Stage set for RLWC 2017 to help brew growth

Make no mistake, the clandestine decisions of Jason Taumalolo and Andrew Fifita to defect from their countries of origin to play for their countries of heritage is a landmark moment for international rugby league. 

Have you got a ticket yet?

Both players will forego significant sums of money to play for the minnow rugby league nation of Tonga. Their decisions have the ability to influence future players to make decisions about their representative careers not just solely based on money.  

Many will scoff at the influence now, citing both players’ dissatisfactions with their national team set-ups as the reason for their preference to play for Tonga, but their transition has awoken interest in a tournament that has traditionally only ever been perceived as a battle between Australia, New Zealand and England.  

At the 2008 World Cup – also played in Australia – Jarryd Hayne played for Fiji at a time when the game had not made significant inroads with the island nation. You could argue that Hayne’s representation with Fiji during that tournament helped propel interest in the smaller nations and highlight the opportunities of growing the game throughout the pacific. 

Over the last 10-15 years, the amount of Polynesian players in rugby league has increased dramatically. This has helped not only New Zealand in becoming stronger through players who often move to the country at young age, but has seen a sharp development in the likes of Tonga, Samoa, and Fiji. 

While the battles between Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and Papua New Guinea during the NRL midseason seemed more of a gimmick when first introduced, their capacity to attract genuine interest from a broader variety of rugby league fan is beginning to take hold. 

It is likely that in a few years, these matches will find an equal place amongst the historical state of origin matches, filling in the gaps of stand-alone weekends. The opportunity to incorporate Northern Hemisphere teams in a full-scale midyear break in domestic rugby league competitions is something that could be explored.

The inclusion of the PNG Hunters in the Queensland Cup has helped boost the depth and overall strength of Papua New Guinea and can only be seen to positively improve the country’s footprint in international rugby league. 

It is also with great optimism that the introduction of the Toronto Wolfpack into the Northern Hemisphere game - via the third tier of the Rugby Football League in England - that hope of a revival of the sport can take hold in that part of the world. 

One of the success stories from the 2013 Rugby League World Cup - The U.S.A Tomahawk.

The administration involved in making their existence possible should be applauded for their bold risk to accept a cross-continent possibility. If the Wolfpack and perhaps another team in Canada or America can be introduced to the Rugby Football League and attract a new wave of interest to the game both in North America and Europe, international rugby league is only going to benefit. 

Furthermore, the Rugby League International Federation has made one of the best and first long-term, forward-thinking decisions about the future of the game seen in quite some time.

 In 2025, the Rugby League World Cup will be played in North America. 

What this does, is give the international game and the entire sport of rugby league something to work towards. If improvements can be made in the payments of players to all nations in the tournament, not just the big three of Australia, England and New Zealand, than the potential to grow the game in both domestic and international competitions is wide open. 

North America is perhaps rugby league’s most underutilised source of talent identification, player development and game exposure, given the size of the population and love of sport in both the U.S.A and Canada. 

It will require a commitment from all forms of administration in the game, but with the RLIF now having full-time employees and the game beginning to make even the smallest footprint in the area, it gives hope of strong, long-term growth. 

Detractors can shoot it down all they like, but unless people make decisions like Fifita and Tamaulolo to do something out of the norm and against the tide of money, the game will continue to exist in its insular form. 

Would Semi Radradra have ever have turned out for Australia if there was the same $20,000 on the table to play for Fiji? 

With so many NRL players turning out for some of the smaller nations at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup, interest in the tournament will perhaps be at its highest ever. 

The 2013 tournament in the United Kingdom saw huge interest from the English fans in the matches of the smaller nations. Played at some of the old-style packed-in grounds to what appeared like full-houses and on the back of Andrew Voss’ talented commentary, these matches were exciting and appealing to many fans back here in Australia. 

One of the 2013 matches in England between Samoa and Fiji.

With matches being played right across Australia, New Zealand and in PNG, the 2017 tournament has the potential to garner the same, if not more interest than the 2013 edition. 

To Fifita, Tamaulolo, Hayne, Moses, Papalii, Segeyaro, Vaughan, Farah, Tedesco and anyone else turning out for a minnow nation, thank you. 

For you are contributing to the long-term growth of rugby league. 

People might not see it on the surface, but these decisions are helping a wider development of the greatest game of all.

Jarrod Mullen to the English Super League

With the struggling Knights’ in the midst of a rebuild under coach Nathan Brown and Mullen’s continual injury woes, is it time the 29-year-old considered a switch to the English Super League?

