World Club Challenge may expand

[Bulldog Force]

Source: http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25131372-5016947,00.html

Club chief proposes to expand World Club Championship to six teams

From correspondents in London, England
Leeds Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington has proposed to expand the World Club Challenge while there are also calls to play the match at a neutral venue such as Abu Dhabi or Hong Kong.
Manly became the first Australian winners of the annual global clash against the British champions for six years when they beat Leeds 28-20 at Elland Road last weekend.
Hetherington's plan is for the top three clubs from both Super League and the NRL to contest the event and the Rugby Football League is willing to consider that possibility.
"Sunday's match was a terrific and outstanding success. International football delivers a profile that domestic football doesn't and we have got to weigh up the balance," RFL chief executive Nigel Wood said.
"All things are possible (including neutral venues). The Middle East or far east are options but as yet no-one has come to the table with a package that would enable us to take the proposal to the next level.
"It's appropriate to have a discussion about what may or may not be possible. There are issues about the over-playing of players which we need to bear in mind."
Agence France-Presse

If this is true, then they'll need to have a 3rd placed play off. I'd assume that GF day already has a full schedule at ANZ stadium, so maybe the Friday or Saturday night before?

 

[Twizzle]

gonna make the season even longer, dont think the players will go for it

 

[barney gumble]

Can't see it going ahead, seems like a bit of a pipe dream.

 

[Canard]

Source: http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25131372-5016947,00.html

If this is true, then they'll need to have a 3rd placed play off. I'd assume that GF day already has a full schedule at ANZ stadium, so maybe the Friday or Saturday night before?

Might be easier to make it the GF winner and the two highest placing clubs at the end of the minor premiership.

 

[Rogue.9]

gonna make the season even longer, dont think the players will go for it

If the NRL/ESL has decent prize money for the tournament which doesn't count toward the cap then they might.

 

[alien]

it's a good idea to expand it but they should make it 4 teams. the 2 grandfinalists from each comp. dont play it in the middle east. one year it should be in enlgand then australia the next year. you know it makes sense

 

[gong_eagle]

The grand finalists from both countries would be enough I reckon

 

[Bulldog Force]

The grand finalists from both countries would be enough I reckon

I know. What's the point of having the top 3 from either comp playing against each other when xyz team already won it? Then again, if that's not the format and everyone plays in a mixed comp the odds of 2 teams from the same comp playing each other in the final is also a possibility. What gives? Nothing!

 

[sting]

stupid idea. how can you lose the grand final, and then go on to be "world champions"?

 

[Perth Red]

Just keep the top two teams and play it after the GF. Hype it to hell, get a major sponsor behind it and let cities bid for the rights to host it. Could be packaged in teh SOO/Int TV deal package as an additional earner.

Would be worth a mint if done correctly.

 

[attila_the_gorilla]

Yeah I agree it should be done after the grand final, and not at the beginning of the season. The number of teams I`m not sure about, I think just the two winners would be enough, to avoid cutting too much into the players` off season. And yeah, venues should be allowed to bid for hosting rights, alternating between GB and Down under year to year. As the Warriors will win the NRL this year, I`d like to see the WCC in Auckland huhh.

You know it makes sense.

 

[Paullyboy]

stupid idea. how can you lose the grand final, and then go on to be "world champions"?

I agree. If they were to do a World Club Championship it'd have to be done similar to the way super league did it - and that wont work because the players dont want to play any more games - so it's not worth considering.

 

[d3@t3h]

Maybe they can have the match in China and then Ribot blows his load

 

[Non Terminator]

Freaking dumb idea, once again we're heading back to pipe dreams of 1997.
Sting labelled it perfect, if you don't win the league, you don't deserve the "World Champion" crown.

 

[PJ Marshal]

works in soccer

champions league winners havnt always won their domestic competition

good concept never happen tho

 

[coolumsharkie]

Big disruption to the beginning of the season, good for us punters though.

 

[Tidus_Raider]

Kind of like a Champions League for Rugby League. Sounds good on paper BUT like others have eluded to:

1. The season is far too long as it is.
2. I would rather they concentrate on improving the International game.
3. Aussie clubs would dominate. They haven't dominated the annual clash because they've been ambushed most times. With games under their belts and proper preparation the English clubs wouldn't stand a chance

What I do think would be a good idea is taking the annual clash to a neutral venue. Dubai or Abu Dhabi would are great suggestions.

 

[fourplay]

Just keep the top two teams and play it after the GF. Hype it to hell, get a major sponsor behind it and let cities bid for the rights to host it. Could be packaged in teh SOO/Int TV deal package as an additional earner.

Would be worth a mint if done correctly.

Yep... it really is quite simple. Play it the week after the grand final, with the team that's travelling competition finishing a week earlier to compensate for the jet lag.

the players will probably whinge that they would rather drink for a week straight after the grand final than play in an actual serious World Club Challenge though. It's the players "too many games" and "nothing else is important outside of the NRL" that is holding the game back from ideas like this and the World 7's, which has more potential than anything.

I would LOVE to see a red hot sharp Leed's or St Helens team the week after the gf playing the NRL champion. I think the intensity and skill level of the game would be right at the top, unlike it's current "trial match" status. If it's drawing 37k fans in a contest fans view as meaningless, then it would likely draw over 60k+ all paying pounds if played the week after the grand final and given the build up and hype it deserves.

 

[1999]

how bout a format like how the 7's used to be run? but 13 on 13 with i dunno 20 minute halves? let all the domestic esl teams come down under for abit of fun, it would be a huge tournament then and one the people will pay top dollar to see and would only run for acouple of days

 

[gottabegood]

What they should do is can both local grand finals. The GF qualifiers to be NRL vs Super League teams, winners face off in the GF on a rotational basis.....