Roosters star Corban McGregor wants the NRL to double the length of the NRLW season
Sydney Roosters fullback Corban McGregor is calling on the NRL to extend the women’s competition and review the judiciary process, which has the potential to end a player’s season.
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Sydney Roosters fullback Corban McGregor wants the NRL to double the length of the women’s competition and to review the judiciary process — which can end a player’s season with just one suspension.
The National Rugby League Women’s competition (NRLW) runs for one month, with three rounds of games and a grand final.
But McGregor, the NSW Blues fullback, told The Sunday Telegraph players “deserved” a competition longer than four weeks and she believes extending the season to at least eight weeks is a viable option.
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“I think at least eight weeks would be good,” she said. “It doesn’t necessarily mean we need to bring in more teams, but maybe play each twice at the very least.
“It gives you a chance to work out combinations without being too risky. The men can do that with the long season and we deserve a bit of a chance to do that, too.”
McGregor also said an extended season would give foundation clubs such as the Roosters a chance to not only improve the quality of football on the field, but an opportunity to build a lasting team culture and identity.
“You come together for a four week pre-season. It’s not a lot of time to get combinations right and a lot of us don’t play together [outside of the NRLW].
“You can see in the men’s game they have the luxury of time to get things running smoothly, we don’t,” she said.
“I would love a longer pre-season so we can build combination and team culture, and that it’s not, ‘you lose your first game and you’re down and out’. It’s not realistic.”
Two weeks ago, the NRLW judiciary handed down its first suspension since the competition’s inception last year. St George Illawarra forward Teuila Fotu-Moala was banned for three weeks over a crusher tackle on Brisbane’s Lavinia Gould in the opening round. The suspension ended Fotu-Moala’s season. As it stands, the NRLW applies the same judicial code as the NRL.
McGregor wants the governing body to consider changes to the process to mirror the length on the NRLW’s season.
“It’s a tough one. Her suspension is three weeks and that’s how long the competition goes for, so I guess you have to weigh up how bad the charge is,” she said.
“It’s hard because you put a lot in but one little mistake can end it all for you. It could be reviewed and adjusted to fit our competition.”
It’s understood the NRL want to extend the length of the season but won’t rush into making any changes.
An NRL spokesman confirmed to The Sunday Telegraph both the judiciary process and the duration of the season will be reviewed.
“All aspects of the NRLW are reviewed at the end of the season. We are very proud of the progress the women’s game has made and we are always looking how we can enhance the product.”
The Roosters will be playing for their survival when they take on the Dragons in a stand-alone fixture at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday.
“It’s nice to know spectators are coming to watch us,” McGregor said.
“We aren’t just the pre-game for a men’s game. We are a main event and people are coming to support us.”