The player pool depth debate

[Pommy]

I'll be getting to the World Nines at Bankwest in a few months. I think twig a few rules of nines (like up it to 11) and it will be the future of RL.

Would you change the name to 11’s or topball?

 

[T-Boon]

Would you change the name to 11’s or topball?

Top ball is a dumb name. Not as dumb a name as Rugby League but still dumb.
If I was changing the name it would be to Pacific Football or Pacball or something. Isnt rugby a school in England? What a dumb name.

 

[Pommy]

Top ball is a dumb name. Not as dumb a name as Rugby League but still dumb.
If I was changing the name it would be to Pacific Football or Pacball or something. Isnt rugby a school in England? What a dumb name.

PacBall I like it, you could call the players PacMen. Have one side play in yellow and the others run around dressed as ghosts.

 

[Stallion]

You quoted my post so your post was in response to what I said. It has no relevance you utter mong.

It does have relevance. Your point us correct in that the site called remedy is flawed. However the basis or reasoning of the "less players on field" comment is not correct. The player depth is there and would increase with more clubs. However a remedy to fix a single called "issue" is not required and undermines confidence in playing numbers and their ability. Not too mention the increased numbers with more clubs in play! It's a fair and sweeping comment just pointing out the futility of the suggestion. It assumes a lack of player pool depth. This is false.

 

[Pommy]

It does have relevance. Your point us correct in that the site called remedy is flawed. However the basis or reasoning of the "less players on field" comment is not correct. The player depth is there and would increase with more clubs. However a remedy to fix a single called "issue" is not required and undermines confidence in playing numbers and their ability. Not too mention the increased numbers with more clubs in play! It's a fair and sweeping comment just pointing out the futility of the suggestion. It assumes a lack of player pool depth. This is false.

Again no relation to what I posted.

 

[T-Boon]

Going to 11 aside saves all the arguing.

 

[siv]

The player pool debate ignores that there are 28 clubs playing U20s

Lets say each club has a pool of 20 players and 50% of them on average turn 21 at the end if the season

Thats 280 players graduating EVERY YEAR

So if you expand to one club you will need 20 extra players on day one. 40 for two teams with other players already playing in feeder comps

So player volumes are not a issue

As mentioned the actual issue is turning 280 graduates into FG players

While the gap between NSW Cup and NRL has closed. The gap between U20s and RG has increased

So best way to improve the development of the graduating 280 players is to introduce a layer between RG and U20s eg U22s in the professional RL pathways

 

[Walter sobchak]

Short term solution is to tap into and create better pathways for the 10’s of thousands that play RL in PNG and those 10’s of thousands that play union be it the 15 man or 7’s format in Fiji.

Also more could be done by cashed up NRL clubs to raid the schoolboy and u20’s stocks of union nations like NZ, Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.

Long term solution is to invest heavily in new and existing markets like Western Australia, Melbourne and Adelaide etc. The future professional players of an expanded NRL are out there but they need investment and pathways. We also need vision.

 

[mongoose]

Going to 11 aside saves all the arguing.

There is some merit in this, though I think 12 a side would be a better place to start. But the game has become too defensive due to too many players on the field. Players have become faster, fitter and more mobile over the years and can cover more space, meaning the playing field has virtually become smaller.

I could see the game potentially removing the Lock forward position in the future...

 

[tri_colours]

Totally agree. Scrums today are a joke, they no longer serve any purpose , other than confusing any new fans, giving rival fans something to laugh at and giving the big blokes a rest. There a 6 or 7minute eyesore. The game would be all the better with out them. We would have a much more open game with one less man on the field. Less Bash and barge, less gang tackling and more attacking football. And it would also create an extra 16 top class players for expansion purposes or added depth.

 

[Stallion]

The rugby league player talent and depth exists .

 

[tri_colours]

The rugby league player talent and depth exists .

I think it does too. But it would take a few years to find and establish new players. Where as these players would allow the comp to continue on without any short term loss of quality.

I think one of the NRL greatest fears is having a very lopsided completion like the AFL's

 

[greenBV4]

And it would also create an extra 16 top class players for expansion purposes or added depth.

Seeing as the cut role would most likely be a forward position, reducing the number of players wouldn't really created another 16 players for a team, just another 16 forwards, the rest will still be unchanged player pool wise

In saying that, i think the depth is already there and would grow even more if the opportunity to play grew

 

[Perth Red]

It’s like Gould doesn’t want to see the game grow?