Newcastle Knights' five-eighth Jarrod Mullen.

Mullen’s career in the NRL has hit somewhat of a standpoint over the last couple of years, with the Knights’ playmaker hampered by a string of injuries that have kept him on the sidelines just as much as he’s been on the field. 

Last year, Mullen played just ten games for the Knights with Rick Stone and later Danny Buderus at the helm. While in 2014, Mullen made 16 appearances for the Knights in Wayne Bennett’s final year at the club. You have to go back to 2013 to find a time where Mullen played consistent football when he made 26 appearances as the Knights took themselves to a preliminary final. 

In 2016 – and with a fourth coach in as many years – Mullen has been restricted to watching from the stands again after rupturing his hamstring tendon in round 8. All up, Mullen has made 10 appearances so far this season from a possible 20 games. 

After tweaking his hamstring again in last week’s loss to Cronulla, Mullen will again be out for another two weeks. The disappointment and frustration on the Knights’ stalwart was there for all to see as he sat on the bench.

Furthermore, Mullen recently revealed on Fox Sports that he had considered retirement due to his on-going run of injuries.

A one-club player and home-grown talent, Mullen’s time at the Knights before the last couple of years had been fairly consistent. A respectable average of 19 appearances each year since his debut season in 2005, Mullen’s position within the team has been both unquestioned and uncontested across his career. 

But with Newcastle’s strategy to invest in their youth, they have unearthed a potential replacement in the halves with the talented 18-year-old Jack Cogger. While still extremely young in today’s NRL ages, Cogger has emerged as a likely long-term option for the Knights into the future. He has made five handy appearances this year, looks to have a steady head on his shoulders, and appears unfazed about playing at the top-level of the game. 

With an almost ready-to-go replacement, Nathan Brown could be forgiven for giving the injury-affected Mullen a tap on the shoulder to head across to the U.K. 

Arguably easier competition for NRL players to participate in, Mullen would be relieved of the week-to-week rigors that comes with playing in Australia. 

Questions of Mullen’s motivation to be involved in a re-build at the Knights that will likely be in the form of years rather than an off-season should also be raised. 

Newcastle’s turnaround to become truly competitive again will be a while away yet, and having not achieved a great deal of success at the club, a move to a team in the Super League with a chance of achieving something might just be what the near-veteran could be looking for. 

While often considered rugby league’s retirement home, the Super League is slowly beginning to bounce back to a competitive and interesting competition. A move for Mullen should not be considered a step-back in his career, rather a next step – because sometimes a change is as good as a holiday. 

In all likely-hood, Mullen will probably go around again at the Knights next year before considering his options beyond 2017. A tremendous custodian at the club for over a decade, he will want to – and possibly deserves to – leave on his own terms. Jack Cogger may yet need more time to develop in the lower leagues, leaving Mullen another year to finish in his own style.

New era of NRL coaches arrives

Fast-tracked or made for the big-time? Trent Barrett has moved quickly from player to coach.

A new era of NRL coaches has arrived with the appointment of Trent Barrett at Manly for 2016, and the instalment of Danny Buderus at Newcastle as interim coach for the rest of this season. Whilst Buderus’ tenure might be temporary, it signals a changing of the guard at the top-flight of Rugby League coaches’ and a transfer of priority and preference from experience, to a younger leader that can more easily relate to today’s player. But with coaches now coming from those who played in the 1990-2000’s, are they entering the role too early and without enough experience?

In recent seasons, coaches that had played the game but did not fulfil their destiny as a player, have excelled and had unprecedented success. Both Trent Robinson and Michael Maguire were respected players in the game, but barely made any in-roads in their first-grade careers. Seeking paths in the game, they turned to coaching and have both travelled far and wide in their committed pursuit to coach at the highest level. They didn’t have a big-name reputation as a player to rely on to earn their spot, but on the contrary, they didn’t have the experiences a big-name player may have had in a long playing career. The debate of if a great player can make a great coach reigns free.

No doubt whatever path a coach takes to the top level, they will be experienced. Robinson and Maguire worked hard as assistants, technical coaches and did whatever they had to, to build their knowledge. Maguire was known to have regularly mowed the grass of the Wigan training fields when he was their coach. Can you imagine Des Hasler cruising across Belmore Oval on a hot summer’s day? Robinson even become a fluent French speaker during his time at the Catalan Dragons in order to be able to liaise with his players, staff and the French community better.

