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NRL two conferences

Perth Red

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
65,957
Vlandys on NRL360 now, basically they are pssing in the wind to see which way it blows. and claim no details at all in terms of conference make up or play offs. just floating an idea of two conferences.
 
some11

some11

Referee
Messages
23,368
I only just realised this is a marketing stunt to make sure the Origin launch had some talk about it.

Like something out of scott morrisons handbook.
 
Dogs Of War

Dogs Of War

Coach
Messages
12,718
big hit! said:
TBH, a grouping idea can be implemented right now in order to build rivalries.

Have 4 groups of 4 teams:
- Teams in the same group play each other twice every season - 6 matches
- Group play another group twice on a season rotating basis so every team plays each other twice in a season every 3 years - 8 matches
- Play teams in the 2 remaining groups once - 8 matches
- Keep single ladder and finals the same.

Provides only 22 games per season. Personally I think this is enough as the last few rounds can drag on, however the broadcasters would pay less.

For anyone who's read this far, these would be my groups:

Brisbane - Gold Coast - Melbourne - North Qld
Manly - Newcastle - South Sydney - Sydney
Canberra - Parramatta - Penrith - Wests Tigers
Canterbury - Cronulla - New Zealand - St George Illawarra

As you can see, 3 Sydney metro clubs, and one regional or out of state club in each group.

At least it delivers transparency regarding the schedule.
Click to expand...

You could do the same with 18 teams. 4 conferences. Just 2 have 5 teams.

Brisbane - Gold Coast - Melbourne - North Qld - Brisbane 2.
Manly - Newcastle - South Sydney - Sydney
Canterbury- Parramatta - Penrith - Wests Tigers
Canberra - Cronulla - New Zealand - St George Illawarra - NZ2

The extra games that the 2 smaller conferences have would just be made up of playing the team twice that finished in the same position as you, or rotate so that if you finish 4th, you play 1st and 4th from the other smaller conference. Trying to make it as fair for all.

I like 4 conferences more than I like 2 or 3. Better distribution of teams.
 
parrawentyfan

parrawentyfan

Juniors
Messages
731
I actually don't mind the conference concept. Despite the negatives it shows me a few positives:

- The NRL are finally thinking seriously about expansion. Conferences allow for more teams. That is good in my book. One of our biggest hurdles is the natural ceiling a single conference has.
- They recognise the importance of rivalries and derbies. They are onto something good there even if they have met thought it all through.

What they need to do is some serious work on mitigating all the negatives:
- travel on non Sydney teams
- commercial impacts of being perceived to be in a 'weaker' conference and impact on away crowds, ratings etc
- finals formats. No way should it be a superbowl scenario. Needs crossover opportunities. Eg a combined ladder (top 3 from each conference plus two wildcats with best records or something similar).
 
Zadar

Zadar

Juniors
Messages
962
Last Week said:
And teams that finish 1 and 2 aren't necessarily the best two teams in the comp given the uneven draw and Origin period.
Click to expand...

origin should then get a facelift too, conference A v conference B instead of qld v nsw.

2 players are required from each club to form a team.
 
Perth Red

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
65,957
T-Boon said:
Agreed. The less teams in each conference the better for the rivalry. 8 dilutes the hate too much.
Click to expand...

Maybe 4 groups in two conferences? Bit like you have in NFL with AFC and NFC then the divisional groups within that. Good to hear the NRL allegedly haven't put forward an all Sydney group or a superbowl type playoff, either media are just filling in gaps or Vlandys hasn't just been 100% truthful on NRL360.
 
S

siv

First Grade
Messages
6,563
gUt said:
Conferences could be changed every year/every couple of years either randomly or by design. This would help ensure no GF combinations are impossible over time.
Click to expand...

They did this originally - where pools were based on last years competition placements

However, it created imbalances

Any structure will have imbalance issues
 
GongPanther

GongPanther

Referee
Messages
28,372
Having not read through all responses, IF there would be a conference system, I think scrapping the proposed new Brisbane and NZ teams, and replace them with teams from Perth and Adelaide if they want to truly go national.

Having all of the Sydney teams in the one conference, and all the other teams in the other conference, is not a sound idea in as far as not having traditional teams having no chance for the "Superbowl". There still has to be that rivally.

I think an easy and uncomplicated solution is drawing team numbers, from 1 to 18. The number drawn from the one single bag will be in "Conference A", then the next team number drawn will go into "Conference B"...and so on untill both conferences are fully drawn.

Every 5 years, have a redraw, or around the time of the next contract negotiations with the various media outlets.. Working out the comp draw would be a standard procedure.
 
S

Spanner in the works

First Grade
Messages
6,073
Not a total fan of the conference idea, although I could be swayed. I'd actually prefer:
  • Perth or NZ2 and Brisbane2 in the next couple of years
  • Perth or Adelaide and a Pacific Nations side based out of Fiji or PNG in the next 5-7 years. Latter would have to be subsidised somewhat due to the fact Pacific nation economies are very much developing, but I think there's a massive opportunity there for a high quality side.
  • Begin the process of merging QRL, NSWRL, clubs to create a single, sustainable, second tier national comp.
  • Once merge process is complete and second tier national comp is stable, aim for a two tier, relegation/promotion-based system within the next 5-10 years.
The relegation/promotion thing is all measures of terrifying and exciting to me, as is an actually open competition (regulated by the salary cap) where performances really matter. Really starts with getting those new teams in and starting the merge process now, I think.
 
