World Club Challenge doomed

[Atticus Finch]

[url]http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,12141144%5E2722,00.html What do people think? The WCC a...d Cup Qualifiers or comps in their own right.

 

[rugged]

Good luck with this idea as I don't think anyone's going to like it - me included.

 

[Nook]

The WCC needs to stay in some format. If it can't be changed to a better time of the year, leave it where it is. Its not ideal but its better than the alternative of nothing at all.

All this bitching done in the NRL by the clubs about player burnout is ridiculous. The clubs are the ones preventing the rationalisation of the regular season which would allow for a more satisfactory trade off between club and representative football. Meanwhile in the UK the elite players play more trials, more regular season matches and up to five challenge cup games, as well as finals. And this year they had the hardest Trinations schedule by far. Anyone would think we Aussies are a race of whingers, the amount of crap some of our coaches and administrators go on with.

 

[bazza]

It would be less of a concern if every 2nd game was played in Australia. Then the NRL club would treat as just another trial

 

[Bulldog-Power]

the NRL is the shizznit

in my books everything comes 2nd to our national comp

 

[rugged]

the NRL is the shizznit

in my books everything comes 2nd to our national comp

I agree. The only way other sports like RU have their larger international programmes is at the expense of their domestic competitions. Does anyone really want to cut away at the NRL comp?

 

[Nook]

Does anyone really want to cut away at the NRL comp?

Not to the point of having anything other than the club game as the pinacle of the sport. However, its a question of balance. 22 Rounds would offer an opportunity to have a less demanding and more fulfilling representative schedule, without doing damage to the domestic scene.

Ofcourse the trade off is difficult. I think Union is too top heavy, with a big international scene and - realistically - little else beneath it in many areas. League must maintain its grass roots and club focus, but such a focus and a thriving if limited international program aren't mutually exlcusive.

 

[rugged]

Union never really had a hugely popular domestic scene, so with Super 12 and international they've build a good thing out of not much. So I don't think you can say it is top heavy.

On the other hand, the NRL is a good thing, and popular, and international growth and competition in league seems to be hampered by the big clubs and their demands.

 

[Nook]

Union is top heavy. In Australia, the majority of fans materialise for the big games once or twice a year and then dissapear. Union in Aus relies for its survival on internationals, and relies heavily on them elsewhere. Besides the Super 12, which in itself is an international comp, there is virtually nothing.

League has a solid, large supporter base as a result of a thriving club comp. International competition is hampered by the strength of this comp, but it need not be so. Chopping a few rounds from the NRL and SL would allow for a better international program without threatening the base of the game.

 

[rugged]

Union is top heavy. In Australia, the majority of fans materialise for the big games once or twice a year and then dissapear. Union in Aus relies for its survival on internationals, and relies heavily on them elsewhere. Besides the Super 12, which in itself is an international comp, there is virtually nothing.

Same for cricket. Are you saying it is top heavy? Are you saying league is bottom heavy? I say whatever works for a sport is good. If a competition is thriving it is obviously where the audience is and they should play to their strengths.

 

[Nook]

Cricket has an established national competition and first grade comps all over the country which have a degree of prestige. Its embedded firmly in the Australian sporting psyche in every state, and played everywhere.

Union is played at a decent level in two states, relying heavily on private schools. In these states it lags badly in popularity stakes, and relies almost exclusively on big internationals to sustain it. Its top heavy. Cricket has a solid foundation to prop its massive international scene up on. Union doesn't. League has a foundation but a history of failures at capitalising upon this base.

 

[ali]

That link doesn't work!

The NRL should only be 22 rounds. It is too long!

 

[SalfordRedsWA]

the NRL is the shizznit

in my books everything comes 2nd to our national comp

I agree. The only way other sports like RU have their larger international programmes is at the expense of their domestic competitions. Does anyone really want to cut away at the NRL comp?

What?? Like the non event the domestic NSWRU comp is with meagre crowds and this supports the Wallabies? Get real!

Typical Aussie attitude " lets put the Sydney NRL before world expansion so union can continue to overtake us"! what a laugh!

 

[rugged]

What?? Like the non event the domestic NSWRU comp is with meagre crowds and this supports the Wallabies? Get real!

