Conference system

[cochise]

Makes a lot of sense, similar to nfl/Super Bowl

I like the NFL conference system but don't like there playoffs lol

 

[TIGERPOWER]

This might be the only chance we have to play finals lol

 

[Adam Doobie]

I don't like the proposed final system.

?‍♂️

Why ...?

I like the teams that have earnt the right getting a second chance, I also don't like the finals being split by conferences. Just me being an old man complaining lol. I still miss the old top 5, I like the rivalries created when teams play each other twice during the finals.

Nah no second chances
Top 4 or Postcards from kiama

Anyway once the top 8 is sorted in both conferences I’d say it’ll be the normal top 8 system

That is not what the article says, it says that the top 4 from each conference will play a knockout against each other with the winner of the 2 conferences playing the Grand Final. It would mean we could never have an all Sydney Grand Final under that system.

Why not have top 2 from each conference automatically qualify for the finals. Next 4 teams and based on season record. Teams are then ranked 1-8 and finals follow same as now.

That makes more sense to me. We have to be careful with auto-qualifications via conferences.

In union, the 2017 Super Rugby season saw one of the most shocking cases. Check out this table. The NZ teams got royally screwed by the fact they had 4/5 of the strongest teams in the comp. The Brumbies got a top 4 finish despite having the 9th most points.

The Highlanders got it the worst. They had to play a 2 vs 7 match, which was totally unfair considering how good a season they had. That 2nd placed team (Crusaders) was actually the best team in the comp, only finishing 2nd cause the team in 1st (Lions) played in such a weak conference.

So you can see how conferences can create a totally unfair comp. We already kind of have conferences, but at least we can all agree the top 8 based only on points is fair at the end of the day.

 

[rihannafan1]

I think us and the Sharks would be happy with this as the talk a few years back was that the league needed to contract. Us and Cronulla always got roped into that argument but now it seems they need us and more.

There'll be ebbs and flows to it. Some years Sydney will be strong, other years outside Sydney will be stronger.

 

[BAGNF05]

Makes a lot of sense, similar to nfl/Super Bowl

I like the NFL conference system but don't like there playoffs lol

I think I was the same a while back but have come to really enjoy NFL’s championship Sunday. It’s like having 3 grand finals in a way.

 

[cochise]

Makes a lot of sense, similar to nfl/Super Bowl

I like the NFL conference system but don't like there playoffs lol

I think I was the same a while back but have come to really enjoy NFL’s championship Sunday. It’s like having 3 grand finals in a way.

Could you imagine how intense a Superbowl could be if it was possible for Division rivals to play in the game. Imagine the Steelers V Ravens as an example. That matchup is impossible in the NFL.

I do like that there are various titles the teams can win during the year, starting with winning the division, then winning the conference and finally the Superbowl.

 

[Chicken_Faced_Killa]

I don't like the proposed final system.

?‍♂️

Why ...?

I like the teams that have earnt the right getting a second chance, I also don't like the finals being split by conferences. Just me being an old man complaining lol. I still miss the old top 5, I like the rivalries created when teams play each other twice during the finals.

Nah no second chances
Top 4 or Postcards from kiama

Anyway once the top 8 is sorted in both conferences I’d say it’ll be the normal top 8 system

That is not what the article says, it says that the top 4 from each conference will play a knockout against each other with the winner of the 2 conferences playing the Grand Final. It would mean we could never have an all Sydney Grand Final under that system.

Why not have top 2 from each conference automatically qualify for the finals. Next 4 teams and based on season record. Teams are then ranked 1-8 and finals follow same as now.

That makes more sense to me. We have to be careful with auto-qualifications via conferences.

In union, the 2017 Super Rugby season saw one of the most shocking cases. Check out this table. The NZ teams got royally screwed by the fact they had 4/5 of the strongest teams in the comp. The Brumbies got a top 4 finish despite having the 9th most points.

