Tooheys Challenge

[Captain Apollo]

In fact when the NFL wanted to add an 18th regular season game to the schedule, the NFLPA only agreed to it if the NFL pre-season was reduced from 4 games a year to 2. Both the NFL and the players recognised you can't just keep adding games, not if you want your best players available for much of the season.

Also, suggesting you rotate your squad more to accommodate this pre-season competition, why would I want to watch some bog players who are not up to first grade standard play? Also when you consider injuries and the like, a 30 player squad won't be big enough or have enough quality in it to make up for resting "star" players during the regular season. Then add in the whingeing that will occur in the media about players being rested - if you think this won't happen with the likes of Channel 9 and News Ltd, then you are dreaming.

 

[Wb1234]

You're comparing a collision sport to an aerobic sport. MLB play 162 games in their season plus post season, therefore soccer players should play more?

You're also comparing a true global sport with a sport who has a limited player pool. You dilute the talent playing and you dilute the quality and no one will watch.

Great idea in theory but in practice not so, otherwise it would already be done.

League doesn’t have a limited player pool

it’s barely scraped the surface of available players in its heartlands

 

[Captain Apollo]

While not caring, Still good to have the footy on while having a BBQ. So TV ratings will be ok

If it gets 10k to these games instead of 3k, While making a small profit for the game that is a win.

NBA Summer League springs to mind

Which is a development league where players looking to fill slots 10-12 on an NBA team play, along with some rookies who were drafted. The players who are the nominal starters in NBA teams rarely ever play in the Summer League.

 

[Captain Apollo]

League doesn’t have a limited player pool

it’s barely scraped the surface of available players in its heartlands

Oh, really?! Tell me about all these untapped superstars who will be playing for the Dolphins in 2023 then

 

[Steel Saints]

Just play a couple of trials. And that's it. If the NRL wants a pre season tournament, then it has to reduce the season from 24 games down to 22.

 

[Wb1234]

Oh, really?! Tell me about all these untapped superstars who will be playing for the Dolphins in 2023 then

Look at Sydney

there’s maybe two actual development clubs and the rest bludge off them

imagine if every club invested in juniors like Penrith did and that’s just Sydney

the phins have committed 2 mill pa in junior funding so they will be fine

and then there’s places like png, nz, the pacific islands and super league

 

[Iamback]

Which is a development league where players looking to fill slots 10-12 on an NBA team play, along with some rookies who were drafted. The players who are the nominal starters in NBA teams rarely ever play in the Summer League.

Yep which is exactly like NRL teams run out in the 1st trial anyway, So why not get a sponsor onboard

 

[Captain Apollo]

Look at Sydney

there’s maybe two actual development clubs and the rest bludge off them

imagine if every club invested in juniors like Penrith did and that’s just Sydney

the phins have committed 2 mill pa in junior funding so they will be fine

and then there’s places like png, nz, the pacific islands and super league

Sorry, but not every club has a junior league area as big as Penrith's. I mean lots of league players live in areas like Vaucluse eh?

p.s.

Central Coast Roosters say "hi".

FMD, this is not an everyone v Penrith discussion!

 

[AlwaysGreen]

League doesn’t have a limited player pool

it’s barely scraped the surface of available players in its heartlands

League might have a deep potential player pool but they are not ready to go right now.

Look at the BBL - some of the players there are absolute rubbish and it's impacted the quality of that tournament which has impacted bums on seats and eyes on screens.

Watching a full strength tigers v Titans game is bad enough now, imagine if they ran out sides with squad players

 

[Wb1234]

Sorry, but not every club has a junior league area as big as Penrith's. I mean lots of league players live in areas like Vaucluse eh?

p.s.

Central Coast Roosters say "hi".

FMD, this is not an everyone v Penrith discussion!

Lmao nobody was attacking the roosters directly

the reality is the salary cap does not reward clubs who invest in juniors and it should

the longer a player is in a clubs junior system the higher percentage of their salary should be exempt

 

[Diesel]

Where would St Helens rate against full strength teams? Possibly 6-8th?

 

[Wb1234]

Where would St Helens rate against full strength teams? Possibly 6-8th?

Played here it’s hard

not since Wigan beat brisbane way back when they had all the best players

realistically they should get belted even against below strength sides

 

[Iamback]

Where would St Helens rate against full strength teams? Possibly 6-8th?

Around that

 

[Iamback]

Oh, really?! Tell me about all these untapped superstars who will be playing for the Dolphins in 2023 then

They are going to have an 18 year old halfback playing in a World Cup semi

 

[Foreign Legion]

Instead of a Tooheys Challenge, I'd much rather see a NRL Ssecond Division (NO relegation or promotion of course) with 10 clubs, all players professional with a reduce salary cap.

1 team from Perth, 1 team from Adelaide or Darwin, 2 teams from New Zealand, 3 from QLD and 3 from NSW

 

[Colk]

How many games do soccer players play at the elite level (including champions league etc)

it won’t be full squads involved anyway

One they get paid millions of dollars a year and secondly it is not a collision sport like league.

As others have said, the only way this would work would be if the league decided to shorten their season dramatically.

So if you get to 20 teams one day, you play 19 or 20 rounds with dedicated rep periods. You’re just expecting way too much of players if this comes to fruition

 

[Perth Red]

Move NRLW to Jan start. Have 3 weekends in Feb full of game events. End of day its only to add value to the streaming deal so people dont turn off their subscriptions in November, you dont need a semi competitive cup with all teams involved

ie Wk1 NRL Nines
Wk 2 Allstars (men and women) and WCC
Wk 3 Charity Shield and a couple of trial games that are given a title and cup to play for and become an annual thing like the charity shield. maybe Broncos v Dolphins (Suncorp)- Storm v Perth* (Perth)- Roosters v Knights (Gosford) or similar

 

[Steel Saints]

Instead of a pre season tournament, why not bring in an extra round to accommodate Magic Round.

And maybe prioritise both the NSW and Qld Cup. Have a double header on a Monday night showing one game each from NSW and Qld Cup.

 

[Timmah]

Instead of a pre season tournament, why not bring in an extra round to accommodate Magic Round.

And maybe prioritise both the NSW and Qld Cup. Have a double header on a Monday night showing one game each from NSW and Qld Cup.

A lot of lower grade players still need to work during the week, not sure playing weekdays/weeknights would be good for them

 

[Wb1234]

One they get paid millions of dollars a year and secondly it is not a collision sport like league.

As others have said, the only way this would work would be if the league decided to shorten their season dramatically.

So if you get to 20 teams one day, you play 19 or 20 rounds with dedicated rep periods. You’re just expecting way too much of players if this comes to fruition

Loads of league players make a million a year and the salary cap is going up all the time

it won’t be too long before players get 2 million plus pa