Rumours are floating around that the NRL are considering making a radical change to the season draw in the near future.
Aligning with potential plans to have a 20-team competition by the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, CODE Sports reported a 19-game season could be implemented.
Currently, the NRL has 17 teams playing in a 27-round season - with the Perth Bears set to be the 18th side in 2027.
AllSportsPeople explains how a 19-game draw could work.
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How could a 19-game NRL season work?
If 20 NRL teams were involved in the regular season, then a 19-game season could see:
- Every team playing every team once across the regular season - with home-and-away fixtures rotating every year - being only 14 less games than the current draw system
- A US-style conference structure being considered
- State of Origin becoming a standalone series
Potential issues with 19-game NRL season
Would less games in an NRL season mean that broadcasters want to pay less?
Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett thinks so and he believes the players won't be keen on this.
“I don’t care how many rounds we play, but it’s about the money … Players won’t accept being paid less and clubs won’t want to get less with NRL grants and if we play less games,” Bennett said.
“If you go from 27 rounds to 19 rounds, it’s a pretty fair reduction.
“If the broadcasters are happy to pay the same amount of money, fair enough, but I’m not sure if it will really happen.
“Less games certainly means players aren’t as tired at the end of the season, but they tend to recover pretty well now.
“It will be a decision made by the clubs and the RLPA because at the end of the day it could have an impact on the amount of money they get paid now and what that means for the salary cap down the track.”
There is also question marks about whether the current final eight finals system would be satisfactory in a 20-team competition.
There is a possibility the NRL will have to consider a wildcard playoff round - similar to what is being added to the AFL - to get 10 teams involved in the post-season.