Mestrov outlines future

[LeonardCohen]

Compare the West Tigers Nursery and wasted poorly Managed funds
Compare the Eels Nursery and Waisted poorly Managed funds
You are comparing Losers against the Panthers and the Roosters

The Roosters do not have a Nursery of juniors
The Roosters have a Nursery of Smart Senior men that Run their club

The Moral of the story is
An Organisations Greatest asset is the Smart people that it invests in
No one has ever built success on the foundations of Excuses

of course some clubs nurture their pathways and/or manage their front office better than others but that’s where the NRL step in with a draft and salary cap in an attempt to bridge the administrative divide, so games are won on the field more so than off it. A more ‘balanced’ competition is better for the game than an EPL-esque big 3-4 clubs.

I know you love morals and standards and expectations and other buzzwords but we’ve got the Roosters, Penrith and Melbourne dominating and the Tigers at the bottom with three consecutive spoons. Its a boring story, regardless of the moral 😂

 

[LeonardCohen]

Would be an interesting development. I think the old cases where it was held to be restraint of trade turned on the specific ways it was done, so it's possible a new draft could be devised that wouldn't infringe the law. Would obviously require buy-in from the RLPA, not to mention, how on earth that could be done with some clubs not even in Australia! Would have to be some minumum age requirement at least I suppose. Too hard basket?

All good points. It seems to be working in AFL. I don’t follow the sport closely and appreciate that they still have the occasional dynasty (not 5 GFs on the trot though 😂), but I’ve observed sides going from rags to riches and vice versa much more frequently than the NRL. Can we adopt their approach to a draft?

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I think the point is, they’ve tried. So has every other club in the game. I doubt any have taken an apathetic approach to recruitment and retention. Compare the Raiders nursery to Penrith or the Tigers $$$ with the Roosters. It’s not an even playing field and Mestrov is advocating for an approach to levelling the playing field (what the cap was designed but has failed to do).
It’s not good for RL to have three teams that tower over the rest of the competition, regardless of the reasons for it happening, i.e. legitimate or not.

Ditto Super League in the UK where only 3 teams have won the GF over there for over 30 years.

It’ll be the same here too unless something changes.

And @Kiwi Eagle easy to say that the other 14 sides have to lift themselves but let’s compare the benefits those 3 have and do you think it’s realistic for the 14 other sides to achieve the same??

1) Panthers , junior depth like no other club & huge dollars from their leagues club.

2) Storm , one team city , huge corporate support as zero other competition in their market.

3) Roosters , run by a Billionaire with a board full of Billionaires behind him and an absolute truck full of dollars available.

There’s a 4th as well , if they get their old boys **** together and that’s the Bronco’s.

I see Mestrov’s point , he knows , just like we know , it’s not a level playing field.

 

[BOZO]

of course some clubs nurture their pathways and/or manage their front office better than others but that’s where the NRL step in with a draft and salary cap in an attempt to bridge the administrative divide, so games are won on the field more so than off it. A more ‘balanced’ competition is better for the game than an EPL-esque big 3-4 clubs.

I know you love morals and standards and expectations and other buzzwords but we’ve got the Roosters, Penrith and Melbourne dominating and the Tigers at the bottom with three consecutive spoons. Its a boring story, regardless of the moral 😂

There will never be a balanced competition
Because of the Brilliant people that always Rise to the top and leave the Mediocre ones Below

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Ditto Super League in the UK where only 3 teams have won the GF over there for over 30 years.

It’ll be the same here too unless something changes.

And @Kiwi Eagle easy to say that the other 14 sides have to lift themselves but let’s compare the benefits those 3 have and do you think it’s realistic for the 14 other sides to achieve the same??

1) Panthers , junior depth like no other club & huge dollars from their leagues club.

2) Storm , one team city , huge corporate support as zero other competition in their market.

3) Roosters , run by a Billionaire with a board full of Billionaires behind him and an absolute truck full of dollars available.

There’s a 4th as well , if they get their old boys **** together and that’s the Bronco’s.

