Opinion The NRL is a failed competition

[Bulldogsteve]

i get the feeling like when the rabbits won, they want parra to win this year after tonight

 

[Pheonixss]

Another thing that does my head in is the damm draw.

last week was our last homegame (1st may) till the 14th june against the dragons, How on earth does that even make sense? I realise the magic round game is ‘home’ but that really doesnt count

 

[chisdog]

Another thing that does my head in is the damn draw.

last week was our last home game (1st may) till the 14th June against the dragons, How on earth does that even make sense? I realise the magic round game is ‘home’ but that really doesn't count

funny how magic round seems to always be our home game. Surely they should make the QLD teams be the home teams.

 

[B-Train]

The thing that stands out the most is the lack of criticism in the media about the constant lopsided scores and how predictable, boring and non competitive the NRL has become.

Everyone is so scared to upset their masters at the NRL and Fox/Nine that they don't dare say anything critical and instead just praise the team that won by 50 or hammer the team that lost.. They never highlight the obvious reasons why this is happening and how to address it..

I don't know what morons thought games like these were good for the game but soon enough the lack of betting revenue, TV ratings and crowds will come back to haunt them and Vlandy's will be out of Rugba League once and for all. It's who they replace him with and if they can ever get rid of the stupid commission that's the real worry..

 

[Pity Fool]

Melbourne d South Sydney 50-0

Penrith d Cronulla 48-0

Another week more thrashings.

I think it was V'landys who said that the bottom clubs should raise up to be as good as the top clubs. That's easier said than done especially with the new rules HE introduced. It can take clubs years to rise up the competition now & it's only been compounded by the rule changes.

I wish V'landys would stop listening to the likes of Johns & Gould because it is destroying the competition. Perhaps this is being done on purpose to crash the product so Ch 9 can get it cheaply.

I only watch one game a week these days instead of every game. And that is only because I have Bulldogs OCD. I don't support the NRL, I support my club. You had me, NRL, but you have almost lost me. Kill my club & that will be it forever.

So how does it get fixed? Have a real salary cap, with no extras, & maybe a points cap with it & re-assess the junior boundary lines so that every club has a decent nursery to pick from. That's a start for your Peter, but if you keep things going in the direction you are, you will be the man who saved the competition from COVID only to crash it with dumb ideas. Also get the referees to referee on what they see, not pre-conceived ideas or guesses. This is YOUR mess Peter & it's time to clean it up!

Well said mate, it’s a fucking joke the NRL and the so called salary cap what a laugh it’s a fucking two horse race every year FFS! Either the Storm or the Rorters will win it because they openly flaunt the salary cap to the point that they don’t even try to hide it anymore! Almost every single position on the field they have gun players three deep then they both try to use the excuse that these gun players keep taking less money because they want to play for either the Storm or the rorters PFFFT what a joke! Introduce a player draft so that these two salary cap rorting clubs feel what it’s like to play by even rules. At the very least I can respect Penrith and the success they have because they actually develop the majority of their players over years of investment and training not go out and rort the cap and steal other teams junior talent!

 

[Psycho Doggie]

The thing that stands out the most is the lack of criticism in the media about the constant lopsided scores and how predictable, boring and non competitive the NRL has become.

Everyone is so scared to upset their masters at the NRL and Fox/Nine that they don't dare say anything critical and instead just praise the team that won by 50 or hammer the team that lost.. They never highlight the obvious reasons why this is happening and how to address it..

I don't know what morons thought games like these were good for the game but soon enough the lack of betting revenue, TV ratings and crowds will come back to haunt them and Vlandy's will be out of Rugba League once and for all. It's who they replace him with and if they can ever get rid of the stupid commission that's the real worry..

That's because everyone in the media depends on the NRL getting clicks in order to earn their pay cheque.

Someone needs to start a not for profit media org specifically targeted at serious critical reviews of the direction sport has gone in, starting with rugby league.

 

[Psycho Doggie]

Well said mate, it’s a fucking joke the NRL and the so called salary cap what a laugh it’s a fucking two horse race every year FFS! Either the Storm or the Rorters will win it because they openly flaunt the salary cap to the point that they don’t even try to hide it anymore! Almost every single position on the field they have gun players three deep then they both try to use the excuse that these gun players keep taking less money because they want to play for either the Storm or the rorters PFFFT what a joke! Introduce a player draft so that these two salary cap rorting clubs feel what it’s like to play by even rules. At the very least I can respect Penrith and the success they have because they actually develop the majority of their players over years of investment and training not go out and rort the cap and steal other teams junior talent!

