NRL need to get on with developing the national competition

[Lyvet domicile]

4 teams - they could easily double that number.

[SSoutherner]

League need to get this sorted ASAP - within 18mths definately.

 

Look at the growth in Union girls/rugby in the last 5 years, if they dont they may as well give up on the female game

PS vested interest i have managed (not coached)  female union county sides and club sides in the UK for >5 yrs and seen participation grow c 400%, i can't see Aus being that different

[unapologetic pedant]

38 minutes ago, SSoutherner said:

League need to get this sorted ASAP - within 18mths definately.

 

Look at the growth in Union girls/rugby in the last 5 years, if they dont they may as well give up on the female game

PS vested interest i have managed (not coached)  female union county sides and club sides in the UK for >5 yrs and seen participation grow c 400%, i can't see Aus being that different

I`m not sure if the OP is serious, but if you are, like a lot of people you`re failing to realise that the NRLW functions like an end of season rep competition for elite players. The bulk of the women`s RL season in Australia is taken up by the Harvey Norman NSW premiership (looks like being 10 teams this year), the BHP QLD statewide premiership (8 teams), and the many other women`s comps throughout NSW Country and regional QLD, and in the affiliated States.

[SSoutherner]

13 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

I`m not sure if the OP is serious, but if you are, like a lot of people you`re failing to realise that the NRLW functions like an end of season rep competition for elite players. The bulk of the women`s RL season in Australia is taken up by the Harvey Norman NSW premiership (looks like being 10 teams this year), the BHP QLD statewide premiership (8 teams), and the many other women`s comps throughout NSW Country and regional QLD, and in the affiliated States.

\\I didnt realise that - but the point stands that if RL does not make a real push now whilst womans rugby is expanding explonentially (well it is in the UK anyway) it will lose the fight before it really gets going.

Like soccer in the US getting the female game can be a huge stepping stone to mens expansion

[Futtocks]

As far as I can tell, the only competition that gets proper broadcast TV coverage is the WNRL (or is it the NRLW?).

If I'm right, I'd hope the available playing talent could support at least a couple more teams, which would make the competition look better than a 4-club round-robin + final.

And, speaking from a GMT perspective, I wouldn't mind some later kick-off times. Broadcast slots should become available as the NRL playoffs eliminate teams and fewer men's game are played each weekend.

[The Rocket]

Women's Rugby League the big mover in Active Kids - Bulldogs

37% growth since 2017 and moved from outside the top 10 to number 6 on the `Active Kids` Sports voucher  redemption figures.

In other Women`s League news the border between Qld and NSW is likely to be reopened next week allowing for interstate travelers to attend the Men`s and Women`s  Indigenous All-Stars match at Country Bank Stadium Townsville. The match is expected to be a 25 000 sell-out.

 

[unapologetic pedant]

12 hours ago, The Rocket said:

Women's Rugby League the big mover in Active Kids - Bulldogs

37% growth since 2017 and moved from outside the top 10 to number 6 on the `Active Kids` Sports voucher  redemption figures.

I`m not familiar with the precise details of the "Active Kids" scheme, but superficially it looks a great way to get children, particularly from less affluent backgrounds, playing sport. I see references to the vouchers all the time on junior RL clubs` Facebook pages. Presumably they can be redeemed for Tag as well as Tackle.

There`s a piece on the NSWRL site promoting a renewed League Tag push in the Manly junior league. The Northern Beaches seem to be something of a desert for all forms of RL participation. You have to think this has played a part in the decline of the Sea-Eagles` crowds. It can`t just be the state of Brookvale.

[The Rocket]

The announcement last week of a girl`s under 13`s competition kicking off in the Northern territory backed by the NTRL and the  NRL.

Not massive news but the bit that I read talked about pathways and opportunities to play for young girls. I think there is already an u14`s competition. Good news and sounds like they were ready for it.

The Northern Territory continues to be a bright spot for Rugby League where regular annual visits by NRL teams and greater exposure to the game is showing a lot of locals there are other sports than afl.

I would love to see the the Indigenous All-Stars match promoted there, even if not played, there is a massive Indigenous population in the NT and it might inspire a lot of kids to try League.

[DoubleD]

13 hours ago, The Rocket said:

The announcement last week of a girl`s under 13`s competition kicking off in the Northern territory backed by the NTRL and the  NRL.

Not massive news but the bit that I read talked about pathways and opportunities to play for young girls. I think there is already an u14`s competition. Good news and sounds like they were ready for it.

The Northern Territory continues to be a bright spot for Rugby League where regular annual visits by NRL teams and greater exposure to the game is showing a lot of locals there are other sports than afl.

I would love to see the the Indigenous All-Stars match promoted there, even if not played, there is a massive Indigenous population in the NT and it might inspire a lot of kids to try League.

I was thinking just that yesterday when I watched the Indigenous game. NT is a massive league state, and whilst the population is small, and weather unpleasant, we should be maximising its potential.

Do you know what the biggest stadium in NT can hold?

[The Rocket]

18 hours ago, DoubleD said:

I was thinking just that yesterday when I watched the Indigenous game. NT is a massive league state, and whilst the population is small, and weather unpleasant, we should be maximising its potential.

Do you know what the biggest stadium in NT can hold?

I think the ground they play most of the big League games up there is called Marrara TIO stadium, it has a capacity of 14 000 with a grandstand that holds 4500. I think most League games there draw about 8-9 000, the biggest League crowd was Australia vs. Samoa which drew nearly 14 000, think it was 2017 WC. So definitely there is interest.

There does seem to be this mistaken belief that League is huge up there but I think afl is bigger and has been pushing the game up there for decades.

The thing that gives me optimism about League in the NT is that the Aboriginal population, which make over a quarter of the population, doesn`t seem to have any issues with contact sports and if League became more widely available they may well play it. In the first grade GF there last year there was a couple of handy kids who played both.