I see Mestrov’s point , he knows , just like we know , it’s not a level playing field.

Hi Mark, certainly think it is more than achievable for the other clubs. Those 3 examples show there are different ways to skin the cat if you are smart enough. The bottom line to all 3 of them, is they are well run smart operations

Penrith, they had all these ‘advantages’ for years, but were bottom feeders for a long time. It changed when they got 1 of the best minds in the history of Rugby League back, and he laid the foundation and set them on the path they are on now. It wasn’t a hand up, help me out situation with Gould, he got in there, stripped it back, and got his hands dirty putting the plans into action. The Bulldogs may now be on a similar trajectory, only time will tell on that one. Eels, Tigers and Knights have all the tools with juniors available to them as well

Storm, I’ll disregard their cheating efforts but look more at the last 10 years. Just a well run organisation that gets the maximum potential out of everything they have. As you say Brisbane could be them, but have won 1 comp on the last 20 odd years. The Warriors have an entire country and can’t get it right. They don’t have the junior network available, but get the right players and turn them into something. Look at this season, Katoa in reserve grade at the Warriors 2 years ago, now the Dally M 2nd rower of the year. Hughes through the Cowboys and Titans systems going nowhere, now the Dally M player of the year.

Roosters are a different kettle of fish, but again I can see strong leadership with them, that I don’t see around the league

Personally, I hate the draft concept for Rugby League, because we are a tribal game, and one of the beauties of it is that if you follow closely enough, you can see the future at your club from Under 15s level all the way through to first grade, and get excited about the future. It’s all well and good to say a draft situation spreads the talent around, but if I was given odds on if the player selected at spot 3 by the Eels will have a better NRL career than the player selected at 17 by the Storm, I’d back the player at 17 9 times out of 10. Luke Brooks is as spoken of as the next Andrew Johns 10 years ago, if he spent those at Melbourne rather than the Tigers, we have a different conversation about his career

Now I need to go and find the work shower because I have praised the purple pricks more in this post than I have in 20 years and feel disgusting

 

[BOZO]

I see Mestrov’s point , he knows , just like we know , it’s not a level playing field.

Life has never been a level playing field because not every one is on the same level
Neither is Mestrov on the same Level as Arko as an administrator
Or as Terry Randal as Player

 

[BOZO]

Why is life never a level playing field ?
What does the Cream Always Rises to the Top mean ?
"The cream always rises to the top." It basically means this: things that are really great will naturally rise to the top because of their greatness. In a large organization this means the people at the top are there, because they're the best at what they do.

 

[BOZO]

Have a Great day feathered friends
I hope you all rise Like Great premiership winning Eagles
above All your Excuses that are holding you back

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Life has never been a level playing field because not every one is on the same level
Neither is Mestrov on the same Level as Arko as an administrator
Or as Terry Randal as Player

Or even Terry Randall.

 

[BOZO]

Or even Terry Randall.

Thank you and I stand corrected feathered friend
And behalf of all the bloody Wogs like me that cant spell I apologize

 

[Tragic Eagle]

The trouble is that the future of game is focus on money over and above the fabric of the game and a real contest. Its all about money and money is power. I don't like the monopoly on the game that the rich clubs have. I'm an old fashioned guy that likes a real contest. Whilst ever there are third party deals outside of the cap (ironically we were persecuted during the Greenberg regime for these) then there won't be an even playing field in respect of recruitment. Expanding the number of clubs will not remedy this problem.

I've read a lot of suggestions on here about a points system for players and the more I think about it the more I believe this is the answer. There needs to be set and published categories of rating players points value. The players points should be assessed by a committee within the NRL following the grand final each year and published. Its not rocket science for example an international playing for a tier 1 country or a player that plays origin should be in the top points category which is capped at the maximum points value. Point categories should only be enforced in respect of the players at the end of their current contract and not mid contract to avoid messing up the club's cap management.

