NRL - Too many games?

[Titanic]

Bulldogs recruit James Graham puts this debate into perspective, imho.

The argument from some of our players for less games when we are in an arm-wrestle with the AFL for a bigger slice of the media sponsorship pie is self-defeating. Those same players are the ones who want increased salaries, perhaps more games AND larger squads is the answer rather than less games for more money.

On Graham's admission the Poms are playing upwards of 40 games, that would be some serious collaterol towards the media contract.

Dare I say it? ... bring back the Amco Cup & the World Sevens and kick AFL out of the water.

Graham also points out that Burgess and Ellis have joined the post-season English camps "fresher" than Super League stars, who might be expected to play up to 40 club matches a year when finals and Challenge Cup fixtures are taken into account.

"I would be disappointed if I didn't (start well)," he said.
"(Burgess and Ellis) always seem to say they feel fresher with the reduced number of fixtures and bye weeks (in the NRL). I'm not one to whinge about the toll. I can see both sides of the argument, but it's probably hard to convince fans who are forking out their hard-earned to go to the games every week."

http://www.foxsports.com.au/league/...er-with-bulldogs/story-e6frf3ou-1226219170784

 

[Talanexor]

I think the answer is fewer club games, but a longer rep reason. Would do wonders for the likes of Fiji, PNG, France, Tonga, Samoa etc if they were playing 4-5 rep games each year. Would give their squads time to gel, might make players think twice before declaring allegiance to Australia. The top players would still be playing as many matches, but the rank and file players wouldn't be. It would also grow the international game, which is what needs to happen next.

 

[Dragon_Taylor6]

Yeah but the top players are the ones making a fuss.

 

[Stagger Lee]

The off season is way to long - we should be playing an extra month at least of either normal or rep games

 

[Eels Dude]

I think the answer is fewer club games, but a longer rep reason. Would do wonders for the likes of Fiji, PNG, France, Tonga, Samoa etc if they were playing 4-5 rep games each year. Would give their squads time to gel, might make players think twice before declaring allegiance to Australia. The top players would still be playing as many matches, but the rank and file players wouldn't be. It would also grow the international game, which is what needs to happen next.

That's a discussion for another topic. Such ideas will do nothing to increase revenue from a broadcasting deal as per the OP's question.

 

[Dragon_Taylor6]

The off season is way to long - we should be playing an extra month at least of either normal or rep games

I agree, if the players want a lot more money they should be playing more games. Giving the fans more entertainment, because at the end of the day we are the ones paying them.

 

[innsaneink]

Scrap trials, add 4 more piddly weeks which is sfa and you get everyone playing each other twice....whats so freeking difficult about that?????

 

[Scarves]

The offseason is crap, too long and a waste of resources where many players are still rusty during the early rounds of the main NRL compeition. We could have a two month long summer night time Rugby League 9's competition to fill most of the off season void. Every team should have half of their squad made up of u23's players It would be good for revenue raising, good for tv, good for young player exposure and great for fans.

 

[RWB]

Scrap trials, add 4 more piddly weeks which is sfa and you get everyone playing each other twice....whats so freeking difficult about that?????

You can't just scrap trials, clubs would still end up playing them looking for that advantage over other teams heading into the season. It's not like the first graders are playing big minutes during them (trials) anyway.

 

[RL1908]

The problem is that playing rugby league exacts too high a toll on those that play the necessary number/type of games to fund and sustain it.

The evolution of the game's playing rules under the 10m rule and one-sided play-the-balls/scrums has been carried on without any regard for the capacity of the code to pay for it, and the reality of a self-imposed salary cap that seeks to extract more and more from the same finite resource i.e. a small group of players.

It is no good rugby league being "the greatest game of all" if the code can't afford to sustain it.

The number of games isn't the problem. Playing less games isn't a solution. Killing rep football isn't a solution, any more than killing 7s & pre-season & mid week cups & 3-Test in-season series was a solution (all of which robbed an additional $ value/product from the game's bottom line).

The playing rules and present nature of the on-field game are the problem. They need to be changed so that playing a longer & more varied season is more viable for the players.

But that won't happen. We will all stand around smugly patting ourselves on the back that we have "the greatest game of all", blissfully unaware and/or indifferent to the fact the game is unaffordable in its present form, and against the code's own long term interests and benefit.

 

[innsaneink]

You can't just scrap trials, clubs would still end up playing them looking for that advantage over other teams heading into the season. It's not like the first graders are playing big minutes during them (trials) anyway.

You can scrap trials...you make a rule...its not impossible

 

[RWB]

You can scrap trials...you make a rule...its not impossible

So they play 'in house games' or simulate games either way clubs are still going to want to expose their players to game like situations in order to get the upper hand.

 

[innsaneink]

So they play 'in house games' or simulate games either way clubs are still going to want to expose their players to game like situations in order to get the upper hand.

Cool

 

[eozsmiles]

So they play 'in house games' or simulate games either way clubs are still going to want to expose their players to game like situations in order to get the upper hand.

They already do.

 

[Titanic]

More competition games (in whatever format can be agreed upon by the consensus) AND more players in those club squads (salary cap or not the pool of funds will surely be bigger with the new agreement). Pre-season trials surely should at least be replaced by a longer season as has been suggested above.

 

[RWB]

They already do.

Very rarely, but anyway what sort of rule are you going to put in place to stop NRL clubs going to Port Macquarie, Perth, Darwin etc etc. to promote the game through playing the local club or another NRL side. I think it's great and I think more clubs should be encouraged to get into country rugby league and promote the game. I'd rather see the first month of pre-season training cut back that the last where all these trial games occur (Official & non-official).

 

[newman]

The problem of "too many games" can be solved if there is a change in culture by the coaches and they start regularly resting some big names for non critical games or large travel fixtures. We barely see that in our code and we all pretty much expect our strongest squads to be selected week in, week out considering injury and suspension. Players could play for a lot longer if the "weekly grind" was made a little easier. As it stands it won't happen though.

A mid week cup could work easily if the rules state that each 17 named required five NYC eligible players. This also helps solve the ongoing debate about a lack of "real reserve grade" experience for NYC kids.

 

[adamkungl]

I'm a fan of a slightly shorter club season in favour of a longer rep season.
Postpone the NRL 3 times mid-season for rep weekends. If PI countries played matches on the same weekend as Origin it would give a decent incentive for Islanders to choose Internationals over SOO. Something like:
Week 1 - in May: Aus v NZ, Pacific Cup Round 1 (PNG, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Cook Isl, USA)
Week 2 - in June: SOO1, Pac Cup R2
Week 3 - early July: SOO2, Pac Cup R3
Week 4 - late July, SOO3, Pac Cup R4

Sync it up with the English/Euro seasons and rep games and you have amazing weekends of rep footy with people hooked on both sides of the globe. Would be huge within a few years. Rep weekends could be so much bigger than SOO alone. It would keep a similar amount of games, be worth more to the elite players, and give a big boost to international RL.

not a fan of scrapping trials. One, they are a necessary evil. If a club disagrees with them, they are welcome to not play them. But they all do. Why? Because it quite clearly is in their best interests. Two, as mentioned early they take games to the bush and to places where the game needs to be promoted without losing a home match.

 

[newman]

Good post kungl

 

[Billythekid]

I don't care where it comes from but i just want more footy. The off season is way too long and the International game doesn't come close to covering it.

Yeah there is NBA, cricket etc but that just isn't isn't as good.