adamkungl
Immortal
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- 42,955
I feel like posting a long winded rant on what needs to happen. Sorry if it's mostly obvious, hopefully there are some decent ideas, interesting in others' thoughts.
Looking game-wide, there just needs to be more internationals, and they need to profit. We need to put ourselves in a position where players want to play for smaller nations, and the game can afford to offer match payments to countries outside the big 3. The 2 pro-comps need to be open to and allow this. Medium to long term it has massive benefits for the game. Rugby League's greatest strength is the NRL. With the right moves we could have both a better club scene AND rep scene than Union within 2 decades.
NRL needs to introduce rep weekends around the ANZAC test and SOO. On these weekends, the Pacific Cup could be held, and well promoted and viewed. This gets regular tests, players, exposure and hopefully income for all pacific nations and does so at minimal loss to the broadcasters, because let's be honest - the NRL comp around rep games is shithouse anyway. We're losing 4 rounds but 4 shit rounds, largely comprised of Byes and dud matches.
Mirror this in whatever way is suitable for the Super League and European Cup.
Post season internationals should stick with the current alternating 4N format. However before kicking off, the big 3 play a test each against the higher ranked Euro and Pac Cup teams. Concurrently to the 4N, other nations could play further test matches.
Teams outside of current WC nations should be playing regular matches too, as well as the European Bowl and similar tournaments, which could result in promotion up to the Cup level with progress.
The year before the WC, qualification tournaments need to happen for countries outside the top 3 or 5. Rather than a 4N, a return of a Lions tour or a 3 match series could potentially happen. Gap years where Aus refuses to play tests aren't ideal at all.
None of this is very far away from the set-up we have now - it just needs to be consistent, visible and well promoted.
Domestic game:
Aus has nowhere to go really, that would affect international RL. Expanding nationally is irrelevant to this discussion.
NZ could grow their domestic game to improve RL's overall popularity v Union.
England needs to improve the standard of their competition outside of the top few heartland teams.
Wales needs to work their way back towards SL entry, with a much more stable long term plan.
France should be aiming to have the world's 3rd fully professional RL comp.
Scotland and Ireland are a mystery to me - I have no idea what goes on domestically there or what pathways to SL exist. based on the squads chosen though, it would appear a lot of work needs to happen on building the grassroots and improving pathways to the top.
Similarly, the Island nations need to work with NRL, NSW Cup and QLD Cups to build clear paths to professional football, as well as growing their home leagues.
PNG have taken a massive step in entering the QLD Cup - They could be setting the benchmark for Pacific RL development within the next few years.
US and Italy both have the same goals - 1) re-unification of top leagues. 2) Introduction and growth of junior leagues. 3) Building pathways to semi-pro comps for their top talent. Perhaps encouraging trades where top Italian and US players spend a couple of yrs improving their game in Aus and Eng, in return for middle-ground semi-pro players improving the domestic leagues of Italy and US.
Lower than that, obviously improving local comps and aiming for WC entry.
2017 WC should be a 16 team, 4 pool (Same super pool format as 2013 but with 4 teams in C and D) event.
Looking game-wide, there just needs to be more internationals, and they need to profit. We need to put ourselves in a position where players want to play for smaller nations, and the game can afford to offer match payments to countries outside the big 3. The 2 pro-comps need to be open to and allow this. Medium to long term it has massive benefits for the game. Rugby League's greatest strength is the NRL. With the right moves we could have both a better club scene AND rep scene than Union within 2 decades.
NRL needs to introduce rep weekends around the ANZAC test and SOO. On these weekends, the Pacific Cup could be held, and well promoted and viewed. This gets regular tests, players, exposure and hopefully income for all pacific nations and does so at minimal loss to the broadcasters, because let's be honest - the NRL comp around rep games is shithouse anyway. We're losing 4 rounds but 4 shit rounds, largely comprised of Byes and dud matches.
Mirror this in whatever way is suitable for the Super League and European Cup.
Post season internationals should stick with the current alternating 4N format. However before kicking off, the big 3 play a test each against the higher ranked Euro and Pac Cup teams. Concurrently to the 4N, other nations could play further test matches.
Teams outside of current WC nations should be playing regular matches too, as well as the European Bowl and similar tournaments, which could result in promotion up to the Cup level with progress.
The year before the WC, qualification tournaments need to happen for countries outside the top 3 or 5. Rather than a 4N, a return of a Lions tour or a 3 match series could potentially happen. Gap years where Aus refuses to play tests aren't ideal at all.
None of this is very far away from the set-up we have now - it just needs to be consistent, visible and well promoted.
Domestic game:
Aus has nowhere to go really, that would affect international RL. Expanding nationally is irrelevant to this discussion.
NZ could grow their domestic game to improve RL's overall popularity v Union.
England needs to improve the standard of their competition outside of the top few heartland teams.
Wales needs to work their way back towards SL entry, with a much more stable long term plan.
France should be aiming to have the world's 3rd fully professional RL comp.
Scotland and Ireland are a mystery to me - I have no idea what goes on domestically there or what pathways to SL exist. based on the squads chosen though, it would appear a lot of work needs to happen on building the grassroots and improving pathways to the top.
Similarly, the Island nations need to work with NRL, NSW Cup and QLD Cups to build clear paths to professional football, as well as growing their home leagues.
PNG have taken a massive step in entering the QLD Cup - They could be setting the benchmark for Pacific RL development within the next few years.
US and Italy both have the same goals - 1) re-unification of top leagues. 2) Introduction and growth of junior leagues. 3) Building pathways to semi-pro comps for their top talent. Perhaps encouraging trades where top Italian and US players spend a couple of yrs improving their game in Aus and Eng, in return for middle-ground semi-pro players improving the domestic leagues of Italy and US.
Lower than that, obviously improving local comps and aiming for WC entry.
2017 WC should be a 16 team, 4 pool (Same super pool format as 2013 but with 4 teams in C and D) event.