It could be done but I don't really think an even playing field is part of the NRL agenda. Money Money Money its a rich man's world.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

The trouble is that the future of game is focus on money over and above the fabric of the game and a real contest. Its all about money and money is power. I don't like the monopoly on the game that the rich clubs have. I'm an old fashioned guy that likes a real contest. Whilst ever there are third party deals outside of the cap (ironically we were persecuted during the Greenberg regime for these) then there won't be an even playing field in respect of recruitment. Expanding the number of clubs will not remedy this problem.

I've read a lot of suggestions on here about a points system for players and the more I think about it the more I believe this is the answer. There needs to be set and published categories of rating players points value. The players points should be assessed by a committee within the NRL following the grand final each year and published. Its not rocket science for example an international playing for a tier 1 country or a player that plays origin should be in the top points category which is capped at the maximum points value. Point categories should only be enforced in respect of the players at the end of their current contract and not mid contract to avoid messing up the club's cap management.

It could be done but I don't really think an even playing field is part of the NRL agenda. Money Money Money its a rich man's world.

Have heard of the points system, it has merits but also has its flaws as well, for example this years bolter Lindsay Smith would go from the bottom points rating straight to the top points rating

Back in the past in our example DCE would have gone from rookie to top points ASAP as well and we would have had to chuck a few players out of the squad to accomodate that

 

[LeonardCohen]

There will never be a balanced competition
Because of the Brilliant people that always Rise to the top and leave the Mediocre ones Below

Of course but a draft would help (potentially) alternate those that rise and those below.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Thank you and I stand corrected feathered friend
And behalf of all the bloody Wogs like me that cant spell I apologize

Ah, so now it's ok to make excuses!

 

[silvereagle]

Those financials are real cause for concern. Firstly, (from an NRL perspective) you would surely have to question at some point the future viability of having an NRL franchise on the Northern Beaches. Secondly (from a club perspective) I would be questioning the quality of our management, marketing and administrative performance. Thirdly, how does the club fund a comprehensive pathways and junior nursery program? I would have thought having the entire Northern Beaches peninsula at our disposal would have generated more commercial revenue opportunities. Certainly more than the median level of all the other clubs combined. I like Tony Mestrov and I think he is a smart operator. With those numbers he will need to be!!

 

[manly al]

Not too sure how a draft would and specifically in Manly "s case , aid or enhance their attempts to get closer to a decent premiership tilt and sure that it would apply to a host of other sides not currently at that level yet also .
Again essentially in Manly 's case right now and for some time , more getting consistent value for money outcomes from the highest paid or even moderately paid personal .
Haumole now in that higher bracket but can warrant that on overall performance , Turbo certainly can when at his best and available , D C E a bit more in recent seasons but still a drag on a title quest when this aspect is out of kilter to a large extent either through underperformances or unavailability factors
Sure that a draft was not even in any consideration when Manly were gradually building into a premiership force from say that 2004 - 2007 period and following seasons
Just that ability , like the Storm and for yonks now . having an elite and consistently well performing core on big money supplemented by some astute money ball signings .
If the Storm can find these raw talent but inexperienced prospects and get them to a higher level on at least initial moderate pay grades , surely other clubs , including Manly [ again ] can follow suit to some reasonable degree .
Again , seemed to manage it somehow in that pre 2007 era getting to a higher competitive level , , may have helped with a couple of players taking slightly unders but also were getting quite good value for money from that grouping of more credentialed players .
Again also , just not too sure why Mestrov would be putting some emphasis on a draft concept now

 

[manly al]

Just couldn 't notice whether third party deals were included in the sponsorship details .
That still seems to be a bit of a mystery for some time now , including in Manly 's instance .
All clubs still receive the same base N R L allocation of [ well used to be recently ] some 13 . 5 mil for basic operating costs so that enables some level of viability at least .
Not good or does't look good to be at the bottom of the list with overall finances , not that less then quite a few others but hopefully every effort is being made to rectify or improve that situation .
Big scale leagues clubs [ like Manly used to have once ] certainly help the bottom line but obviously , any range of other income streams rate pretty highly as well .
Getting favorable home crowds would seem a plus for Manly but also obviously need a bit of a boost financially in other areas to work in the club 's best interests

