Give Us A Proper WCC

[Tosh]

I love the NRL pre-season trials as you get to see a lot of the exciting young talent from the u21’s side and players from the NSW&queenskand cup hoping to secure a development contract that you wouldn’t normally get to see.
 

They should also broaden it out more and give players from the hunters and silktails a shot at the big time.

[Spidey]

1 hour ago, Sports Prophet said:

There is no obligation to do anything else pre-season, so why not?

I don’t see this eventuating though.

NRL preseason is SL in season. Inviting St Helens to something outside of WCC is pure arrogance 

[JM2010]

27 minutes ago, Spidey said:

NRL preseason is SL in season. Inviting St Helens to something outside of WCC is pure arrogance 

Saints should treat it with the contempt it deserves and send their reserves over

[Sports Prophet]

24 minutes ago, Spidey said:

NRL preseason is SL in season. Inviting St Helens to something outside of WCC is pure arrogance 

I think you’re taking it a bit too personal.

The current administration probably don’t even know when SL starts. To me the article looks to be a very infant idea that when asked about an 18th team, St Helens was the first thing that came to mind.

[Spidey]

1 minute ago, Sports Prophet said:

I think you’re taking it a bit too personal.

The current administration probably don’t even know when SL starts. To me the article looks to be a very infant idea that when asked about an 18th team, St Helens was the first thing that came to mind.

Isn't that the point - why don't they know?

[Sports Prophet]

1 minute ago, Spidey said:

Isn't that the point - why don't they know?

Why should they?

[Sports Prophet]

2 minutes ago, Spidey said:

Isn't that the point - why don't they know?

no point the rest of the RL world trying to convince the NRL to do anything that isn’t in their interest. Because if that’s what the RL world does, they will watch the NRL go on improving and expanding its own business and leave the rest of the RL world behind. 

I have no issue with the NRL concentrating on themselves. The SL is a competitor after all.

[MatthewWoody]

2 hours ago, Spidey said:

NRL doing their own thing again

OT: The article mentions "a potential US game" 

[Tosh]

9 minutes ago, MatthewWoody said:

OT: The article mentions "a potential US game" 

Not this again!!!

[Spidey]

1 hour ago, Sports Prophet said:

Why should they?

Well as soon as they mention a club outside of their remit of course they should

[FearTheVee]

7 hours ago, Spidey said:

English champions St Helens would be invited to compete, meaning there would be 18 participants once the Dolphins are factored in. It would allow the Super League champions to test themselves in a meaningful way outside the traditional World Club Challenge

Sigh - how depressing.

Hopefully the email is already drafted telling them where to shove it.

[Mathius Hellwege]

why no internationals before the NRL which the AFL could never offer instead of blindly copying them....

[Saint Toppy]

I spoke to someone at the club yesterday and Saints have agreed a date of weekend of 18/19 Feb as the date (or earlier) 

Edited November 3, 2022 by Saint Toppy

[RP London]

22 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

no point the rest of the RL world trying to convince the NRL to do anything that isn’t in their interest. Because if that’s what the RL world does, they will watch the NRL go on improving and expanding its own business and leave the rest of the RL world behind. 

I have no issue with the NRL concentrating on themselves. The SL is a competitor after all.

I'd argue that last point is a massive misjudgement if they truly believe that (and I don't think they do, I think that's your take on it, they may not view it particularly favourably but I don't think they see it as a competitor). 

A successful and strong Super League (or whatever it will end up being called) in the northern hemisphere would be good for the NRL in many ways.. first and foremost it would open up larger audiences for them to sell their product, their teams their merchandise and their TV rights, and with the last one especially this will be for more and more money the more popular the sport gets. If France also succeeds in growing due to this then that is another market etc etc (hence going to places like the states). 

I dont believe the NRL would be naïve enough not to see that, some of the commentators like Gus Gould, yes maybe, but they are just wind bags like Schofield over here.. but the admin in the NRL I dont think would view it how you are portraying it.

[FearTheVee]

13 minutes ago, Saint Toppy said:

I spoke to someone at the club yesterday and Saints have agreed a date of weekend of 18/19 Feb as the date (or earlier) 

Good news.  Irrespective of how Penrith choose to treat it, we should treat the game and competition with the respect it deserves.

Bit worried we'll be missing a bunch of key players though given the long term injuries and off-season operations to several of our best players (Dodd, Percy, Lomax, Walmsley etc).

[Saint Toppy]

17 minutes ago, FearTheVee said:

Good news.  Irrespective of how Penrith choose to treat it, we should treat the game and competition with the respect it deserves.

Bit worried we'll be missing a bunch of key players though given the long term injuries and off-season operations to several of our best players (Dodd, Percy, Lomax, Walmsley etc).

Dodd & Walmsley will be playing. Walmsley's foot injury was a 2month lay-off according to the club, though they did also take the opportunity to fix a long standing arm injury as well during that time, but he'll be back in full training by Christmas. Dodd was back in 'light training' before the end of the season and barring any re-occurance of the injury he'll get a full pre-season of training in. 

Percival should also be fit, his pulling out of the WC squad was more precautionary, so another 3 months of healing time for his hamstring should see him fit for the WCC. I think the only unknown at this stage is Lomax as I haven't seen anything from the club on how is recovery is going.

I'll already assume Hopoate won't be fit, he'll probably stub his toes in training and be out for a month 

[FearTheVee]

5 minutes ago, Saint Toppy said:

Dodd & Walmsley will be playing. Walmsley's foot injury was a 2month lay-off according to the club, though they did also take the opportunity to fix a long standing arm injury as well during that time, but he'll be back in full training by Christmas. Dodd was back in 'light training' before the end of the season and barring any re-occurance of the injury he'll get a full pre-season of training in. 

