NRL Clubs to Choose Opponents in 2008
October 2, 2007
In a surprise announcement today, the NRL has hatched a plan in replacement to the current pool system for NRL clubs. In 2008 NRL clubs have the option of ‘choosing’ their opponents for home matches in a ranked order.
Currently under the pool system, the NRL draw is divided into two and teams only meet certain opponents once a year as opposed to twice a season (home and away match-up)
The current system is a little bit of a lottery and in some cases prevents big clashes as higher ranked teams might only meet one another on a single occasion.
With the new announcement today, clubs can choose who they would prefer to meet in home games during the year and the NRL will do its best to accommodate the requests; taking into account fairness and earnings from potential match-ups. The possibility of more local derbies and increased gate takings from blockbuster match ups more often is attractive to both NRL clubs and the NRL administration itself.
Its certainly an interesting move and it will be even more interesting to see the chosen opponents from each club. Will clubs lean towards profit or a smoother path to the finals?
It seems certain that many clubs will shy away from facing the might of Melbourne on more than one occasion. The Storm do not attract a large away crowd and the clash would certainly be a tough one; 99.9% of NRL clubs would be keeping right away from 2 clashes a year with Melbourne.
The same goes for other regional clubs such as the Cowboys. Another talented team that also don’t have a large travel contingent of fans when they play interstate and finally the same goes for the Warriors - yet another strong regional team with limited attractiveness to other clubs.
So this new theory could prove a mammoth waste of time; certainly most of the Sydney based clubs will shy away from the stronger regional teams with limited accompanying fans - meaning the NRL will need to step in a rank teams opponents anyway!
Only time will tell. And everyone is certainly waiting with interest.
Life without League
October 1, 2007
It’s going to be a long hard summer. With NRL Rugby League finished for 2007 and several months until kick-off again, it’s always a tough wait for the next year to come around.
We’re going to try and make things easier for you during the off-season. While we won’t be posting articles every single day during the off-season, we will continue to regularly discuss Rugby League throughout the off-season, more likely on a weekly basis.
Keep checking back each week for new information and discussion as we review, preview and continue to live and breathe NRL Rugby League.
We thank you for joining us in 2007 and hope you will stay with us over summer and into next year.
Yours in Rugby League,
The NRL News team
NRL News Shoutbox:
- Info : Please, resolve the addition below before post any new comment...
- Jess. : There should be no answering back either, that just creates more awkwardness and a chance for the players to dispute and get their way
- Hate Qld : lats wek the buldogs game was over 15mins longer then the other game on the same night with all the stoppages
- Happy Dragon : I hate refs call, that is the biggest cop out ever, they should get rid of it?
- Jess. : i just hope there are no riots at the GF. if the ref is clearly ridiculous alot of people will be very angry, and some people may take it too far.
- Hate Qld : I disagree with the grading of different offences and carry on points long susoensions will stop a lot of stupidy and dirty play
- Jess. : the tension is so much when they stuff around. The game loses momentum and you may aswell go off for a toilet or eating break while they stuff around
- Happy Dragon : I think players get away with 2 much, some need 2 go 2 the sin bin 2 cool off!
- Jess. : yeah. and just make the decision
- Hate Qld : they refs and touch judges rely to much on the video refs who make a lot of mistakes themselves the refs have to harden up
- Jess. : especially to big name players
- Jess. : correct*
- Jess. : they annoy fans, but have no guts to do what is correcy
- Jess. : they are mixed to me
- Happy Dragon : Yes I do hate, they don't have enough balls 2 send players off when they should!
- Hate Qld : Not at all Happy lol
- Hate Qld : The players abuse the refs a lot and nothing gets done,they are to scared to put them in the bin,or send them off for spear tackles
- Jess. : they upset ALOT of people, and they dont really care
- Happy Dragon : LOL, u won't b hard 2 miss then hate?
- Jess. : they really go against the grain on alot of things
- Jess. : no, they are too tough
- Hate Qld : do you girls think that the refs are to soft these days
- Hate Qld : no photo get sent to sunrise for a look a like
- Jess. : im in my computer room waiting for dinner
- Jess. : hehe thats funny! tell me when you will go to a game and i will look out
- Hate Qld : a nice comfy spot happy
- Jess. : as long as you remember what i look like
- Hate Qld : I be easy to spot,just look for someone who looks like Kochie from sunrise
- Happy Dragon : I'm sitting in bed with my laptop
- Hate Qld : U Jess if you go to a game i might spot u on tv
- Hate Qld : Thats ok happy where are u now
- Jess. : who are we looking out for?
- Hate Qld : welcome back happy ok now i know who to look for when you got to the games
- Jess. : my best friend went to london and got me that shirt
- Jess. : it was london, but yeah
- Jess. : yep, thats me
- Hate Qld : But there was a photo of someone sit in acar with an i love ny tee shirt
- Happy Dragon : Hey guys I'm back, sorry I got distracted
- Jess. : thats okay
- Hate Qld : Im sorry Jess im real real good with computors
- Jess. : at least they dont suck up to their channel or their sponsors
- Jess. : i know, they truly do
- Jess. : i left my myspace adress so people could add me if i wasnt on here and they wanted to talk to me
- Hate Qld : Good those guys are good they leave CH9 for dead
- Jess. : where sorry?
