WCC news

[CC_Roosters]

I enjoyed it well enough, I thought if saints had there full strength squad they might just have popped it but overall the roosters deserves the win and saints just didn't take the chances that presented

 

[deluded pom?]

It was the same old story in the second half with Saints having the possession and position but not being able to put points on the board. The Roosters then make a break and it’s Keary under the posts. Game over.

 

[adamkungl]

It was the same old story in the second half with Saints having the possession and position but not being able to put points on the board. The Roosters then make a break and it’s Keary under the posts. Game over.

Very England v Australia..

 

[Captain Apollo]

https://www.roosters.com.au/news/2020/02/23/robinson-proposes-four-year-wcc-hosting-cycle/

 

[adamkungl]

Robbo should run the game when he gets sick of winning trophies in 15 years or so

 

[adamkungl]

I'd have a Cup and 2nd place Shield.
WCC = SL premiers v NRL premiers
WCS = SL challenge cup winners* v NRL minor premiers*
* if same team as premiers: minor premiers > GF runner-up

Hold one in England and one in Aus every year, alternating.

2019-20 Shield would have been Storm v Warrington

 

[Valheru]

I would fix the timing before anything else.

Clearly Robbo takes it more seriously than most but it is still a glorified trial to most Aussie fans.

I know this has been said over and over again but line the two GFs up on the same weekend and play the WCC two weeks later with the same squads. I would have no set rotation in venue but rather mirror it based on which national team is travelling. So both the 2020 (as in October this year) and 2021 editions of the WCC would be in England with 2024 and 2025 (assuming the RLWC is hosted here) will be in Australia.

If there is no touring party then it would be the opposite of whoever hosted it last. If the RLWC ever gets hosted somewhere other than the UK and AUS/NZ then the WCC comes as a package deal except for France in which case you would still have it in England.

Leave the pre-season for the 9s and proper trials/exhibitions.

 

[Captain Apollo]

I would fix the timing before anything else.

Clearly Robbo takes it more seriously than most but it is still a glorified trial to most Aussie fans.

I know this has been said over and over again but line the two GFs up on the same weekend and play the WCC two weeks later with the same squads. I would have no set rotation in venue but rather mirror it based on which national team is travelling. So both the 2020 (as in October this year) and 2021 editions of the WCC would be in England with 2024 and 2025 (assuming the RLWC is hosted here) will be in Australia.

If there is no touring party then it would be the opposite of whoever hosted it last. If the RLWC ever gets hosted somewhere other than the UK and AUS/NZ then the WCC comes as a package deal except for France in which case you would still have it in England.

Leave the pre-season for the 9s and proper trials/exhibitions.

You are never going to be able to do it that way. October to November is when they play the bulk of international rep footy now, and neither the RFL nor the NRL control that. The WCC winds up where it is as it fits in around the rest of the calendar. It won't wind up being played 2 weeks after all the Grand Finals, as whilst the NRL Grand final is set for the first weekend in October, the SL Grand final is usually at least a week later (e.g. in 2019 it was on Saturday 12 October 2019).

Hence I can't see anyone wanting to play a game in late October as both teams would have players missing due to rep call ups.

 

[adamkungl]

You are never going to be able to do it that way. October to November is when they play the bulk of international rep footy now, and neither the RFL nor the NRL control that.

The RFL, NRL and NZRL dictate 95% of the international calendar.

The World Cup starts on October 23 next year.
If the SL GF shifted back 1 week to line up to the NRL, schedule-wise there's no other reason the World Club Challenge couldn't be held on October 16 in England. Both clubs would get 2 weeks to prepare, and the handful of international players would join their squads after.

 

[Captain Apollo]

The RFL, NRL and NZRL dictate 95% of the international calendar.

The World Cup starts on October 23 next year.
If the SL GF shifted back 1 week to line up to the NRL, schedule-wise there's no other reason the World Club Challenge couldn't be held on October 16 in England. Both clubs would get 2 weeks to prepare, and the handful of international players would join their squads after.

Really? I suggest you consult a calendar. The NRL Grand Final is on Sunday 4 October 2020. Playing it in the UK on 16 October gives time a whole 12 days to celebrate a GF win, travel to the UK, train and then play. That is just completely bonkers if you think any NRL club, let alone the NRL itself would agree to that. I mean why do you think many Australian players used to try and get out of it when it was played at the end of the season (e.g. Mark Geyer and Greg Alexander are two who admit they did or tried to get out of going in 1991).

Further when you add in mandatory holidays for players as dictated by their collective bargaining agreement for NRL players, it just creates more roadblocks. Many of the players who are in finals teams, but who aren't picked for rep duties are on their mandatory holidays then.

It won't happen in that time frame, it will stay where it is. Get used to it as I very much doubt it will change.