A spate of NRL form slumps has shown that the competition doesn't need any more teams, according to Phil Gould.

The premiership-winning coach and recent Panthers football boss has suggested that expansion is off the table amid a strange end to the regular season, where the standard of many sides has deteriorated.

While the first-placed Storm have again set a benchmark this year, the competition has been riddled with inconsistency.


The Roosters are cruising in second and the Raiders are a major improver in third, but Manly (fourth) and Parramatta (sixth) have endured serious form fluctuations; albeit having risen impressively from 15th and 16th-placed finishes respectively last season.

Between them in fifth is South Sydney, locked in a three-game losing streak that coach Wayne Bennett warns may prove terminal to their premiership hopes.


There is a five-point drop to seventh-placed Brisbane, who have endured a rocky season, while the trailing Sharks, Panthers, Knights and Wests Tigers have looked far from finals-calibre teams for much of the season.

Out-of-contention sides the Warriors, Bulldogs, Dragons, Cowboys and Titans have regularly been flat-out bad; with only Canterbury, locked in a major rebuild and currently on a three-game winning streak, holding a valid excuse.

https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/phil-g...fa56-4fa4-957a-5cfe33e35b01?ocid=Social-NRLFS

 

[Stallion]

It’s like Gould doesn’t want to see the game grow?


A spate of NRL form slumps has shown that the competition doesn't need any more teams, according to Phil Gould.

The premiership-winning coach and recent Panthers football boss has suggested that expansion is off the table amid a strange end to the regular season, where the standard of many sides has deteriorated.

While the first-placed Storm have again set a benchmark this year, the competition has been riddled with inconsistency.


The Roosters are cruising in second and the Raiders are a major improver in third, but Manly (fourth) and Parramatta (sixth) have endured serious form fluctuations; albeit having risen impressively from 15th and 16th-placed finishes respectively last season.

Between them in fifth is South Sydney, locked in a three-game losing streak that coach Wayne Bennett warns may prove terminal to their premiership hopes.


There is a five-point drop to seventh-placed Brisbane, who have endured a rocky season, while the trailing Sharks, Panthers, Knights and Wests Tigers have looked far from finals-calibre teams for much of the season.

Out-of-contention sides the Warriors, Bulldogs, Dragons, Cowboys and Titans have regularly been flat-out bad; with only Canterbury, locked in a major rebuild and currently on a three-game winning streak, holding a valid excuse.

https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/phil-g...fa56-4fa4-957a-5cfe33e35b01?ocid=Social-NRLFS

What a load of garbage from Gould! He knows better but is clearly playing a political game to please his masters whom don't give a tinkers cuss about the code of rugby league and its growth.

 

[T-Boon]

What a load of garbage from Gould! He knows better but is clearly playing a political game to please his masters whom don't give a tinkers cuss about the code of rugby league and its growth.

Nice. Very nice.

 

[T-Boon]

A tinker's curse or cuss was considered of little significance because tinkers (who worked with their hands near hot metal) were reputed to swear (curse) habitually.

 

[Stallion]

A tinker's curse or cuss was considered of little significance because tinkers (who worked with their hands near hot metal) were reputed to swear (curse) habitually.

Thanks. I was going to use another more common expletive . But resisted.

 

[flippikat]

It’s like Gould doesn’t want to see the game grow?


A spate of NRL form slumps has shown that the competition doesn't need any more teams, according to Phil Gould.

The premiership-winning coach and recent Panthers football boss has suggested that expansion is off the table amid a strange end to the regular season, where the standard of many sides has deteriorated.

Ok, so someone has to ask him - if the NRL cannot expand beyond 16 teams, then how does it grow the broadcasting dollar in the current environment where broadcasters are allegedly looking to tighten their wallets?

 

[The Great Dane]

I think Gould's got a misplaced attitude of once bitten twice shy after the 90's.

He is just scared of recreating a situation similar to the one when the ARL had the 20 team comp during the 90's, which is a legitimate concern that shouldn't be ignored, but his gut response to those concerns is to stifle growth instead of attempt to increase player development, which is sad but it is what it is.

However I reckon if somebody could sit him down (off air) and talk to him about things that he could pretty easily be brought around.

I also think that he is one of those guys that can see the writing on the walls in Sydney but is trying to ignore it in the hope that it goes away, and that doesn't help either.