NRL split into divisions

[stormbati]

If the Nrl were split into divisions.... (Long off-season)

Conference 1

Division 1

Canberra
Melbourne
Warriors
Roosters

Division 2

Broncos
Cowboys
Titans
Knights

Conference 2

Division 3

Manly
Dragons
Sharks
Rabbitohs

Division 4

Panthers
Eels
Bulldogs
Tigers

Division winners guaranteed home final, then 2 more wild card teams (next highest overall) from conference

So last years finals would have looked like this

Warriors v Roosters
Titans v Raiders

Dragons v Manly
Panther v Tigers

So all 8 teams would've made it anyway. The only problem is the final series and how the week off works.
I'm not saying its a better system, just another thread to waste a few minutes on.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

I dunno. Where's Pittsburgh and the Redskins?

 

[stormbati]

Lol, I've been watching too much NFL

 

[Loudstrat]

They tried a conferece style system back in1991 I think. They had pools where you played your pool team twice and the rest once from memory.......

 

[Eels Dude]

Been suggested before stacks of times. It might have worked this year. But such a system certainly wouldn't every year. More often than not you'd have sides making the finals who've won less games than teams that missed out.

 

[Von]

I HATE conferences. What I love about our comp is every team plays all others and they all fight for the playoffs. Conferences allows the top team from a weak division to get in, when that team may not be as good as a 2nd or 3rd placed team in a stronger division. Don't like it mate.

Super 15 is doing that this season...3 conferences, Aus, NZ, SA. Just another crap idea from Rugby Yawnion.

 

[Perth Red]

20 team comp all playing each other once with an extended meaningful Int season would be my ideal.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

20 team comp all playing each other once with an extended meaningful Int season would be my ideal.

I do love teams playing each other twice.

It gives you half a season of grudge matches. Good clean fun.

 

[LeagueXIII]

By having conferences we can expand the game to 24 teams.

 

[muzby]

no.

no.

no.

no.


it's not th usa.. we don't need conferences... we don't have the population, the playing base or the tv smarts to be able to support it..

hell, whilst we're at it, lets abandon cricket for baseball (allthough at the moment, couldn't really do any worse..)

 

[joshreading]

Conferences are inevitable if the comp is to continue with a strong Sydney distinction and strong national presence.

This comp will be forced back to 20 teams at some point in the future. Home and away conferences are the best option whilst playing each in the other conference once. Geographical conferences are also the best option as they maintain natural rivalries.

A Sydney centred conference (messenger) and a 'National' (really international) conference are the best options. Each can play home and away for a conference shield (another thing to play for adding incentive and focus for teams/fans and media) Then they would play the other conference once. For Sydney fans it would increase the tribalism as they can see their team in Sydney (or near) for the first portion of the season every week. For One City sides they get the Big City rivalries many have sought.

Each conference can then also have extra sponsors due to a new distinction thus adding more money to the competition.

The top teams (8 - 10) go through to the finals.

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

The qualification criteria for the NFL play offs are a joke. No thanks.

For me (considering 16 teams) the best way to structure the season is two "conferences" (for lack of a better word). Play everyone in your conference home and away, and the 8 teams in the other conference once. 22 games for every club. Origin as stand alone for three weeks in the middle of the year, which still gives us one less week in the season than is currently required. Same qualification as now for the play offs. Top 8.

Either that, or play the 22 weeks, then finals, then Origin on three staright weekends, then Internationals. You;d end up still finishing in November though and thats too long a season for mine.

 

[joshreading]

It also introduces the 'possibility' of a new rep systems by having 'All Star' sides from each conference.

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Conferences are inevitable if the comp is to continue with a strong Sydney distinction and strong national presence.

This comp will be forced back to 20 teams at some point in the future. Home and away conferences are the best option whilst playing each in the other conference once. Geographical conferences are also the best option as they maintain natural rivalries.

A Sydney centred conference (messenger) and a 'National' (really international) conference are the best options. Each can play home and away for a conference shield (another thing to play for adding incentive and focus for teams/fans and media) Then they would play the other conference once. For Sydney fans it would increase the tribalism as they can see their team in Sydney (or near) for the first portion of the season every week. For One City sides they get the Big City rivalries many have sought.

Each conference can then also have extra sponsors due to a new distinction thus adding more money to the competition.

The top teams (8 - 10) go through to the finals.

