Kiwis want shorter NRL season to allow more Tests

By Alex Powell

Back in Kiwis colours for the first time in a year, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad wants to see a shorter NRL season to accommodate the international game.

While the game’s decision-makers have said all the right things in relation to the international game being a pinnacle, their actions prove otherwise.

Once a fixture on the rugby league calendar, the Anzac test hasn’t been played since 2017, and leaves any international football having to come at the end of the year.

However, leaving the international game as a season-ender leaves many players unable to commit as they recover from club duties, as well as prepare for next season.

In this window, Newcastle Knights fullback Kalyn Ponga made himself unavailable for Kangaroos duty, as he prioritises 2025.

But while Australian players might see State of Origin as the pinnacle of their representative careers, the Kiwis can’t say the same.

Under Michael Maguire last year, New Zealand showed what they’re capable of with a record victory over the Kangaroos to claim the Pacific Championships.

And now under the guidance of Stacey Jones, and with efforts being made to highlight what it means to play for the Kiwis, the current generation of players wants the NRL to put their money where their mouth is, and put test matches front and centre.

“Us as a playing group, we’re really crying out for more test games, especially during the Origin period,” said Nicoll-Klokstad. “There was the Anzac test, [but] that hasn’t been around for a few years now.

“Something like that would be able to, one, bring us all into camp again to be able to bond during the year, not just at the end of the year.

“And, two, give everyone another look at a really good brand of footy.”

However, fitting more matches into an already crammed calendar will be the biggest challenge for administrators.

The annual State of Origin window has been mooted as an opportunity to stage tests between New Zealand, as well as the likes of Tonga, Samoa and Papua New Guinea.

However, that Origin window runs concurrently with the NRL, and halting the club season would undoubtedly mean a hit in the pocket in terms of television viewership.

On an individual level, though, Nicoll-Klokstad would like to see the NRL shortened in terms of the number of rounds each year.

At present, the NRL lasts 27 rounds each year, before a four-week finals series, effectively leaving 31 weeks a year booked out. That number comes with the NRL having 17 teams, which the league itself wants to expand to 20 within the next decade, which would mean more matches each year.

Regardless, Nicoll-Klokstad knows what he’d prefer.

“Closer to 20 would be nice, or even half of 27. In between 27 and 20 would be nice. It is too long.”

On a personal note, Nicoll-Klokstad’s return to the Kiwis is a welcome one.

Last year, he was part of the team that won the Pacific Championships, and started at fullback in the record 30-0 win over Australia.

And even after a season of personal struggle with the Warriors, Nicoll-Klokstad didn’t hesitate to make himself available for Jones’ first squad.

“It’s very special,” he said. “It’s always an honour and a privilege to be in this space, and represent all of New Zealand.

“It still feels like the very first time I got called up. It’s not hard to get emotional, it really is an honour and a privilege.

“You never know when your time is up in this jersey. You have to take every moment with both hands and cherish it. It goes that fast.”

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