Percival should also be fit, his pulling out of the WC squad was more precautionary, so another 3 months of healing time for his hamstring should see him fit for the WCC. I think the only unknown at this stage is Lomax as I haven't seen anything from the club on how is recovery is going.

I'll already assume Hopoate won't be fit, he'll probably stub his toes in training and be out for a month 

All really promising news - would love to see us have a good crack at them.  Quite tempted to fly over for it 

[Jughead]

I don’t think Saints should worry too much about this proposed tournament at this stage when details are so sparse but it cannot be written off and is something we should certainly explore if the option came up. 

 

[Sports Prophet]

1 hour ago, RP London said:

I'd argue that last point is a massive misjudgement if they truly believe that (and I don't think they do, I think that's your take on it, they may not view it particularly favourably but I don't think they see it as a competitor). 

A successful and strong Super League (or whatever it will end up being called) in the northern hemisphere would be good for the NRL in many ways.. first and foremost it would open up larger audiences for them to sell their product, their teams their merchandise and their TV rights, and with the last one especially this will be for more and more money the more popular the sport gets. If France also succeeds in growing due to this then that is another market etc etc (hence going to places like the states). 

I dont believe the NRL would be naïve enough not to see that, some of the commentators like Gus Gould, yes maybe, but they are just wind bags like Schofield over here.. but the admin in the NRL I dont think would view it how you are portraying it.

You have an argument, but I see it differently to you.

Competition is a good thing. With competition, grows public product awareness and interest.

Any strong company will tell you that competitors are healthy for their own businesses. But it doesn’t mistake the fact that they are competitors.

For example, Manchester United are so much stronger for their competition with Man City and Liverpool. Without those competitors, they would be less of an entity.

Same can be said for the value McDonalds and KFC add to each other by being competitors. McDonalds won’t be sharing many secrets with KFC, nor doing them any favours, but, McDonalds certainly wouldn’t want KFC to go bust.

Therein lies the relationship between the NRL and The RFL/SL.

Edited November 3, 2022 by Sports Prophet

[RP London]

1 minute ago, Sports Prophet said:

You have an argument, but I see it differently to you.

Competition is a good thing. With competition, grows public product awareness and interest.

Any strong company will tell you that competitors are healthy for their own businesses. But it doesn’t mistake the fact that they are competitors.

For example, Manchester United are so much stronger for their competition with Man City and Liverpool. Without those competitors, they would be less of an entity.

We are seeing it similarly but calling it different things... business is about innovation and necessity drives innovation, the necessity to be one step ahead drives that so that you keep your customers instead of your customers leaving to go to someone else, however, you do want your competitor to ultimately fail really.

In terms of your example they are, of course, stronger for those other teams but its because it makes the "whole" more appealing to purchase therefore expanding the knowledge of the teams etc. Without the premier league being competitive and of a high standard it would not have the tv viewers across the world that it does now and therefore the eyes on it and the purchase of merchandise etc. 

However, that is a sport that is known worldwide and for which there is an audience. 

If you look at other sports such as cricket or ru then are they able to sell their product into markets where the sport is not known? no. They have both, therefore, looked to other avenues to get the sport known to then be able to look at "selling" their product. 7s in the olympics will do that for RU as, and this is a guess (but i would like to think educated), more countries are probably showing the 6 nations or international matches as the appeal in countries has grown etc. 

Therefore while the leagues are in competition in terms of wanting to be seen as better than the other it would be daft IMHO to consider Super League as a competitor (in the same way the Premier League may see the Bundesliga as a competitor) because a strong Super League will mean room for the NRL in the UK and France that it doesnt have at the moment, a strong international game too could do same (something i wish more would see). 

If they act in the way that we are a competitor and they need to always best us and do us down (as the likes of Gus Gould do) then i don't think that is healthy.

[Mathius Hellwege]

see the good news in another thread..............two games for the Saints

[Saint Toppy]

Well if Saints do sign up to participate in this and the WCC then Cas will be getting their annual game of playing a Saints Reserves again .

I seriously doubt Saints will fly back from Aus and then field a full strength side away at Cas the next weekend when they will be playing their first home game of the year 5 days later against Leeds. Also, depending on what happens with the CC with Saints & Hudds the 'free weekend' for internationals will probably be used by Saints to play their round 1 game against Hudds.

[MatthewWoody]

I'd say it's good news. 

If we can't have an International window at the beginning of the season (I know it's unthinkable, although other sports have it...), at least we'll have some international flavor with Saints' 2 games down under. 

https://www.theroar.com.au/2022/11/07/nrl-2023-draw-who-misses-magic-round-three-byes-for-each-team-us-venture-scrapped-pre-season-title-up-for-grabs/

[Saint Toppy]

1 minute ago, MatthewWoody said:

I'd say it's good news. 

If we can't have an International window at the beginning of the season (I know it's unthinkable, although other sports have it...), at least we'll have some international flavor with Saints' 2 games down under. 

https://www.theroar.com.au/2022/11/07/nrl-2023-draw-who-misses-magic-round-three-byes-for-each-team-us-venture-scrapped-pre-season-title-up-for-grabs/

I thought Penrith's stadium had started to be demolished ?

[Saint Toppy]

On 03/11/2022 at 09:18, Saint Toppy said:

I'll already assume Hopoate won't be fit, he'll probably stub his toes in training and be out for a month 

 Didn't even manage to make it back to Pre-season training before getting injured again