NRL 2021: Peter V’landys vows to bring back all three grades on footy game day
Absolutely nothing will get in the way of ARLC supremo Peter V’Landys and his mission to bring back all three grades.
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Peter V’landys has vowed to achieve his next mission of bringing back “all three grades” after receiving vital ARLC Commission approval.
And in a warning to any nervous clubs or factions who could veto the return of reserve grade and under-21 matches before NRL games in 2021, V’landys has warned: “Anyone that gets in the way will get run over.
“The fans aren’t going to be robbed by anyone and anyone who tries to rob the fans isn’t acting in the best interests of the game.
“I will do whatever it takes. It’s going to happen.
“After seeing the reaction, we‘ll go harder than we ever have before.
“It’s going to happen.”
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As revealed by The Daily Telegraph last week, the ARLC chairman and NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo’s mandate to give the game back to the fans will include a throwback to rugby league’s halcyon days of the 1980s and 1990s, when fans could follow the development of a rookie from the lower grades into a star of first grade.
The “reaction” V’landys is referring to includes personal phone calls from leading coaches and players and a Telegraph online readers poll which resulted in 96 per cent of the 2,179 votes in favour of a return of lower grade game’s before first grade.
The NRL want to relaunch “all three grades” on Saturday and Sunday’s from round one of the upcoming season.
In his conversations so far, NRL CEO Andrew Abdo has failed to receive “resistance” from either the Queensland and NSW Rugby League.
“In all the time I’ve been in rugby league, this has received the greatest reaction from fans,’’ V’landys said.
“And you have to do what your customer wants.
“If you don’t have customers, you don’t have anything.
“If people don’t watch the broadcast, you don’t get the broadcast revenue. Then the players don’t get paid.
“It’s a cyclic process and you have to look after the person that pays the wages.
“We have to look after the fans. For too long the fans haven’t been considered.
“In everything we do, the fans are as important as the players and participants.
“I’ve got the total support of the commission.
“Now it’s just a matter of implementing it.
“The clubs I’ve spoken to are very much in favour of it.
“There are clubs that aren’t affiliated which we’re going to have to work out.
“Nothing is easy in life and I appreciate it‘s going to take some work.
“But everyone said we wouldn’t start on the 28th as well. The bigger the challenge the harder I go.
“If you know you’re doing the right thing, which this is, you just go full steam ahead.’’
Coaches including NSW coach Brad Fittler and former Test coach Ricky Stuart are both supporters of the NRL‘s action plan that would give fans a personal attachment and opportunity to watch their club’s elite juniors and reserve grade players each week.
“Our game thrives on tribalism and by bringing back all three grades, we would only be enhancing that tribalism by giving fans an even greater connection to their club,” Stuart said.
“We’re not as tribal as the AFL, but we certainly have the supporters to do that. I would say our fans are more passionate about our game, so our attitude should be of creating more of that attachment.
“It’s imperative that we keep creating the emotional attachment fans have for their clubs and that starts from knowing who their players are, how they play, well before they run out in first grade.
“Our game day needs to be an event - not just one match. Let’s give the fans a build-up to the main event, that anticipation of first grade needs to feel special and the players in the lower grades will feel it too.
“They will value the progression to the NRL even more so.”
Cronulla captain Wade Graham said the return of “all three grades” could provide a greater source of revenue for clubs by the increased desire from fans to attend all three matches.
“As a kid - that’s what I remember. Going to the game, getting there in time to watch the under-21’s, then reserve grade and you stay for first grade,’’ Graham said.
“As a game - I can’t see why it can’t work.
“For me, it will really enhance the partnership between fan and club and community.
“Your club suddenly becomes more than just one team, it‘s three senior teams.
“I love it.”
NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler believes the return of “all three grades” would benefit coaches and players - as much as it would fans.
While endorsing the elevation to the NRL of 17-year-old Roosters prodigy Joseph Suaalii, Fittler said the code‘s plan to bring back reserve grade and under-21’s before first grade matches would aid the identification process for coaches.
“Without a doubt it would benefit clubs and it would benefit fans,” Fittler said.
“As it stands, Manly might be playing in Brisbane while Blacktown (Sea Eagles NSW Cup team) are playing, it’s made it very tough.
“You can lose contact (as a coach) with the communication between players because you don’t see them.
“They’re playing on different days and they get lost.
“Ideally it would be great (if all three grades came back).
“It takes me back to the Big League magazine, seeing your name in the Big League and watching guys come through the grades.‘’
Suaalii was due to join Fittler’s Emerging Blues squad convention at Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday.
However, the Roosters teenager fell ill and was unable to attend.
Fittler said his reason for including the rising star among his future Blues, despite the teen being ineligible for NRL football until he turns 18 on August 1, was obvious.
“I’ve seen him play league and union, and he is very good,” Fittler said.
“He’s very mature. That doesn’t translate into being an immortal, but he is very mature.
“He is a standout. It was the same thing with Latrell Mitchell.
“When Latrell was 18 we played him in the under-20s, just because he was better than the rest.
“At the moment, Joseph is the best 17, 18 or 19-year-old.
“If he doesn’t play until August (when Suaalii turns 18), Origin is over for him.
“But I feel like he can play first grade from what I have seen, especially given some of the other kids who have come through.
“He’s really tall and athletic.
“I watched him play for King’s against Scots, and I saw him play for Souths in the junior reps. He was the best on the field.”
Among the rookie Blues to attend yesterday were Cronulla‘s Blayke Brailey, Canterbury’s Kyle Flanagan, Newcastle’s Bradman Best, Manly’s Moses Suli, South Sydney’s Campbell Graham and Penrith’s Liam Martin.
KFC SUPERCOACH IMPACT OF RESERVE GRADE RETURN
—Tom Sangster
The return of all three grades is a massive win for KFC SuperCoaches.
The main aim of KFC SuperCoach is to buy the best rookies before everyone knows about them, and the return of lower grades will allow SuperCoaches to do just that by providing an opportunity to assess top young talent.
For example, rookie Roosters halfback Sam Walker is rated the best junior talent since Kalyn Ponga. But at just 18-years-of-age and listed at 78kg, he will likely be given time to develop in against men in reserve grade, even with the Roosters’ halfback spot open following the exit of Kyle Flanagan.
Likewise, Joseph Suaalii is the most hyped schoolboy prospect in recent history, already sparking an ugly bidding war between rugby union and a number of NRL clubs before settling at the Roosters.
At 17, he is ineligible for first grade under the NRL’s age rule (players must be 18 and over to debut).
While the Roosters are seeking a special dispensation for him to play NRL, he will likely bide his time in reserve grade.
But with the return of all three grades, KFC SuperCoaches now get a chance to watch hyped youngsters like Walker and Suaalii in action before picking them up at bargain prices.
The return of lower grade football is a welcome change from last year when it was cancelled due to COVID.
This stunted the development of fringe youngsters, many going a full season without any football.
For example, Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy has a high opinion of young back rower Trent Loiero and rare Victorian junior Dean Ieremia, but believes the lack of lower grade competitions last year held back their progression.
“We think they’re going to go really well, but they didn’t play any footy last year,” Bellamy said.
“That is really tough to miss a year where you’re not playing or practising at that age of their development.”
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