Damien Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 I think this would be pretty good but more importantly will aid expansion greatly and will make it easier going forward. I particularly like the talk about a 2nd NZ team and for once the NRL leadership seem to see the potential there: The NRL has pitched a proposal to split the competition into two conferences which would see new teams added in Brisbane and New Zealand as part of the game’s bold expansion plans. The plans have the backing of one of the game’s most influential figures, with Wayne Bennett throwing his support behind the concept that would revolutionise the professional game. NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo and chairman Peter V’landys have met with several clubs over the past fortnight to outline the long-term vision for the game in regards to expansion and how they can maximise future broadcast rights deals. And on New Zealand specifically: Privately the NRL feels there is a huge opportunity in New Zealand given the financial state of rugby union in the country. While the 15-man code is by far the most dominant sport in New Zealand, the NRL believes a second team will help boost junior participation and create a rivalry with the Warriors that will increase interest across the ditch. NRL two conference system proposed by Andrew Abdo, Peter V’Landys (smh.com.au) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerjon Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 It's a good way of appeasing the Sydney clubs who would otherwise be frightened at the very prospect of expansion, it seems. Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Posted April 27, 2021 Author Share Posted April 27, 2021 25 minutes ago, gingerjon said: It's a good way of appeasing the Sydney clubs who would otherwise be frightened at the very prospect of expansion, it seems. Indeed. It may well be a good way of ensuring that everyone gets a bit of something, allowing the game as a whole to move forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hela Wigmen Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 It’s a solid plan and one that’s been predicted for a while. I think it would work very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Copa Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 Interesting https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/secret-dossier-reveals-bombshell-nrl-conference-system-revolution/news-story/a613270973716ffb8a4c8702d3d94633 The two conference system would include a Sydney-based conference and a conference made up of the teams outside Sydney. The proposal includes the nine clubs in each conference playing each other twice, and playing the clubs in the other conference once — expanding the season to a 25-game home-and-away competition. It will also result in an overhaul of the finals system with the proposal outlining plans to have the best four teams from each conference qualify for the finals. The two conferences would then have separate finals systems before the best club from each conference clash for the NRL Grand Final. It comes after the NRL last year flirted with the idea of breaking the competition into two conferences as part of the plan to re-start the season following the COVID-19 season shutdown. The NRL in 2019 also investigated a proposal to expand the finals system with a wildcard weekend that would see teams from 7th to 10th play off for a chance to secure a spot in the top eight. The proposal was designed to eliminate the number of games played that had no impact on the make-up of the finals. How the NRL conferences would look Sydney conference: Roosters, Rabbitohs, Eels, Bulldogs, Tigers, Panthers, Dragons, Sharks, Sea Eagles Expansion conference: Broncos, Titans, Cowboys, Storm, Warriors, Knights, Raiders, second Brisbane franchise, second New Zealand franchise How the season would work The nine teams from each conference play each other twice (16 games) and each team from the other conference once (nine games) How the finals system would work Each conference would have a top four group of teams that qualify for the finals. The finals would then unfold as separate competitions in an elimination format that would begin with 1vs4 and 2vs3. The winners of each conference would then play for the NRL grand final. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 Terrible, I don’t like how only one team from each conference can make the final, ie you could never have a Roosters v Bunnies final etc. I do like the extra Brisbane and NZ teams though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DI Keith Fowler Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 1 minute ago, Eddie said: Terrible, I don’t like how only one team from each conference can make the final, ie you could never have a Roosters v Bunnies final etc. I do like the extra Brisbane and NZ teams though. I agree actually, you should mix it. A. 1st in Sydney V 4th in Expansion B. 2nd in Sydney V 3rd in Expansion C. 3rd in Sydney V 2nd in Expansion D. 4th in Sydney V 1st in Expansion And so on. Allows for an all Sydney or all expansion Grand Final but obviously favours 1st place in each league. I was born to run a club like this. Number 1, I do not spook easily, and those who think I do, are wasting their time, with their surprise attacks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubby Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 Sydney's grip on RL is like a vice. It is its strength and it also plays a large part in holding it back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Posted April 27, 2021 Author Share Posted April 27, 2021 1 hour ago, Hela Wigmen said: It’s a solid plan and one that’s been predicted for a while. I think it would work very well. I agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whippet13 Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 Interesting proposal, more details here: https://au.sports.yahoo.com/nrl-consider-conference-system-report-085215094.