Rep players being rested from NRL games

[Gaba]

Gaba, stand alone weekends would be the opposite of punishing clubs.

It would mean that their rep-level players - the guys they are forking huge bucks out for - are available for all games, and aren't put in the position of backing up and risking injury days after the toughest match in the code.

they tried it and it failed because people want to watch their clubs.

Thats why clubs have a squad of 25 , because they could lose players due to injurys and rep games.


Even though the rep games , are a pain in the middle of the season , it does give those young players a chance to get used to nrl games playing for the clubs .

 

[docbrown]

they tried it and it failed because people want to watch their clubs.

Thats why clubs have a squad of 25 , because they could lose players due to injurys and rep games.

Agreed.

But then the next problem there comes from the impact of losing rep stars for 3-6 weeks has on the quality of matches played and interest of the fans.

To me that's the issue that needs to be addressed.

You need club games during Origin but they can't be inferior quality.

 

[Gaba]

Agreed.

But then the next problem there comes from the impact of losing rep stars for 3-6 weeks has on the quality of matches played and interest of the fans.

To me that's the issue that needs to be addressed.

You need club games during Origin but they can't be inferior quality.

yes but its risk if the league wants to show new talent ,there isnt many quality games every week even with the rep players ,


It gives the up and coming players a chance to play for their clubs, if they do have stand alone weekends, then those players who want to make it in the nrl has less opportunities.

 

[Dingus]

Really has to be done.

The other advantage is origin could be even bigger if its on a sunday evening. Maybe could even do under 20 origin as a prelude or something as well.

AS well as that, every club round would be a full 8 games.

 

[bobbis]

I'd stick the origin in a 4 week period. Week and a half till the first game, then 3 consecutive games on wednesdays. I think the longer period of time together would lead to a better spectacle and even more interest.

During those 4 weeks there would be half rounds, so each team has 2 byes. The attention taken from the NRL would only last 4 weeks and the NRL would do it's best not to stick higher anticipated games in that block.

The mid season test would be scrapped and an extra test played post season. Possibly city v country scrapped.

However if they wanted to keep city v country have a half round 1.5 weeks before origin, only 8 NSW clubs would have byes that week. 3 NSW clubs and the 5 non NSW clubs would play. The round a half week after origin would be at full not a half round. If teams wanted to rest players they'd only bother doing it for a single game the half week after origin.

Seems alot more sensible, less loss of interest in NRL and no change in number of games, weeks or byes.

 

[The Business]

It is a disgrace that the elite competition has rounds where the top players are unavailable for their clubs.

Not only does it rip off the fans, it dilutes the standard of the competition.

In every other sport around the world, the domestic leagues stop while internationals are played.

For example, when there are World Cup qualifiers in European football, the domestic leagues (Premier League, La Liga etc) do not play any matches.

What is the reason behind this? The NRL never gives us a satisfactory answer.

All they ever say is "we've been doing it for years so why should we change it" or "there are no better alternatives".

Watching the Roosters v Knights game last weekend was like watching a reserve grade match. Nothing more.

Why can't the SOO matches be played on stand alone Saturday nights?

Keep the international matches for the end of season when the best players for the year can be rewarded.

The NRL are a joke.

 

[Gaba]

IWatching the Roosters v Knights game last weekend was like watching a reserve grade match. Nothing more.

Why can't the SOO matches be played on stand alone Saturday nights?

Keep the international matches for the end of season when the best players for the year can be rewarded.

The NRL are a joke.

the roosters did have their best 2 attackers and had their better halves combo in that game
, they had no excuses

 

[Sam H]

doc,

Well two byes won't accomodate 3 weeks of standalone Origin unless you extended the season. And if we only play 1 game for 3 weeks, expect to see the AFL and other sports fill up the rest of that weekend in a heartbeat....If you shorten the season by one game per club, that's income that they lose.

Yep - if you don't lengthen the season by one round (which would be an option), you would be one game short.

That would obviously have revenue implications for clubs. But what I'm saying is that there are other things which would balance that out. Bigger crowds during the midseason for one. More dollars from corporates who know that the best players for every club are going to be available (injury notwithstanding) for every home club game. Maybe even more cash from broadcasters who know they are getting top quality games every week, not two months of the best of the rest every year.

