With practically every club in financial turmoil and a global recession, why don't the NRL bin the U20s comp and stop clubs have to chipping up loads of money for it.

It's a jumped up over hyped version of what was there before.

It has been a great success and is paying for itself through TV and sponsorship deals. But apart from that yeh lets get rid! I would suggest we get rid of the 20 coaches that clubs employ these days first!

Even the poorest club is bringing in around $12mill. Only $5-6mill of that is going directly to platying staff. There are plenty of overheads to be cut before we damage the development of jnr's.

In what sense, success?

Going back to exactly how it was before this new Super comp (which had the same players in it) will mean in fact that there are more teams, more coaches, more players, more development as clubs are no longer around at U20s level thanks to this comp.

It's costing the NRL clubs more money than it did pre this comp to run their U20s. Why put them through it in this climate?


Where you getting your figures from?

If It's paying It's own way thru TV and sponsorship deals then I say keep it going ,Some under 20s games are much more enjoyable to watch then some NRL games.

If you went to watch Flegg previously, you'd be watching the same thing. Without all the glitter and hype.

Clubs are struggling! Including the one you follow. Why not alleviate the extra financial burden of the comp and go back to the cheaper one that was before?

Are the NRL happy with the comp, publicly, yes, buy see if they change it for next year. Including, let me guess, upping the age

As for paying its way? Ask Manly. They've (like all other NRL clubs in Sydney now) had to farm out their reserve grade as it's cheaper to help another club pay for it. Yet their U20s??? Load of old bolløcks.

I love watching the under 20s and it is much needed for the NRL

The Under 20's is the first comp of its kind in Australia. It's a cornerstone in the the development of the game and will ultimately make it easier to expand the game now we have a conveyor belt of young up-and-comers.

Not to mention it outrates the Super 14 and Fox is paying a tidy sum to cover it.

its a great competition, stuff the other comps.

last year something like 30 or 40 under 20 players made it straight into the NRL.

and as others have said it makes money as its televised and sponsors

indeed a couple of games last year beat some Super 14 games.

fox need to axe the Super 14 as nobody watches it and put that money into RL.

they should probably do the same with a league soccer and AFL as RL is the only program that really rates for them in a big way.

Never watched jersey flegg b4 ,is that like the under 18s?

Typical Sydney-centric view...

Do you understand that there are kids who didn't want to move to Sydney to play elite underage football? With the U20's the kids can stay in their hometown and play there. It's a massive boost for them.


The clubs who don't happen to be located in Sydney love it too, look at Michael Searle's comments about it.

NRL - open age
NYC (was Jersey Flegg) - Under 20's
SG Ball - Under 18's
Marold Matthews - Under 16's

The Titans have teams in all four levels, even though the bottom two are still Sydney based and haven't (and probably won't be) expanded to mirror the NRL like the Under 20's

Is that it? Sydney-centric view. Hardly. I can only refer to Flegg as I worked in it.

Look at the Storm's U20s. When you start quoting kids staying in their hometown. Like that never happened before did it?

Thx for that mate.

That costs a lot of money.

My argument is that in these financially hard times.
Money could be saved. NRL clubs are being forced to put money in to a lower grade than their reserves grades. Thankfully after last year there are now some clubs willing to play their U20s in reserve grade for this season as it was suggested that their better ones should play in the U20s to help build it's profile than what was actually better for the player.

Reserve grade is open age too.