News: Path to the top is missing a couple of steps

What was wrong with Sydney (and NSW regional) teams having their reserve grade and juniors (currently under 20) playing in lead up matches for EVERY home game? Like it used to be,

Interstate teams looked after themselves.  

Fans were happy, fringe players always had another game to prove themselves, and there were not onerous travel costs.  Of course, this is still possible if the interstate/remote teams in these lower competitions are replaced one-for-one by other Sydney teams (eg Broncos replaced by Norths, Storm replaced by Newtown, Cowboys ... Ryde-Eastwood, Titans ... Wentworthville, ... )

The other difficulty now, however, is that half the top talent originates in Brisbane/Qld and the NRL (ie News Ltd) don't want competition for the News Ltd owned team in Brisbane.  Understandably News Ltd have a monopoly and want to use their power over NRL decisions to ensure they maintain that monopoly.  So those teams who recruit in Brisbane (traditionally the News Ltd owned teams ... Broncos and Storm) have access to more quality up and coming talent.

Surely there must be someone in NRL headquarters with enough common sense to manage these issues and find a common sense solution.  The AFL are able to do it, so what is so wrong with the NRL management?

 

In a word, Gallop.

 

A reasonable ballpark cost for a reserve grade team would be a mill a year I reckon - about what each club would be getting extra if foxtel had paid what right amount for the TV rights. 

That's why there is no reserve grade anymore I reckon.

 

in 2 words
Dirty ****