2022 NRL Discussion Thread

[DIEHARD]

Joseph Manu leaves NRL world seething after 'shameful' act
https://au.sports.yahoo.com/nrl-2022...231754193.html

[DIEHARD]

[Titanic]

Are you writing in invisible ink DH? Can't see whatever it is you posted there.

Oh by the way, anybody interested in the GF venue debate, especially considering we are going to be there twice in the oncoming seasons?

My viewpoint is that we should have a stable annual schedule (including the international rotations) and therefore the NRL GF should remain in Steak 'n' Kidney except perhaps for the Olympics year, if I'm still around.

Why? Because it is a tradition that should be maintained. We will always be the country cousins going to the big smoke for that one event. We have Magic Round, our share of Origin and four (well nearly four) teams in the comp plus the women too. I'm for giving the 9's to Kiwi annually and adding an international flavour to it. Also the ANZAC test should stay, Kangaroo tours return and midyear Pasifika Test series too.

[JunctionBlock]

I just hate how it is so obviously a ploy every year for V'landys to dangle the carrot to QLD to get NSW to come to the party for whatever he wants. There was no mystery, NSW was getting the GF this year.

PS I can see DH's post.

PPS unless the women play at the GF venue I hold little hope we will be there soon, but we didn't write the 5 year plan though.

[DIEHARD]

Are you writing in invisible ink DH? Can't see whatever it is you posted there.

Sorry mate. It was an embedded tweet from the Warriors. Here is a screenshot.

It's about their team in the NSW Cup and I'm a big advocate for the second teir.

[DIEHARD]

Why? Because it is a tradition that should be maintained. We will always be the country cousins going to the big smoke for that one event. We have Magic Round, our share of Origin and four (well nearly four) teams in the comp plus the women too. I'm for giving the 9's to Kiwi annually and adding an international flavour to it. Also the ANZAC test should stay, Kangaroo tours return and midyear Pasifika Test series too.

I do understand what you mean. To have all of these alternative, rotating events it risks blurring them and losing their uniqueness. Right now this is happening in the UK. What is the big event to travel to regardless of your club? Magic Round or the Challenge Cup?

I love the Anzac Test too and always seemed to be a great way to commemorate it. But you'd have to crowbar the Dragons v Roosters fixture from them and also Storm v Warriors now. The argument was that the Kangaroos were too good and too far away. But they also used that logic to terminate the mid season tests because it happened after Origin when Australia was primed.

What's his name is just using Brisbane as a chip to leverage the NSW government and has no intention of giving Queensland the Grand Final. Seems like it'll be in Sydney this year with the can kicked down the road.

I just hate how it is so obviously a ploy every year for V'landys to dangle the carrot to QLD to get NSW to come to the party for whatever he wants. There was no mystery, NSW was getting the GF this year.

Exactly.

The really interesting thing is Souths. Who agreed to stay at a redeveloped Stadium Australia, but now that isn't happened and they want in at the new SFS. Really embarrassing and painful situation. Roosters must be loving it.

[DIEHARD]

Sydney wins bid to host decider
https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl

Grand sale, grand sale — The NRL Grand Final will be open to a bidding war after the NSW Government failed to land a long-term deal to secure the game’s showpiece

The ARL Commission has sensationally put the NRL grand final up for sale in a Super Bowl-style arrangement after awarding this year’s decider to Sydney for only one season.

After months of tense negotiations, the NRL has sufficiently smoked the peace pipe with the NSW government and denied Queensland was used as a pawn after Sydney’s Accor Stadium was granted the decider on Sunday, October 2.

But in a blow for the NSW government, a long-term 20-year deal to host the NRL grand final until 2042 has collapsed following a breakdown in talks over an $800 million suburban stadium funding deal.

While Sydney has reclaimed the NRL grand final this season, ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys confirmed rugby league’s showpiece event will now emulate America’s Super Bowl by going to the highest bidder for 2023 and beyond.

“After extensive negotiations we have made a decision and that is to hold the game in Sydney this year,” V’landys said.

“It has been a hard decision because the Queensland Premier has been fantastic to deal with.

“I should point out the NSW government has succeeded this year, but this is only for one year, negotiations will recommence for future grand finals … it opens the door for a Super Bowl-style concept and whoever can give us the best deal.

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“Unfortunately the NSW government hasn’t agreed on funding for the stadiums and community assets. This is only a one-year deal and from next year on, the NRL grand final is on the table.

“If you look at the Super Bowl concept, the NRL grand final could go anywhere.

“We have four clubs in Queensland and if you look at it pro-rata, Queensland should get the NRL grand final one in four years.”

The decision will come as a relief for thousands of rugby league fans who expressed outrage at their inability to book travel and accommodation as the ARLC dithered over a location six weeks out from the NRL decider.

Queensland made a desperate late surge and were rated a “60-40” chance of stealing the grand final after tabling a proposal that included hosting up to three NRL deciders as a preamble to the Brisbane Olympics in 2032.

But Queensland’s bold bid for consecutive deciders at Suncorp Stadium has failed.

Having navigated the Covid crisis, the NRL has opted to return the grand final to rugby league’s traditional home in Sydney after Penrith and Souths played last year’s decider at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.

V’landys confirmed the decision went down to the wire with Queensland going close to pulling off a $10 million Suncorp Stadium heist.

“The mail about Queensland being a 60-40 chance was spot on,” he said.