Hello, I'm The Doctor

Hello, I'm The Doctor

First Grade
Messages
9,124
NK Arsenal said:
What about 3 Conferences of 6 instead?

Conference 1
Brisbane
Brisbane 2
Gold Coast
North Queensland
Auckland
NZ 2

Conference 2

Newcastle
Manly
Sydney City
South Sydney
St George
Cronulla

Conference 3

Penrith
Parramatta
Canterbury
Wests
Melbourne
Canberra


Play everyone in your conference twice (10 games) and everyone else once (12 games). 22 rounds each.

Top 2 from each conference go in to a top 8 finals series with the last 2 spots determined on overall league ranking or a wildcard play off.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

I definitely prefer this. Two conferences just has too many fairness problems. Three Groups has a much better spread (the big problem would be coming up with a finals format).

I think the BEST situation would be when we get to 20 teams; 4 groups of 5 teams.

Group 1: Brisbane / Brisbane 2 / Gold Coast / North Queensland / Perth

Group 2: Manly / Sydney City /South Sydney / St George / Cronulla/

Group 3: Penrith / Parramatta / Canterbury / Wests / Canberra or Newcastle

Group 4: Auckland / NZ 2 / Melbourne / Adelaide / Canberra or Newcastle

With small Groups, the draw should not effect travel too much (NOTHING like the 2 conference system). But the rivalries would be AMAZING (I am a Knights fan, so i would also be VERY interested in ALL of the other teams in my group)\\

FINALS
2nd vs 3rd > Winner Vs 1st > Combines "Top 4" Play offs with all of the Group winners

This would mean W1 & W2 of the finals would have four HUGE rivalries each week. W3 & GF would have some random matchups, but they would be big enough events by themselves to not need rivalries.

The only thing we lose is that GF day will never have SouthsVDragons or BrisbaneVNQLD, but it think the guarantee of 2 rivalry finals game EVERY SINGLE YEAR in EVERY SINGLE GROUP would make up for that

(GFs with big rivalries rarely happen anyway. In the 23 NRL GFs, i can see four games that i would call "histoic" rivalies. Not a huge loss...)
 
S

siv

First Grade
Messages
6,563
Could you get to a situation where the all Sydney preliminary final becomes so big

No is interested in the Grand Final

Or as it used to be the Australian Championship when premiers NSWRL played best in Queensland
 
marshall stalin

marshall stalin

Bench
Messages
4,545
Hello said:
I definitely prefer this. Two conferences just has too many fairness problems. Three Groups has a much better spread (the big problem would be coming up with a finals format).

I think the BEST situation would be when we get to 20 teams; 4 groups of 5 teams.

Group 1: Brisbane / Brisbane 2 / Gold Coast / North Queensland / Perth

Group 2: Manly / Sydney City /South Sydney / St George / Cronulla/

Group 3: Penrith / Parramatta / Canterbury / Wests / Canberra or Newcastle

Group 4: Auckland / NZ 2 / Melbourne / Adelaide / Canberra or Newcastle

With small Groups, the draw should not effect travel too much (NOTHING like the 2 conference system). But the rivalries would be AMAZING (I am a Knights fan, so i would also be VERY interested in ALL of the other teams in my group)\\

FINALS
2nd vs 3rd > Winner Vs 1st > Combines "Top 4" Play offs with all of the Group winners

This would mean W1 & W2 of the finals would have four HUGE rivalries each week. W3 & GF would have some random matchups, but they would be big enough events by themselves to not need rivalries.

The only thing we lose is that GF day will never have SouthsVDragons or BrisbaneVNQLD, but it think the guarantee of 2 rivalry finals game EVERY SINGLE YEAR in EVERY SINGLE GROUP would make up for that

(GFs with big rivalries rarely happen anyway. In the 23 NRL GFs, i can see four games that i would call "histoic" rivalies. Not a huge loss...)
Click to expand...

Yeh your Knights have amazing rivalries with the teams in either of the groups you put them in :rolleyes:

Penrith / Parramatta / Canterbury / Wests

Auckland / NZ 2 / Melbourne / Adelaide

Finals of 12 teams - 2 vs 3 in each group and the plays 1 -winner becomes group champion - then a group champions play off -mmm - eh no

2 conferences - play teams in your conference twice and the other conference once -

Final series top 5 in each conference with the 2 conference winners playing off superbowl style

or
Top 4 in each conference play off in a cross conference finals series


1 vs 2's- 2 winners to week 3 - 2 losers play winners of 3 vs 4's in week 2

3 vs 4's - winner to week 2 play losers of 1 vs 2's - losers eliminated

and so on
 
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