 

[adamkungl]

10+ players from a typical GF squad are going to be in the UK training before Oct 16 as it is. Somehow they'll manage to squeeze in enough partying beforehand.

 

[blue bags]

I enjoyed it well enough, I thought if saints had there full strength squad they might just have popped it but overall the roosters deserves the win and saints just didn't take the chances that presented

saints should have won, could have won aswell. saints had played 3 games already this season,roosters none, playing at home, playing in there conditions but silly passes, silly ball control, cost them, and roosters defense was a brick wall, like usual , if it was played in say july, roosters would win by about 30 points ?

 

[Valheru]

You are never going to be able to do it that way. October to November is when they play the bulk of international rep footy now, and neither the RFL nor the NRL control that. The WCC winds up where it is as it fits in around the rest of the calendar. It won't wind up being played 2 weeks after all the Grand Finals, as whilst the NRL Grand final is set for the first weekend in October, the SL Grand final is usually at least a week later (e.g. in 2019 it was on Saturday 12 October 2019).

Hence I can't see anyone wanting to play a game in late October as both teams would have players missing due to rep call ups.

Well then it will never be taken seriously.

Also, I did say to line up the grand finals.

There is no reason the internationals can't be pushed one week back and finish last week of November or first week of December.

 

[Captain Apollo]

Well then it will never be taken seriously.

Also, I did say to line up the grand finals.

There is no reason the internationals can't be pushed one week back and finish last week of November or first week of December.

You are the one ignoring the realities of things like the player's annual leave. Pushing everything back a week impacts on when the rep players go on leave, and when they can return for pre-season training. If you did what you suggest you'd have rep players in the NRL returning to pre-season training a month or less before the start of the season.

Also have a look at the English Super League, they are already 3 games into the season, yet you want their players to play up until mid-late December just to play the WCC? Brilliant scheduling there Holmes.

Further who said it isn't taken seriously due to it being played in February? You going to tell me the Saints didn't? The Roosters? The main reason it has a problem is due to how its funded, which our own coach pointed out. It gets no money from the RFL in the UK nor the NRL - its funded by the SL clubs themselves.

Sorry but the only people agitating for it at the "end of the season" are people like yourselves who don't look at the whole of game picture, something the RLIF have (oh and go look at the members of the board, most have connections to the NRL, NZRL or UK SL) as they want to grow the international game. Moving this without completely redoing the whole of game calendar is akin to FIFA's Club Wold Cup being added to the soccer calendar.

 

[The Fanatical Rooster]

I would like to see the WCC played here more often, just so the fans can access it more regularly. It is an important fixture, which is taken more seriously these days. Alternating it would do it justice.

 

[The Fanatical Rooster]

Hope you put some cash on that!

Hahaha, no I didn't, as I am not a betting man, but I would have cleaned up if I was!

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

I dont think the WCC will ever be very big. The fans/comps are too geographically separated for it to ever be more than an exhibition game.

In terms of national rivalries, we should put more focus on the rep calendar and developing interest in the national teams.

With regards to the clubs, I think it would be great to do an NRL-SL 9s tournament. Just off the top of my head, I imagine a Champions league-style thing where the top 6 NRL team, top 6 SL teams and a few wild cards (Latin Heat, Africa United, USARL teams) compete over a 2 day format.

In the end, I just think geography is the biggest barrier between NRL and SL teams ever having a decent rivalry, particualry if they are only one-off games.

 

[The Fanatical Rooster]

Perhaps HITD, but with flights to London now happening from Perth, that argument is starting to weaken a bit. The SL has talked about expanding by having a team in Perth. I would be happy with that, as I would get to see my Wigan Warriors more often! I doubt that it is going to happen in the short term, however.

I hope that they keep the WCC concept (not because of personal interest, of course)! It probably will be limited in its number of games, I agree. It is a tradition in league that should not be removed. I am sick of losing our traditions, e.g. City/Country. That should never happen again.

 

[deluded pom?]

Perhaps HITD, but with flights to London now happening from Perth, that argument is starting to weaken a bit. The SL has talked about expanding by having a team in Perth. I would be happy with that, as I would get to see my Wigan Warriors more often! I doubt that it is going to happen in the short term, however.

I hope that they keep the WCC concept (not because of personal interest, of course)! It probably will be limited in its number of games, I agree. It is a tradition in league that should not be removed. I am sick of losing our traditions, e.g. City/Country. That should never happen again.

I don’t think SL have ever mentioned having a team in Perth. I think any interest shown came from your end.

 

[The Fanatical Rooster]

Possibly so, but I haven't heard anything to suggest that they would not be open to or interested in the idea either. I do see a number of positives in it. Anyway, let's see what happens. The game over there is growing - now with New York and Ottawa coming on board and all.