Replace Test footy with an annual Champions League tournament.

[thommo4pm]

I like the idea of a champions league or extended world club challenge however test football is the pinnacle of our game and there needs to be more of it not less. It astounds me how rugby league fans ridicule international footy, don't you want the game to grow? The way to grow the game is with international games.

I think the 4 nations concept is good but the game needs to bring back tours.

AFL would kill to have the international exposure we have. It is the main thing our game has over them and we need to grow the international test footy to keep the game expanding.

The original poster is not a Rugby League fan, he is an AFL fan.

 

[Mr Fourex]

It's a crap idea.

Walk away.......

 

[WayneBennett]

lol@souffs

 

[Brutus]

AFL troll.

Nothing more.

 

[Fire]

I'll be honest. Test footy bores me. Only 2 countries are competitive. And NZ only is when they feel like it and that's not very often.

World Cups and Four Nations do nothing for me and do not excite me at all.

I would like us to stop playing internationals and replace them with an annual World Champions League tournament played in October and November every year.

The format would go as follows:

Qualification for the WCL would be the top 4 of the Super League and the top 4 of the NRL. If either comps premier came from outside their top 4, then the competitions qualifiers would be the Premier and the top 3 finishing teams.

The 8 teams would play each other once in October and November. The top 4 of those would then go through to a straight knockout Semi final. The winners would then play for the right to be called World Champions. The tournament would rotate between the southern and northern hemisphere.

For example, this years WCL would consist of Canterbury, Melbourne, South Sydney, Manly, Warrington, Wigan, St Helens and Leeds.

I think I'm probably in the minority but this would be a million times more interesting and entertaining than boring tests with farcical eligibility rules.

Thoughts? And please keep trolling out of this thread. I only want serious debate and discussion.

Peter, why the long face?

 

[Poul]

No, no, no, no, no.

 

[RedVee]

I'll be honest. Test footy bores me. Only 2 countries are competitive. And NZ only is when they feel like it and that's not very often.

World Cups and Four Nations do nothing for me and do not excite me at all.

I would like us to stop playing internationals and replace them with an annual World Champions League tournament played in October and November every year.

The format would go as follows:

Qualification for the WCL would be the top 4 of the Super League and the top 4 of the NRL. If either comps premier came from outside their top 4, then the competitions qualifiers would be the Premier and the top 3 finishing teams.

The 8 teams would play each other once in October and November. The top 4 of those would then go through to a straight knockout Semi final. The winners would then play for the right to be called World Champions. The tournament would rotate between the southern and northern hemisphere.

For example, this years WCL would consist of Canterbury, Melbourne, South Sydney, Manly, Warrington, Wigan, St Helens and Leeds.

I think I'm probably in the minority but this would be a million times more interesting and entertaining than boring tests with farcical eligibility rules.

Thoughts? And please keep trolling out of this thread. I only want serious debate and discussion.

Pfft

 

[100%green]

I thought of that but forgot to add it to the OP. Obviously some of the games, especially all the games between neutral teams could be taken to developing areas. Eg Scotland/Wales/France/Italy when the comp is in the Northern Hemisphere and Perth/PNG/Samoa etc in the Southern hempishere.

Watching 2 elite clubs play in a competitive game would do more for RL in these countries than seeing their national team get belted once every year or two.

If we end up with a expanded WCC then yes those game COULD be used to further the game. But to get rid of International Rguby League is just a ridiculous idea.

The last RLWC had great crowds and returned a $5 million profit. The game is being taken up or started in more countries than ever. We need MORE not less.

 

[Stagger Lee]

What about an annual championship to find the best club in the world? :sarcasm:

Oh thats right we already have one you dumb ass - first played in 1976

Only a supporter of a team that has failed to meet the requirements to play in it for 42 years would dream up such a stupid idea that would lower the standard just so his team could play in it and get rid of test match footy to achieve it.

One of your most stupid posts Bunnyliar but thanks for the laugh

 

[Stagger Lee]

I'll be honest. Test footy bores me.

Trying something new..... good on ya champ

 

[PacificCoastRL]

I'll be honest. Test footy bores me. Only 2 countries are competitive. And NZ only is when they feel like it and that's not very often.

World Cups and Four Nations do nothing for me and do not excite me at all.