That's what I'm saying. All the crowds watch the Wallabies and Super 12 so no one watches club rugby.

 

[dimitri]

nrl 22 rounds

tri nations to be expanded and played nearly every year except world cup years


WCC to stay the same (it would be ridiculous if another club is the world champion if they didnt win the nrl or esl)

!!!!!!!!!

 

[chileman]

The WCC needs to stay in some format. If it can't be changed to a better time of the year, leave it where it is. Its not ideal but its better than the alternative of nothing at all.

I agree....keep it as is!

 

[taipan]

What?? Like the non event the domestic NSWRU comp is with meagre crowds and this supports the Wallabies? Get real!

That's what I'm saying. All the crowds watch the Wallabies and Super 12 so no one watches club rugby.

And thats why it is top heavy.That is why the rugby union wants a national club comp,because from S12 down is to be generous the pits, in terms of standards and crowds.The rugby union officials even acknowledge that they still havent got the tiers in place.
At least league is getting to the stage,that internationals( admittedly only NZ and GB at present) are very competitive,the SOO is so far up its not funny,and the NRL comp is going gangbusters with crowds and TV audiences,despite the competition from other codes.
The 2008 world cup will do 3 things, alert the publice that the code is played in more than a couple of countries,and the bulk of the players involved are playing in home grown competitions.and give the overseas palyers experience against top flight pros.
All league has to do is get either a competitive French and or Russian/USA international team,they will be laughing.

 

[Ari Gold]

What?? Like the non event the domestic NSWRU comp is with meagre crowds and this supports the Wallabies? Get real!

That's what I'm saying. All the crowds watch the Wallabies and Super 12 so no one watches club rugby.

And thats why it is top heavy.That is why the rugby union wants a national club comp,because from S12 down is to be generous the pits, in terms of standards and crowds.The rugby union officials even acknowledge that they still havent got the tiers in place.
At least league is getting to the stage,that internationals( admittedly only NZ and GB at present) are very competitive,the SOO is so far up its not funny,and the NRL comp is going gangbusters with crowds and TV audiences,despite the competition from other codes.
The 2008 world cup will do 3 things, alert the publice that the code is played in more than a couple of countries,and the bulk of the players involved are playing in home grown competitions.and give the overseas palyers experience against top flight pros.
All league has to do is get either a competitive French and or Russian/USA international team,they will be laughing.

absolutely brilliant post.......agree with you 100 %

 

[thommo4pm]

What?? Like the non event the domestic NSWRU comp is with meagre crowds and this supports the Wallabies? Get real!

That's what I'm saying. All the crowds watch the Wallabies and Super 12 so no one watches club rugby.

And thats why it is top heavy.That is why the rugby union wants a national club comp,because from S12 down is to be generous the pits, in terms of standards and crowds.The rugby union officials even acknowledge that they still havent got the tiers in place.
At least league is getting to the stage,that internationals( admittedly only NZ and GB at present) are very competitive,the SOO is so far up its not funny,and the NRL comp is going gangbusters with crowds and TV audiences,despite the competition from other codes.
The 2008 world cup will do 3 things, alert the publice that the code is played in more than a couple of countries,and the bulk of the players involved are playing in home grown competitions.and give the overseas palyers experience against top flight pros.
All league has to do is get either a competitive French and or Russian/USA international team,they will be laughing.

Agree completely, great post.
France and one other country gives us 5 truly competitive nations which is up there with Union(they have a few more admittedly) and cricket(cricket really only have 6 or 7 competitive countries).
And with the emergence of Lebanon, PNG looking to get back on track, and fingers crossed about the celtic nations and Russia(along with other European nations) the future looks bright for League Internationally.

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

the NRL is the shizznit

in my books everything comes 2nd to our national comp

I agree. The only way other sports like RU have their larger international programmes is at the expense of their domestic competitions. Does anyone really want to cut away at the NRL comp?

I've said this before and Im going to say it again . League needs to be run by the its national body and everything control by its national body .
Thats why rugby has an advantage over league . There's nothing wrong with a one round NRL followed by a Provincial/state comp (QLD/NSW/Auckland/Wellington/PNG/ACT etc) and then international test matches in october .
Now thats a calendar I would love to watch . The NRL is kind of getting boring with its two round format .