Pacific Championships 2024

[RugbyLeagueGeek]

9 minutes ago, Damien said:

It's just a pity because I dont think it would take much for the Pacific Championship to be massive and be a key tool in taking over the Pacific Islands completely. The teams are there and the interest from fans is there, the administrators need to do little more than getting the format right, with more games, and letting it snowball.

I think you're right. If there were 4 teams in each group (not sure where the 8th would come from), then it would be double the amount of games every week and would guarantee high profile games for those Pacific island nations.

[Tommygilf]

16 minutes ago, Damien said:

Well enjoyed the first week but the format just always leaves you wanting more. Bye weeks and a maximum 3 games just isn't enough for what is now the entire international calendar.

It's just a pity because I dont think it would take much for the Pacific Championship to be massive and be a key tool in taking over the Pacific Islands completely. The teams are there and the interest from fans is there, the administrators need to do little more than getting the format right, with more games, and letting it snowball.

The Pacific Championships should be to RL what the Euros are to football. 

I can't wait for the Aussies to discover this and act like they have found out something nobody else knows 

Edited October 20, 2024 by Tommygilf

[Jim from Oz]

52 minutes ago, Damien said:

Decent Australian ratings for Fiji v PNG too:

 

A bit more detail on the Fiji versus PNG ratings is here:

https://tvtonight.com.au/2024/10/saturday-19-october-2024.html

 

[Barley Mow]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

Well enjoyed the first week but the format just always leaves you wanting more. Bye weeks and a maximum 3 games just isn't enough for what is now the entire international calendar.

It's just a pity because I dont think it would take much for the Pacific Championship to be massive and be a key tool in taking over the Pacific Islands completely. The teams are there and the interest from fans is there, the administrators need to do little more than getting the format right, with more games, and letting it snowball.

Be careful what we wish for - if the organisers come to the same conclusion and put a 4th team into the top level competition, we will likely end up with no SH opposition for England.

[Adelaide Tiger]

59 minutes ago, Damien said:

Well enjoyed the first week but the format just always leaves you wanting more. Bye weeks and a maximum 3 games just isn't enough for what is now the entire international calendar.

It's just a pity because I dont think it would take much for the Pacific Championship to be massive and be a key tool in taking over the Pacific Islands completely. The teams are there and the interest from fans is there, the administrators need to do little more than getting the format right, with more games, and letting it snowball.

I have no issue with the 3 teams per league format.  Less can be more.

But why keep it as a Pacific Championship?  By adding England, France along with this years non Pacific competitor Samoa you have nine teams that can provide competitive games across three leagues and have a Global competition with P&R.  Each game is meaningful.

If France and England are in different leagues if means you could have one group in the NH each year.

[RugbyLeagueGeek]

4 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

Be careful what we wish for - if the organisers come to the same conclusion and put a 4th team into the top level competition, we will likely end up with no SH opposition for England.

My gut feeling is that it is just a matter of time before they come to this conclusion. Money talks, and if they see the Pacific Champs starting to gain traction and generate income then why wouldn't they want all the big guns playing each other down there? This problem for England has been coming for a while, so we should have been planning for it several years ago but have failed to do so.

[Harry Stottle]

14 minutes ago, RugbyLeagueGeek said:

My gut feeling is that it is just a matter of time before they come to this conclusion. Money talks, and if they see the Pacific Champs starting to gain traction and generate income then why wouldn't they want all the big guns playing each other down there? This problem for England has been coming for a while, so we should have been planning for it several years ago but have failed to do so.

And as you say money talks, so for their part in the SH why mend something that isn't broken when it is displaying the characteristics that it will keep on growing, tend to agree if England/GB maybe France want to be included in any future International RL programme we are going to have to request can we be part of it down there.

[Damien]

29 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

Be careful what we wish for - if the organisers come to the same conclusion and put a 4th team into the top level competition, we will likely end up with no SH opposition for England.

There's a myriad of ways this can be done. I want what is best to grow Rugby League, this isn't it.

[Matthias Wald]

7 hours ago, Barley Mow said:

Be careful what we wish for - if the organisers come to the same conclusion and put a 4th team into the top level competition, we will likely end up with no SH opposition for England.

The eight has to be the UK

[Matthias Wald]

8 hours ago, RugbyLeagueGeek said:

I think you're right. If there were 4 teams in each group (not sure where the 8th would come from), then it would be double the amount of games every week and would guarantee high profile games for those Pacific island nations.

As they abandoned Lebanon, and only have 7 countries playing right now they have to choose between Solomon Islands and the UK

[welshmagpie]

2 hours ago, Matthias Wald said:

As they abandoned Lebanon, and only have 7 countries playing right now they have to choose between Solomon Islands and the UK

I’d watch Philippines closely. Seems to be a domestic resurgance, couple with a large Australian based population could be the next AsiaPacific team off the ranks

[Damien]

3 minutes ago, welshmagpie said:

I’d watch Philippines closely. Seems to be a domestic resurgance, couple with a large Australian based population could be the next AsiaPacific team off the ranks

Domestic resurgence how?

[welshmagpie]

Just now, Damien said:

Domestic resurgence how?

Their domestic league has returned this season.

[Damien]

7 minutes ago, welshmagpie said:

Their domestic league has returned this season.

Great news, thanks.

[JM2010]

43 minutes ago, welshmagpie said:

I’d watch Philippines closely. Seems to be a domestic resurgance, couple with a large Australian based population could be the next AsiaPacific team off the ranks

Are there many players in Australia of Filipino heritage in NRL or Queensland/NSW cup?

[JM2010]

2 hours ago, Matthias Wald said:

As they abandoned Lebanon, and only have 7 countries playing right now they have to choose between Solomon Islands and the UK

Add Lebanon, Philippines and Solomon Islands and there could be a top group of 4 with 2 threes below or a top 6 split into 2 groups of 3 with a 2nd tier of 4

[sam4731]

5 minutes ago, JM2010 said:

Add Lebanon, Philippines and Solomon Islands and there could be a top group of 4 with 2 threes below or a top 6 split into 2 groups of 3 with a 2nd tier of 4

@superten?

[JM2010]

Just now, sam4731 said:

@superten?

No. It would be tiered with p and r between each tier. A bit like it is now but with a third tier

[sam4731]

8 hours ago, JM2010 said:

No. It would be tiered with p and r between each tier. A bit like it is now but with a third tier

* whoosh*

[JM2010]

17 minutes ago, sam4731 said:

* whoosh*

You ok mate?

[Farmduck]

8 hours ago, JM2010 said:

Are there many players in Australia of Filipino heritage in NRL or Queensland/NSW cup?

I think Payne Haas and his brother are the only ones.

[Dunbar]

Well the Rugby League World Champions are playing on Sunday but the fixture isn't on the BBC website.

As well as all the other internationals happening across the men's and women's Pacific Championship.

[Sports Prophet]

4 hours ago, Dunbar said:

Well the Rugby League World Champions are playing on Sunday but the fixture isn't on the BBC website.

As well as all the other internationals happening across the men's and women's Pacific Championship.

International RL, no one cares.

[Sports Prophet]

Looking forward to this weekend’s men’s match in Christchurch. A sell out is going to look brilliant. My hope is the match is competitive but NZ run away with it in the last 5/10 minutes to win by 20+ which would set up a great game 3 with Tonga a real chance to make the final.

I would love nothing more than to see the Kangaroos bundled out in the earlier round stages.

Edited October 21, 2024 by Sports Prophet

[Hopie]

5 hours ago, Dunbar said:

Well the Rugby League World Champions are playing on Sunday but the fixture isn't on the BBC website.

As well as all the other internationals happening across the men's and women's Pacific Championship.

I doubt the NRL send press releases to this side of the world, they don't care about us.

37 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

I would love nothing more than to see the Kangaroos bundled out in the earlier round stages.

If it is about to happen I'm sure the Aussie officials will intervene, just like they did last time!