I suppose this is why I thought, like yourself, the Indigenous All-Stars could be a promotional hit up there. Another thing that League has no other sporting competition can boast in Oz, is the South Sydney Rabbitohs, a club inextricably inked with Aboriginals.

Given the population of Darwin, about 120k, but growing very fast, and given Queensland RL positive attitude towards expansion, a team in the QLD Cup might be a medium term prospect.

Just one quick aside that I find quite amusing, soccer and cricket have both run campaigns to get Aboriginal kids playing their game, both without success, when my daughter played soccer over here a few years back, she played in a boys team, there was one Aboriginal boy, who was a bit of a star, too boring for him though he went back to League despite their entreaties. As far as cricket goes the Aborigines won`t touch it, way too smart to stand out in the sun all day. No they love their contact sports. Hope I haven`t been too long-winded.

 

[DoubleD]

1 hour ago, The Rocket said:

I think the ground they play most of the big League games up there is called Marrara TIO stadium, it has a capacity of 14 000 with a grandstand that holds 4500. I think most League games there draw about 8-9 000, the biggest League crowd was Australia vs. Samoa which drew nearly 14 000, think it was 2017 WC. So definitely there is interest.

There does seem to be this mistaken belief that League is huge up there but I think afl is bigger and has been pushing the game up there for decades.

The thing that gives me optimism about League in the NT is that the Aboriginal population, which make over a quarter of the population, doesn`t seem to have any issues with contact sports and if League became more widely available they may well play it. In the first grade GF there last year there was a couple of handy kids who played both.

I suppose this is why I thought, like yourself, the Indigenous All-Stars could be a promotional hit up there. Another thing that League has no other sporting competition can boast in Oz, is the South Sydney Rabbitohs, a club inextricably inked with Aboriginals.

Given the population of Darwin, about 120k, but growing very fast, and given Queensland RL positive attitude towards expansion, a team in the QLD Cup might be a medium term prospect.

Just one quick aside that I find quite amusing, soccer and cricket have both run campaigns to get Aboriginal kids playing their game, both without success, when my daughter played soccer over here a few years back, she played in a boys team, there was one Aboriginal boy, who was a bit of a star, too boring for him though he went back to League despite their entreaties. As far as cricket goes the Aborigines won`t touch it, way too smart to stand out in the sun all day. No they love their contact sports. Hope I haven`t been too long-winded.

 

No at all Rocket, always good to hear your insights. 

So I don’t have first hand experience of NT sports so unaware of strength of AFL but I’m sure I read that there are more league players per head of population than any other state. I know they’ve got strong youth systems there, they’ve been churning players out for Aussie schoolboys in recent years. It certainly has a strong active league scene

[The Rocket]

An All-Aboriginal Women`s team has been invited to the National Championships this year. I`m not sure whether this has just been a way of boosting the number of competitive teams, I Imagine most States wouldn`t be very strong apart from NSW and QLD, but that doesn`t matter, it`s just really good to give more girls the opportunity to play Rep football.

And the more we engage the Aboriginal community the better it will be for the game overall, you only have to look at the job South Sydney`s star studded Aboriginal backline did on the Roosters last night to know that. 

 

[unapologetic pedant]

5 hours ago, The Rocket said:

An All-Aboriginal Women`s team has been invited to the National Championships this year. I`m not sure whether this has just been a way of boosting the number of competitive teams, I Imagine most States wouldn`t be very strong apart from NSW and QLD, but that doesn`t matter, it`s just really good to give more girls the opportunity to play Rep football.

And the more we engage the Aboriginal community the better it will be for the game overall, you only have to look at the job South Sydney`s star studded Aboriginal backline did on the Roosters last night to know that. 

 

In previous years NSW and QLD were split into City and Country. The other teams were the ADF and Affiliated States (which had a good spread between Vic, WA, NT. Don`t think anyone has yet made it from SA).

In the related NRL.com article there`s no mention of Affiliated States, so it could be that the Indigenous team are their replacement for this year. 

[unapologetic pedant]

On 27/03/2021 at 05:24, The Rocket said:

An All-Aboriginal Women`s team has been invited to the National Championships this year. I`m not sure whether this has just been a way of boosting the number of competitive teams, I Imagine most States wouldn`t be very strong apart from NSW and QLD, but that doesn`t matter, it`s just really good to give more girls the opportunity to play Rep football.

Update on the women`s National Championship.

The two NSW teams and two QLD teams will be under-19s this year. Which makes eminent sense, increasing the chances of the tournament being both competitive throughout and truly national.

As replacement there`s a NSW City v Country open-age women`s fixture on May 15th at Bankwest stadium.

[unapologetic pedant]

Final clarification on the format of this year`s Australian women`s National Championship held at Dolphin Park QLD.

It was a 6-team open-age section (WA, VIC, NT, SA, ADF, First Nations), and an 8-team under-19s section (2 NSW, 2 QLD, WA, VIC, NT, SA).

On what I saw through the first 3 days, standards were high, games good to watch, and the whole event looked great to be a part of. 

WA won the open-age final beating First Nations Gems 10-6 in a golden-point thriller. Amazing scenes apparently. Haven`t seen it yet because, as in 2019, the main games on the final day weren`t livestreamed. They`ll be shown later on Fox League.

Aussie knock-on derangement syndrome was thankfully not too much of a feature on the field. Not so in the commentary box where knock-ons were imagined or wrongly identified relentlessly. Even a double movement was termed "a little knock-on" by one twit of a commentator.

The level of ignorance among those the NRL and State leagues employ for their commentaries is astounding. These blokes have clearly never read the RL rulebook, they can`t recognise referee signals, and misread or mislabel about half of everything they call.