International rugby league hangs in balance

By Michael Burgess

While the NRL is basking in the glory of another spectacular grand final, questions need to be asked about its treatment of the international game. As the Pacific Championships squads are announced over the next few days, test league seems more marginalised than ever.

On one level the sport is in good health, with the emergence of the Pacific Island nations to challenge the traditional big three of Australia, New Zealand and England, which offers the potential for some riveting contests. But the countries hardly ever get to play – nor field their top players.

Take a look at the Kiwis squad, due to be named on Tuesday, ahead of matches against the Kangaroos (Christchurch, October 27) and Tonga (Auckland, November 2), before a possible final in Sydney on November 10. Of the 17 who were part of the unforgettable 30-0 win over the Kangaroos in last year’s decider, more than one-third will be unavailable, including Dylan Brown, Briton Nikora, Ronaldo Mulitalo and Kieran Foran.

Those four all need off-season surgery, while Nelson Asofa-Solomona is suspended and Joseph Manu is headed to Japanese rugby.

Stacey Jones’ squad will also be without hookers Brandon Smith and Jeremy Marshall-King (both injured) – who were also absent last season – and Shaun Johnson, who has decided his problematic Achilles isn’t up to one last hurrah. And there could be more withdrawals, depending on any casualties from Sunday’s grand final, edged 14-6 by Penrith.

The Kiwis will still name a strong squad, such is the depth available to Jones, but it is a sign of things to come, as the international game gets pushed further from the spotlight. The last Anzac test was played in 2017, while the mid-year representative window – which typically featured Pacific clashes, including two high-profile matches between the Kiwis and Tonga in 2019 and 2022 – was scrapped from last season.

In both instances the NRL promised a dedicated post-season window, allowing test match football to shine. The reality has been different. In that period the governing body has introduced the pre-season challenge, then the Las Vegas opening weekend. Both initiatives have stretched out the season, now longer than ever before.

At the same time, the game has never been faster or more demanding. There has been a conscious effort to reduce stoppages in play and speed things up, with the reduction of scrums, the six-again rule instead of penalties and reverting to a single referee. That can create a tremendous spectacle – like the grand final, an astonishingly physical contest.

After 35 minutes of the first half the Channel 9 statistics team revealed the ball had been in play for more than 33 minutes, a ridiculous ratio for a collision sport. That’s a credit to the players, their conditioning and their mental resilience but comes at a cost. This season has been notable for a massive injury toll, greater than any in recent memory, as players are broken and banged up. When does it stop? What exactly is the tipping point?

There have been calls for years to reduce the length of the club season (20 games is commonly cited, though even 22 would help) but that would take vision from the NRL and some fiscal patience from the broadcasters. The mid-year test fixtures could be brought back, which usually allowed nations to field stronger squads (logic says there will be more injury withdrawals at the end of a season), along with a properly protected test window in October and November.

It would also allow the countries to build their brands and generate more revenue, lessening the long-term dependence on the NRL, while recognising the crucial role New Zealand in particular plays in providing talent for the club game. Fans could see more of the stars, more often and the players would get to represent their countries, something they enjoy, as a welcome change from the weekly grind.

It would mean the NRL could capitalise on its obvious point of difference with the AFL, which doesn’t have an international product, as clashes between suburban Sydney teams have only so much appeal.

Everybody knows international league is a logistical challenge and there is no going back to the late 1980s, when the Kangaroos toured New Zealand during the club season. But the balance has to be improved. It is hard to think of another sport that puts so many barriers in front of players wishing to represent their flag.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission