Re-Imagine Rugby League

[The British Lion]

Forgive the silly season post. But, is it? I would love for our game to be managed by someone with an exciting vision for the future.

What could RL be in 10, 20, 50 years. Who would be involved? What would International RL look like? What would the league structure look like for UK, France and others be?

I probably speak for some others, in that, currently, I have zero confidence in the current administration of the RFL for the future of the game in the UK, let alone the m62 corridor, and beyond that. 

What would you do if you had vision for the game, for the future going forwards?

Here are my own personal strategies, with long term goals.

1. Establish a European Nations Championship

- Call it what you want.

- Not England Knights, but full strength England.

- Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France, Serbia, any others in Europe worthy of merit for serious development.

- Allow heritage players for 10 years (or whatever) - play this comp at the same time as NRL Pacific cup, or, mid season. It doesn't matter how it does crowd wise for the first 10 years. Start with the end in mind.

- Each country in the Euro comp to have development officers employed.

1 (a). Each SL team to be assigned a nation from this comp whereby players in their first team squad are salary cap exempt. Encourage this development. This plan over ten plus years would allow for, for example, a Dublin club to be developed, and at the end of the ten years ( or whatever time period necessary) that SL club to be rewarded financially and those players to be set free to establish a local team

- This would be a UK owned development process. RL will not be birthed with good foundations otherwise.

- Players from the catchment area salary cap exempt also (50% if born Leeds, Saints, Wigan etc - just a suggestion)

1. b - Have a tiered system approach for the first ten years like the Pacific cup with promotion and relegation. Just play it! and build it!

IMG can surely help market player profile to build interest. 

 

2. We (RL) Can never build on the status quo, there has to be room to grow through the league structure

- Cull the loop fixtures, make room for developing Internationals and build

- No, that does not mean Lancs v Yorks or Exlies etc. Just build internationals. Do whatever it takes to get buy in from NRL to release heritage players.

- 1 month in the season, have a mini tournament (origin style) over a round robin. Call it what you want. SL and Championship clubs commit their best players to 1. Manchester, London, Glasgow, Dublin, Paris etc etc all with the aim of 'planting clubs for the future' Surely a TV Deal would finance that with some expertise in selling the product.

The aim is - grow the game without the need of touring OZ, NZ or others which would be so welcome and immense.

How about RFL we start somewhere?

Have a vision, and work towards it.

Understandably, I may get some flack for this. But, if we intend to play with a league that consists of M62 corridor clubs, with no strategy for beyond (which has been the case for London, and Catalans believe it or not) we will always get what weve always had.

Sorry - Wire fans (im one) St Helens, Wigan, Leeds, etc....those pushing for inclusion from the Championship....Featherstone, Bradford etc....

Its not rocking the sporting world with excitement and vision, but, you should be a part of it, like football.

 

What would you do?

 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2024 by The British Lion

[The Masked Poster]

Friend, this is more or less what RL had the opportunity to do in 1997/2000 (and a few  years later perhaps)

It didn't want to do it (for a multitude of reasons; some valid, some less so,). But we are where we are and we reap what we sow. 

[JohnM]

"I probably speak for others, in that, currently, I have zero confidence in the current administration of the RFL for the future of the game in the UK, let alone the m62 corridor, and beyond that. "

Might it be worth changing that to. "I probably speak for SOME others, in that, currently, I have zero confidence in the current administration of the tRFL for the future of the game in the UK, let alone the m62 corridor, and beyond that. "

Edited December 29, 2024 by JohnM

[Griff]

We could have Superleague clubs in Paris, Rome, Milan, Barcelona,Beirut......

[The 4 of Us]

I quite like what they’ve done with American Football and lingerie and stuff. Perhaps we could get the St Helens front row to give it a whirl ? 

[Eddie]

I don’t see the point of a full strength England being in a European nations comp with any of those countries except possibly France. Would must prefer a tour down under every two years with a SH team coming here for a 3 game series every other year. 

[sam4731]

10 hours ago, JohnM said:

"I probably speak for others, in that, currently, I have zero confidence in the current administration of the RFL for the future of the game in the UK, let alone the m62 corridor, and beyond that. "

Might it be worth changing that to. "I probably speak for SOME others, in that, currently, I have zero confidence in the current administration of the tRFL for the future of the game in the UK, let alone the m62 corridor, and beyond that. "

We have essentially abandoned an ambitious London team. Thoughts of Glasgow, Dublin, Serbia etc are so far away, it's just not even worth pretending there's a chance of it.

The only way that anything in terms of expansion could happen is with a very, very, very, very wealthy backer.

If such an individual came forward, I'd like them to target certain areas where RL development could be vaguely possible. Northern France, Catalonia, Greece, Serbia, Jamaica etc.

[Archie Gordon]

I do think we need to reimagine the rep scene or, if not that, introduce an extra comp to the calendar.

But I think we are actually moving in the opposite direction, sadly. I feel a bit sorry for IMG here - this is one area where they do seem to have been throwing ideas about and the SL clubs have seemingly rejected everything. So much so that the new normal for England internationals is to announce a series might be happening and then - pretty late in the day - scramble around for dates/venues/sponsors/broadcasters. Even for the Ashes.

Broadly, I don't think treating everything as an afterthought to the men's SL is turning out to be healthy.

Women, and the regions, is where I'd like to seem some reimagining going on.

[Eddie]

How about reintroducing the war of the roses?  

