ST.HELENS, UNITED KINGDOM – APRIL 9: A generic Rugby League ball during the engage Super League match between St.Helens and Salford City Reds at Knowsley Road on April 9, 2007 in St.Helens, England. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)
The NRL is considering some radical changes to the rugby league calendar as early as next year, with the proposal of a pre-season knockout tournament in 2023.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the idea will feature points and prizemoney as well as an 18th club in the form of English Super League champions St Helens.
ST HELENS, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 22: Alex Walmsley of St Helens R.F.C on the charge during the World Club Series Final between St Helens at Totally Wicked Stadium on February 22, 2020 in St Helens, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)
The plan comes as part of the NRL’s new initiative to monetise the pre-season and garner more interest from broadcasters.
It was only last year that Fox League opted to broadcast all of the trial games for the NRL preseason and with the success of the World Cup in what normally would be cricket season, the NRL is seeking ways to extend interest in the game beyond the regular season.
“There’s definitely plans in place that look at that pre-season tournament,” The Daily Telegraph’s Michael Carayannis told SEN Breakfast.
“You’ve seen in recent years Fox (Sports) started televising all the trial games, so there is an element of excitement around the trial games.
“I don’t think clubs will be prepared to put anywhere near their best side or make it anything overly competitive, or whether they’re compelled to, I don’t so how that is going to happen.”
The NRL has played around with pre-season tournaments before such as the Auckland and Perth Nines tournaments. Older fans may even remember the rugby league world sevens.
The re-introduction of a pre-season tournament also raises questions about the placement of the annual All-Stars fixture and the return of the traditional World Club Challenge.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 12: Nicho Hynes of the Indigenous All Stars is tackled during the match between the Men’s Indigenous All Stars and the Men’s Maori All Stars at CommBank Stadium on February 12, 2022 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Back in the 1990s clubs participated in the Tooheys Challenge Cup, a pre-season knock-out fixture with a similar concept.
A pre-season tournament would also need to be negotiated with the RLPA who would want to ensure players are being given adequate annual leave and a minimum of short turnarounds. This seems unlikely given the current delays in negotiating the latest agreement with the RLPA.
Source:: ZeroTackle