Perfect mate. Thats my thoughts exactly. Sydney teams play each other home and away.

 

[LineBall]

Everyone suggesting a setup which results in a Sydney teams in one conference and other teams in another conference, fails to grasp the inequality in the travel demands on the teams not in the sydney conference.

If we want to be a truly national game, we need to abandon the idea of sydney in one corner and everybody else in the other.

 

[muzby]

Everyone suggesting a setup which results in a Sydney teams in one conference and other teams in another conference, fails to grasp the inequality in the travel demands on the teams not in the sydney conference.

If we want to be a truly national game, we need to abandon the idea of sydney in one corner and everybody else in the other.

correct.. i live in melbourne and the only time i go see live footy is when the dragons are playing down here, and i know a lot of other people who are in the same boat...

people are more transient these days.. we move homes, we move towns, we move friends... the one thing that stays constant is your footy team (isn't that right, knights2010....)

why eliminate ex-pats from watching the team they love??

 

[smithie]

Everyone suggesting a setup which results in a Sydney teams in one conference and other teams in another conference, fails to grasp the inequality in the travel demands on the teams not in the sydney conference.

If we want to be a truly national game, we need to abandon the idea of sydney in one corner and everybody else in the other.

100% Agree.

People nationwide want to see the big Sydney teams (Dragons, Tigers, Dogs) not just Sydneysiders. It needs to be two equal conferences with "Sydney" teams and "National" teams in each conference, like the AFC and NFC in the NFL. How about the ALC = Australian League Conference and NLC = National League Conference.

 

[Jono1987]

I think once we reach 20 teams a two conference system would be ideal. Instead of splitting teams into either 'Sydney' or Non-Sydney', they could be split into a Northern and Southern type of arrangment. Using our current situation of 16 teams;

Southern
Storm
Raiders
Dragons
Sharks
Warriors
Roosters
Rabbitohs
Tigers

Northern
Broncos
Titans
Cowboys
Knights
Sea Eagles
Eels
Bulldogs
Panthers

That is just a rough grouping of teams, could swap and move teams easily. Teams still roughly maintain their long-term rivarlies.

In the 20 team comp, I'd still have a top 8 with 4 teams each from the two conferences advancing.

Southern
Wk 1: 1v2 - Winner goes to the Southern Championship game (SCG)
3v4 - Winner goes to Wk 2, loser is eliminated

Wk 2: Loser of 1v2 against Winner of 3v4. Winner advances to SCG against Winner of 1v2

Wk 3: SCG. Winner of Wk 1 (1v2) versus Winner of Wk 2. Winner advances to the National Championship game or Grand Final whatever you want to call it.

Repeated as above for the Northern Conference.

I would also play a 18 round competiton. Each team plays home and away against conference teams. That would cover 14 rounds and then on a rotational basis, play 4 teams from the opposing conference, two games at home and two on the road.

 

[joshreading]

It what way does Melbourne playing in a Conference with teams from around the Nation make their travel any more than it is now?

Hint: they take the plane every away game as it is. (yes it might mean Sydney teams travel a little less but it makes no difference to non Sydney teams)

why eliminate ex-pats from watching the team they love??

As it presently stands every team does NOT play in Melbourne every year anyway so there is no gaurantee that your (non Melbourne team for instance) will play in Melbourne anyway.

People nationwide want to see the big Sydney teams (Dragons, Tigers, Dogs) not just Sydneysiders.

Each team will play EVERY OTHER TEAM EVERY YEAR in this proposal. You will still see Melbourne V Souths every year, Eels etc. In actual fact, at present such is NOT guaranteed. Under such a proposal you are guaranteed Broncos will play Tigers, the game (like present) is not guaranteed to be played in your home town. Such is only a possibility in a total home and away series (which can't happen with a large competition)

Such a proposal embraces our History and Sydney strength whilst moving towards the future with Big City National sides creating a new rivalry.

Next objection?

 

[Perth Red]

It what way does Melbourne playing in a Conference with teams from around the Nation make their travel any more than it is now?

Hint: they take the plane every away game as it is. (yes it might mean Sydney teams travel a little less but it makes no difference to non Sydney teams)




Next objection?

you missed the key word, "equality". Sydney teams would travel far far less over the season which would tell come play off time.

Also non Sydney teams opportunities to be on FTA would be minimal and have an impact on their ability to attract sponsorship, raise profile etc.