WCC Expansion.....

[eagles2win]

Already posted this on FB and Twitter but

Hearing all the ESL teams have agreed to expand the WCC (up to 6 teams - 3 ESL and 3 NRL).
The RFL will be having meetings with the IC to try and make this happen.
So we might see some ESL teams at Brookie.

Given that the ESL teams have an American tv rights deal, something that the NRL don't until Origin and the Finals might make it happen.

 

[Brookie4eva]

If true, curious how they will pick the 3 teams.

Assumptions would be top 3 on table, but what if the premiership goes to a team outside the top 3 on table ???

 

[Wolfpack]

IMO the three spots should go to the two grand final teams & the highest placed team that didn't feature in the GF.

Interesting idea, not sure if I'm that crazy about it though. I do enjoy the one-off nature of the WCC.

 

[eagles2win]

Top 3 from the premiers, runners up and then the next team at a guess.
My question is would it be knockout tourney with the premiers on opposite sides of the draw and they have to prove there worth to get to claim best team or would it be 3 vs 3, 2 vs 2, 1 vs 1.
Monetary wise this could be huge for clubs.
Also a selling point to players who would more then likely stay at/go to a club that plays in the WCC tourney so they earn more IMO (kind of the draw card for the big soccer teams playerwise)

 

[The Who]

There would need to be big payouts to the NRL clubs because it would certainly dampen their chances of winning the early season matches.
Would winning bonuses for players be included in the cap?
I think the lesser clubs would be delighted seeing the top three clubs bash each other prior to the season starting.
I can't see it working.

 

[eagles2win]

There would need to be big payouts to the NRL clubs because it would certainly dampen their chances of winning the early season matches.
Would winning bonuses for players be included in the cap?
I think the lesser clubs would be delighted seeing the top three clubs bash each other prior to the season starting.
I can't see it working.

Shouldn't. Are Origin and internationals payments counted into the NRL cap?

I see it this way trials that clubs play any way are now worth something.
Something a lot of fans and coaches have been asking for since the WCC started to get successful.

A way to do it is this way -

NRL season 1 - 22 (keep player union happy)
With Origin in there as well
Finals
2 weeks off then WCC tourney
Internationals

ESL similar schedule 1 - 22
Challenge Cup
Finals
WCC tourney
Internationals

Put it at the end at the host of the internationals that way we can't complain about not having the WCC here
The bulk of the test sides come from the top sides any way so the players

 

[Peter C]

The WCC is a waste of time, I would rather two competition points than a win in the WCC.
Having a series of six teams involved in some sort of round robin or knockout competition before the NRL is too intensive and convoluted.
but we tolerate it because it's the first game of league after what seems to be an eternity of cricket,even for the fact that it is heavily weighted in favour of the english sides.

 

[wizball1973]

We make the WCC.

Cherry breaks his leg in one of the games.

He's out for ages in the NRL.

No thanks.

 

[Jono]

I see it as a State of Origin type tournament. Australia vs England, 1st vs 1st, 2nd vs 2nd, 3rd vs 3rd. The country that wins the most wins the World Club Challenge. Do the tournament, as said before, after the finals in the UK, not in February. Alternate the hosts and make it sit in the same time as the Four Nations tournament. Have it as a one night tournament at one of the grounds.

How do you decide the top 3 in Australia/UK? I'd have it winner, runner up, then 3rd place for the UK as the Challenge Cup winner, then have 3rd in Australia being the winner of a Pre-season Cup (like the old Tooheys Cup). It's about time we brought this in.

 

[Ian Martin tragic]

Another set of games for the players many of whom will have played tests, soo, etc. It would have to be worth a motza for the clubs via tv/media deals to make it worthwhile.

I would prefer this replaces pre-season trial games to minimise the addition to no. of games to play (with liberal replacement rules etc.).

 

[eagles2win]

We make the WCC.

Cherry breaks his leg in one of the games.

He's out for ages in the NRL.

No thanks.

Manly win there 2nd WCC

Round 1 of the NRL season DCE breaks his leg.

Round 2 Riccardi debuts

Any difference then?

Clubs (and a by product players) is richer

Injuries happen it's a contact sport.
It might seem cold of me to move on to the next player but that's how the club would approach it as well.
When Brett did his knee in a round 1 clash against the tigers the club didn't rock up to the NRL and say that doesn't count our best player got injured. They got back up, dusted themselves off and got another player to fill that position (to the best of his ability).

 

[Wolfpack]

We make the WCC.

Cherry breaks his leg in one of the games.

He's out for ages in the NRL.

No thanks.

DCE wakes up in the morning to go to training.

He slips on his front steps & breaks his leg.

He misses an entire season of NRL.

No thanks, stairs.

 

[jbb/james]

If ever an agreement is to be set, its now. The main obstacles i see in this are as follows
1 Player association demands players get a certain amount of time off

2 with the time off for players, existing international obligations I would consider a tournament of such would require a shortening of the season, which would affect the clubs not involved. Would a tournament of this stature require approx 5 weeks in time, with travel, training, and possibly 3 games

3 Its a very big ask for players to spend that much time away from families, and some players would want an exemption

4 it would be very hard to get players focused for the upcoming season, so most coaches would be against it

 

[Dan]

Could they host it in Australia instead of over there?

 

[jbb/james]

I would like to see them take this concept further. I would like to see the seaon reduced to playing eachother once.The ESL has 14 teams so a breakdown similar to this

Splitting both Leagues into 4 pools
Pool A top 4 from each comp
Pool B teams 5 - 8 from each comp
Pool C teams 9-12 NRL and teams 9 - 11 ESL with top Qrl team or BYE or PNG
Pool D teams 13 -16 NRL and team2 12- 14 ESL with top NSW team or France or BYE

Pool A and C play in one hemisphere
Pool B and D play in the other alternating, with all cash split between all teams involved

The NRL chronies promote, run etc the southern hemisphere. the EU do the north playing games in France and NZ and receive a small cut from the tournament

The refs are split, the rules are united, and the game wins

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I would like to see them take this concept further. I would like to see the seaon reduced to playing eachother once.The ESL has 14 teams so a breakdown similar to this

Splitting both Leagues into 4 pools
Pool A top 4 from each comp
Pool B teams 5 - 8 from each comp
Pool C teams 9-12 NRL and teams 9 - 11 ESL with top Qrl team or BYE or PNG
Pool D teams 13 -16 NRL and team2 12- 14 ESL with top NSW team or France or BYE

Pool A and C play in one hemisphere
Pool B and D play in the other alternating, with all cash split between all teams involved

4 nations played at end of tournament

The NRL chronies promote, run etc the southern hemisphere. the EU do the north playing games in France and NZ and receive a small cut from the tournament

The refs are split, the rules are united, and the game wins

 

[eagles2win]

Could they host it in Australia instead of over there?

If they did how many of us want it i.e prior to the 4 Nations, World Cup

 

[Dan]

Well having it at the start of our season in the UK is a nightmare for any team that goes over there, and a big risk for injuries etc.

Why not have it here one year, over there the next year. A rotating roster seems fairer to all.

TBH i am not a fan of the WCC and only watch the four nations with passing interest as there is no other footy to watch