The great expansion conundrum....

[Disco]

My few random points collated (rather then a but of quoted responses).

*can't see PNG being anything other than a failure...I dont get it, go the Perth Bears.

*Go slow, I'm fine with 18 in the in the next couple of years but hold off on 19 and 20 for a good while.

*personally not a fan of 2 conferences and only playing within your conference begore a GF. Say Storm arent in our conference there is a high chance we don't play those teams for a decade......awful.

*I think there is a bit more movement. People blame players but clubs are just as culpable. That said I do think it is a bit overblown. At Manly atm Turbo, Garrick, Koula, Parker, DCE, Haumole, Jake, Burbo, Paseka have only played first grade at Manly.
Even going back to the mid 90s team or the 08-11 there were tonnes of Manly stars that played elsewhere before or after in Ridge, Elsgood, Innes, Hill, Hancock, Nevin, Cleary, Moore, Lyons, Feild, Hasler Haumono, Roberts, Carroll, Serdaris, Gillespe, Teirney, Cunningham.
Then Roberston, Bell, G Stewart, Kite, Perry, Ballin, Watmough, Lyon, T Williams, Orford, Foran, Gutherson, Hiku, Buhrer, Galauvo.
I feel any loss of connection would often be a change in the individual rather then the game, other things in life in family, kids, work etc taking up space in our lives and footy taking on a little less meaning.

 

[manly al]

Wonder how many still Nth Sydney inclined supporters would be totally enthusiastic or largely supportive of being part of a franchise mainly based and operated in another and distant capital city and where the locals tend to be very parochial in supporting their national sports teams
Anyway just have to wait and see i guess and then the matter of a pathways system but then the Strom have their own set of issues to contend with and continue to be largely successful .
Still think that it would be very advisable to encourage a location like Fiji to have some type of an association with any P N G franchise arrangement

 

[The Who]

*personally not a fan of 2 conferences and only playing within your conference begore a GF. Say Storm arent in our conference there is a high chance we don't play those teams for a decade......awful.

This needs correcting:
Two conferences, each of 10 teams. You play the nine other teams in your conference twice = 18 matches. You play the teams in the other conferences once = 10 matches. Then the top four teams in each conference cross-over and play against one another in a finals series. It means that you play every 19 clubs at least once, and potentially up to four times in one season.

 

[Disco]

This needs correcting:
Two conferences, each of 10 teams. You play the nine other teams in your conference twice = 18 matches. You play the teams in the other conferences once = 10 matches. Then the top four teams in each conference cross-over and play against one another in a finals series. It means that you play every 19 clubs at least once, and potentially up to four times in one season.

Ah okay okay, I misread.....that I can deal with.

In fact, that I like.

Only issue is the best 8 teams may not make the finals if one division ends up stacked.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

At Manly atm Turbo, Garrick, Koula, Parker, DCE, Haumole, Jake, Burbo, Paseka have only played first grade at Manly.

And Lehi, Gordie, Jamie, Clayton, Vaega.
Also Crokes had just 1 game for Raiders, and Toff only 2 for Warriors,

 

[manly al]

This needs correcting:
Two conferences, each of 10 teams. You play the nine other teams in your conference twice = 18 matches. You play the teams in the other conferences once = 10 matches. Then the top four teams in each conference cross-over and play against one another in a finals series. It means that you play every 19 clubs at least once, and potentially up to four times in one season.

Some interesting suggestions from you and others on this topic but with this format .. how is it really that much different or a variation on the present comp arrangement

 

[Sea Eagle 4 Life]

I still wonder who would want to live in PNG. Either there would have to be major tax incentives or the players fly in for games from far north QLD, i.e. treat Cairns as their base.

 

[Will on the hill]

Ah okay okay, I misread.....that I can deal with.

In fact, that I like.

Only issue is the best 8 teams may not make the finals if one division ends up stacked.

This is where the wildcard games could come in. Teams 5 and 6 from each conference playoff for the last 2 finals spots. (Could be teams 4 and 5 if they want to keep an 8 team finals)

 

[Will on the hill]

Some interesting suggestions from you and others on this topic but with this format .. how is it really that much different or a variation on the present comp arrangement

Still not perfect but the 10 teams competing with each other for a finals spot all play the same teams, the same number of times.

