Free kick to the opposition

[DSM5]

Why does the NRL not run some sort of competition, or individual games, when the Union and AFL kick off?  Seems to me that the only purpose in not televising games during this couple of weeks is to give the opposition a free kick with TV audiences starved of footie.  The could have some sort of charity shield games on every weekend to starve the opposition of any audience.  Friday, Saturday and Slumday night charity games would satisfy me.  Twenty minute quarters, just like the trials would be good.  Six teams each weekend and run the 'trial' charity matches for three weeks.  If teams needed more trials then they can play them on Wednesday nights.  I can't see a downside.     

 

[Dan]

Our season runs longer I think, that and we are basically bent over a barrel with our TV rights anyway.

TBH I dont think I would like another small competition the risk of injury all for nothing is too great

 

[Ralphie]

Injuries for a nothing game. We outrate everyone now so why worry. All we need is for Gallup to do his job and get what we are worth.

 

[eagles2win]

Can see two sides of this
Firstly Pros
- if we did this the tv deal would be astronomical. Therefore making the players wages higher.
- the RLF (mob that runs league in England) runs the Challenge Cup and to many Club's this means more them then to win the ESL (or whatever comp they are in).
- U20s get a run with the senior guys

Negatives
- Injury impact
- Clubs 'tanking' the preseaon games
- and I'm sure there's others.

While highly doubtful I would do it Challenge Cup Style and what's that you ask that's easy. It's as follows :

Bundy Cup, NSW Cup, Qld Cup, W.A Reds and the NRL.

It'd through up some interesting possibilites game wise:
The Entrance Tigers vs East Tigers/ BRE Tigers/Wests Tigers

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Another thing I feel that fans have been screaming out for years is a return of the 7's or bring in the 9's (a 9's comp was run the other week at Cabramatta)

 

[Guest]

It used to be called the lotto challenge cup, i remember a nice final between broncos & a steelers side that went within a whisker of getting it..

back then that was their trials , from memory  they had just the same amount if nt more teams .. dnt forget west, tigers ,saints & illawarra were on their own then,,  i didnt mind it.. started early feb & finished 1 week before the 1st round.
got the cobwebs out...
if you going to get injured you going to get injured,, no use saving a player for him then to be injured 1st round & out for 5 weeks..

 

[Rex]

Simple solution is to dump the trials, start the season early and have rest weekends when Origin is played.

 

[Guest]

yeah rex thats not bad & have kangaroo tours every 4 yrs like thy use to..

 

[eagles2win]

It used to be called the lotto challenge cup, i remember a nice final between broncos & a steelers side that went within a whisker of getting it..

back then that was their trials , from memory  they had just the same amount if nt more teams .. dnt forget west, tigers ,saints & illawarra were on their own then,,  i didnt mind it.. started early feb & finished 1 week before the 1st round.
got the cobwebs out...
if you going to get injured you going to get injured,, no use saving a player for him then to be injured 1st round & out for 5 weeks..

Remember a virtual Souffs Reserves team beating the super star laden Bronx in a final of one but great game to watch.

One of the few nights I cheered the Rabbits on

 

[Ralphie]

if you going to get injured you going to get injured,, no use saving a player for him then to be injured 1st round & out for 5 weeks..

The simple fact is that the more you play the greater the chance there is of injury. The only important games are NRL games.

 

[eagles2win]

yeah rex thats not bad & have kangaroo tours every 4 yrs like thy use to..

I'm 50/50 with the Kangaroo tours as well. It's only really exposing England to Australia and France for a one off Test. But I can see the tradition of it all.

IMO maybe have it like this

Australia vs Ireland
Australia vs England
Australia vs Scotland
Australia vs England
Australia vs Wales
Australia vs Wales
Australia vs England
Australia vs France
Australia vs France

On the flip side Great Britain should do what they do in the Union and reform every 4 years

my take on there's

GB Lions vs Pacific Cup Holders/Runners Up
GB Lions vs PNG (eventually would up this to 2 matches)
3 Test series against Australia
3 Test series against New Zealand

 

[The Eagle]

International footy is dead beyond Aus vs Eng vs NZ

 

[Dan]

Start the Toyota cup earlier

 

[Jono]

I have always been a fan of a preseason cup tournament, something like the old Tooheys Cup or even like England's FA Cup (teams from the lower leagues join the NRL boys in a knockout competition). You could even have NZ teams come over (if there are any) and it would allow for teams to come in without expansion.

