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

[Wb1234]

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.

Pretty much yeh

or they can exist at a level below the national reserve grade level and also receive much less funding

 

[Perth Red]

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).

I reckon its just the first step to eventually a stand alone reserve grade.
As for your second point, there's enough players, theres enough fans and theres enough money. If the ARLC see it as a strategically useful way to grow the game under the top tier or not remains to be seen. Normally Id say probably not but given they seem ok with spending up to $1.7mill a year on a NRLW team then maybe Im doing them a disservice?

 

[Canard]

As for your second point, there's enough players, theres enough fans and theres enough money. If the ARLC see it as a

The may be enough players now, but I what would entice them to play in a third tier comp, 2 steps removed from NRL going forward?

This will basically cut off any development opportunity of any players outside NRL club systems.

 

[Perth Red]

The may be enough players now, but I what would entice them to play in a third tier comp, 2 steps removed from NRL going forward?

This will basically cut off any development opportunity of any players outside NRL club systems.

Because not everyone wants or can play NRL level. At some point a player realizes they arent going to make it to NRL or a club does. At that point they will choose to play in this second tier semi comp pro if they want to play at a decent level and pick up some coin for doing so. QRL cup is full of players who play their entire career in it and have a main job as well.
In a 17 team NRl reserve grade comp thered be around 400 players. That literally leaves 10's of thousands of over 18 year olds who arent heading for an NRL spot that could play at this next level if they are good enough and have the ambition to do so.
Like I said not everything is about producing players for the NRL. There has to be something underneath it for those lower quality players that dont have the ability or ambition or choose a different career. And something for those clubs/cities that will never ever host an NRL club.
The next best players, or those that dont make it, could play in a semi professional second tier comp that has a legitimacy and that can build interest as well as be an affordable option for new expansion areas to aspire to.

NRL reserve grade should be exactly that, a grade for players to develop to be NRL players if they can. That is the point of it.
A second tier comp should be a legit competition for semi pros who want to take part in a genuine competition to win it and that can generate public interest.

Top tier - NRL - NRLW (NRL reserve grade)
Second tier - 2 conference national comp
Third tier state/region leagues

 

[Canard]

Because not everyone wants or can play NRL level. At some point a player realizes they arent going to make it to NRL or a club does. At that point they will choose to play in this second tier semi comp pro if they want to play at a decent level and pick up some coin for doing so. QRL cup is full of players who play their entire career in it and have a main job as well.
In a 17 team NRl reserve grade comp thered be around 400 players. That literally leaves 10's of thousands of over 18 year olds who arent heading for an NRL spot that could play at this next level if they are good enough and have the ambition to do so.
Like I said not everything is about producing players for the NRL. There has to be something underneath it for those lower quality players that dont have the ability or ambition or choose a different career. And something for those clubs/cities that will never ever host an NRL club.
The next best players, or those that dont make it, could play in a semi professional second tier comp that has a legitimacy and that can build interest as well as be an affordable option for new expansion areas to aspire to.

NRL reserve grade should be exactly that, a grade for players to develop to be NRL players if they can. That is the point of it.
A second tier comp should be a legit competition for semi pros who want to take part in a genuine competition to win it and that can generate public interest.

Top tier - NRL - NRLW (NRL reserve grade)
Second tier - 2 conference national comp
Third tier state/region leagues

There isn't enough money, fan interest or will of the NRL to make such a thing happen.

To kill off the only part of the world where Rugby League is No1 so a couple of hunderd people in Perth can watch a team of plumbers and brick layers run around just doesn't make any sense.

 

[Colk]

There isn't enough money, fan interest or will of the NRL to make such a thing happen.

To kill off the only part of the world where Rugby League is No1 so a couple of hunderd people in Perth can watch a team of plumbers and brick layers run around just doesn't make any sense.

This x 1000. Honestly the idea of setting up a third grade national competition is bonkers.

What Perth Red is suggesting is essentially a minor league (what they do with baseball in US) however unlike this idea MLB sides don’t have a reserve grade side.

 

[Perth Red]

There isn't enough money, fan interest or will of the NRL to make such a thing happen.

To kill off the only part of the world where Rugby League is No1 so a couple of hunderd people in Perth can watch a team of plumbers and brick layers run around just doesn't make any sense.

haha you're such a drama queen. Creating a new vibrant second tier comp isnt killing off anything. Reserve grade will mean NRL has better players and more depth and a genuine second comp means fans who will never get to watch an NRl club get to follow a legit team.
Ironically its nothing to do with perth as it looks like we might finally be back in the NRl soon enough.

 

[Iamback]

This x 1000. Honestly the idea of setting up a third grade national competition is bonkers.