The Highlanders got it the worst. They had to play a 2 vs 7 match, which was totally unfair considering how good a season they had. That 2nd placed team (Crusaders) was actually the best team in the comp, only finishing 2nd cause the team in 1st (Lions) played in such a weak conference.

So you can see how conferences can create a totally unfair comp. We already kind of have conferences, but at least we can all agree the top 8 based only on points is fair at the end of the day.

Yeah that looks pretty ridiculous. It’s a hard balance as you need to reward the teams who do well in their conference but not disadvantaged teams who are in the stronger conference.

 

[BAGNF05]

Makes a lot of sense, similar to nfl/Super Bowl

I like the NFL conference system but don't like there playoffs lol

I think I was the same a while back but have come to really enjoy NFL’s championship Sunday. It’s like having 3 grand finals in a way.

Could you imagine how intense a Superbowl could be if it was possible for Division rivals to play in the game. Imagine the Steelers V Ravens as an example. That matchup is impossible in the NFL.

I get that argument but I guess the closest thing u have is the AFC conference championship which I kind of see as the grand final before the big (astronomical) dance.

 

[cochise]

Makes a lot of sense, similar to nfl/Super Bowl

I like the NFL conference system but don't like there playoffs lol

I think I was the same a while back but have come to really enjoy NFL’s championship Sunday. It’s like having 3 grand finals in a way.

Could you imagine how intense a Superbowl could be if it was possible for Division rivals to play in the game. Imagine the Steelers V Ravens as an example. That matchup is impossible in the NFL.

I get that argument but I guess the closest thing u have is the AFC conference championship which I kind of see as the grand final before the big (astronomical) dance.

Yeah I was editing my post while you were replying lol. I like the various titles you can win in the NFL, I'm nitpicking again lol but I also don't like the reverse with these style playoff systems that you can't play half the teams in the comp in a finals match unless you make a Grand Final/ Superbowl. For example it would not be possible for us to play an out of Sydney team in final.

It would create massive rivalries with teams in your conference, I think we have that with the other Sydney teams anyway, but would really suffocate those other rivalries.

 

[frullens]

Great idea. I've been thinking of this for a while, in fact I wrote about this exact same proposal back in 2012. If your interested read the links below

https://www.theroar.com.au/2012/05/21/an-answer-to-sydney-nrl-crowd-problems/

https://www.theroar.com.au/2019/09/06/the-benefits-of-a-two-conference-nrl-structure/

(ps I think I may of made some mistakes when calculating crowds by hand)

 

[Rugba]

Not a fan of it, eventually one conference will be weaker and Sydney clubs would eventually die as major sponsors won’t get national exposure

 

[Tigerdave]

People have been talking about this for years.

Probably the only way to increase the number of teams without losing fan bases of clubs you're forcing out.

I don't think there's enough playing talent though to sustain more clubs, unless they are actually going to take away the Roosters paper bags...things are extremely lopsided

 

[nrlsurvivor]

I don't like the proposed final system.

?‍♂️

Why ...?

I like the teams that have earnt the right getting a second chance, I also don't like the finals being split by conferences. Just me being an old man complaining lol. I still miss the old top 5, I like the rivalries created when teams play each other twice during the finals.

Nah no second chances
Top 4 or Postcards from kiama

Anyway once the top 8 is sorted in both conferences I’d say it’ll be the normal top 8 system

That is not what the article says, it says that the top 4 from each conference will play a knockout against each other with the winner of the 2 conferences playing the Grand Final. It would mean we could never have an all Sydney Grand Final under that system.

You could argue that the grand final qualifier in the Sydney conference is the equivalent of an Sydney grand final that happens every year.

 

[jirskyr]

So Sydney teams would get to stay in Sydney for 20 out of 25 games. Would be good to build the rivalries and promote games.

Out of Sydney teams would have a lot more travel. The knights would have to come to Sydney as a transit for a lot of their travel as well you would imagine. Could play a toll in a long season.

The season would get very long when you add in finals and origin. Maybe 31 weeks.

Interesting idea which I’d say is pretty serious since this has been leaked for public feedback.

