Yeah, and don't get me wrong. Francis > Croker. Salary will be too. I'm more showing my annoyance at the quality of the tournament.
RLWC 2026
- Thread starter Billy
- Start date
krustykraz
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
I hope if he does leave he gets a big deal.
PNG could do with a Croker.
101k
Jake Mamo
This tournament is ridiculous, restrict it to 6 teams and make it some sort of whoever makes semi finals is automatically into the next World Cup and every other team competes for two spots the year before.
Create a separate competition for the other nations these score lines are insane.
Create a separate competition for the other nations these score lines are insane.
Wouldn't begrudge him that at all.
So who would you leave out, Fiji beat NZ in 2017, PNG beat Great Britain in 2019, Lebanon lost to Tonga by 2 in the 2017 quarters …
You can’t call a six team competition a World Cup. And it’s already been reduced to 12 teams this tournament.
Nobody’s forcing you to watch if you don’t enjoy it, but plenty are, as evidenced by the crowds and ratings.
MullosLefttoRight
Nathan Barnes
Problem is that there are no plans for development in International RL, they have rarely existed in the past but are practically non-existent now.
The International game is now whatever V'landys can be bothered to put together for the least expense, organised a month out from the end of the season.
Any other serious sport would have a qualification process that enables teams to have years of preparation, funding, and elite player development to give emerging nations the best opportunity to compete and grow from tournament to tournament.
The International game is now whatever V'landys can be bothered to put together for the least expense, organised a month out from the end of the season.
Any other serious sport would have a qualification process that enables teams to have years of preparation, funding, and elite player development to give emerging nations the best opportunity to compete and grow from tournament to tournament.
Thieves Like Us
Josh Perry
Rather than looking at the other football codes, perhaps RL should be looking at Test cricket for inspiration in the international game. Admittedly it wouldn’t be the same as the Test Cricket Championship because the club game is so dominant but a tournament run over a few years at the end of each season to create a league table then the top 4 play semis and a final to decide the winner.
To keep other clubs interested they could also do a shield competition for the 5th to 8th placed teams. One in the Northern hemisphere and one in the Southern to maximise interest in the two biggest markets.
To keep other clubs interested they could also do a shield competition for the 5th to 8th placed teams. One in the Northern hemisphere and one in the Southern to maximise interest in the two biggest markets.
Wagyu Patty
Timana Tahu
The only way we grow the international game outside of the Southern Hemisphere is by allowing players to fully open up their heritage for the World Cup only.
I.e. someone like say Jamal Fogarty who's arguably one of the better halves in the comp but won't get a look in for any of the top 6 international teams may happen to have a great uncle from Ireland so they let him wear the jersey.
No idea of his lineage but that sort of thing distributes talent more evenly, lesser players learn from playing with elite players.
I.e. someone like say Jamal Fogarty who's arguably one of the better halves in the comp but won't get a look in for any of the top 6 international teams may happen to have a great uncle from Ireland so they let him wear the jersey.
No idea of his lineage but that sort of thing distributes talent more evenly, lesser players learn from playing with elite players.
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Billy
Danny 'Bedsy' Buderus
The obvious next step to "fix" international League is to make the pay structure fair.
The Australian players getting 40 k and everyone else getting $850 to cover their expenses is crazy and means the best players either chase the dollars or take a huge loss.
If the pay structure designed around a rating system similar to the points system in the real NRL - something like 100 game NRL or ESL players getting 20k for the tournament - players who are emerging talents getting 10k and semi-pro players getting 5k - you would find a lot more players commit to playing for Fiji or Cook Islands instead of hanging out for Australian selection.
The TV deal pays for this tournament, and Manu is getting pocket money to excite the entire RL world, while Best is getting 40k to warm a bench.
A lot of players would find their scottish, Irish, Lebanese, French, Italian, Greek etc roots if there was 20k in it for them.
The Pacific Island players who do it for pride and $850 dollars are the reason this isn't a complete joke, but to go to a new level, we need to pay everyone according to their "box office" appeal.
It would actually work a lot better for the women's game.
If everyone in the women's game got a decent payday for playing for any side they can fink a link to, most of the NRLW would be playing in this tournament, and players like Kernick, Taufa, Penitoni- Grey, Meakes, would be playing for someone else - even Isabelle Kelly might find her Irish roots.
The Australian players getting 40 k and everyone else getting $850 to cover their expenses is crazy and means the best players either chase the dollars or take a huge loss.
If the pay structure designed around a rating system similar to the points system in the real NRL - something like 100 game NRL or ESL players getting 20k for the tournament - players who are emerging talents getting 10k and semi-pro players getting 5k - you would find a lot more players commit to playing for Fiji or Cook Islands instead of hanging out for Australian selection.
The TV deal pays for this tournament, and Manu is getting pocket money to excite the entire RL world, while Best is getting 40k to warm a bench.
A lot of players would find their scottish, Irish, Lebanese, French, Italian, Greek etc roots if there was 20k in it for them.
The Pacific Island players who do it for pride and $850 dollars are the reason this isn't a complete joke, but to go to a new level, we need to pay everyone according to their "box office" appeal.
It would actually work a lot better for the women's game.
If everyone in the women's game got a decent payday for playing for any side they can fink a link to, most of the NRLW would be playing in this tournament, and players like Kernick, Taufa, Penitoni- Grey, Meakes, would be playing for someone else - even Isabelle Kelly might find her Irish roots.
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I don’t think this tournament is missing much tbh, it needs quarters though, strong sides like England, Fiji and PNG deserve their shot at a knock out game. (I know PNG struggled last night, but that’s a sample size of one game, and with an NRL team they’ll be back up there soon).
The main thing for me is the Superleague really needs investment and professionalism. The fact they’re opening up more slots for overseas players is really concerning. Jackson Hastings currently captains a side over there, and he’s not first grade standard in the NRL. You see England fans saying things like “we competed really well with Tonga and they’re full of NRL players”. It’s sad that attitudes have come to that over there, from what was a great rugby league nation.
I’m starting to think it would be best if the NRL took charge, because the game has failed so miserably over there with its current administration. And the success of England feeds into the success of France, Wales, Ireland, Scotland. Get those sides successful again and we have a thriving world stage.
The main thing for me is the Superleague really needs investment and professionalism. The fact they’re opening up more slots for overseas players is really concerning. Jackson Hastings currently captains a side over there, and he’s not first grade standard in the NRL. You see England fans saying things like “we competed really well with Tonga and they’re full of NRL players”. It’s sad that attitudes have come to that over there, from what was a great rugby league nation.
I’m starting to think it would be best if the NRL took charge, because the game has failed so miserably over there with its current administration. And the success of England feeds into the success of France, Wales, Ireland, Scotland. Get those sides successful again and we have a thriving world stage.