Apart from any of that though, the NRL would always have the option of diverting a bit more cash from the Origin series to clubs to compensate for any loss from re-jigging the schedule.

U20s, NZ tests, Pacific Cup etc wouldn't be huge money spinners but it would be a logical way to provide a bit more content for broadcasters (not to mention fans) rather than just having a single stand alone Origin game on the weekend. There are other options though - as you say, a knock out comp of some sort could work.

Anyway I think it is important thing is that people are talking about this as a big issue in the game, because the current situation isn't doing anyone any favours - the clubs, the rep players, the fans or the broadcasters. It's an unhappy compromise because the NRL have put it in the too hard basket.

 

[Gaba]

U20s, NZ tests, Pacific Cup etc wouldn't be huge money spinners but it would be a logical way to provide a bit more content for broadcasters (not to mention fans) rather than just having a single stand alone Origin game on the weekend. There are other options though - as you say, a knock out comp of some sort could work.

Anyway I think it is important thing is that people are talking about this as a big issue in the game, because the current situation isn't doing anyone any favours - the clubs, the rep players, the fans or the broadcasters. It's an unhappy compromise because the NRL have put it in the too hard basket.

problem is u/20's and pacific cup will be inferior quality to weaken club games

that will not help the broadcasters or the game at all, people will lose more interest in the game

the best thing is having club games, what the nrl should do is have the clubs with no rep players or 1 and 2 play rep players on the weekends of the origins

 

[Sam H]

problem is u/20's and pacific cup will be inferior quality to weaken club games

that will not help the broadcasters or the game at all, people will lose more interest in the game

True Gaba, some of the games wouldn't be as high quality as weakened NRL games.

But it would only be for three weeks, instead of the current three definite Origin-enforced absences, plus however many else with players being rested or pulling up sore.

Plus, it would mean broadcasters only have 3 rounds to deal with funky scheduling - the rest of the time they would have 8 games to program as usual, rather than dealing with the current mish mash of bye weeks.

 

[docbrown]

Bigger crowds during the midseason for one. More dollars from corporates who know that the best players for every club are going to be available (injury notwithstanding) for every home club game. Maybe even more cash from broadcasters who know they are getting top quality games every week, not two months of the best of the rest every year.

If you have 24 weeks of games, there are actually few FTA games than the current 26 weeks so I think you'd actually get less.

The main issue for suspending the competition for basically 3 weeks means that other sports/entertainment will make sure they put their big events on those open weeks. And once a person spends money on one event, that's less disposable cash they're willing to spend another.

U20s, NZ tests, Pacific Cup etc wouldn't be huge money spinners but it would be a logical way to provide a bit more content for broadcasters (not to mention fans) rather than just having a single stand alone Origin game on the weekend.

I think the only game I could sell of those would be New Zealand vs Pacific Islanders match. And it would only be niche in Australia.

There are other options though - as you say, a knock out comp of some sort could work.

I just think that could generate more income for the clubs than anything else suggested.

And it means there's still a club presence during origin. With Origin on a Sunday, fans would still be interested in the knockout games (even with rep stars missing) as it's all do or die. And rep stars would only be missing for 3 or 4 club games rather than missing the backup games (like happened this weekend) as well so missing 3-6 games.

You could either run it over a 1 month period or spread it out across the season like the Challenge Cup.

That said, will the clubs treat those games seriously? In my opinion probably only if it affects the overall ladder.

 

[docbrown]

See - I think Knockout Cup games could attract more fan interest than just regular NRL games.

It would be like having a finals tournament in the middle of the season. I could sell that.

 

[hutch]

We should be thinking bigger than just the NRL clubs though! A pacific cup, nz origin, nz v pacific islands or test series between island nations would be massive for the code around the pacific! So the interest in Australia might not be as big as weakened club games! Who cares! The positives for the sport far outweigh the negatives IMO!

 

[aarondoyle]

Ice hockey players play up to 3 games a week. Man up and play I say.