 sides chock full of excellent players. Even if the rest to select from are duds...which is not the case... it is not a stretch at all to think 6 sides half full of reps players would be a decent spectacle. Broncos still managed to flog roosters.

Be nice for the nrl to get in the front foot and say they are expanding to 6 as soon as possible to take advantage of the excitement.

That's my point though, if it had been straight to 6 this season we may have seen only 1 competitive game out of the (presumably) 15 played. Instead we've got 6 games with only one being what you'd say was lopsided (hopefully both competitive this weekend).

I think a conservative approach to this comp is much smarter than the AFLW - it got headlines in its inaugural season but the bottom couple of teams were garbage and by season two there were serious questions over quality and rules.

 

[Eion]

That's my point though, if it had been straight to 6 this season we may have seen only 1 competitive game out of the (presumably) 15 played. Instead we've got 6 games with only one being what you'd say was lopsided (hopefully both competitive this weekend).

I think a conservative approach to this comp is much smarter than the AFLW - it got headlines in its inaugural season but the bottom couple of teams were garbage and by season two there were serious questions over quality and rules.

Fair enough but I disagree. I think rugby league translates much better on tv than afl. For some reason with wafl it seems the inherent scrappiness of the game and low scores are also amplified with the women. Conversely, the skills are showcased in wrl.

I think there is enough talent for 6 sides and the nrl missed a trick to lead rather than follow the afl. They have also alienated 2 sides, 2 lots of passionate administration and 2 lots of fans in Souths and sharks.

I’m sure those bridges will be mended in time, but its a major stuff up to me and is sad it could have been much better from the get go.

 

[siv]

you are correct in terms of Ruan I thought she was contracted to Cronulla Carringbah but it was the Sharks. Not sure how that worked as she never played for them (the Cronulla sharks that is)
Thats great thing even as just a PR exercise

Souths and Cronulla Sharks had already played a womens game in 2017 in their build up for 2018