[JohnM]

Thanks for that.  No more "Peace and Goodwill to All" 

[Dullish Mood]

11 hours ago, JohnM said:

"I probably speak for others, in that, currently, I have zero confidence in the current administration of the RFL for the future of the game in the UK, let alone the m62 corridor, and beyond that. "

Might it be worth changing that to. "I probably speak for SOME others, in that, currently, I have zero confidence in the current administration of the tRFL for the future of the game in the UK, let alone the m62 corridor, and beyond that. "

Do you have said confidence?

[JohnM]

17 minutes ago, Dullish Mood said:

Do you have said confidence?

Yes I do. 

[Exiled Wiganer]

Is this a wish list? I happen to think that things are looking superb across the game globally, compared to any other time in the 50 years I have been following it, but agree we can be much much bigger.  

Assuming it’s an If I ruled the world thing then there are 2 things I would do:

- look to put in place as many development officers, for all forms of our game, including touch anywhere and everywhere. There would even be grant funding available in a lot of the places we want to grow the game. I would rather 10 London development officers than to watch a London SL team among a crowd only just in 4 figures (and I write that as someone who has spent plenty of years having done so); and 

- prioritise France and Wales above all else, and do everything in our power to make them as strong as they can be: historically, both of those have been strong league playing nations (I appreciate that the Vichies paying for rolling around in mud makes Wales’ position far weaker, but they will turn out for our game). 
 

 

[EggFace]

21 minutes ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

Is this a wish list? I happen to think that things are looking superb across the game globally, compared to any other time in the 50 years I have been following it, but agree we can be much much bigger.  

Assuming it’s an If I ruled the world thing then there are 2 things I would do:

- look to put in place as many development officers, for all forms of our game, including touch anywhere and everywhere. There would even be grant funding available in a lot of the places we want to grow the game. I would rather 10 London development officers than to watch a London SL team among a crowd only just in 4 figures (and I write that as someone who has spent plenty of years having done so); and 

- prioritise France and Wales above all else, and do everything in our power to make them as strong as they can be: historically, both of those have been strong league playing nations (I appreciate that the Vichies paying for rolling around in mud makes Wales’ position far weaker, but they will turn out for our game). 
 

 

If I ever get Elon Musks money and power I would dangle the carrot to the former top Welsh, Scottish clubs currently playing in limbo league's and get them to come over to the Championship, League 1 (as I have said before on this forum) with the likes Pontpool, Pontypridd, Neath, Bridgend, Ebb Vale, Melrose, Hawick, Gala.

I wouldand even get the amatuer clubs in Wales, Borders to jump ship and even the clubs in the Rugby Union Championships and below who pay think Cornish Pasties, Bedford, Plymouth, Redruth Etc.

Nearer home try to convince some amatuer Union clubs from Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cumbria and Teeside to join forces into BARLA.

Edited December 30, 2024 by EggFace

[Dullish Mood]

2 hours ago, JohnM said:

Yes I do. 

Wow.  I’m amazed and curious as to what evidence that’s based on mate.

[The British Lion]

14 hours ago, JohnM said:

"I probably speak for others, in that, currently, I have zero confidence in the current administration of the RFL for the future of the game in the UK, let alone the m62 corridor, and beyond that. "

Might it be worth changing that to. "I probably speak for SOME others, in that, currently, I have zero confidence in the current administration of the tRFL for the future of the game in the UK, let alone the m62 corridor, and beyond that. "

If Ive caused offense, @JohnM  my apologies. It wasn't intended to do so, or otherwise be so assumptive. I obviously don't speak for everyone, accepted. Happy to change it. It poses the question though, do you, or, are others happy with the vision of the game and how it's being ran?

[JohnM]

no offence, really.  Its a discussion forum where we are free to debate, opinionate etc. Its my view that not eveyone shares your view.

Happy, yes.

Very Happy? yes.

Not completely happy , no.

But prepared to look at the long term, during which there should be, will be , adjstments as the project moves forwards.

Edited December 30, 2024 by JohnM

[JT RL]

World Cup every 5 years (play as England)

Great Britain Lions v Australia every 5 years (3 games tour format)

Dovetailed

 

[graveyard johnny]

3 hours ago, EggFace said:

If I ever get Elon Musks money and power

he could just buy the entire sport in this country with his pocket money and promote it to the moon

[JohnM]

3 hours ago, Dullish Mood said:

Wow.  I’m amazed and curious as to what evidence that’s based on mate.

Easy peasy. There's a long running thread on this very topic where the issues have been discussed debated defended destroyed duplicated determined damned for over 755,896,218 posts. 

Have a look there.

Note:  if the naysayers in the game - owners, managers, or players, fans and media #### this up, they deserve everything they get. The rump of a former great game reduced to a second rate amateur game with jumpers for goalposts. Not today, not tomorrow but little by little ,...

Edited December 30, 2024 by JohnM

[JT RL]

Division 1 … 18 Teams, 2 conferences

Conference 1 … 8 teams: play home & away, plus conference 2 teams once

Conference 2 … 10 teams: play home & away, plus conference 1 teams once

 

[JT RL]

Thoughtfully balanced weekly fixtures

Friday evening

Saturday afternoon & early evenings

Sundays

No Thursdays 

[Griff]

On 30/12/2024 at 10:04, sam4731 said:

We have essentially abandoned an ambitious London team.

When was this ?

[JT RL]

A League version of cricket’s “Last man stands”

11 a side

Skinny 5 metre (max) defensive line

Fair catch for defence in the 20 metre

2 points for a drop

Two, 30 Minute halves

Pitch, ball and referee arranged by the competition

Two short season’s

 

 

[JT RL]

RFL hand back responsibility for the administration (& growth) of the amateur game to BARLA