- Hate Qld : How are you today ? Is that you at myspace .com
- Jess. : how was the NRL show on FOX?
- Jess. : heyyy!
- Jess. : YEAH!
- Hate Qld : Hello Jess
- Jess. : hateqld come online! PLEASE
- Jess. : i'll be here
- Jess. : okay
- Jess. : the blood sweat and tears amount to this moment, and for one it is utter joy and the other it is complete heartbreak
- Happy Dragon : I'll b back soon, I'm busting 4 a u know what? LOL
- Jess. : i just feel sorry for the losing team. They are crushed and i hate seeing anyone like that
- Happy Dragon : I don't think they're finished yet, they've been playing 2 good all yr 2 let it slip now!
- Jess. : i just hope the Sea Eagles can pull it out of the bag, i know they deserve it
- Happy Dragon : I know, they always talk about how good training went but it's how they perform on the field that counts!
- Jess. : i thought they brought a foreign ref in for the game or something?
- Jess. : I KNOW! i cried when Brett Stewart's try was disallowed against melbourne 2 weeks ago, they could have won or at least drawn with melbourne, there were many unfair calls and i truly hope they pull their socks up!
- Happy Dragon : The refereeing has been bad hasn't it? I'd hate 2 think a team could lose a finals game or the GF because of a bad decision?
- Jess. : i know, but the Sea Eagles let themselves down, it just shows that a whole team effort is what it takes, individuals let it slip for manly, and i feel sorry for Menzies and the Stewart boys when they put the hard yards in they got let down.
- Jess. : the thing i am most scared about at this stage is that Tony Archer is refereeing the tigers v eagles game on saturday. the way he was biased toward melbourne 2 weeks ago, i hope he treats the sea eagles fairly this time around
- Happy Dragon : Yeh it makes u wonder why they couldn't play like that all yr? I guess it's like souths, where did that form come from all of a sudden?
- Happy Dragon : Don't know, they've hit form at the right time! Half of my family go 4 the sharks, they have the wood on us at the moment!
- Jess. : heaps of people keep saying how good they are, and i dont understand why they make their dash now, when its a little too late
- Jess. : i think the raiders are over rated
- Happy Dragon : Though the way the storm play, they do look unstoppable at times, even though I hate 2 admit it! I don't know what other team can match them, maybe the raiders?
- Jess. : my mum goes for cronulla so she wants them uptop
- Jess. : well as long as they flog melbourne i dont really care
- Happy Dragon : I don't think the sharks have got what it takes, but they could surprise me though?
- Jess. : i hate that everyone seems to think they are unstoppable. they always cross the line in everything they do, and are quite cocky and cheeky. im very sick of it
- Happy Dragon : Yeh me 2, they r 2 cocky & get away with so much
- Jess. : i want manly to win obviously, but id rather sharks or broncos than melbourne
- Jess. : yeah i am. all i want is melbourne not to win!
- Happy Dragon : So r u looking forward 2 the finals, I sure am
- Jess. : yeah its good isnt it. is he a moderator or something?
- Happy Dragon : Hate is really good at replying 2 them, he's very quick witted he's a funny guy!
- Jess. : yeah, ridiculous hey. i just come on here to discuss footy with fellow fans, i dont appreciate being offended or sworn at
- Happy Dragon : Don't know darl, you'll have 2 ask hate that one? He's not he only one that's been banned, we seem 2 get alot of morons on this site!
- Jess. : i bloody well hope so, plus they will be embarassed after last week
- Happy Dragon : After the way the tigers played the other night, you'd expect manly 2 win?
- Jess. : how was it possible that they blocked the QLD guy?
- Jess. : no definitely not, after the rabbitohs they will want to prove they can make it
- Jess. : the tigers
- Happy Dragon : Who do they play this wk, I'm sure they won't want another loss?
- Jess. : i'm praying for my sea eagles i really want a win
- Happy Dragon : LOL, he was probably drunk when he was on before, that's why he was carrying on like an idiot?
- Jess. : they seem to have a good luck charm there
- Jess. : yeah, but the warriors away from mt smart they may fall short
- Happy Dragon : Of course I'm tipping my dragons, but it'll b a tuff one!
- Jess. : imagine him drunk, he'd be 100 times worse.
- Jess. : no definitely not! i always sit in the unliscenced areas so i have no drunk people near me
- Happy Dragon : Yeh you could imagine what he's like at the footy, you wouldn't want 2 sit next 2 him?
- Jess. : so who are you tipping this week?
- Happy Dragon : Yes I know, there's no need 2 carry on like that?
- Jess. : he is always so rude and abusive, fair enough he supports his team, but he is so over the top, it seems like his type would be the ones throwing things at steve matai
- Jess. : im so glad that queenslander guy is banned
- Jess. : oh good
- Happy Dragon : Hey Jess, hate will b back later, he's gone 2 watch nrl on fox