My idea for an Australian Challenge Cup

[Freakzilla]

16 NRL teams. Top 8 from previous season of NSW Cup and Top 8 from previous season of QLD Cup. First 2 rounds are played in preseason instead of trials. That leaves 8 teams left.

Origin would be on Sundays with no NRL games. On weekend of game 1 you play 4 Challenge Cup quarter-final games. On weekend of game 2 you play the 2 Challenge Cup semis.

On weekend of game 3 you play the Challenge Cup GF on the friday. On the Saturday you play New Zealand vs NRL All-Stars. On the Sunday Origin game 3.

 

[Mr Invisible]

This makes far too much sense for the NRL to introduce.

 

[Oatley Dog]

16 NRL teams. Top 8 from previous season of NSW Cup and Top 8 from previous season of QLD Cup. First 2 rounds are played in preseason instead of trials. That leaves 8 teams left.

Origin would be on Sundays with no NRL games. On weekend of game 1 you play 4 Challenge Cup quarter-final games. On weekend of game 2 you play the 2 Challenge Cup semis.

On weekend of game 3 you play the Challenge Cup GF on the friday. On the Saturday you play New Zealand vs NRL All-Stars. On the Sunday Origin game 3.

While it looks simple on paper have you thought about the practical implications of it? First off, one of two things will happen, either the NRL teams will field a rubbish side in the first round or if they don't then every winner will be the NRL team because even the worst NRL team is lightyears ahead of the best ISP team. What happens when two teams from the same club are drawn against each other? Do you think the club will let everyone of their players go hard against each other? So that's the first round. So, assuming it is all above board that means we have 8 NRL teams playing in week 1 of the SOO - or exactly what we have now. The only difference is that they will play each other without their SOO stars.....oops. We then go to the second game and we have 4 NRL teams playing - minus their stars. How is that better than now? in the final game we have 2 teams playing minus their stars and a second rep game with 34 additional rep players plus the SOO stars. Just remind me again how this is a better idea? More players playing in meaningless games with less TV games - unless you expect the pre-season to be televised and less down time for the players mid season to get over injuries from earlier in the year. For mine the problem with Origin isn't that players are missing or there are less games in the middle of the season, it is the fact that the brutality of the game impacts on the players for weeks after origin is over. That is where teams lose momentum, not during origin season. Look at the Broncos, they head south for a month after origin, same with Melbourne. Then they pick up and go again.

 

[CroydonDog]

While it looks simple on paper have you thought about the practical implications of it? First off, one of two things will happen, either the NRL teams will field a rubbish side in the first round or if they don't then every winner will be the NRL team because even the worst NRL team is lightyears ahead of the best ISP team. What happens when two teams from the same club are drawn against each other? Do you think the club will let everyone of their players go hard against each other? So that's the first round. So, assuming it is all above board that means we have 8 NRL teams playing in week 1 of the SOO - or exactly what we have now. The only difference is that they will play each other without their SOO stars.....oops. We then go to the second game and we have 4 NRL teams playing - minus their stars. How is that better than now? in the final game we have 2 teams playing minus their stars and a second rep game with 34 additional rep players plus the SOO stars. Just remind me again how this is a better idea? More players playing in meaningless games with less TV games - unless you expect the pre-season to be televised and less down time for the players mid season to get over injuries from earlier in the year. For mine the problem with Origin isn't that players are missing or there are less games in the middle of the season, it is the fact that the brutality of the game impacts on the players for weeks after origin is over. That is where teams lose momentum, not during origin season. Look at the Broncos, they head south for a month after origin, same with Melbourne. Then they pick up and go again.

Unless there is a shiteload of cash involved, it will be treated like 9s in that clubs just won't field their best teams, and also the whole fact that almost every side is a feeder for an NRL Club.

DO like the discussion though

 

[Oatley Dog]

Unless there is a shiteload of cash involved, it will be treated like 9s in that clubs just won't field their best teams, and also the whole fact that almost every side is a feeder for an NRL Club.

DO like the discussion though

Agree. Well done for at least thinking about it. Unfortunately like most things in this world it is never as simple as it seems or should be!

 

[Freakzilla]

This makes far too much sense for the NRL to introduce.

Haha yep.

 

[Freakzilla]

Unless there is a shiteload of cash involved, it will be treated like 9s in that clubs just won't field their best teams, and also the whole fact that almost every side is a feeder for an NRL Club.

DO like the discussion though

Get a major sponsor for it with the winner getting $1 million. Teams that don't make the final 8 get nothing.

 

[CMP]

Unless there is a shiteload of cash involved, it will be treated like 9s in that clubs just won't field their best teams, and also the whole fact that almost every side is a feeder for an NRL Club.

DO like the discussion though

Rather than cash.
Salary Cap incentive/exemptions for the following season should be an option. The winners get to Choose between a cash prize & a salary cap bonus.
This would see teams have more of a bigger picture view of smaller tournaments.

 

[DoggiesBoy]

tbh it's just another opportunity for players to get injured playing a worthless game that has no meaning. There are too many games each season as it is. I do like the idea of condensing the rep period and getting it out of the way though.

 

[Dogs1938]

Hang on but if your playing the nrl all stars game on Saturday and then got to back up on Sunday for state of origin ? How does that work ?

Don't get me wrong, like its a great idea but it's not possible..

 

[Freakzilla]

Hang on but if your playing the nrl all stars game on Saturday and then got to back up on Sunday for state of origin ? How does that work ?

Don't get me wrong, like its a great idea but it's not possible..

Hahaha obviously the Origin players wouldn't be included.

 

[Wahesh]

16 NRL teams. Top 8 from previous season of NSW Cup and Top 8 from previous season of QLD Cup. First 2 rounds are played in preseason instead of trials. That leaves 8 teams left.

Origin would be on Sundays with no NRL games. On weekend of game 1 you play 4 Challenge Cup quarter-final games. On weekend of game 2 you play the 2 Challenge Cup semis.

On weekend of game 3 you play the Challenge Cup GF on the friday. On the Saturday you play New Zealand vs NRL All-Stars. On the Sunday Origin game 3.

So we're talking reserve grade teams - NSW cup and QLD cup?

Also that makes 16 teams, so after 1 round we'll have 8 teams left, after 2 rounds we'll have 4 teams left.

 

[Freakzilla]

Not reserve grade teams. 1st grade teams without their Origin players so basically what we had to do against the Knights.

1st round will be held instead of trial games preseason with full strength teams.