I would like us to stop playing internationals and replace them with an annual World Champions League tournament played in October and November every year.

The format would go as follows:

Qualification for the WCL would be the top 4 of the Super League and the top 4 of the NRL. If either comps premier came from outside their top 4, then the competitions qualifiers would be the Premier and the top 3 finishing teams.

The 8 teams would play each other once in October and November. The top 4 of those would then go through to a straight knockout Semi final. The winners would then play for the right to be called World Champions. The tournament would rotate between the southern and northern hemisphere.

For example, this years WCL would consist of Canterbury, Melbourne, South Sydney, Manly, Warrington, Wigan, St Helens and Leeds.

I think I'm probably in the minority but this would be a million times more interesting and entertaining than boring tests with farcical eligibility rules.

Thoughts? And please keep trolling out of this thread. I only want serious debate and discussion.[/QUOTE]


First, I'll go on record and say that my thoughts on all of this are very similar to yours Bunniesman. Actually IMO the only thing you said in your original post that was somewhat ill-conceived is your final comment. Don't dare think outside the box on this forum, unless you want the bullies amongst us to pounce.
As you can see there is very little serious debate. There have been a few, but mostly you have received things like "no, no, no" with nothing constructive to back up those assertions, or, failing that, attacks on you as a person.

 

[clarency]

The only problem with that is that I wouldn't want to see teams playing their own competition again.

I'd prefer the NRL sides to play the ESL sides over 4 weeks only. No finals.

A bit different... but with a game like this you need it shorter to allow for everything else.

Like internationals. I agree there should be less tests.

They need more international competitions though.

 

[siv]

Until Catalans and Warriors go back into their domestic competitions and we get a better French and NZ domestic comp it wont work

The only way is if top English / OZ / NZ and French clubs sides would playoff

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

There should be a 3 test series whether it's NZ vs Aus, Eng vs NZ, or Eng vs Aus.

In addition to that there needs to be more done to get other teams playing each other on a regular basis.

Unfortunately a drawn out NRL schedule and Origin ensure that player burnout, injury excuses, and just a general lack of time will continue to get in the way of any meaningful test series.

And no, an expanded club comp won't grow the game in a meaningful way. Nobody on the other side of the world gives two f**ks about Wigan/Leeds vs Melbourne/Souffs. They'll turn up for the curiosity factor but that's about it.

 

[attila_the_gorilla]

too much travel involved. Not worth it.

 

[BunniesMan]

too much travel involved. Not worth it.

Not much more travel than 4 nations/world cups.

In my opinion competitive rugby league is better than lopsided rugby league. Playing club footy on an international scale would make more exciting competitive games than Test footy. And I think games like that would do more to sell the sport than scorelines like 50-6 in Test footy.

 

[docbrown]

I don't mind the idea of a Champions League tournament (not every year though as it will become overkill and suffer as a result - every 4th year in between world cups i.e. 2015, 2019 etc featuring the grand final winners of the era) with the teams selected playing in that tournament rather than a pre-season comp or trials...

- BUT -

Scrapping test football is just idiotic and counter-intuitive to the basic notion of promoting and expanding rugby league.

If Bunniesman is bored then perhaps he should go back to passing the time by pretending that he is a police officer again... at least that was entertaining for the rest of us...

 

[100%green]

Not much more travel than 4 nations/world cups.

In my opinion competitive rugby league is better than lopsided rugby league. Playing club footy on an international scale would make more exciting competitive games than Test footy. And I think games like that would do more to sell the sport than scorelines like 50-6 in Test footy.

So what was wrong with last nights game? It was close, tough and entertaining. A perfect game to end the year on!!!!

 

[BunniesMan]

So what was wrong with last nights game? It was close, tough and entertaining. A perfect game to end the year on!!!!

Yes it was good but only a very small % of the tests that have been played in the last 5 years could be described that way.

I think having a comp with the best clubs in the world would have a much greater proportion of close/tough/entertaining games. And I think this would do more good for the game.

 

[100%green]

Yes it was good but only a very small % of the tests that have been played in the last 5 years could be described that way.

I think having a comp with the best clubs in the world would have a much greater proportion of close/tough/entertaining games. And I think this would do more good for the game.

While the idea of a expanded WCC is a great idea and should be done to do so at the expense of test football is just not a good idea.