What’s interesting is how players with limited experience as professional have become so successful as coaches. Like the Rabbitohs and Roosters pair, Wayne Bennett was one to have not had a decorated playing career. He, as it turns out, is the most successful coach of all-time. Craig Bellamy played 148 games for the Canberra Raiders during a decade-long career, but he was never the star of the team. He played off the bench in their 1990 premiership win over the Penrith Panthers. What Bellamy did best after his playing career, was go and undertake a long apprenticeship, and he had to as he didn’t have that big name.

The transition from player to coach can be a dangerous path. Some have gone in immediately following their playing career and have struggled. Others have bided their time, gone away from the game, experienced more and come back with great success. Brad Fittler was one who went in too early. After only a few years out of the game he was thrust into the full-time position of Head Coach with the Sydney Roosters. Whilst he has Phil Gould and others to lean on, Fittler hadn’t properly learnt the ropes as a coach. A wonderful player and on-fielder leader, but coaching as it seems, is a different gig all together. Some of the best players will just not make great coaches, it’s simple.

It could be said that Ricky Stuart jumped in too early, and it is only now that Stuart is finding his potential as a coach after working himself out over a number of years, at a number of clubs. Or maybe Stuart has always been the same coach and it’s simply clicking for him out of the Sydney spotlight at his old club. Nathan Brown went in too early, but he has gone to the Super League and had tremendous success, no doubt transforming himself as a coach. The roles that Fittler and Barrett have occupied as Country and City coaches seem like ideal positions for a person seeking a head coaching role to test themselves. Or are these positions more suitable for people like Fittler who enjoy chiming in and out of the sport while holding positions in the media.

What’s clear is next year Trent Barrett will be the Head Coach of a club currently undergoing a transition, and for him it will either be rocks or diamonds. Manly will need to give him time to build a successful first grade team, but they are a club that expects success and in the game today patience is limited, from fans and the power-holders. Danny Buderus, the ultimate clubman, looks like he will one day make a magnificent coach with an unquestionable level of integrity and fierce leadership. But to jump into the Newcastle Knights at a time when the whole club is being questioned, would be a disaster. For his sake, hopefully he sticks to his guns and stays as an assistant for the time being.

A trend appears to be evolving in the game and almost sport in general, that the best coaches are those who have had varied life experiences and had to learn things from the ground up. Des Hasler had a fantastic playing career at Manly, but after it he went and become a high school maths teacher. Wayne Bennet was in the Queensland Police Force, Maguire a physical education teacher before a coach, Craig Bellamy an electrician. Across the globe, Football’s best coach of today, Jose Mourinho, played in only the Portuguese lower leagues. He has held more assistant positions than probably any other coach in the world game, yet now, he is one of the most successful of all time.

Obviously there is more than just the coach, their personality, skills and philosophy involved in order to achieve success. A club has to be pulling in the same direction from top to bottom, resources have to be there and to use a Rugby League saying, you’ve got to have the cattle. But there is no doubting, and no missing the evolution of the successful coaches, they do their time, somewhere, somehow.

"Embarrassing" Knights will miss Kurt Gidley

No other player in the NRL competition plays with as much passion for his side than Kurt Gidley.
Photo: Brett Costello (News Limited)  

Kurt Gidley’s press conference following Newcastle’s loss to Cronulla on Sunday was a show of genuine emotion and passionate love for his club that goes well beyond the money he earns. Gidley labelled the performance an “embarrassment” and claimed he didn’t feel comfortable waving to the fans after the loss. While the Knights have now lost four straight games, their injury-riddled line-up has been boosted by the exciting and long-awaited return of Jake Mamo at fullback. Mamo’s desperation and pulsating play shine light on a new dawn at Newcastle, coupled by the exit of current captain Kurt Gidley at seasons end.

Gidley’s staunch-stance for any Knights’ player to walk out on their contract if they didn’t want to be at the club after Joseph Leilua’s messy mid-season departure to the Canberra Raiders was a leader’s call for a club that appears to be going through a culture change. His comments should have been a clear message to the rest of the squad in the lead up to the Sharks game but after their ninth loss in ten games; the Knights find themselves on equal points at the bottom the ladder.

Gidley is set to move on at years end and will head to the English Super League to join the Warrington Wolves. His decision just over a month ago to head abroad was based on the recognition that the time was right for both him, and the Knights. Gidley chose to go on his own terms, believing the talent that was beginning to come through at the Knights needed opportunities in the main positions he often occupies.