Roosters won't do it this year, but that is purely down to injuries. It is between Strom and Panfers, and the only two teams that could get a look in if they play their best on the day are Eels and Souffs.

The rest of the teams are just making up the numbers. What a sad state of affairs.

 

[Dogs4eva13]

Good points... that being said I did like watching Souths get pumped. Injuries are another problem, I think something needs to be done in terms of cap and top 30.Dont think the new rules are needed just ref the game like origin and all would have been good. Also don't know why they got rid of the 2 refs? I thought it worked OK. Standard of refereeing is also an issue more and more clubs are making successful multiple challengers it's getting up to 4 or 5 a game..

 

[Psycho Doggie]

Standard of refereeing is also an issue more and more clubs are making successful multiple challengers it's getting up to 4 or 5 a game..

You make a good point with this. Is it that teams are getting better at using their challenges, or is it that psychologically refs are now making their calls with less care because they are coming to rely on captains making a challenge? Could be a bit of both. The second possibility was always on the cards, it is basic human psychology to become less careful when we perceive that we have some sort of safety net, but doubt the NRL did anything smart like talk to some experts before coming up with the current system.

 

[alchemist]

there was a time when the national U20's comp had better TV ratings than Super 12 Rugby... league is a great TV product... no need for major changes

that said, there is an issue this season in the varying qualities of the league and the contenders, those clubs whose ceiling is playing finals and the dregs of the competition... and that is not unusual... but to watch, for example, two contenders play in prime time and have one (ie. the Storm) put the cleaners through the other (Rabbitohs) to the tune of 50-0 is just bad for the ratings, for the competition, for the fans that attended the game etc

 

[gbrussell]

To me the biggest problem is there are clearly 4 or 5 teams and then a big gap to the rest.

Shows me the farcical equalisation measure aka the Salary Cap plus TPA'S is not working. The cap does not and never has equalised playing strength. It equalises spending and the bottom clubs have to pay overs to get the best players to move ever so slowly up the ladder.

I think if TPA'S were removed then it might be a bit fairer. Then again there are more than enough people in club land and among the managers who to say the least are questionable.

A system to equalise the strength of clubs has to be invented. One that is transparent and can't be rorted. However that won't be at the initiative of those who have a vested interest in the game.

It will come from a knowledgeable fan who sends his idea to the NRL.

Then again I must be dreaming as EVERY email I have ever sent to the NRL on a range of things including equalisation of teams, have never seen a reply in my inbox.

 

[Riggs80]

Rules are crap but I blame the coaches - all teams are coached to deliberately break the rules full knowing that the refs won’t come down on them everytime and because of that the refs try give leeway the inconsistencies occur . You can blame coaches , channel nine and news limited for state of play because any time the refs took action whether by penalties , sin bin or send offs there was always an outcry that they ruined the spectacle and took away the offending team the opportunity to win .
last nights game , minimum sin bins would have occured if the dogs players did that brown or marata incident or the spear tackle that the roosters did .
also if you watched the game , even tho they gave a few set restarts the roosters got away with murder all game and that’s why they were able to defend without ball ( they Got away with giving 2 set restarts back to back without a completed tackle and no binning)
a few years back greenturd had almost removed these deliberate plays but come round 7/8 he shat the bed because buzz was complaining about penalties ... now the new rules are a result of them being weak kneed

 

[racin jason]

It's getting more and more difficult to make a case for the game NOT being corrupt. The refs seem to always favour one side over the other like the result is preconcieved.

 

[gbrussell]

funny how magic round seems to always be our home game. Surely they should make the QLD teams be the home teams.

I agree 100%. Bulldogs and Manly have forfeited 3 Home Games to Magic Round. Manly have been really hard done by as their opponents in Magic Round have always been the Broncos who play an away game at their home ground.

How hard is it to do a draw where the same teams play each other the next year with the home teams reversed.

Just remember that the Good Friday and Anzac Day games have always had the same teams for a number of years and the home teams alternate year by year.

So the computer that does the draw can be programmed to do the Magic Round in a fair manner.