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvLnVrLw&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAIB_PvbsHkkydDgkiJWeaH5NnHiO-nFGcbt0TXGbMjqoEe-6KQ9wLPL3Avdg4NlGoMg33UqH48_T51OOkIjXe1clfTrjD7PfSaG9mP28juWL_N6eejIxsK9A1k4MByLExfokaMW80eFPji4tFPdizp4IpY9yO8JRl6E8WqV4jVz0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidM Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 The NRL draw is totally unsatisfactory , unbalanced and pretty inexplicable tbh and will be even more so with expansion. Whether this is the answer I don’t know . There’s upsides and downsides but I guess any radical rejig will have . Certainly deserves a hearing anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 1 hour ago, Scubby said: Sydney's grip on RL is like a vice. It is its strength and it also plays a large part in holding it back. Maybe, but if the two best teams are from Sydney why not have them play the final, or likewise of the best two are from elsewhere why have a Sydney team in it. As a fan of the NFL I think the NFC / AFC split is a weakness in that regard, ie often one of the conference finals features the two best teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldcoaster Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 I like the 18 teams, like the way the fixtures are structured. But I think you need to do finals on the best 8 clubs on cumulative points. Leave the finals as they are Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Posted April 27, 2021 Author Share Posted April 27, 2021 1 hour ago, DavidM said: The NRL draw is totally unsatisfactory , unbalanced and pretty inexplicable tbh and will be even more so with expansion. Whether this is the answer I don’t know . There’s upsides and downsides but I guess any radical rejig will have . Certainly deserves a hearing anyway Yes the current format is a little strange. This format should certainly make that clearer. I think anything that helps expansion should be seriously considered. I would love to see the NRL have a proper crack at expanding the game in New Zealand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whippet13 Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 Need to make sure the conferences are balanced, unfair having the top half dozen in one group. Since that changes there would need to be a certain amount of realignment each season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Posted April 27, 2021 Author Share Posted April 27, 2021 5 minutes ago, Whippet13 said: Need to make sure the conferences are balanced, unfair having the top half dozen in one group. Since that changes there would need to be a certain amount of realignment each season. You cant be changing every season. I think it would be pretty fair anyhow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RugbyLeagueGeek Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 6 minutes ago, Damien said: You cant be changing every season. Why not? They could do a draw every season for the 2 conferences (a la the Champions League draws) and make a feature of it. Not saying it's necessarily better than keeping it the same every year, but it could easily be done. Would seem a bit fairer on the travel front, as currently all the 'expansion' division clubs would have far more travelling to do than the Sydney division. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Posted April 27, 2021 Author Share Posted April 27, 2021 24 minutes ago, RugbyLeagueGeek said: Why not? They could do a draw every season for the 2 conferences (a la the Champions League draws) and make a feature of it. Not saying it's necessarily better than keeping it the same every year, but it could easily be done. Would seem a bit fairer on the travel front, as currently all the 'expansion' division clubs would have far more travelling to do than the Sydney division. Well obviously it is possible, anything is. It is just stupid and defeats the point of what they are trying to achieve with two conferences based on geography with a Sydney conference and more Sydney rivalries. Likewise it would be the same if the Queensland teams were split and the two NZ teams. I think set conferences would also create rivalries much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubby Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 I might be reading this wrong but this indicates that there would be a Sydney club in the NRL grand final every year? No more Melbourne v Brisbane 2006, or Brisbane v Cowboys 2015, or even a future all NZ GF? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scubby Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 1 hour ago, Eddie said: Maybe, but if the two best teams are from Sydney why not have them play the final, or likewise of the best two are from elsewhere why have a Sydney team in it. As a fan of the NFL I think the NFC / AFC split is a weakness in that regard, ie often one of the conference finals features the two best teams. Is does mean certain GF match ups from the past can never happen again? 2015 for example. The system may have some merit but the top 8 just need to go into a cross play-off, or at the very least the top 2 from each (when whittled down). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bird Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 Brilliant. Fans in Sydney go to matches by bus. All others collect Air Miles.p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spidey Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 13 minutes ago, Scubby said: I might be reading this wrong but this indicates that there would be a Sydney club in the NRL grand final every year? No more Melbourne v Brisbane 2006, or Brisbane v Cowboys 2015, or even a future all NZ GF? I read that. But they also mentioned a traditional 8 club playoff as well. Depends what way they go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Posted April 27, 2021 Author Share Posted April 27, 2021 14 minutes ago, Scubby said: I might be reading this wrong but this indicates that there would be a Sydney club in the NRL grand final every year? No more Melbourne v Brisbane 2006, or Brisbane v Cowboys 2015, or even a future all NZ GF? I suppose it would depend on the play off format chosen. If its all conference v conference then no but if they jumble it up a little then it still may be possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Kevin Sinfield Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 Why not just keep all the clubs in one league as they are now. After everyone’s played each other once have all the Sydney clubs play each other a 2nd time and the non Sydney based clubs play each other a 2nd time. They play some clubs once and some clubs twice as things stand anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Picture Posted April 27, 2021 Share Posted April 27, 2021 A Sydney division and an "Expansion" division eh? ROFLMAO what moron thought that up? As the Yahoo report states, "The travel factor would be immense for the likes of Newcastle and Canberra, who would spend every third week headed interstate. In comparison, Sydney teams would have to leave the NSW/ACT area just four or five times a year." More typical Sydney-centric thinking at work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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