Yes, injury would be a problem but it would be just as much a problem as it is at training. We might as well wrap them in cotton wool and tell them not to play at all as they are likely to injure themselves.

Its a good run of trials and also all it takes is for it to be actually worth something to the teams for them to play it properly....not to mention that you can split these merged teams for these tournaments and have them play separately for this tournament.

Think of it: Manly vs Newtown for the Pepsi Cup at the SFS, 20000 crowd, 50/50 takings for the clubs. That would be a pretty good taking for the Jets and worth every penny for the flogging they might get...but they could win it too and wouldn't that be something that the Jets can parade around for a year.

 

[Matabele]

Our season runs longer I think, that and we are basically bent over a barrel with our TV rights anyway.

TBH I dont think I would like another small competition the risk of injury all for nothing is too great

  There was an organised pre-season comp before the Super League buggered everything up.  Played entirely in rural areas and the final in rural NSW.  I have no idea why they allow the trials to lack any rhyme or reason.

 

[DSM5]

Turn the trials into a small comp.  Twenty minute quarters, unlimited interchange and on TV.  I think it would be a terrific spectacle.  And posters are right, injuries occur everywhere, not just on the footie field.  Injuries occur in trials and to have unlimited interchange for this 'mini-comp' would lessen the likelihood.  I just hate the free kick we give the opposition codes.

 

[Stevo]

Injuries for a nothing game. We outrate everyone now so why worry. All we need is for Gallup to do his job and get what we are worth.

[quote author=jjai link=topic=186531.msg317411#msg317411 date=1298445869]

if you going to get injured you going to get injured,, no use saving a player for him then to be injured 1st round & out for 5 weeks..

The simple fact is that the more you play the greater the chance there is of injury. The only important games are NRL games.
[/quote]

Hey Ralphie, if you're gonna play 2 trial games anyway, why not televise them?
Pretty sure that's what DSM5 meant?

 

[Koudini]

Having a preseason comp will also allow the NRL to experiment with rule changes rather than experiment during the season. The AFL have put some rule changes through that will never carry through to their normal AFL season but they are rule changes which actually add to their pre-season comp.

The AFL do show some initiative in livening up their game. The NRL can always do the same. If it doesn't work, so be it.

 

[Mybludog]

I'd also like to see a "Pre-Season" type comp or a "Knock out" comp. There's a few ways it could be done.
The AFL's NAB cup seems to work well.
Bring in those sides from QLD & NSW cups.

Reduce the amount of games played in the NRL so that everyone plays each other once. Time off for SOO.

So what we'd end up with is 2 Elite competitions, run seperatly with FULL TV coverage and BIG prizemoney.
Take the "pre-season" games to different areas/locations to grow the game

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

  There was an organised pre-season comp before the Super League buggered everything up.  Played entirely in rural areas and the final in rural NSW.  I have no idea why they allow the trials to lack any rhyme or reason.
[/quote]

Correct, games in places like Wagga, Tamworth, Dubbo,Port Macquarie and my old home town Moree were played on those days. They were huge events (in a regional sense) and very much were looked forward to by country people.

Great opportunity to promote the game in the heartland, and then the pre season games actually meant something.

It was short and sharp (a knockout situation like the NAB Cup)...so 16 becomes 8 (week 1), 8 becomes 4 (week 2) 4 becomes 2 (week 3) and Grand Final is held on week 4, probably in Sydney or Brisbane if the 2 that are left are both Queensland sides.

Run it from early February to early March....week off, then start the normal competition.

And called it the Ambassador Holidays Cup (I wish)...seriously wouldn't ANZ or Westpac love to jump on board considering that CBA sponsors the cricket and NAB the pre season AFL.

Makes sense to me I wonder what the GG can't see it?

 

[Ralphie]

[quote author=Ralphie link=topic=186531.msg317408#msg317408 date=1298444252]
Injuries for a nothing game. We outrate everyone now so why worry. All we need is for Gallup to do his job and get what we are worth.

[quote author=jjai link=topic=186531.msg317411#msg317411 date=1298445869]

if you going to get injured you going to get injured,, no use saving a player for him then to be injured 1st round & out for 5 weeks..

The simple fact is that the more you play the greater the chance there is of injury. The only important games are NRL games.
[/quote]

Hey Ralphie, if you're gonna play 2 trial games anyway, why not televise them?
Pretty sure that's what DSM5 meant?
[/quote]

I agree, but Des himself has said many times he hates trial games and wants all clubs to agree not to run them. I agree with him.