Season structure

[The Eagle]

saints have been blessed with their draw this season. i think we all agree there are the top 5 and then the rest this year. Saints only have to play the other 4 teams once each whereas we have to play all bar saints twice.

manly 7 games against the other 4 teams
Broncos 7 games
cowboys 6 games
storm 6 games
dragons 4 games

In the paper a few years ago there was an article written about the draw,its done by some company somewhere in the USA and the article stated something along the lines of

"Teams get to nominate who they want to play against twice the most"

Manly and Saints do not have a huge rivalry like we do with Parra,Melbourne,Bunnies or Wests and to a lesser extent,The sharks

 

[Jono]

I like it Jono. But i think it would be a better idea if the local derby teams were grouped together. Ie Manly-Parra. The two Brisbane teams etc. I also think we'll be waiting a long time for the inclusion of 4 teams.

I see what you are saying but I wouldn't want to group both Brisbane teams together. I can see Manly and Parramatta being in the same group as Canterbury can be moved to the other group.

As for the time, I agree. For 4 teams you need to give it at least 2 years per team. So:

November 2011: Perth are announced as entering the competition in 2013

November 2013: Central Queensland are announced as the 2nd team to enter in 2015

November 2015: Brisbane 2 are named to enter the competition in 2017 (start of the tv deal after next)

November 2017: Central Coast or Wellington (depending on the Bears bid faultering or not) announced for entry in 2019

By February 2019 you would have your 20 teams and all teams would be set up financially and structurally well enough to ensure financially they will survive.

As for the player shortages, this can be covered with a higher salary cap, a higher number of players in a squad and getting the boys in SL back to Australia. Then, you have the juniors come up and a good draft system for some of the lower junior players might also be a good idea, especially country juniors or overseas Islander juniors (for juniors only, no washed up players)