**Official** NRL 2010 thread

[Ausage]

Take that free market crap out of the NRL thread. I love a comp where Cronulla could potentially win the premiership in three years.

EPL is a joke because most people are only interested in the games that features Chelsea, Man U, Arsenal and Liverpool. The only reason people care about Fulham v Tottenham is because of a ridiculous culture that doesn't exist in Australia unless you support Richmond.

+1000000000000000. Couldn't agree more, well other than the possibility of the Sharks winning a premiership

Alot of these problems will become less prominent when News stops rorting the game of TV money, and clubs are able to afford a rise in the cap. We'll be able to retain better players, be able to afford to expand the game at it's frontiers, generating more money etc etc.

Or so we hope anyway.

 

[Burgey]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but can't the NRL value a player higher than he's being paid for the purposes of the cap if they feel it necessary? If so you'd think they'd be all over the Storm if they tried any of those sorts of shenanigans.

Not sure mate, but they didn't with the Curs in 04. The league should tell Melbourne, or any club in this position that they must offload -3 of their players who are on 300K plus. Who they ditch is up to them, and they have to keep paying them if/ when they go elsewhere.

Five gets you ten they win it in 2 years with essesntially this squad.

 

[howardj]

Finances will always be hamstrung by the fact the game is only played in two states, and doesn't rate on TV outside these states. I am telling you, you need less teams, need to sell Origin, International, Finals and regular season games separately to broadcasters.

 

[Ausage]

Not sure mate, but they didn't with the Curs in 04. The league should tell Melbourne, or any club in this position that they must offload -3 of their players who are on 300K plus. Who they ditch is up to them, and they have to keep paying them if/ when they go elsewhere.

Five gets you ten they win it in 2 years with essesntially this squad.

I thought they introduced the rules precicely because of the Dogs in 04. Could be way off the mark though, cause I'm not sure where I heard all this.

Wouldn't put money on that tbh

 

[vic_orthdox]

Take that free market crap out of the NRL thread. I love a comp where Cronulla could potentially win the premiership in three years.

EPL is a joke because most people are only interested in the games that features Chelsea, Man U, Arsenal and Liverpool. The only reason people care about Fulham v Tottenham is because of a ridiculous culture that doesn't exist in Australia unless you support Richmond.

The bigger factor is the pure network of English soccer. The threat of relegation, plus the international system, provides incentives for all teams, where that wouldn't be provided in an Australian system in any sport.

 

[morgieb]

Salary cap needs to stay. It should be increased to encourage more players to stay in the game, however.

 

[howardj]

Salary cap needs to stay. It should be increased to encourage more players to stay in the game, however.

You can increase it to $10 million or $50 million.

But, the reality is, most clubs are maxed out at the current limit.

Only a few could afford to pay players more.

16 teams is too many - the talent is too thin at the moment.

 

[Burpey]

Salary cap needs to stay. It should be increased to encourage more players to stay in the game, however.

Agreed. They need to look at increasing it, which can probably only happen if the clubs can secure greater revenues. I think they're hoping the independent commission will result in that, especially through TV rights. Also, more concessions need to be given to players who come through a club. Perhaps if a player comes through a club's Under 20's then only half their salary counts towards the salary cap. Just an example, but stuff like that.

On another point, wouldn't having more teams mean players are more likely to stay in Australia rather than go to England?

 

[howardj]

Agreed. They need to look at increasing it, which can probably only happen if the clubs can secure greater revenues. I think they're hoping the independent commission will result in that, especially through TV rights. Also, more concessions need to be given to players who come through a club. Perhaps if a player comes through a club's Under 20's then only half their salary counts towards the salary cap. Just an example, but stuff like that.

On another point, wouldn't having more teams mean players are more likely to stay in Australia rather than go to England?

Nope as a new team would still spend their cap in the same proportion. i.e the top players in that team would still only be able to command $xxx, the next tier down would still only be able to demand $xxxx, etc.

Agree about the additional revenue streams though. That's the only solution.

 

[DingDong]

i hear they are considering replaying the whole world club challenge tournament again

 

[Burpey]

Nope as a new team would still spend their cap in the same proportion. i.e the top players in that team would still only be able to command $xxx, the next tier down would still only be able to demand $xxxx, etc.

Yeah, so if there's one extra team then hopefully that's 25 players who are in England who might not have gone overseas. Maybe just wishful thinking from me.

 

[Craig]

Bulldogs and St George would seem full to the cap to me. Same with Gold Coast, they are paying Zillman $250k a season.

 

[howardj]

But they'd go overseas for the coin, rather than because they're not enough spots here.

 

[Simon]

Cant see how getting rid of the cap is justifiable, there's simply no alternative unless we want a 6 team competition in ten years.

 

[howardj]

Ideal would be cap increase so we could pay our players what they get paid in England, and for each club being afford that increase without going bust.

Only solution, as Cameron says, is more revenue.

 

[Simon]

You can increase it to $10 million or $50 million.

But, the reality is, most clubs are maxed out at the current limit.

Only a few could afford to pay players more.

16 teams is too many - the talent is too thin at the moment.

Naa thats bull****, the quality is there for 16 teams but no more,. I've just gone through the Big League and counted that there are currently 78 first graders unavailable this weekend through either suspension or injury, theres enough players there to fill the gaps of the current below par players and then some.
The problem with the ammount of players in the NRL now that arent up to it has come from the fact there's no organised second tier competition, if there was a full 16 team reserve grade and not that Qld Cup and NSW Cup jibberish then we'd have fringe players sticking in the game and pushing harder for spots.

 

[Simon]

Ideal would be cap increase so we could pay our players what they get paid in England, and for each club being afford that increase without going bust.

Only solution, as Cameron says, is more revenue.

Well thats true, if and when the tv deal goes up lets say the cap is raised to $5m per season, does that mean that someone like Ryan Hinchcliffe then gets $180k a year instead of $110k or does it mean Greg Inglis will now make $550k instead of $400k?

We'll need to see pretty remarkable ammounts of money come into the game for a big salary cap raise to make a difference.

 

[Craig]

But they'd go overseas for the coin, rather than because they're not enough spots here.

But are they better off financially though? Higher costs of living for example, and for those who go play rugby in Japan, well Tokyo is the most expensive city in the world to live, would leave them with less money then say if they stayed in Australia?

 

[ripper868]

But are they better off financially though? Higher costs of living for example, and for those who go play rugby in Japan, well Tokyo is the most expensive city in the world to live, would leave them with less money then say if they stayed in Australia?

Not when a part of those deals to play in japan includes a House, Car, Mistress, Blonde Mistress, Dwarf Mistress and a chance at Takashi's Castle.

 

[Simon]

But are they better off financially though? Higher costs of living for example, and for those who go play rugby in Japan, well Tokyo is the most expensive city in the world to live, would leave them with less money then say if they stayed in Australia?

Of course they'd be financially better off, why do you think Craig Wing went there at this stage of his career? He even said it was for the money as he was screwed over by some scheme.