Amalgamation of rival clubs’ juniors into zones puts league communities at risk

NSWRL has warned the NRL it risks tearing apart the fabric that holds league together under its proposal to amalgamate rival clubs’ juniors into zones.

Panthers Women in League Christmas Luncheon. Pictured is Phil Gould.

NSWRL boss David Trodden has warned the NRL it risks tearing apart the fabric that holds rugby league together under its proposal to amalgamate rival clubs’ juniors into zones.

The NRL has been accused by club bosses of attempting to implement forced mergers that would dilute the power of Sydney clubs with plans for a revamped second-tier competition to be known as the Platinum League.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal Sydney clubs will “kick and scream” to scrap a proposal for rival clubs to amalgamate their juniors into zones by 2018.

Under a leaked NRL pathways document that was presented to clubs by NRL head of strategy Shane Richardson earlier this month, a Platinum League would replace the existing NSW Cup competition and include just six teams from Sydney — three of them amalgamated.

Richardson refused to comment on Sunday but a clearly frustrated Trodden blasted the NRL’s lack of consultation, saying the proposal put well-established rugby league communities at risk.

“The fundamental basis of every rugby league club is the community is represents,” Trodden said.

I'm sure he is. However, Sydney clubs are united in saying that the proposal makes no sense on many levels. https://t.co/cypfZeELCK

— Phil Gould AM (@Gus10Gould) December 12, 2015

Biggest criticism of Richardson proposal is lack of consultation with club people who actually know this stuff https://t.co/lkmvC39Lbk

— Phil Gould AM (@Gus10Gould) December 12, 2015

“With the proposal, inevitably there will be some state league clubs that fall by the wayside.”

The competition would be broken into regions with teams being based in New England/North Coast, Hunter, Central and Far West, Canberra/South West, Illawarra/South Coast, Central Sydney, Canterbury/St George/Sutherland, Northern Beaches/Central Coast, Liverpool/Macarthur, Parramatta, Penrith, Auckland, Christchurch/Wellington and Affiliate State/Pacific Nation.

It would mean some existing NSW Cup clubs would die.

“What that risks is rugby league communities being completely disenfranchised and we don’t see anything in the proposal that addresses this serious concern,” Trodden said.

“We should have learned the lessons of Super League about what happens when rugby league communities get disenfranchised. It would be a terrible thing. By trying to reconfigure the game, we ultimately cause communities that have been involved in the game for over 100 years to no longer be part of it.

“And the NSWRL is disappointed by the limited engagement we have had in relation to the proposal.”

The proposed competition is designed to cut costs but coaches are already privately adamant they simply wouldn’t drop players back into a merged side.

Phil Gould opposes the amalgamation proposal.

Club officials claim the muscle of some powerful Sydney clubs would be eroded and that would lead to a rationalisation of suburban teams.

“Sydney clubs like the Roosters with Nick Politis (chairman) and Bulldogs with Ray Dib (chairman) have a lot of power and the NRL don’t like it,” one club CEO said.

“This is the start of the NRL trying dilute that power. The more new teams that come in, the more Sydney clubs could get out-voted. This is all about taking the power away from Sydney clubs.”

Part of the report into the Platinum League states: “From 2018, revamp the State Leagues into a Platinum League to raise the profile and standard. The Platinum League structure (will) be informed by demographic analysis that reflects the spread of the game’s participants and fans. The exact location of teams to be assessed and agreed by a committee structure representative of the State Leagues and NRL.”

Under the proposal, the Platinum League would have two conferences — northern and southern, with a playoff to be held on grand final day.

A maximum of 14 teams would be included in each conference.

“It is recommended that teams are placed in strategically important areas to broaden the game’s footprint and ensure that all participants have access to the elite pathway,” the report states.

“It is proposed that the match of the round from both conferences will be broadcast live on Nine each week — Southern Conference in NSW (including regional), and Northern Conference into Queensland (including regional). We aim to broadcast two further matches each week on subscription TV. We will look for commercial opportunities for non-broadcast matches.”

But the proposal hasn’t gone over well in NRL club land.

“It’s nonsense,” one NRL club chairman said.

“We will kick and scream. No consultation again with the clubs. Why don’t these people get everyone in a room and kick it all around. Some clubs have 100 years of history. Forced marriages just don’t work.”

Another recommendation was to restructure the National Youth Competition and have under 20s competitions in NSW and Queensland.

Panthers general manager of football Phil Gould took to Twitter over the weekend to vent his dismay.

“Biggest criticism of Richardson proposal is lack of consultation with club people who actually know this stuff,” Gould posted.

“Changing boundaries, abolishing NYC, pool teams together in new regions for a NSW state league among other things. Unless we have national reserve grade competition, current system should remain. Can’t replicate QLD system in NSW.”

Asked was Richardson “serious”, Gould replied: “I am sure he is. Sydney clubs are united in saying that the proposal makes no sense on many levels.”

Originally published as Amalgamation of rival clubs’ juniors into zones puts league communities at risk