Pre season comp

[Rednecked Yobbo]

I'd like to see the old Pre Season knockout re-introduced, especially now that we don't have the 7's. Take it to the bush like it used to be. I know we have 15 teams, but either the defending premiers can have a bye because of the WCC, or a 16th team can be brought in by having the Queensland Cup Premiers play against the Jim Beam Cup Premiers for the extra spot. It would be a great experience for them.

Also, I'd like to see a trial to raise money or either Junior League or Bush League by having the Premiers play a game against an NRL XVII. Imagine the Bulldogs playing against a team that contains the best of the rest with 3-4 young, up and coming NRL players who have potential for bigger and brighter things mixed into the side.

Any thoughts?

 

[BlueNGoldBlood]

theres so much footy on during the whole year that there is just to much pressure on the players,
almost the whole year through they are either playing or training away :shock: something would have to change first before they would thnk about reintroducing that into the league calender

the raising money game is a great idea though surprised things like that dont happen

 

[stuke]

the trial game against the premiers is an awesome idea but i would doubt that the clubs would support it .... if they didn't like the 7's don't see them supporting any idea where each team has their best players taken away to play in what would be such a physical game.

imagine if that game actually got off the ground and was taken to the bush - and i mean bush....not gosford or newcastle like they do with the city - country. that would be the ultimate promotion of the code.

 

[Hurriflatch]

I could work they used to have a pre season comp back in the early 90's from memory.

 

[planeteels]

No way in the known universe would they have a pre-season comp!!!!

The Clubs already complain about having to risk Highly paid players in the World 7's tournaments, why on earth would they risk Season ending injuries to their Top players for a shot at what in essence would be a meaningless competition.

Other than a few dollars and a trophy, it really isn't worth losing a $200,000-$300,000 player for.

The comp in the early 90's was in place in the Twilight of the 80's competition structure, whereby clubs were semi-professional (in comparison with today) and there weren't many (if any) players on massive contracts like today.

Alas, the Professionalism and high stakes have been cruel to the league fan in that respect, but I'll settle for what we have at the moment - the best comp in the world bar none!!!

I think an invitational game would be good, but a pre-season tournament I think would be detrimental!!

An aspect the NRL,NSWRL,QRL,ARL, could look at, is to encourage Premier League Teams to play in Country Carnivals where a number of teams play a knockout tournament i.e: A Grade - Division 1 premier teams from each country group are invited to try and come up against some up and coming stars representing their favourite or even most despised club. God knows it would unearth alot of unseen talent and encourage Country Junior players aged 14-17 to stay in the game. Unfortunately it is players of that age who are so easily lost from the game due to roadblocks in their path to NRL glory whatever the reason.

 

[Twizzle]

the 7s is enough

 

[Suitman]

No way in the known universe would they have a pre-season comp!!!!

The Clubs already complain about having to risk Highly paid players in the World 7's tournaments, why on earth would they risk Season ending injuries to their Top players for a shot at what in essence would be a meaningless competition.

Every team plays two, three or four trials anyway, and play's their top players.

What's the difference?

Suity

 

[Utey]

No way! I enjoy the 7's but making the players play more footy than they have to is just asking for trouble. I was a bit hesitant about the amount of trials we are playing but I think given our current halves situation any game time will be good.

 

[Rednecked Yobbo]

What I cant understand is the "we play too many games" line. Go over to England and you play in the Super League and the Challenge Cup.

 

[Utey]

How many games do they play in their regular season?

 

[Rednecked Yobbo]

I'm willing to bet its close to the same as ours, give or take a couple. But the challenge Cup isnt just Super League clubs, also involves clubs from The tiers below which make it run even longer.

 

[Utey]

Because I dont really follow ESL isnt the challenge cup just the winner of their 1st division verse the winning of our First Grade :?

 

[Rednecked Yobbo]

No, thats the World Club Challenge. The challenge cup is similar to the FA Cup in the pommy soccer.

 

[Utey]

Ohhh Sorry #-o

 

[Rednecked Yobbo]

No worries

 

[planeteels]

No way in the known universe would they have a pre-season comp!!!!

The Clubs already complain about having to risk Highly paid players in the World 7's tournaments, why on earth would they risk Season ending injuries to their Top players for a shot at what in essence would be a meaningless competition.

Every team plays two, three or four trials anyway, and play's their top players.

What's the difference?

Suity

No, most teams don't play their Top players in every trial match. and most teams do not play 4 trials. Only a small number of teams play 4 trial games. In most trials they play portions of their first grade players in different combinations and they also play in loose rule formats where they have benches of 10 players who are chopped and changed right through the game.

Don't get me wrong, i love watching those pre-season comps and i even wish the old mid-week comps would start up again i.e: panasonic cup etc etc.

 

[Redback71]

How many games do they play in their regular season?

pommies play 28 rounds then they have the finals i think

 

[bartman]

You can't have trials in February and a pre-season comp. Either would be fine though, and teams that get knocked out eraly from the comp can organise extra trials if they think they need.

I used to enjoy the mid-week knockout cup during the season too, but think we need to shorten our season a bit anyway, in favour of more international rep footy, so we can't have everything.

I assume that the 7s tournament is now dead, at least in Australia? Shame, but it's only two days of what six games of 15 min "touch" footy - not a big strain on players.

 

[Utey]

It doesnt seem like a big strain but some players were outed for an extended time and some for the season during this years.

 

[Freak]

No way in the known universe would they have a pre-season comp!!!!

The Clubs already complain about having to risk Highly paid players in the World 7's tournaments, why on earth would they risk Season ending injuries to their Top players for a shot at what in essence would be a meaningless competition.

Every team plays two, three or four trials anyway, and play's their top players.

What's the difference? ZERO!!

I agree if teams can play 3 to 4 trials against other NRL teams why the hell can't the NRL introduce a pre season knockout competition, and I like the idea of introducing it to the rural areas. I would even go as far as PNG and beyond!!

Realistically everyone knows that players are wrapped up in cotton wool to play trials. I canot see why a formal comp cannot be arranged instead of trials.

Suity