2024 NRL General Discussion Thread

[BroncsFan]

So Graham is still on there? If Kent comes back I’m out again.

Graham was a guest this week... been Tallis, but I'm hoping that's just an origin thing

 

[Sproj]

Graham was a guest this week... been Tallis, but I'm hoping that's just an origin thing

Deadset.

 

[john1420]

Keep the 4 man bench with the 18th who can only be introduced into the game in the event that one of your players is ruled out of the game completely, for whatever reason. I say whatever reason because it’s such a huge blow when teams lose a centre in particular and don’t come into the game with any sort of plan B in that situation, Bulldogs just last week were scoring for fun down that edge.

The can of worms will be when coaches pick their 18th man as a specialist in some capacity, maybe an elite defender who can’t attack very well? They’ve done themselves no favours over the years, now the NRL probably has to look over every rule change with a fine toothed comb to make sure it can’t be exploited.

The rule that can't be exploited by Bellamy hasn't been invented.

In fact, maybe that's his new career post Storm coach - rule exploitation consultant

 

[Foordy]

 

[Renegade]

did you take a photo of a screen rather than posting the link?

 

[Foordy]

did you take a photo of a screen rather than posting the link?

Only because that was a screenshot sent to me over teams from a colleague. (On my work laptop)

EDIT: But a quick google search on my phone and I've found the tweet (or whatever the call it on "X")

 

[Renegade]

Interestingly they are also touting the soft power angle - I mentioned as much a few weeks ago.

 

[Foordy]

I wonder spending 600 million to fund and NRL team in another country will actually go down with the voters.

 

[Bucking Beads]

The PNG team will be a disaster. PNG don't have the $$ or population to support a team. Who would want to live there?

 

[Jedhead]

The PNG team will be a disaster. PNG don't have the $$ or population to support a team. Who would want to live there?

It’s all about curtailing China’s growing influence in the region.

 

[ningnangnong]

Sport is not sport - it's advertising, politics, gambling all in one.

 

[Wolfie]

The PNG team will be a disaster. PNG don't have the $$ or population to support a team. Who would want to live there?

Its the infrastructure thats the issue. There is enough talent over there to work with supplemented by some decent NRL players. The big problems they will have is getting enough players young enough to develop into NRL players. They simply cant afford to put football above working for a living if the pay isnt good enough, and i cant see it being good enough to get enough players into a decent system if its based over there.

As you say though, how do you get players to move there.

 

[Foordy]

As you say though, how do you get players to move there.

depends on if the Government have agreed to Vlandy's request to for tax exempt status for players playing for the PNG side.

although since that request was talked about the NRL changed their plan for PNG, so it is no longer playing out of Cairns, but will be based in PNG full time

 

[Sproj]

So Australia comes in and says, hey here is $600 million for a league team (probably 200 million to Vlandys' personal account, another 350 million for 'other expenses')

So then let's say another country comes in and as like, ok no probs here is $6 billion - do whatever you like with it. How much weight is this NRL team really going to carry?

 

[Broncapz]

Only because that was a screenshot sent to me over teams from a colleague. (On my work laptop)

EDIT: But a quick google search on my phone and I've found the tweet (or whatever the call it on "X")

Oh that's so dumb.

That's so so so so so so so sooooooooooooo so so so so dumb.

 

[Bucking Beads]

It’s all about curtailing China’s growing influence in the region.

Yeah I know. It’s still ridiculous as they won’t be competitive and will fold eventually

 

[Scorchie]

I wonder spending 600 million to fund and NRL team in another country will actually go down with the voters.

It's purely about offsetting Defence spending and ensuring CN doesnt pump money into there. All it takes is a port and an airstrip and away things will go.

Support it, its only 60M per year.

 

[Jedhead]

It's purely about offsetting Defence spending and ensuring CN doesnt pump money into there. All it takes is a port and an airstrip and away things will go.

Support it, its only 60M per year.

Don’t china already have their own private airstrip out in NW Western Australia Though?