General NRL Expansion

What is the ideal number of teams?


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I’d support both but Warriors would be my first, would be fine to support a “southern” team but not a cantab one- can’t stand their Union fans can’t see the league ones being much different about their team
 
If the Orcas started and were winning I would jump ship in a heart beat! Being from Palmy I have always wanted another NRL team to support. Warriors by default which I suspect would be the same for many others. But would always support Warriors vs every other team.
 
Petty sure most of us would support both clubs against Aussie teams. A South Island team would be a better rivalry with the Warriors for tribalism, but southern league's in sad state these days, big risk to try to turn that around unless the Canterbury Rugby Union took a stake in the franchise as was vaguely floated years ago.

Cantabrians are no more likely to support a Wellington based NRL team than the Auckland Warriors, most of them hate the Blues and Hurricanes equally. Waste of time trying to sell the Orcas to the southerners, theyd be better setting it up in Chch and doing a deal with the CRU for pathways and shared resources, it could take off down there if the one eyed inbreds had a successful league team to compliment their religious union fanaticism, you can't convert them from Wellington. Just my opinion as an old Chch boy and diehard Worrier.
Certainly things mt.wellington has said about Wellington imply things aren't as well set up for an NRL team as they should be - player numbers down, clubs not talking to the WRL etc...

Best way would be for all the other regional RLs (if they have A Cash and B Inclination) get together to put money in, I can't see any RU putting money into their opposition's pocket.
 
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Of the 36 matches played between top-five teams and the rest of the NRL this season only 1 has been won by the underdog.

There have been just 21 upsets in 80 NRL games this year.

The average winning margin this season is the highest in the NRL-era at 17.96, while 59 per cent of games are decided by 13 or more points.

The cap is broken. Talent pools at glamour clubs. The game results are to predictable and expansion will make this worse. The game has some real issues that need resolving before expansion.
 
I don't think the Cap is broken, I think junior player development is broken across most of the comp. There aren't enough quality/well rounded players coming through.
As you say, it allows the glamour clubs to pool the quality talent for less money and more glory.
But the Panthers have shown that you can develop your way out of being a mid-bottom table club and become a quality top 4 team with a great development program.

When you think about it, junior development should be one of the most important points of governance for the ARLC/NRL to oversee.
The juniors are the next stars of the comp, they are what your tv deals/entertainment dollars ride on. The better quality the juniors, the better quality the comp. Leaving it solely to the clubs to oversee is asking for failure.
Maybe the NRL should incentivise or apportion a certain percentage of the Club grant to only be used for junior development (increase the grant to cover??).
Maybe have people like Gould oversee/develop a 'system' that clubs can implement, if their junior system isn't working or non-existant.
What does the NRL do in the coaching development space? How do shit clubs currently upskill their staff (apart from poaching/recruiting) to better outcomes?
 
V'Landys has also been talking about bringing back under 21s and reserve grade. If they were to come back that is a lot of extra costs for clubs especially the ones that travel.

Bring that up as more players would be needed for that. More first grade players are needed for any expansion.

Think having good development systems at the clubs is a good idea as the talent pool would thin out.
 
Good points from everyone re expansion and development.
I’m a big fan of expansion although another team out of NZ other than Auckland is drawing a long bow. There is probably an opportunity for salary cap exemption for developing players and bringing them through the grades. Until then some clubs will just continue to cherry pick emerging talent. It’s expensive and time consuming develop players - incentivise those clubs who do it well.
 
With a 17th team confirmed for 2023, what will the Warriors be excluded from, ANZAC round or Magic round?
An Interesting thought 🤔 definitely not Anzac round. Would love to change it up and maybe play the Broncos one year, Melbourne, then a Sydney team the next? Raiders?
 
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So, time for Cameron George to have that awkward "it's not me, it's you" chat with the Dolphins CEO.

If the draw for 2023 looks like the draw the last time teams had two byes, they'll often be really poorly spread out so most teams have both in the space of a month, which is just stupid. I think a 12 week gap is minimum.

Obviously, if the NRL are going to stick with the Origin 2 Stand Alone Weekend trick, that's the first bye, but if they do, how can they more-or-less fairly spread out the second one for all 17 teams?? Two Stand Alone Weekends isn't going to fly...
 
So, time for Cameron George to have that awkward "it's not me, it's you" chat with the Dolphins CEO.

If the draw for 2023 looks like the draw the last time teams had two byes, they'll often be really poorly spread out so most teams have both in the space of a month, which is just stupid. I think a 12 week gap is minimum.

Obviously, if the NRL are going to stick with the Origin 2 Stand Alone Weekend trick, that's the first bye, but if they do, how can they more-or-less fairly spread out the second one for all 17 teams?? Two Stand Alone Weekends isn't going to fly...
From announcement

As for what it means for the NRL's overall structure in 2023, Abdo confirmed the competition would move to 26 rounds with one by every week and every club having two byes for the season with one of those to fall during the State of Origin period.

Doesn’t it follow that the closer your bye is to the Origin period the shorter the gap is between your byes.
 
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From announcement

As for what it means for the NRL's overall structure in 2023, Abdo confirmed the competition would move to 26 rounds with one by every week and every club having two byes for the season with one of those to fall during the State of Origin period.

Doesn’t it follow that the closer your bye is to the Origin period the shorter the gap is between your byes.
one bye every week means that someone doesnt play the last regular game of the season. A guaranteed 2 points. Whats the bet this comes to haunt a team trying to get into the 8
 
From announcement

As for what it means for the NRL's overall structure in 2023, Abdo confirmed the competition would move to 26 rounds with one by every week and every club having two byes for the season with one of those to fall during the State of Origin period.

Doesn’t it follow that the closer your bye is to the Origin period the shorter the gap is between your byes.
I guess the NRL thought of the same issue I did because, of course, in 2021 prior to SOO (Rd 13) 8 teams got a bye and then every team got a bye for Origin 2 and and after that (Rd 17) the other 8 teams got their second.

Which, actually, is probably the best way you can do it...
 

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