NRL's growth mindset points to 18th team. And it ain't Perth.

[The Great Dane]

Nrl makes all the money

they should control everything

grassroots are funded by leagues clubs that won’t change

The NRL already controls everything (after a fashion), but that doesn't mean that they should allow the NRL club's to monopolise the grassroots, or that that would be a good outcome.

Nor should the grassroots be solely reliant on leagues clubs, pretty much for the same reasons as above. If you're from a region without a leagues club, or a poor one, then you're f**ked, and that isn't a good outcome for anybody.

 

[Iamback]

The NRL already controls everything (after a fashion), but that doesn't mean that they should allow the NRL club's to monopolise the grassroots, or that that would be a good outcome.

Nor should the grassroots be solely reliant on leagues clubs, pretty much for the same reasons as above. If you're from a region without a leagues club, or a poor one, then you're f**ked, and that isn't a good outcome for anybody.

There are plenty of good country comps not run from Leagues clubs and producing talent.

In fact on NSWRL Grand Final day in the statewide challenge. Maitland beat The Ron Massey Cup champs.

I'd back Newcastle, Wollongong, Townsville, Cairns, Hell even GC. Against some of the NRL team local leagues

 

[Perth Red]

Just wondering if you've thought about whether or not this could be your mate, Pete, dissolving power of the NSW and QLD rugby league?
Taking the best players out of their respective Cups could see them going the way of the Country Rugby League.
I'm just throwing thoughts in the air

Quite possible, we know the NRL bullied the affiliated states into handing the control over to NRL back in 2012, NSWRL and QRL were too big to bully into that so this may be the clandestine way of eventually disbanding them, or at least relegating them to a minor irritation. I was interested why the commission went so hard at the NSWRL board appointments, not hard to see why now.

NRL clubs will always go where the NRL's money takes them. As long as NRL pays for it they're happy to oblige.

 

[Perth Red]

Nor should the grassroots be solely reliant on leagues clubs, pretty much for the same reasons as above. If you're from a region without a leagues club, or a poor one, then you're f**ked, and that isn't a good outcome for anybody.

They dont anyway. They in fact put a very small amount into real grassroots RL. In fact look at Cronulla as a good example, LC is skint for years and doesn't pay hardly anything to Jnr RL yet the region has a healthy Jnr participation level apparently (though no one can show the figures as they arent reported anywhere). Penrith same, no cash at all to Jnr RL yet plenty of kids playing.

 

[MugaB]

Then the QCup dies.

And for what end? So a few people can watch a reserve grade game 45mins before an NRL match.

It's not a well thought out premise.

Mate nothing changes, you seem to be getting worked up over nothing, qcup is still qcup, still played in suburban grounds, same teams, you sound like someone stole your best players and plonked them in a foreign state or something, dude other than redcliffe leaving qcup, nothing changes

 

[Canard]

Mate nothing changes, you seem to be getting worked up over nothing, qcup is still qcup, still played in suburban grounds, same teams, you sound like someone stole your best players and plonked them in a foreign state or something, dude other than redcliffe leaving qcup, nothing changes

QCup Clubs will not survive without NRL links and assistance, and players will be denied opportunities to be developed in elite pathways or obtain access to professional coaching.

 

[MugaB]

QCup Clubs will not survive without NRL links and assistance, and players will be denied opportunities to be developed in elite pathways or obtain access to professional coaching.

Theyll still be links, just linked into national reserve grade, not straight into 1st grade, thats where kids were getting burnt, but a step between will provide a positive stepping stone, before getting thrown into NRL

 

[Iamback]

Theyll still be links, just linked into national reserve grade, not straight into 1st grade

They would still provide Players to the teams in the next tier

 

[Wb1234]

QCup Clubs will not survive without NRL links and assistance, and players will be denied opportunities to be developed in elite pathways or obtain access to professional coaching.

If they die so what ?

the days of nswrl and qrl clbs meaning anything was 20 years ago

how much money is being wasted which could be spent more effectively instead of supporting relics

 

[The Great Dane]

They dont anyway. They in fact put a very small amount into real grassroots RL.

I know, I was just accepting his premise.

 

[Canard]

If they die so what ?

the days of nswrl and qrl clbs meaning anything was 20 years ago

how much money is being wasted which could be spent more effectively instead of supporting relics

Then there will be no top level Rugby League in heartland areas.

How could that be a good thing?

 

[Perth Red]

Then there will be no top level Rugby League in heartland areas.

How could that be a good thing?

its not top level. I cant see any reason a stand alone second tier comp outside of reserve grade cant still be as, if not more, attractive than the current mess we have in qrl and nsw cup.

 

[Iamback]

Then there will be no top level Rugby League in heartland areas.

