In response to news that the NRL is considering a bold expansion plan that includes two conferences, feedback from the rugby league community has been varied.
Speaking on SEN 1170 Breakfast, Andrew Voss said a lot of the feedback he received was that rugby league shouldn’t try to ‘Americanise’ the sport.
While the idea certainly resembles the conference system seen in both the NFL and NBA, Voss thinks that the NRL would be “narrow minded” to not steal ideas from other sporting codes.
“What came through in a lot of fan responses is that we shouldn’t ‘Americanise’ our sport and that this is an American idea,” Voss said.
“Well, I don’t take an emphatic view in the big picture, I don’t care where we get our ideas from if we think it’s a good idea and can be beneficial to our sport.
“If something works in the AFL, let’s consider it for rugby league.
“Hell, rugby union beat us to the punch in changing the corner post rule, imagine if we didn’t change that aspect of the rule, because rugby union did it first.
“Would it matter where the idea originated from? To not monitor what rival sports are doing, no matter where in the world would be narrow minded in my opinion of our games governing body.
“It is the specifics of the conference system and what was suggested that most upset fan.
“That you eliminate the possibility of some clubs facing each other in the actual Grand Final. That’s a real issue and I get that.
“Personally, I want every year the top two teams to play in the Grand Final, that mightn’t be the case in most seasons with this possibility of the two conferences.
“It doesn’t have to be this way other ways for that crossover between conferences I’m sure can be and will be explored, it’s the logistics.
“We have nine Sydney clubs and the potential of nine based elsewhere, ideally 20 is a good number to work with, four groups of five or five groups of four.
“You end up with a 22 or 23 round season, but that’s not happening any time soon, 18 is not such a good number to work with so we have to be aware of that.
“If we down a conference line, I have faith in the leadership at the NRL to get this right.
“If in fact we are going to change, one thing is for sure, if we go to 18, not all teams can play each other twice.
“It’s going to be imperfect from the get-go, there has to be some draw breakdown that will guaranteed have critics.
“It is a big moment for the game, if we expand, the rugby league clubs have to do what they’re not too good at. That is unite, get behind it, it’s for the good of the game.”
Listen to the full verdict below.