Underwhelming 2023 international calendar

[Perth Red]

After the success of the world cup it would have been nice to have seen a decent calendar for the international game this year to build on it. Instead most of the top nations will only play 3 or 4 games, and potentially some none.
why does RL have such a problem putting together proper rep seasons and having them planned well in advance?

 

[wain]

After the success of the world cup it would have been nice to have seen a decent calendar for the international game this year to build on it. Instead most of the top nations will only play 3 or 4 games, and potentially some none.
why does RL have such a problem putting together proper rep seasons and having them planned well in advance?

yep, another upcoming international season of much hype but little substance it seems.
I am glad that Tonga has stuck with heading north!
It pains me that the biggest and most important country in our sport continue to treat the international game secondary.
I hope that PNG, Samoa, Fiji and NZ at least play multiple games in some way - even if Aus doesnt.

Where do you see France fitting in the picture too?
I wonder if they have finances to host a pacific nation? They'd at least get some decent crowds in France, so probably makes more sense to host than to come this way.
I wonder what hype they could build hosting the USA...just because its the USA? Certainly not much of a test ability-wise, but probably easier to market than Scotland, Ireland, or other European countries, etc.

 

[The Great Dane]

yep, another upcoming international season of much hype but little substance it seems.
I am glad that Tonga has stuck with heading north!
It pains me that the biggest and most important country in our sport continue to treat the international game secondary.
I hope that PNG, Samoa, Fiji and NZ at least play multiple games in some way - even if Aus doesnt.

Where do you see France fitting in the picture too?
I wonder if they have finances to host a pacific nation? They'd at least get some decent crowds in France, so probably makes more sense to host than to come this way.
I wonder what hype they could build hosting the USA...just because its the USA? Certainly not much of a test ability-wise, but probably easier to market than Scotland, Ireland, or other European countries, etc.

Frankly it is secondary to the NRL for as long as it remains a high risk investment and fails to make significant financial returns by their standards.

You probably won't see the NRL start to take internationals really seriously until at least half the players representing the major nations are sourced from other professional leagues, there're at least a few marketable household names from outside the NRL, and the average standard of play becomes more competitive.

It just is what it is, and there's very little the NRL can really do to influence it.