How could that be a good thing?

Rockhampton Leagues club is set up to fund RL in the area, Central Capras aren't going anywhere

 

[Perth Red]

It would seem NRL is hell bent on creating a separate reserve grade comp again. So where's that leave the current comps, and more importantly and relevant to the thread, opportunities for expansion?

The way I see it is we could have a semi pro two conference competition with its own naming rights and potentially streaming coverage.
Split the comp North and South conferences and use it as a vehicle for expansion and new areas to step up into a much stronger top grassroots tier of the game. This would give a place for PNG2, Fiji, NZ south island etc to join and keep developing and putting their players in the NRL clubs shop window. Ideally we may see a Perth, Melbourne and down the track Adelaide and Darwin club also join it.

It would be much more manageable financially and playing strength wise for new clubs whilst still giving current heartland second tier clubs something to play for. I think it could be a really exciting opportunity. If we leave behind the premise that everything has to be for the benefit of the NRl clubs then it presents some new exciting options.

 

[Iamback]

It would seem NRL is hell bent on creating a separate reserve grade comp again. So where's that leave the current comps, and more importantly and relevant to the thread, opportunities for expansion?

The way I see it is we could have a semi pro two conference competition with its own naming rights and potentially streaming coverage.
Split the comp North and South conferences and use it as a vehicle for expansion and new areas to step up into a much stronger top grassroots tier of the game. This would give a place for PNG2, Fiji, NZ south island etc to join and keep developing and putting their players in the NRL clubs shop window. Ideally we may see a Perth, Melbourne and down the track Adelaide and Darwin club also join it.

It would be much more manageable financially and playing strength wise for new clubs whilst still giving current heartland second tier clubs something to play for. I think it could be a really exciting opportunity. If we leave behind the premise that everything has to be for the benefit of the NRl clubs then it presents some new exciting options.

As I said before,

What hope does Regional team have against these NRL teams with CoE?

Much better keeping them competing with the likes of Newtown, Bears etc

 

[Wb1234]

Then there will be no top level Rugby League in heartland areas.

How could that be a good thing?

Sure there will

all the heartland areas have an nrl club in the area

we need to let go of the past and stop spending so much money on it

the future of rugby league is the nrl

that’s where our focus should be

and I’m saying the same thing about the nswrl too

This isn’t a qld thing

 

[Canard]

its not top level. I cant see any reason a stand alone second tier comp outside of reserve grade cant still be as, if not more, attractive than the current mess we have in qrl and nsw cup.

This is NOT what is being proposed. The NRL is pushing for the QRL and NSWRL cup comps to field NRL reserve grade teams. That would see an immediate death of teams in Cairns, Rocky and any BRL club.

As for your proposal, Rugby League and Australia are not big enough to sustain a 3rd tier competition of semi-professional players (but this is a completely different discussion to what is being proposed by the NRL).

 

[mongoose]

It would seem NRL is hell bent on creating a separate reserve grade comp again. So where's that leave the current comps, and more importantly and relevant to the thread, opportunities for expansion?

The way I see it is we could have a semi pro two conference competition with its own naming rights and potentially streaming coverage.
Split the comp North and South conferences and use it as a vehicle for expansion and new areas to step up into a much stronger top grassroots tier of the game. This would give a place for PNG2, Fiji, NZ south island etc to join and keep developing and putting their players in the NRL clubs shop window. Ideally we may see a Perth, Melbourne and down the track Adelaide and Darwin club also join it.

It would be much more manageable financially and playing strength wise for new clubs whilst still giving current heartland second tier clubs something to play for. I think it could be a really exciting opportunity. If we leave behind the premise that everything has to be for the benefit of the NRl clubs then it presents some new exciting options.

sounds like a nice idea.... we know thats never going to happen though

 

[Iamback]

This is NOT what is being proposed. The NRL is pushing for the QRL and NSWRL cup comps to field NRL reserve grade teams. That would see an immediate death of teams in Cairns, Rocky and any BRL club.

As for your proposal, Rugby League and Australia are not big enough to sustain a 3rd tier competition of semi-professional players (but this is a completely different discussion to what is being proposed by the NRL).

Both states have a competition below NSW and QLD Cups, That comp would just lift in standard too

 

[Canard]

Sure there will

all the heartland areas have an nrl club in the area

we need to let go of the past and stop spending so much money on it

the future of rugby league is the nrl

that’s where our focus should be

and I’m saying the same thing about the nswrl too

This isn’t a qld thing

So every area north of Redcliffe in QLD (i.e. regional QLD) would be represented by one club playing out of Townsville?

Other codes would welcome this openly, as it would result in the decline of our great game very very quickly.

It is quite frankly the dumbest idea the NRL have ever proposed.