While Mamo and the Mata'utia brothers will form part of the new look Knights squad in the future, Gidley is from the old-school Knights’ era. He debuted in 2001, a time when the Newcastle Knights were flying. The Andrew Johns' driven team was built on hard work and a commradary that other teams could just never reach. The Knights were a ruthless team who put their opponents to the sword; they would front up every week and put on a display that was worthy of dozen beers after the game, regardless of the result. They knew what the team meant to the town, and they played for the people of Newcastle just as much as they played for themselves. They knew Rugby League in Newcastle meant more to the fans than it does for any other club. They felt and held a responsibility.

Kurt Gidley knows this. He built his career on this sort of club culture and has been trying to carry it on ever since the departure of club legend and now immortal, Andrew Johns. Gidley is not a modern footballer as such; he still carries this moral responsibility to the community around. His emotions after Sunday’s loss show this, his call-to-arms for players to leave is further evidence. He’s a locally born and raised player, a one-club man and as loyal as they come. But the question for the Knights is, when Kurt Gidley leaves at the end of the year, who carries this on? While the results haven’t been there for the Knights this year you have to admire the way Gidley’s takes a loss so personally.

At the beginning of the year, the Knights came up with a mission statement to guide the team forward into a new era. After tumultuous years under Nathan Tinkler’s ownership and Wayne Bennet’s reign at the helm, the Knights developed a blueprint to get back to the ways of their glory years. Its guiding statement was to play ‘The Newcastle Way’. With a tough, gritty, uncompromising and never-say-die attitude, that would have other teams dreading the visit to Hunter Stadium. The mantra also forms a new recruitment strategy to muster and develop players from within the Knights system. The departure of Gidley, Scott and Leilua will open up opportunities for those already at the Knights to earn their spot, but playing with ‘The Newcastle Way’ will also have to be built by the young squad, as this year it is just not there.

With what should be one the most formidable forward packs in the competition, the knights aren’t living up to their own professed standards. They have been dealt a cruel blow with another mid to long term injury to key playmaker Jarrod Mullen, but the with the likes of Kade Snowden, Beau Scott, Jeremy Smith and the Sims’ brothers playing up front, the Knights should be well beyond where they are currently are. Having rid themselves of the lazy and lethargic Leilua, the Knights outside back should now be ready to hit the line firing with youngsters Mamo, Mata’utia and Gagai syncing with the veteran James McManus and former Fijian-flyer Akuila Uate. The ever-reliable Gidley has occupied more positions than an employment agency temp worker, and played a dependable role at halfback on the weekend but the chop and change shifting around of Gidley never really helps team consistency.

The Knights face an old-foe in the Brisbane Broncos on Friday night in what should be a classic match replicating the by-gone era of Knights dominance, but the side of 2015 will have to compete with another depleted line-up. Back in the day the Knights would have relished coming into a game as such underdogs against the competition heavyweights, but whether they can find that old ‘Newcastle Way’ again remains to be seen. They’re sure yet to prove it this year.

Tomkins makes wrong move, again.

Two years ago, Super League’s best player decided to follow the trend of English Rugby League players and head to the sport’s most professional competition, the NRL. His decision featured the usual spin off lines, and was cited as a challenge and to experience something different. The fact that he signed a whopping $750,000 a year contract, and his Super League club Wigan received a $1.2 million dollar transfer fee, apparently had, little to do with it.

Tomkins will head back to England at the end of the 2015 NRL season.
Photo: Jason Gottenham (Getty Images Asia/Pacific)

At the time, there had been whispers of Sam Tomkins coming out to the NRL for well over a year, but he was the poster boy for the English competition, having just won the premiership for the second time in 2013, so it still came as a surprise when he announced he would be joined the New Zealand Warriors in 2014 for the next three seasons. At 24 years-of-age, Tomkins was about to enter a new domain. No longer would he be the best there is, no longer would be even be the best in the team, no longer would he be in his comfort zone.

Having dominated the Super League for what seemed like such a long time, despite being so young, many commentators thought Tomkins move was going to be a blinding success, and we finally would have met the ‘English Billy Slater’, or a set of appearances in which he was unable to handle the week in, week out rigorous of the more professionalised NRL. But it’s in fact been somewhere in between with Tomkins playing 25 games last season, scoring 13 tries. The moderate success could be considered a good season for a player in his first NRL season and one to build on, but after just over one year, Tomkins has decided to head back to England at the 2015 season’s end. The boy from Wigan is reportedly homesick and will shift competitions after playing out this season with the Auckland based side.

