2025 Pre-season discussion. The Madge dynasty begins.

[kman]

It's not but if they did that the season would be like 32 rounds and way too long.

It's only 5 extra games that's not exactly that many, I would agree with playing each other twice.

 

[McHunt]

It's only 5 extra games that's not exactly that many, I would agree with playing each other twice.

Yes, they could play these games instead of taking a holiday.

 

[Brotherdu]

I still think it's stupid that not every team plays each other twice... how is that fair?

It can never be fair......add onto that the origin affected period. Only certain teams get smashed and lose 5+ players.

 

[BroncsFan]

It can never be fair......add onto that the origin affected period. Only certain teams get smashed and lose 5+ players.

If they go with a conference AND division system similar to NFL then it could be fairer.

Assuming say 4 divisions of 5 teams each (20 team comp)... then teams within the division all play the same teams and winner of the division automatically qualifies for the finals.

In short each division play each other twice home and away, and then they rotate around the other divisions to play once... and rotation of the divisions is cyclical across a 5 yr period or whatever... so we wouldnt get stuck with playing storm twice every fucking year, whilst never 'drawing' the tigers.

So if our division was us, cows, titans, dolphins and PNG... then we're basically competing for a finals spot with those teams initially, but we all play the same teams over the course of the year.

Home and away for teams outside the division and origin affected rounds still impacts the draw, but at least cows and dolphins would have to play the same teams as us and whoever tops the group is in the finals... so at least it is a fairer system.

 

[mitch222]

Just fucking give us the Cowboys at Suncorp on a Friday night for the opening game. Guaranteed sell out.

We aren’t a Sydney team that needs to play their rivalry games further in the season to boost interest for the games. We get good crowds and good ratings no matter what so just give us that Round 1 opening game against Cowboys we used to get back.

Union normally ***** that game for a round 1 when they book Suncorp for a Friday night for the Reds to play in front of 5K people. There is a reason we haven't played at home in round 1 for quite a few years now.

 

[Broncapz]

Just fucking give us the Cowboys at Suncorp on a Friday night for the opening game. Guaranteed sell out.

We aren’t a Sydney team that needs to play their rivalry games further in the season to boost interest for the games. We get good crowds and good ratings no matter what so just give us that Round 1 opening game against Cowboys we used to get back.

100% this.

Ingrain it into the QLD zeitgeist and it becomes the biggest thing behind origin. Round 1 Broncos vs Cowboys. Ratings and Crowd bonanza.

It's really the only way to fire up an NRL season. Cowboys might start to hate it after a while though.

 

[Big Pete]

It's certainly unfair, but it's not unprecedented. In the NFL, they have an eighteen round competition with thirty-two teams with each conference playing each other twice. It's a flawed system but it still draws huge TV ratings.

If Rugby League continues to expand in Queensland, then it should only be a matter of time before we see another Broncos/Cowboys season opener. Granted, it's been awhile since either team has a bonafide classic against one another. It's either been one sided or just a low quality game since JT retired.