A fairer NRL schedule/draw

[Bismark]

The year is too long as it is. The amount of injuries that occur at the back end of the year show that the league is pushed to its limit in terms of a maximum 28 games p/season (including finals, of course).

I don't know how you do it really. I think it's stupid that we play some teams twice every season and others we seem to rarely play. It's just odd. Setting up divisions would make things a bit better I guess, at least you know you're playing the 4 or 5 other teams in your division twice a year, and those games REALLY matter. It's an idea anyway, the American way of dealing with this problem is flawed as well.

The players have been complaining about the longevity of the season for a while, so there has to be a solution to this issue outside of increasing the season.

 

[underdog]

What about midweek games? Much like what the premier league does… you could increase the length of the season that way, without actually increasing the length o the season. It might be a harder slog, however look at a sport like ice hockey in the united states - 84 GAME season, and best of 7 quarter finals, semi finals, and stanley cup - all fit in between october and june....

also getting rid of the split round setup/byes around SOO would be another option.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

What about midweek games? Much like what the premier league does… you could increase the length of the season that way, without actually increasing the length o the season. It might be a harder slog, however look at a sport like ice hockey in the united states - 84 GAME season, and best of 7 quarter finals, semi finals, and stanley cup - all fit in between october and june....

also getting rid of the split round setup/byes around SOO would be another option.

Unfortunately, less time to recover after previous round matches… I can see teams playing on the Sunday and backing up on Wednesday.

The other question would be who'd go to watch it during the week? Obviously the die hards will, but you get home from work at 5:30-6:30 and then get ready to get to the game by 7:30?

It would be a great solution to get teams playing each other twice, but I don't think its viable.

 

[Gary_Bakerloo]

Play each team once and you get the home advantage for a team every second season. This would make it similar to NFL whereby EACH game would actually MEAN something.

The problem is that with only 8 home games and the wage structure, teams would lose revenue from both gate takings and obviously the tv rights would be reduced. However, sometimes less is more and crowds may increase as each game has more significance.

With this in mind, the NRL could reintroduce a cup competition (including all country group teams) and have weekends set aside for this competition. NRL clubs enter the cup competition with 32 teams left. Clubs could pick up an extra 2-3 home games plus a final at the SFS or Telstra. The NRL can also be flexible with the draw (similar to the Premier League) and run "league" matches on the same weekend as cup semi finals so as not to starve the public of rugby league. Cup matches can also be played in the bush (especially if an NRL team is playing a group team) injecting funds (from tv) into country rugby league. IN addition, an arrangement of splitting gate takings between opponents also puts money back into country league (eg: imagine Thirlmere playing Brisbane at Suncorp).

 

[supercoach]

At present the teams have a fair bit of say in who they play and usually teams will choose potential gate windfalls ahead of so called easy games. We dont have a crystal ball, so its very hard to judge next year on last years results. Take this year for example, the chooks came from nowhere and dogs fell in heap along with the Eels.

Unless they play each other twice, and that will not happen unless a TV network makes them a offer they cant refuse the present system is best as at least each team has a major input into the draw

 

[alien]

Play every team twice and that's 30 games instead of 24 games. Get rid of the 3 trials. State Of Origins on Sat nights and no NRL games that weekend - it will give most of the NRL players a few weeks of rest spread out during the season. Scrap the City V Country match and leave Test Matches until end of season. They would have to start the season in February though so North Queensland would probably have to play mostly away games at the start of the season and there would be a short drinks breaks when the play stops around the middle of each half for the first month or so of the season until it cools down a bit. Players probably wont mind playing more games aslong as they get payed more cash which they will get because clubs will make more money because of more home games. It might help keep some more NRL players in the NRL. You know it makes sense.

 

[Mrs_T]

Play every team twice and that's 30 games instead of 24 games. Get rid of the 3 trials. State Of Origins on Sat nights and no NRL games that weekend - it will give most of the NRL players a few weeks of rest spread out during the season. Scrap the City V Country match and leave Test Matches until end of season. They would have to start the season in February though so North Queensland would probably have to play mostly away games at the start of the season and there would be a short drinks breaks when the play stops around the middle of each half for the first month or so of the season until it cools down a bit. Players probably wont mind playing more games aslong as they get payed more cash which they will get because clubs will make more money because of more home games. It might help keep some more NRL players in the NRL. You know it makes sense.

Yep, it makes sense. With so many night games, the heat shouldn't be too much of an issue.

 

[supercoach]

Play every team twice and that's 30 games instead of 24 games. Get rid of the 3 trials. State Of Origins on Sat nights and no NRL games that weekend - it will give most of the NRL players a few weeks of rest spread out during the season. Scrap the City V Country match and leave Test Matches until end of season. They would have to start the season in February though so North Queensland would probably have to play mostly away games at the start of the season and there would be a short drinks breaks when the play stops around the middle of each half for the first month or so of the season until it cools down a bit. Players probably wont mind playing more games aslong as they get payed more cash which they will get because clubs will make more money because of more home games. It might help keep some more NRL players in the NRL. You know it makes sense.

I think Humphreys put something like your proposal to the league earlier on in the year and got a good response. Makes sense, my only concern is the players welfare, physically it would be a big ask but that where the club has to be smart and rotate its roster

 

[alien]

yeah and not bring back players to early after they have an injury

 

[Geo]

Play Rugby League 52 weeks a year….2 competitions....

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

Play Rugby League 52 weeks a year….2 competitions....

I'm all for that. Until I get the foxtel hooked up at my new place I've been starved of decent sport…

 

[TigersFan4Life]

If a day ever comes when we are playing a full home and away draw they would have to reduce the amount of teams that make it into the finals. You can't justify playing 30 games and then let half the teams into the finals. No more than six teams in the finals.