What Perth Red is suggesting is essentially a minor league (what they do with baseball in US) however unlike this idea MLB sides don’t have a reserve grade side.

Except that is already in place

 

[mongoose]

haha you're such a drama queen. Creating a new vibrant second tier comp isnt killing off anything. Reserve grade will mean NRL has better players and more depth and a genuine second comp means fans who will never get to watch an NRl club get to follow a legit team.
Ironically its nothing to do with perth as it looks like we might finally be back in the NRl soon enough.

No one is interested in a reserve grade comp though, who is actually interested in watching this? The only ones interested are the existing NRL clubs. At least the current state comps have some unique heritage about them and fans can get out to some different suburban and regional grounds you don't see in the NRL.

 

[Wb1234]

No one is interested in a reserve grade comp though, who is actually interested in watching this? The only ones interested are the existing NRL clubs. At least the current state comps have some unique heritage about them and fans can get out to some different suburban and regional grounds you don't see in the NRL.

Exactly

take the Newtown jets

they average 8,972 a game

 

[Canard]

haha you're such a drama queen. Creating a new vibrant second tier comp isnt killing off anything. Reserve grade will mean NRL has better players and more depth and a genuine second comp means fans who will never get to watch an NRl club get to follow a legit team.
Ironically its nothing to do with perth as it looks like we might finally be back in the NRl soon enough.

Can we have one discussion without ad hom attacks?

This will be 3rd tier in anyone's language.

Can you run me through the great gamut of "vibrant" third tier national sports comps in Australia?

 

[Colk]

Can we have one discussion without ad hom attacks?

This will be 3rd tier in anyone's language.

Can you run me through the great gamut of "vibrant" third tier national sports comps in Australia?

Not just Australia but probably nearly the world

 

[siv]

I think Norths talking with Perth and their own promotion doesn't fill the Roosters with confidence going forward.
They need a sustainable and loyal feeder club ( which norths aren't signalling!).
The best way be be certain of that is to have your own. Probably just offer all the North's guys a contract

Silly North's.

Or National RG is not far off

 

[siv]

If this Reserve Grade comp by the NRL does go ahead, as many have implied on here, do you think the Storm, and maybe Perth (if they get in), will be exempt from having a reserves team of their own?

Doesnt seem to worry the Warriors

 

[Wb1234]

Not just Australia but probably nearly the world

Soccer does in England

 

[Perth Red]

Can we have one discussion without ad hom attacks?

This will be 3rd tier in anyone's language.

Can you run me through the great gamut of "vibrant" third tier national sports comps in Australia?

A few years ago the idea of a professional womens comp in nrl would have been scoffed at. Just because it doesn’t yet exist doesn’t mean it never should or will.
And again it’s second tier for the fans not third tier. no one will watch reserve grade or follow it. Fans in Toowoomba, rocky, gosford, cairns etc will follow this second tier comp.

 

[Perth Red]

Not just Australia but probably nearly the world

Soccer in most countries, am football, baseball, union in some countries, motorsports. We basically have it here just that it’s merged with reserve grade, all we are suggesting is if reserve grade ends up being stand alone it creates an opportunity.

 

[Cheese sandwich]

Soccer in most countries, am football, baseball, union in some countries, motorsports. We basically have it here just that it’s merged with reserve grade, all we are suggesting is if reserve grade ends up being stand alone it creates an opportunity.

I can see some merit in the idea, whether there would be any sort of public interest or sponsorship dollars getting put into it would be another question. Logistics probably make Australia quite difficult for something like this to succeed and looking at European football as a comparison it's obviously a lot easier for lower league sides to get from say Portsmouth to Carlisle (using a long journey in England) than Cairns to Gosford plus the whole "support your local" is a lot more prevalent as I'd guess you'd know over there (outside of glory seeking united and liverpool etc "fans")

 

[Canard]

A few years ago the idea of a professional womens comp in nrl would have been scoffed at. Just because it doesn’t yet exist doesn’t mean it never should or will.
And again it’s second tier for the fans not third tier. no one will watch reserve grade or follow it. Fans in Toowoomba, rocky, gosford, cairns etc will follow this second tier comp.

Thankfully, it's not on the agenda, and not likely to be anytime soon.

 

[Colk]

Soccer in most countries, am football, baseball, union in some countries, motorsports. We basically have it here just that it’s merged with reserve grade, all we are suggesting is if reserve grade ends up being stand alone it creates an opportunity.

Not in the same way you’re proposing. Baseball in America don’t have reserve grade sides however you wish to spin it. They have a major league and minor leagues. Soccer divisions are based on promotion and relegation which again is different.

What you are suggesting is trying to create a professional third grade competition.