The Conference System

[Bansai Pipeline]

NRL is considering a Sydney and non-Sydney Conference system, with each having its own finals system. The respective winners would square off in a Grand Final.

Details here - https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl...27-p57muj.html

Looks a lot like the ARL v Super League.

[Serenader]

Don’t like it. You will rarely get the best two teams in the comp playing off in a GF. That’s what I wanna see.

[ism22]

Don’t like it. You will rarely get the best two teams in the comp playing off in a GF. That’s what I wanna see.

Agreed. Presumably mimicking US comps where there's 50+ teams? Our comp's smaller than a US conference, so we don't need to break it up further.

Also, it'd mean that (for example) a Souffs/Roosters GF is impossible.

[JAF]

I don’t like it either.

Ideal situation is a 12-14 team comp with a full home and away season.

And the first team to cull would be the filthy Vermin!

[SupermanSupportsEasts4Eva]

I like it. I think they should push ahead with the idea. The locations for the 2 extra teams makes sense as well. A couple of ideas though

1. I think the finals series should not be restricted to just inter conference with the best from each conference then meeting in the GF as proposed. After the regular season rounds they should rank the top four teams from each conference into a new table (based on points and for and against). With the new finals top 8 then playing off in the current finals format. This will ensure that the best 2 teams do qualify for the finals regardless of conference.

2. Trail it for a couple of seasons. (If it doesn't work change back). And be open to it. If it works there could be possibilities for additional teams added in Perth and the Central Coast for example to make it a 20 team comp with 2 conferences.


My only concern as it stands is, are there enough quality players to go around to ensure the contest? There's already a huge gap between the top 5-7 teams and the rest.

[Rooster89]

I like the concept but would need to see it in action.

I don't think having the top 4 teams from each conference would be fair.

It should be based on a points points which would make it a bit more fair.

It would definitely push crowd numbers up as well as make it more appealing to TV networks.

No harm in trialling it for 2 season's and making a decision from there? However I don't think the NRL like the idea of chopping and changing so if they make a decision they would go hard from there and simply change rules each season to make it a more well rounded product.

Bring back Adelaide rams hahaha

[zac]

i'm not against it. the idea of the sydney teams playing each other every week is good.

i'd go -

1. each conference has 16 rounds home and away

2. play off series where top 2 of each conference play home and away against bottom 2 of each conference (two different groups of 4, 6 rounds)

3. finals where top team of each group faces the 2nd finisher of each group with the winner of each game facing off in the gf

the drawback of that is you're dividing the comp into 2 very separate conferences but you get a shorter home and away season and more finals footy. you might also have teams who finish 5-9 playing some sort of knock out comp while the good teams are playing the play off series

[roosterproud]

I think it would divide the quality of footy. There is top 6 teams currently standing out and the rest are poor quality. So i think the level of footy would drop and the worst of the refs will run the game.

[The Brain]

Do not like it and the Yank fans hate theirs ..but they have a big population to support it .
They should have a conference system in the chookpen here..Old time Wallsters baby boomer Chookpenners and newbie politically correct Chookpenners .

[JB_Cloey]

I think the way that the comp is going they'd be better off copying Scottish Football (soccer).

Because there is a big gulf between the top and bottom teams, half way through the season they hive off the top and and bottom halves of the ladder and those teams only play each other.

Having said that I much prefer KISS and if teams are failing then let them fail. The vermin should never have been let back in and St Merge should have been left to die a peaceful death rather than forcing the Sheilas (who I was a fan of) into a merger.

There can always be possibilities for new teams to come up especially QLD cup teams many of which still have a strong following.

[milanja]

So one conference is just flying up and down the east coast and nz all season, while the other conference just drives half an hour to their games.

Doesn’t look like much thought went into this.

[King Salvo]

Been advocating for this for yonks- yippee 1000% behind it - when they add teams 17 and 18 which will be non Sydney teams- 2 groups of 9 - should be a top 5 final series in each group not 4 though and the 2 group winners play off NFL superbowl style.

Or as a compromise you could have a top 4 from each group in a cross over final series i.e 1 vs 2's and 3 vs 4's - winners of 1 vs 2's to week 3 - 2 losers of the 3 vs 4's eliminated - winners of 3 vs 4's play losers of 1 vs 2's and so on - maybe even a wild cards best 9th and 10th team from either group.

Fantastic as the Sydney teams play each other twice and teams in the other group once. - Hopefully this will also mean a true home and away season - not this playing 2 or 3 games at home in a row and 2 or 3 away in a row

Out of Sydney teams have to travel every second week or so in any case so what is the difference - with 4 Queensland teams they have to be in the same group plus if two NZ teams as well in same group - add Storm/Raiders and Knights there's the non Sydney nine.

Great stuff NRL on the right track

Yes Chooks can still play Souffs Vermin in the group GF to determine the team to advance to the group winners superbowl style game or the final game of they have a compromise final series as i proposed above

[King Salvo]

So one conference is just flying up and down the east coast and nz all season, while the other conference just drives half an hour to their games.

Doesn’t look like much thought went into this.

mmm they have to travel every second week or so now the non Sydney teams so what will change - 4 QLD teams in the same group is a must plus 2 NZ teams with Storm/Raiders/Knights added to make up the 9

QLD teams will have either 15 or 16 games out of 25 in QLD ( 11 from their group/conference games and either 4 or 5 from the playing the Sydney teams once ) - NZ Teams/Knights/Raiders/Storm travel every second or so week in any case as do the QLD teams.

25 games all up

It will generate more interest and more revenue for the game - naming right sponsors for the 2 conferences for instance - it's a winner in my view- Sydney teams must play each other twice so it makes sense for all Sydney teams to be in the same group/conference.

Maybe down the track an all stars game - conference vs conference -best of the best - with specially designed kits (jumpers/shorts/socks etc) - changed every year or so-

NRL is starting to think outside the square/box - much more can be changed and needs to be changed- get back to 3 grades on the one day again too. make it a full day

[rented tracksuit]

Agreed. Presumably mimicking US comps where there's 50+ teams? Our comp's smaller than a US conference, so we don't need to break it up further.

Also, it'd mean that (for example) a Souffs/Roosters GF is impossible.

Any souffs GF is virtually impossible anyway!

[Mickie Lane]

I like the 1 comp no matter how many teams.
Increasing the number of teams is going to weaken the product because there is already not enough NRL standard players now. The game has to bite the bullet & go back to a 12 team comp all with reserve grade & under 20's teams. If you are going to go to 12 teams you have to have WA, SA, Storm, Canberra, Newcastle, Illawarra, 3 QLD teams & Easts, Wests & Norths. If its 14 teams another team from QLD & Souths.
NZ to start an 8 team comp.