Already talking about it in the Highlander thread but was interested if the other franchises have many players buying in?
i think its great news for the Highlanders but i do think its a missed opportunity to make a big deal about it, have them all down at Forsyth Barr and parade them a bit like new signings, make buying into the teams, even in small amounts, the done thing to do, maybe raise their value
Good place to leave this I suppose:
Nichol told Stuff that he was “100%” open to it and had already been involved in talks about the concept with McLennan.
“Something I think that can be really attractive is a prospect of a draft which is around New Zealand talent, Australian talent and Pacific talent.
“New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific now through Moana Pasifika, we’re joined at the hip to retain professional rugby in this part of the world.
“I don’t think people really understand that. We’re competing in the global marketplace, which is becoming incredibly aggressive with private equity interests becoming very influential in the northern hemisphere.
“We’ve got to be innovative. We’ve got to say, ‘How can we all work together to not just retain but actually attract talent back to this part of the world?’
@kiwi_expat That article is just regurgitating an earlier Stuff article (already posted in another thread) and adds literally one paragraph, in which Phil Waugh says he wants to discuss a draft with Robinson. No surprise, as a draft favours Australia much more than New Zealand.
You're posting this stuff over and over again, like you're pushing an agenda.
@Stargazer Think a draft would be good for the comp though. How it work is the hard part.
@friedrugby It's not good at all. Franchises that spend a lot of time, knowledge, energy and money in developing players don't want players developed by them being picked up by other franchises, even less so by Australian franchises. If that would happen, they'll simply develop fewer players or put less money/effort in it and that would be harmful for rugby in NZ. This has already been discussed to death in other threads, so I leave it at this, but most teams go through years that things aren't going as well as they'd hoped and managed to climb out of it through good planning, recruiting and developing players. To see that work undone by things like drafts is not motivating teams to do the necessary work.
Clayton McMillan has already expressed his opinion about this and similar ideas in the media and I know this opinion is shared by other franchises.
They used to have a transfer fee when players moved province in the NPC. I don't think they have it anymore. Maybe an option if a draft comes in.
Clayton McMillan doesn't like it because any kid having the option to live and play code in Sydney or Hamilton is probably not gonna choose the Waikato.
hmmmm, Coogeee or Ham East? hmmmm, let me just weigh that up (packs bags)
The whole point is that if a draft model was used, Super teams wouldn't be developing the players... That is ultimately where the model comes unstuck. Other than American sports which draft out of the College system, the only other sport which uses a draft is cricket, but that is a very different model.
The cricket model wouldn't work, as a draft would have to take place prior to the NPC due to contract security, which would be a massive floor. The college system is also almost impossible, though it would be kind of cool if say Otago University played Auckland University etc.
There's two arguments in favour of a draft
Now consider the population bases of the SR sides (numbers are from the NZR in 2019)
| Region | Population |
|---|---|
| Blues | 1.396m |
| Chiefs | 1.333m |
| Hurricanes | 1.019m |
| Crusaders | 0.797m |
| Highlanders | 0.337m |
The problem to me is an uneven spread of pro contracts. 20% of the pro contracts in Dunedin is crazy as is 40% of the pro contracts being in the South Island
That relies on a constant flow of players in one direction
To me the solution is more SR sides in other locations. That would solve the two original problems - uneven spread of talent & good players are not playing enough
It's better than forcing players away from their homes. There is an attrition rate when you do that and some players will opt for NRL in Sydney, Rugby in the south of France etc etc
Then perhaps it's appropriate for some of these SR sides to use the logos, uniforms of NPC sides..
9 or 10 teams would be ideal IMO. Same as the 1st division in the 90's
@friedrugby said in Super Rugby 2024:
you'd need to extend the season and abolish the NPC
Yes
Consider it a merger
@mariner4life Players go where they think they'll get the best opportunity to develop and succeed. Aussies from Qld and NSW have no problem heading to Canberra.
@Bovidae said in Super Rugby 2024:
@mariner4life Players go where they think they'll get the best opportunity to develop and succeed. Aussies from Qld and NSW have no problem heading to Canberra.
no shit?
I don't get the point
@Bovidae Players in NZ also don't hesitate to move franchises to get more playing opportunities. That's how the likes of Waisake Naholo and Fekitoa ended up at the Highlanders, Josh Ioane at the Chiefs, Kini Naholo at the Hurricanes, more players at the HIghlanders (Makalio, Hunt), to name a few.
@friedrugby said in Super Rugby 2024:
Other than American sports which draft out of the College system, the only other sport which uses a draft is cricket, but that is a very different model.
AFL has a very successful draft out of teams development systems
@Stargazer The NPC is fucked though, let's be fair. Most of the unions barely break even, and despite what a few diehard fans will say, no one watches it. More diehard Highlanders fans than Otago fans etc.
@Stargazer Evidence of what? You aren't honestly going to try claim more people like the NPC than Super Rugby. Look at the crowd sizes. Even the unions which don't have Super teams get pretty piss poor crowds.