Tomkins original decision to sign with the Warriors is where he went wrong. Even Russel Crowe told him on a red carpet movie premiere not to sign with an NRL club outside of Australia. However the decision to now leave the Warriors comes as even more of a surprise and is his second mistake.

Tomkins and his officials’ believed that the warriors would be a good fit for his game, being a running fullback, darting through holes in broken play and relishing offload opportunities. In many respects, they were right, this is how the Warriors tend to play a lot of their football, but what they failed to look for in a club, was a coach who could nurture and guide him through the transition into the NRL. The warriors went through three different coaches from the time Tomkins signed until now. How that would help anyone smoothly blend into the tougher competition beggars belief. Tomkins should have sought out a club with a steady coaching staff, and someone that has ushered through some of the best fullback’s in the game. Des Hasler and Craig Bellamy come to mind. Sure he may not have got the money he was after, but if Tomkins actually came to the NRL to improve his football, he had to head to one of those clubs.

What we have now is one of the sport’s most tricky and sharp players, who was the best there was in the only other professional competition in the world, heading back after failing to improve his game, and failing to make a real impact. Initially, Tomkins looked like he could form an exciting and potent attacking partnership with Shaun Johnson, but after limited and modest combination strike, it looks like that won’t get a chance to fully develop. Johnson won the Golden Boot in 2014, crowned the best Rugby League player in the world; despite the Warriors failing to make the NRL Finals. He is reaching the peak of his playing power, having been the team’s halfback since the played in the 2011 Grand Final. With Johnson firing on all cylinders, and Tomkins having experienced a second pre-season in the Southern Hemisphere, many pundits were expecting the Warriors to come flying out the blocks this season, piecing together a game to take on the big clubs. However it has not yet proven to be, as after 6 rounds of football, Tomkins has played just two games and already has his ticket back to Heathrow booked.

The winner from the Tomkins move is current Roosters fullback, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, who has signed with Warriors for 2016 and beyond. Effectively taking Tomkins marquee money of $750,000 a season along with his sport at fullback, the Warriors will prove a good fit for Tuivasa-Sheck. The Kiwi international will enjoy being back in his home country and should actually gel well with halfback, Shaun Johnson.

The loser however, is former Warriors fullback Kevin Locke, currently playing for English Super League club Salford. Locke seems almost lost and bewildered in the Super League, having strayed from his previous form and late last year he even tried to switch to Scottish Rugby Union. At the time of Tomkins signing to the Warriors, Locke was the incumbent and established custodian for both the New Zealand national side, and the Warriors. He had actually just won the battle of the fullbacks in the 2013 World Cup Final where New Zealand beat England at the death, displaying a far more impressive performance than Tomkins did for England.

The disappointing factor of it all is one that is all too common in the sporting world, the notion of what could have been. Tomkins came as THE best, and if he had of gone elsewhere, or the Warriors had of put a coach in place, or if he now had of stayed to give things time to work, we might have seen something special. NRL fans have seen glimpses of the real Sam Tomkins but it’s unlikely we’ll get to see him fully flourish. With only 20 rounds to go, Tomkins is running out of time to prove himself at the truly elite level of the NRL.

From a Rugby League point of view, it’s good that Tomkins is staying in the game and not taking up the huge offers Rugby Union clubs from around the world are throwing up to every Tom, Dick and Harry. The Super League is turning itself around from a retirement home from NRL players and will massively benefit from his return. Salford owner and billionaire, Marwan Koukash, will surely have his check book written and ready for Tomkins to sign when he gets off the plane, but it’s more likely he will return to the club that made him famous, the Wigan Warriors. Wigan, who two years ago filled their pockets, will have to reimburse the New Zealand Warriors some of the world-record transfer fee of £700,000 they received.

The Relationship: Super League & NRL

One of the most successful Rugby League clubs,
Wigan, will take part in the World Club Series next week

Last week Paul Gallen expressed his desire to finish his career in the English Super League after a final year at Cronulla in 2016. The comments came as a surprise given Gallen’s position in the game as captain of Cronulla and NSW, and vice captain of Australia. His remarks were honest and based on a lifestyle ambition to experience something different in his career. He is one of only a select few in recent times to state a genuine desire to play in the Super League, rather than chase the money in European or Japanese Rugby. Being the only other professional Rugby League competition in the world, the Super League has often been a last resort for players out of the loop in Australia, finishing their careers, or when all other options have been exhausted.

In the mid 2000’s Super League was thriving, at its height stealing hundreds of players from Australia. The exchange rate and a dismal salary cap in the NRL saw many players leave the game and head to England to play in the northern hemisphere competition. The trend was to head to Super League for the money.

