Competition integrity

[sheridanstand78]

We are about to see the final weekend of the home and away season and the top 8 and order in which teams finish is undecided from positions 4-8

There are teams over the last couple of rounds including this one where teams are resting key players as the finals approach. The current rules allow clubs to do this and teams that in are in a position where they cannot finish any lower have taken the chance to do this.

My concern is the integrity of the game is compromised,

This weekend the Raiders rest 10 players against the full strength Dolphins which makes likely that the Dolphins will win and put a lot of pressure on the roosters who play the rabbits and they will make a real battle and although our chances are gone for 2025 its impossible now.

I have a couple of ideas to prevent teams from resting players.

Like the AFL, You give each team 2 x byes a season and for the teams that qualify for the 8, there is a bye for each finalist as this helps avoid team 1 Canberra v team 4 Brisbane which is hypothetical of course being asked to play with Canberra getting a 5 day turnaround v Brisbane who get an 8 day break. It will also give each finalist an extra week to get over injuries and give a team in the lower part of the 8 a chance to go deeper into the finals.

Alternatively as mentioned in other threads a wild card round between teams 7-10 that would add extra spice and keep teams motivated for a finals run.

I would love to hear from others and their thoughts about this.

I think this is a current integrity issue and the NRL need to be careful with how they handle this moving forward.

 

[Under the Sticks]

A pre-finals bye week to allow for recovery of Grade 1 HIAs and end of season niggles would be beneficial and reduce the desire to rest in final rounds as momentum is lost in the current situation re the Raiders.

 

[The Who]

There certainly needs something done to stop teams deliberately tanking.
Easts didn't mind when Melbourne gifted them a win, but you can bet they will start bleating if they lose to Souths and have to watch the 'Fins playing a Canberra team with 10 players rested.

 

[The '47ers]

Integrity?
Origin period
Home/Away draw
Etc etc

 

[manlyfan76]

On the bye week fans vote for the worst 34 players from the nine teams who don't make the finals, and the worst refs who play in an "all-star" type of match.

A real spectacle

 

[Captain Moondog]

And do something to keep those bloody trainers off the field

 

[JenEagle]

zero integrity

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I’m sure the NRL will disagree but I think from a fan perspective the integrity is at an all time low in the game.

 

[Under the Sticks]

I’m sure the NRL will disagree but I think from a fan perspective the integrity is stay all time low in the game.

You can say that (six) again

 

[Woodsie]

Penrith and Raiders are under zero obligation to consider what is best for other teams ... if they believe that resting players will give them a better chance of winning the comp .... then bugger what anyone else wants or thinks ... and that includes the NRL ...

 

[EagleFlys]

Been awhile since I last re appeared but I enjoyed watching games without the decrepit souls that infest this space. Mark and a few others aside. Who the hell is soup. What a tosser. Anyways as I saw the year we lacked decent cattle, gave up when we should have dug, and be it siebulb or others we finished where we should. It is so much joy watching the game without the dribble. We want to be fans and cheer. Poor disection and misinformation is what I see here. There is no conspiracy, just a poor recruitment,coaching and talent. And there is nothing we can do about it. We do not manage change well because someone moved our cheese.

 

[double hoops]

Integrity of the game is at an all time low. But I wouldn't say that is because some teams who have earned a position to rest players do so. It's happened since Adam was a boy. Hardly the biggest issue for NRL to fix. How about the NRL lfix the transfer market, players changing clubs years in advance, rooster, dogs sombrero.

NRL are just look for another way to destroy the fabric of the game with a view to making more money.

 

[Bloke on the hill]

Can't start bringing integrity into the game now!
The game is like rock n roll wrestling plus a ball.

 

[Tragic Eagle]

It's all about the money. The fabric of this once great game has perished.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

There is no conspiracy, just a poor recruitment,coaching and talent. And there is nothing we can do about it. We do not manage change well because someone moved our cheese.

We gotta move on to the next cheese (and not Brandon smith)
Greek feta, some parmesan, endless options if we have good scouts...
Maybe try here, they are having a cheese festival, I'm available to attend (if Silvertails pays expenses?)

 

[C_Eagle31]

We are about to see the final weekend of the home and away season and the top 8 and order in which teams finish is undecided from positions 4-8

There are teams over the last couple of rounds including this one where teams are resting key players as the finals approach. The current rules allow clubs to do this and teams that in are in a position where they cannot finish any lower have taken the chance to do this.

My concern is the integrity of the game is compromised,

This weekend the Raiders rest 10 players against the full strength Dolphins which makes likely that the Dolphins will win and put a lot of pressure on the roosters who play the rabbits and they will make a real battle and although our chances are gone for 2025 its impossible now.

I have a couple of ideas to prevent teams from resting players.

Like the AFL, You give each team 2 x byes a season and for the teams that qualify for the 8, there is a bye for each finalist as this helps avoid team 1 Canberra v team 4 Brisbane which is hypothetical of course being asked to play with Canberra getting a 5 day turnaround v Brisbane who get an 8 day break. It will also give each finalist an extra week to get over injuries and give a team in the lower part of the 8 a chance to go deeper into the finals.

Alternatively as mentioned in other threads a wild card round between teams 7-10 that would add extra spice and keep teams motivated for a finals run.

I would love to hear from others and their thoughts about this.

I think this is a current integrity issue and the NRL need to be careful with how they handle this moving forward.

I wouldn't mind seeing a Wildcard week. One this year, for example, would've prevented Penrith's kerfuffle of resting the entire 17 man team last week.