“If we didn’t have discussions with the NSW government yesterday, it could have definitely gone to Queensland.

“Queensland and the NRL have always had an excellent relationship and they have been great to deal with.”

The ARLC mulled over a late charge from the Queensland government following a breakdown in talks between chairman V’landys and NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet.

Mindful of the Mexican stand-off, Queensland attempted to swoop, offering to host multiple NRL grand finals as premier Annastacia Palaszczuk ramped up plans to blow the NSW government out of the water.

Palaszczuk said she was open to negotiating with the NRL in the future following the success of last year’s Suncorp event.

“This was always the NRL’s decision, we wish them well,” she said.

“If they ever want to bring the grand final back to Queensland we’re always willing to talk.”

But Sydney has prevailed in a relief for Perrottet, who was embroiled in a war of words with V’landys after reneging on an $800 million suburban stadium funding pledge due to the state’s flood crisis.

It is understood the NSW government came back to the table with a beefed-up package and that was enough to convince the ARL Commission to hand the NRL grand final to Sydney’s Accor Stadium over Suncorp.

Perrottet revealed his government had offered more money than ever to retain the game’s showpiece event.

“We put a very fair and reasonable offer to the NRL in relation to keeping the grand final,” Perrottet said.

“That is commercially in confidence. It is probably not as much as Queensland have offered but it is more than we have paid in the past.

“I have made it very clear that the game should remain in our great state. It has been an institution for our people and that is where it should remain.

“The grand final has always been in NSW except for last year during Covid. Ultimately I have to make decisions in the best interests of NSW. We have gone through a very difficult time in our state over the last four years with bush fires, droughts, floods and the pandemic.”

[DIEHARD]

So a sudden drop in form for the Broncos and they could miss the finals. I still see them making it myself.

Two games remain.

Broncos / vs Eels / vs Dragons
Raiders / vs Manly / vs Wests Tigers

[DIEHARD]

Record 40,000 Ride The Storm in 2022
https://www.melbournestorm.com.au/ne...storm-in-2022/

Melbourne Storm has crashed through another NRL barrier, becoming the first club to sign on 40,000 members in the one season.

Storm’s tally of 40,122 announced today is the highest membership count ever recorded by an NRL club and represents a substantial increase of more than 13,000 members in the past 12 months.

The club will celebrate the milestone with a range of special activities at Members’ Appreciation Round against the Sydney Roosters on Friday night – the last home game at AAMI Park for the 2022 home and away season.

Storm’s season of membership records under the Ride The Storm campaign began in June when the club became number one in the NRL for membership for the first time.

Storm CEO Justin Rodski said: “Reaching 40,000 was an ambitious goal for our club in 2022. We’re delighted to have hit our target ahead of the end of the season thanks to the incredible support from our loyal and passionate Storm supporters.

We are honoured to have many members who have been us since day one through to a whole new group of supporters who are experiencing being part of Storm as a member for the first time this year.

“Overall we have experienced growth of 45% year-on-year which is unprecedented for Storm and we will push on to build that figure even more over the next two rounds and the finals series.

“Our thanks go to everyone who joined us to Ride The Storm this season and we look forward to their support in an exciting finals series to come.”

Storm’s membership has more than doubled since the 2016 season when just over 17,000 members were signed up – a club record at the time.

As part of Member Appreciation Round, one lucky member at Friday night’s game will win the Storm Store ultimate shopping spree, thanks to major sponsor RedZed.

There’ll also be special offers from Storm partners TRADIE, Pancake Parlour and Hush Puppies, competitions for Storm’s junior members, the chance to sit sideline on gameday and be part of a pre-game lap of honour and forming the guard of honour to welcome the teams onto AAMI Park.

All 40,122 member names will be displayed on a commemorative board outside Gate 7.

[JunctionBlock]

Who would have thought a club that is successful every year that they would have a successful membership retention and growth

[Titanic]

Sure JB but have a look at how they go about their business in a foreign land. They may be Victards but they know how to do sport.

[DIEHARD]

Who would have thought a club that is successful every year that they would have a successful membership retention and growth

Give the Storm some credit. That is a mind-blowing figure especially in an AFL state. I'm an optimist but I never thought I'd see it.

Being a Storm fan sure is easy though. Their performance over the last decade has been amazing. And their raising and replacing stars has been first class.

Now if the Membership levels could only turn into local juniors... Looking at the numbers who have come through is just embarrassing.

Obviously the Storm have fed off Queensland for a long time. Let's see how the Dolphins affect things.

[JunctionBlock]

Give the Storm some credit. That is a mind-blowing figure especially in an AFL state. I'm an optimist but I never thought I'd see it.

Being a Storm fan sure is easy though. Their performance over the last decade has been amazing. And their raising and replacing stars has been first class.

Now if the Membership levels could only turn into local juniors... Looking at the numbers who have come through is just embarrassing.

Obviously the Storm have fed off Queensland for a long time. Let's see how the Dolphins affect things.

I more hope the Dolphins affect the membership growth of the Broncos. It's a shame they'll make the 8 this year. Would have been nice to see three years of below average performance to really get people wondering if they should support another corner of the city

[DIEHARD]

I'm feeling a Cowboys v Panthers Grand Final.

Delighted to see the Roosters and Storm eliminated. Absolutely delighted.

Happy to see the Raiders and Cowboys progress.

[DIEHARD]

NRL Late Mail: Finals Week 2
https://www.nrl.com/news/2022/09/14/...finals-week-2/