If The NRL Are Serious They Need To. .........................

With Origin on again next week, I was thinking that the NRL won't ever be a fair competition until it addresses some glaring deficiencies. At the moment some if these don't really effect the Eels but as a fan of Rugby League first, the NRL need to fix these deficiencies or they will never overcome the AFL as the premier sport in this country. Now here's my list of deficiencies that need addressing moving forward:1. Stand Alone Origin Weekend - Besides the effect it has on some of the teams chances of winning, it also drops the standards of the games that are being played greatly due to unavailability of the cream of the crop.2. Dropping The Pointless City vs Country Weekend - Nothing gained here besides giving some players a rest. No Rugby League on of any significance on during that week and only helps drag an already long season. Move the Aust vs NZ test to the years end as it used to be.3. Overhaul Salary Cap - NRL needs to even the playing field by changing its salary cap rules. It currently favours the wealthier clubs and punishes the talent developers. This is an urgent matter in my opinion.4. Change The Player Trade Window - The uncertainty and disruption around player movement is detrimental to team harmony and performances. Stop this and avoid the ridiculous scenario currently experienced by clubs where players can change their mind before Rd 13. Eg Papalli. Change to end of year after season ends.5. Home and Away Season - Get rid of byes and play each side twice. Only fair system where no team is advantaged by the draw.So guys it's a little long winded, but what do you think the NRL should fix moving forward.

"He played two weeks I think at left centre last year at the start. We abandoned that quickly but maybe we can consider it next year with Russell gone. Maybe a year or two next to the fox would sort him out."

Replies

FME May 23, 2014 at 5:00pm

Agree with 1, 3, 4 and 5. I like city country so i would'nt recomend touching that. Good luck with number 5. While the tv stations get to make up the draw to suit there programming schedule there is no chance of this happening.
Frank The Tank May 23, 2014 at 5:39pm

Hear you Brett but why don't we just piss off the Trials, City/ Country and the byes. The season remains basically the same length but the comp is fairer and it would be worth more for the next broadcast deal. Players will benefit with more money in the game as they will earn more themselves.
Surely 30 weeks a year to play a game you supposedly love isn't to tough on the players.
Hell I've got to sit in my car 48 weeks of the year eating meat pies and sausage rolls.
Micka May 23, 2014 at 5:45pm

surely you don't think four extra games a year will kill the players?? if we got rid of the byes and the stand alone anzac test then we only need one extra game at the start of the year. "the games elite" earn big dollars to play rugby league, so they should be doing just that.

i've heard other ideas of origin games being only a week apart, even after the season finishes and also the anzac test actually being on anzac day, which i agree with. i guess if origin was after the season then the only 1 club game would be missed by the players in both tests sides on that day. for me though, the major thing is every team, playing every team twice. once home and once away.
IH8Manly & IEspeciallyH8Qld May 23, 2014 at 5:52pm

Because as the comp is now, players don't play every week.

Under your system, they potentially do.

As to whether it's too much, I'm not a player so I wouldn't know. But I would suspect it may be due to the pace and ferocity of the modern game.
- Frank The Tank > IH8Manly & IEspeciallyH8Qld May 23, 2014 at 5:57pm
  
  Break the game down into quarters ala NFL. Give the players more of a break by increasing interchanges. There's a lot that can be done to protect the players whilst enhancing the product.
  - IH8Manly & IEspeciallyH8Qld > Frank The Tank May 23, 2014 at 6:12pm
    
    That may actually make things worse.
    
    The minutes, number of tackles, etc remain the same. They're still exposing their bodies to 80mins of NRL footy.
    
    The extra breaks may just intensify the impact factor as the forwards are slightly fresher.
    - Frank The Tank > IH8Manly & IEspeciallyH8Qld May 23, 2014 at 6:19pm
      
      Yep good point.
      However the players will be compensated for this by getting more of what they all really love......
      $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and lots of it.
      The fans get more entertainment and a fairer comp. Win win.
Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown May 23, 2014 at 6:30pm

Some great points frank, i agree on all of them, you should be CEO of the NRL, great points.
- Frank The Tank > Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown May 23, 2014 at 6:40pm
  
  No you could be the Chairman, Fong the CEO and I could be the Football Operations Manager.
  The NRL would be bankrupt within 2 years with me handling the purse strings.
Turpy May 23, 2014 at 6:34pm

Frank, they could play each other once during the season.

The NRL draw is unfair as it is.

They could also lift the profile of the next tier of League by allowing an FA Cup style of comp where 2nd tier teams could enter or a Super Comp where a knock out is played between Northern & Southern Hemisphere Club Teams with private ownership. Similar to IPL with 20minute halves and bonus points. There is 1000 things they could do.