Yes, probably disadvantages 2021 Knights and Raiders most, as they aren't so far from a significant number of Sydney teams, but would instead have to travel abroad for an extra 1/3rd of the season.

QLD teams may in fact be advantaged having more local state games and not having to travel to Sydney as often, though there would be a little more NZ travel.

 

[happy_tiger]

Dumbest idea I've heard for a while

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Garbage idea. I thought it was some Forum user’s idea when I saw the title, then I read it was an actual concept the NRL are floating. How can the comp be expanded to 25 rounds when it’s 25 round already? And 18 teams? It might have worked a few years ago when the competition was even, but atm, the competition is as unbalanced as it’s ever been. 2 more teams would only make it worse. 14 teams would be better for the game than 18 would be.

 

[TigerWest]

It's certainly worth a look at.
It's only in planning atm so I'm sure there will be some tweaking.

 

[innsaneink]

Never happy, constantly.changing...not a fan. Of expansion.... Hard enough for us now.... Even hard with less to try and recruit

 

[Deleted member 3518]

*A secret dossier given to NRL clubs has revealed the bombshell plan to revolutionise the game.
The NRL has taken a huge step forward in it plans to split the competition into two conferences as part of its expansion plans for the 2023 season.

The league has previously flirted with the concept of a divided competition, but it emerged on Tuesday night the league is more serious than ever about the plan to turn the competition on its head.

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo last month put the 18-team conference system on the table for public discussion and it was reported Tuesday the plan has advanced to the stage of discussions with the 16 NRL clubs. He also claimed the New Zealand market was the perfect destination for an 18th club. The second Kiwi team would join a 17th team from Brisbane, which is on track to be introduced for the start of the 2023 season — when the NRL’s new TV rights deal would begin.

Round 8
The leading contenders to become the NRL’s 17th team are the Redcliffe Dolphins, who have lodged a Brisbane Dolphins trademark, the Brisbane Jets — a coalition of the Brisbane Bombers and Ipswich Jets — and the Easts Tigers-backed Brisbane Firehawks.

Watch The 2021 NRL Telstra Premiership Live & On-Demand with No Ad-Breaks During Play. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial now & start streaming instantly >

RD 8 TEAMS: ‘Needs to find the old Papa’: Superstar ‘rested’ in selection shock

TEAM ANALYSIS: Kevvie’s fourth halves switch in eight weeks; unlucky Panther

The atmosphere of the 2019 NRL grand final.
The atmosphere of the 2019 NRL grand final.
Source: News Corp Australia

The Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday reported Abdo and chairman Peter V’landys have been meeting with clubs. Channel 7 reported Tuesday night the NRL executives have been handing the clubs a secret dossier with the details of the proposed 18-team competition that would divide the league into two conferences made up of nine teams.

Bennett last month went public with his support of the concept

“I think they should play in conferences, I’ve always argued for conferences,” Bennett said.

“I think Sydney do themselves a great disservice by not playing each other on a regular basis home-and-away because that’s what the fans want in Sydney.

“(Sydney fans) embrace the national league but they also embrace the club rivalry and unless you’re living in Sydney you don’t realise how strong it is,” Bennett said.

“It’s what people outside of Sydney don’t get about Sydney is the genuine rivalry between the clubs here.

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“It makes the game, I love it.”

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.*

9 Teams Sydney conference 4 play finals.. must help our odds


Cant see how it would be fair, the Sydney Conference would be a LOT harder than the other

Maybe that’s the point ? Coincidentally this is coming in during a period where the best teams live within a 50km radius of each other . Just putting my conspiracy hat on for a sec .

 

[Deleted member 3518]

Dumbest idea I've heard for a while

It’s not fair on travel costs either . 9 teams have to fly basically 13 rounds a year , whilst the other 9 could potentially only have to fly 4-5 games .
I’ve said it before but if they were going to do it , the parramatta river has to be the great dividing range , so it doesn’t just turn into the Sydney comp and the actual NRL .