 

[The Who]

Some interesting suggestions from you and others on this topic but with this format .. how is it really that much different or a variation on the present comp arrangement

If based on geography you get many more 'local derbies': We'd play all other Sydney-based teams twice. It also reduces travel and makes it more likely that fans will attend away matches.
It provides a much more equitable draw: for example: this season do you realise we only play Cronulla once - and it's in round 27! The current draw is a hodgepoge.

 

[rj90]

Am I the only one that thinks the PNG bid is fkn stupid?
I get they're huge fans of the game, and love their passion, but passion isn't enough to sustain an NRL club.
Who would want to live & play there?
Ridiculous decision if true, and even worse that the tax payers will foot the bill.

 

[manly al]

If based on geography you get many more 'local derbies': We'd play all other Sydney-based teams twice. It also reduces travel and makes it more likely that fans will attend away matches.
It provides a much more equitable draw: for example: this season do you realise we only play Cronulla once - and it's in round 27! The current draw is a hodgepoge.

Fair call but then there are heaps of supporters in Qld who for whatever reason support Sydney based sides or even sides like the Raiders , Knights or Storm for that matter and if Storm was for instance included in a primarily Qld bases conference , not sure how that would offer economy savings
Anyway probably would also detract from a national or international type game concept , especially if a Perth , P N G and anther N Z side are eventually included

 

[Tragic Eagle]

Play each team once and the remaining games should be a lotto type draw thats televised.

 

[The Who]

Fair call but then there are heaps of supporters in Qld who for whatever reason support Sydney based sides or even sides like the Raiders , Knights or Storm for that matter and if Storm was for instance included in a primarily Qld bases conference , not sure how that would offer economy savings
Anyway probably would also detract from a national or international type game concept , especially if a Perth , P N G and anther N Z side are eventually included

A 10-team conference style comp (not too dissimilar to sports competitions in the USA) would be great for the Sydney-based team, but hard on the other conference. Can you imagine a conference with:
Manly, Penrith, Wests, Easts, Souths, Cronulla, Canterbury, St, Parra and Newcastle? Ideal. Perfect for us fans. Much less travelling for each club, big savings on airfares. . .
But the other conference would be: Brisbane, 'Fins. Gold Coast, 'Boys, Melbourne, Canberra, Auckland and three new teams: Perth, Pacifica, Christchurch (or whoever)...

 

[The '47ers]

I still wonder who would want to live in PNG. Either there would have to be major tax incentives or the players fly in for games from far north QLD, i.e. treat Cairns as their base.

A lot of Cairns talk but that just defeats the purpose, might as well save $600M and make a Far North Qld team. No one is going to want to play/live in PNG.

 

[47MVEagle]

Am I the only one that thinks the PNG bid is fkn stupid?
I get they're huge fans of the game, and love their passion, but passion isn't enough to sustain an NRL club.
Who would want to live & play there?
Ridiculous decision if true, and even worse that the tax payers will foot the bill.

I agree, I think it’s purely a geopolitical decision.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I agree, I think it’s purely a geopolitical decision.

Stupid decision to start an NRL team , Albo needs taking out the back and given a flogging.

Politics shouldn’t enter into the equation.

 

[The Insomniac]

Stupid decision to start an NRL team , Albo needs taking out the back and given a flogging.

Politics shouldn’t enter into the equation.

Albo is leading his Labor government to a single term followed a decade in opposition. He's seen as weak and indecisive and based on his own agenda, he's leading the NRL into a minefield, from which it will take years to recover. Don't even start me on that imbecile Chris Bowen.

 

[Loyal Eagle]

Any chance the png team might actually source a high percentage of png players… couple in nrl now- few playing in England (Ipape our 9 that never was) and kids coming through their future pathways? Bet there might be some south sea islanders who would live and play out of PNG for a chance.

NRL could facilitate development by sending some key position png kids to existing nrl clubs, to help fast track their development. FYI they don’t actually have to win a comp in the next decade to be a success.. think panthers pathways - can’t keep em all.. would love a future where couple hard nuts fill our middle rotation, and crack heads if anyone runs through the middle third lol (better value proposition/ investment than lodge or Keppie)

Where is your sense of adventure… lots of negative energy on here! Geez