Fair manner and the NRL don't go hand in hand though. While ever certain teams seem to get the rub of the green constantly and or favourable draws fans will rightly speculate as to the ethics of those in power as the custodians of the game.

 

[Kelpie03]

To me the biggest problem is there are clearly 4 or 5 teams and then a big gap to the rest.

Shows me the farcical equalisation measure aka the Salary Cap plus TPA'S is not working. The cap does not and never has equalised playing strength. It equalises spending and the bottom clubs have to pay overs to get the best players to move ever so slowly up the ladder.

I think if TPA'S were removed then it might be a bit fairer. Then again there are more than enough people in club land and among the managers who to say the least are questionable.

A system to equalise the strength of clubs has to be invented. One that is transparent and can't be rorted. However that won't be at the initiative of those who have a vested interest in the game.

It will come from a knowledgeable fan who sends his idea to the NRL.

Then again I must be dreaming as EVERY email I have ever sent to the NRL on a range of things including equalisation of teams, have never seen a reply in my inbox.

Thanks for a very well thought out post, one way to make the salary cap work would be to ensure that a player who has for example signed a 2 or3 year contract with a certain club. Before he resigns with his current club or some other, the other clubs who want to sign him submit all their offers to the governing body.
If he refuses to sign for the club which has made him the best offer, he would then be allowed to sign for his current club for no more than 5% less that the best offer he received.
If the difference is greater than 5% his original club would be penalised, in the form of a reduction to their salary cap equal to twice the difference between what his original club pays him and the club who made the best offer.

 

[TwinTurbo]

Thanks for a very well thought out post, one way to make the salary cap work would be to ensure that a player who has for example signed a 2 or3 year contract with a certain club. Before he resigns with his current club or some other, the other clubs who want to sign him submit all their offers to the governing body.
If he refuses to sign for the club which has made him the best offer, he would then be allowed to sign for his current club for no more than 5% less that the best offer he received.
If the difference is greater than 5% his original club would be penalised, in the form of a reduction to their salary cap equal to twice the difference between what his original club pays him and the club who made the best offer

So a player who has family, friends and a support network in Sydney will be forced to go to, say, Cairns or Auckland where he knows no one, has no family and no one to support him. Move out of a house, unit whatever that he is paying off and intends to raise his family in just to move into rented accommodation in. To a city that he knows nothing about and possibly has never even been to. All for what could be $1 because they offered that much more than the next highest offer. Even if it $1000’s the player could easily be be much worse off financially let alone emotionally.

Think about it if it was you, you brother, your son or your grand son being forced to move away. It’s not like he had to go to get a job, he has one locally, that he would like to continue and some third party is forcing him out of it.

If the club doesn’t want or can’t afford to incur the penalty then ultimately it’s the player that suffers, no matter what penalty is potentially applied to the club.

The RLPA would never agree to it and I don’t blame them.

Go Dogs

 

[Sandra's Bollocks]

i get the feeling like when the rabbits won, they want parra to win this year after tonight

I dare say Parra will shoot themselves in the foot come finals time, so for me it's pretty much down to Storm, Panthers and Souths.

 

[Kelpie03]

So a player who has family, friends and a support network in Sydney will be forced to go to, say, Cairns or Auckland where he knows no one, has no family and no one to support him. Move out of a house, unit whatever that he is paying off and intends to raise his family in just to move into rented accommodation in. To a city that he knows nothing about and possibly has never even been to. All for what could be $1 because they offered that much more than the next highest offer. Even if it $1000’s the player could easily be be much worse off financially let alone emotionally.

Think about it if it was you, you brother, your son or your grand son being forced to move away. It’s not like he had to go to get a job, he has one locally, that he would like to continue and some third party is forcing him out of it.

If the club doesn’t want or can’t afford to incur the penalty then ultimately it’s the player that suffers, no matter what penalty is potentially applied to the club.

The RLPA would never agree to it and I don’t blame them.

Go Dogs

 

[Kelpie03]

IT dosen't have to be that way, players can play for less under my system also clubs can agree to player swaps in case of hardships. the alternative is we keep going the same way forever, or until RL dies a natural death.

 

[The DoggFather]

I dare say Parra will shoot themselves in the foot come finals time, so for me it's pretty much down to Storm, Panthers and Souths.

I don't think Souths can match the Storm or Penrith.