 

[The Who]

Have heard of the points system, it has merits but also has its flaws as well, for example this years bolter Lindsay Smith would go from the bottom points rating straight to the top points rating

Back in the past in our example DCE would have gone from rookie to top points ASAP as well and we would have had to chuck a few players out of the squad to accomodate that

Is that any different from a rookie on basic wage having a stellar year and being chased by other clubs willing to pay big money? A points system is a simplified, and open, form of Cap on players. Everyone can see that a club is compliant, unlike today's Salary Cap where Easts' 2024 roster was crammed full of internationals, inexplicably.
A points system is not perfect, no system is, however it is transparent. For an upcoming season no club would be allowed to stockpile rep players, evening out the talent and eliminating the stench of unexplained salaries/incentives.
A points system would also benefit those clubs that develop juniors and those that retain players long-term as discounts would apply to both categories.

 

[Kiwi Eagle]

Is that any different from a rookie on basic wage having a stellar year and being chased by other clubs willing to pay big money? A points system is a simplified, and open, form of Cap on players. Everyone can see that a club is compliant, unlike today's Salary Cap where Easts' 2024 roster was crammed full of internationals, inexplicably.
A points system is not perfect, no system is, however it is transparent. For an upcoming season no club would be allowed to stockpile rep players, evening out the talent and eliminating the stench of unexplained salaries/incentives.
A points system would also benefit those clubs that develop juniors and those that retain players long-term as discounts would apply to both categories.

Yeah no system is perfect, but I feel like too many variables and factors can come into a points rating and how players come about obtaining that rating

If there is a blanket ruling that International players are worth x number of points, then using then that criteria, Lindsay Smith would be worth the same amount of points as Nathan Cleary. If it sticks to just position based, then Lindsay Smith is worth the same amount of points as Haas, Founa-Blake, Fisher-Harris etc, and has probably only made that squad because people have pulled out injured

Are Tongan internationals worth the same as Kangaroos ? In that case Lehi Hopoate has gone from an unknown to max value in the space of 6 months

If we have a panel of people grading players individually rather than a blanket formula, then that gets left open to claims of bias and inconsistency as well

Another option I heard but would never get past the RLPA, is that each spot in a clubs top 30 is given a nominal value, each club has the same numbers to play with, and it’s up to the players and clubs to come up with an agreement where they fit into that structure, eg Edwards can stay and get spot 3 at Penrith on 1mil, or go and find spot 1 or 2 elsewhere and earn more money. Again you can get outliers in that system like Lehi who could go from outside top 30 to inside some clubs top 15 within a year

 

[lsz]

One of Manly's biggest issues is that we cannot compete with the other teams in terms of income as we are last

You’ll never guess which NRL club is performing best – and worst – off the field

They have been in the competition for less than two seasons, but the Dolphins have emerged as the NRL’s new financial powerhouse.

The NRL has benchmarked the commercial performance of all its franchises – bar the publicly listed Brisbane Broncos – and ranked them based on their overall revenue for the financial year. The benchmarking document, obtained by this masthead, shows the Dolphins have come out on top alongside the Rabbitohs, each generating $23.5 million in revenue.
https://archive.md/PBg5h
Former Blues coach Brad Fittler has taken aim at "uneducated" critics of his past State of Origin selections.
That’s well above the median figure of $15.7 million, with Manly ($11.5 million) and the Warriors ($11.6 million) bringing up the rear.

Souths made a 56 per cent profit off their revenue figure for a total profit of $14 million, just above the Dolphins with 55 per cent ($13.75 million).

Penrith ($23 million; 57 per cent profit), Cowboys ($22.7 million; 63 per cent profit), Parramatta ($19.3 million; 59 per cent profit) and the Roosters ($18.2 million; 71 per cent profit) were the next-best performing clubs in terms of revenue generation. Had the Broncos been involved in the benchmarking exercise, they would likely have come out on top in most categories.
However, the unexpected success story is undoubtedly the Dolphins, who only entered the competition in 2023.