Over the last five years, the exodus has actually swung the other way, with a trend of English-based players leaving British shores and heading to Australia. The global financial crisis affected the exchange rate, and the NRL finally realised it needed to boost its salary cap which swung the trend in the NRL’s favour, but majority of players have to come to experience more, soaking up the Australian lifestyle. Sam Burgess was one of the first in 2010 to make the move down-under and ever since there has been no end of players following his transition.

Much like the NRL, the Super League has had a broad variety of changes happening behind the scenes. The professionalism of the competition has lifted, they have followed many rule changes of the NRL and on the back of the 2013 Rugby League World Cup played in Europe the game has been looking to build its popularity. Much of the push for change in England has come from Salford City Red’s owner, Marwan Koukash. Koukash is the man who has been searching for an NRL franchise to purchase. The cashed up billionaire may appear like other rich owners who buy sporting teams across the world and play with them for fun, but Koukash backs up his words, having injected millions into his Salford club.  His ambitious idea of entering a team in the NRL competition based out of England and playing games in England, Dubai and Australia is fairly far-fetched, but there’s no denying his enthusiasm. His interest in the NRL is significant, but Koukash would be better kept in England and focusing on growing the game there. He has been peppering the league about introducing a marquee player allowance, has ideas for the competition and the game itself, and his obvious wealth shows he is a man who can get things done.

Ambitious ideas or realistic plans - Marwan Koukash

Koukash’s recent comments that the only way for Rugby League to grow is for ‘integration between the two competitions’, is spot on. The newly appointed NRL Head of Strategy, Shane Richardson, is a big believer in the international game and was the mastermind behind the upcoming World Club Series where three NRL teams will player three Super League teams, an expansion of the World Club Challenge where each competition’s winners play each other.

Detractors of Rugby League will write Super League off as nothing more than a game played in Northern parts of England, but Rugby League is much bigger and the 2013 world cup showed that countries in Europe do play the game.

With further integration between the leagues, and a push towards the 2017 world cup in Australia, Rugby League must grow itself both domestically and internationally. The opportunities are now there to jump on, with the pacific island nations now running teams out full of first grade level players. The same could be said for the smaller nations in Europe like France, Scotland, Italy and Ireland.

Celebrating ten years in the Super League this year, the Catalan Dragons in the south of France currently represent the most important team in both competitions as they are the key to growing the game in Europe. Todd Carney’s albeit forced-decision to join them is the best of his career. Carney will dominate the Super League and now out of the spotlight he will flourish purely focusing on his football. He has an opportunity to take a franchise to its first title, ignite the Rugby League scene in France and make up for his lost opportunities with success. 

Carney has the best chance of his career to succeed

 Carney will take Catalan to a title and his story will plant the seed of playing in Europe for other NRL players for lifestyle reasons as opposed to ‘double the money’ in the mid 2000’s. Justin Hodges this week claimed he wanted to finish his career in England and that he had held ambitions of winning a Super League title for most of his career. “My dream has always been to go over there and win a comp there,” Hodges claimed.

Further integration would occur between the competitions if players in the Super League were allowed to play in State of Origin and Australian representative teams. Allowing this would boost interest in the game in general, generating more media coverage and interest from abroad. Imagine if Todd Carney was named in the NSW team while playing in France, the interest from Super League would be immense.

Super League is on the verge of becoming as big as it was at the height of its popularity in the mid 2000’s. The ‘New Era’ it has branded itself with, a sleek professional look with new players and people like Koukash backing it, will see it grow and become a competitive option for Australian based players to consider when searching for a new contract.

Super League still retains a true sense of tribalism which seems to be disappearing from the NRL. You can walk to games with ease, stadiums are purpose built and hold an atmosphere even when there aren’t full attendances. The fans are much like football fans; loud and proud, singing for most of the game. The buzz around stadiums in local pubs is exciting. The games have one referee, decisions are made swiftly and without weeks of arguing after a bad call, the tickets are cheap and the grounds are easily accessible from public transport.

The NRL could learn a lot from its little brother on the other side of the world instead of going all corporate and trying to be so politically correct. The significant drop in crowd numbers last year was no coincidence, sports fans in Australia are becoming fed up and taking an interest in what else is on offer. Yes, become a big business and build the game financially but don’t forget to focus on retaining what Rugby League is all about, get your product right and the fans will return. You’ve only got to look back to where the game originally came from for a few ideas and answers.