	Revenue ($m)​	Profit margin​
Rabbitohs​	$23.5m	56%
Dolphins​	$23.5m	55%
Penrith​	$23.0m	57%
Cowboys​	$22.7m	63%
Eels​	$19.3m	59%
Roosters​	$18.2m	71%
Knights​	$17.8m	63%
Bulldogs​	$15.7m	49%
Titans​	$14.3m	52%
Dragons​	$13.1m	46%
Sharks​	$12.7m	54%
Tigers​	$12.5m	57%
Raiders​	$12.4m	40%
Warriors​	$11.6m	62%
Manly​	$11.5m	55%

Source: NRL

Even before a ball had been kicked in their inaugural season, the Redcliffe-based franchise had 20,000 members and $10 million in sponsorship. Their bottom line continued to improve after they won their opening game against the Sydney Roosters, just as a documentary on their journey to the big time, Dawn of the Dolphins, premiered on Stan.

“We’ve had wonderful support from day one,” said Dolphins chief executive Terry Reader. “The measure of success for us - and this showed that Brisbane didn’t just want another team, but needed another team – is that our last two home games of the year were our second– and third-biggest crowds of the year.

“That happened when we weren’t in contention for finals, which illustrates how much people were behind our club and had bought in.
“That backed up the decision that we should have had two teams in Brisbane a long time ago.”
NRL commercial revenue snapshot
FY23 median: $15.7m (YoY growth: 15.1%)
FY22 median: $12.7m (YoY growth: 34.8%)

Chart below shows overall commercial revenue, by team, for FY 2023 ($m)
The Wayne Bennett-coached newcomers collected more revenue in sponsorship than any other club, with $10.9 million, pipping the Roosters, with $10.4 million. The Raiders ($4.6 million) and Manly ($4.7 million) generated the least.

“A lot of our partners were new to rugby league, it was important we didn’t cannibalise the other teams in Queensland,” Reader said.

“The Broncos having Brisbane for themselves for over 35 years, there would have been a lot of partners locked out of sponsoring up here in Brisbane.

“Bringing a second team allowed them [an opportunity], and that’s one of the great things about the Dolphins’ entry: we’ve brought a lot of new partners into rugby league because of that.

“That’s a testament to how much rugby league is supported here in Brisbane and the good work that has been part of starting up our club.”

Manly CEO Tony Mestrov said the club’s home ground of 4 Pines Park at Brookvale had brought financial challenges.

“It’s a great place for the team to play, but it’s a challenge from a commercial point of view and that’s represented by our standing in the benchmarking,” Mestrov said.

“We’re endeavouring to change that with the redevelopment and with funding, as we’re seeing with Leichhardt Oval.”

Parramatta chief executive Jim Sarantinos said their result allowed them to reinvest funds into the club’s football program.

“Quite a number of years ago we were much lower down the list,” he said.

“Our club has improved a hell of a lot. The move to CommBank Stadium has helped because of the experience we can provide to members, fans and corporate partners. The club having a better period of football, than has been the case historically, over a period of three or four years helps a lot, particularly in terms of bringing on corporate partners and the like.

“The most important part is the more money we generate, the more we can invest back into our football program.”

If anyone wonders why we will never achieve any form of long-term success, this is it.

Sure there will be one off seasons but there will not be prolonged success/

Given that the NRL grant covers player wages, I’ll assume that the club’s revenue/profit margin reflects all the other costs, such as support staff, operations, etc.

Now, this is a big assumption, but if we follow that line of thinking, we’re spending 5.17 off the park, meaning the owners are pocketing a profit of 6.3 million.

So, first—what’s the incentive for the owners to invest more? That’s a very tidy profit as it stands.

Second, they often point to “Brookvale” as the reason they don’t secure more sponsors, but that overlooks other financial opportunities. There are digital avenues they could explore—something as simple as creating exclusive content for members. Of course, this would require a significant investment and carry some risk… just look at how the A-League dropped the ball here.

I’ve long believed that the current ownership is content with their level of investment, given the returns they’re getting. Why spend more when the cash is already rolling in?