‘We travel enough’: Cowboys’ NRL global round warning
Scott Bailey |
North Queensland coach Todd Payten has warned he’d unlikely support the Cowboys having to take on more long-haul travel to aid an NRL global round.
The NRL’s future international plans have largely overtaken this week’s Las Vegas fixture, with the league investigating a full global extravaganza within three years.
North Queensland, Newcastle, St George Illawarra and Canterbury had their first glimpse inside Allegiant Stadium on Friday, ahead of Saturday’s (Sunday AEDT) season opener.
The stadium’s closed roof, skinnier and shorter field size and yellow goalposts have now very much become the norm of the NRL season kick off.
The Vegas trip will remain on the calendar, with ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys confirming the league planned to extend their stay in the city well beyond 2028.
But the bigger question is what next for the NRL on a global scale.
Head office are known to be particularly keen on taking a double-header to London, which could sit side-by-side with Vegas from as soon as next season.
That would likely begin what V’landys has labelled a three-year plan, with the idea of building up NRL double-headers and a Super League fixture in four separate global cities.
Miami, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi or Dubai are the main options to join Vegas and London, with the NRL also going to nine-game rounds from next year with the Perth Bears’ addition.
But Payten indicated that the Cowboys could have some hesitation around travel.
“I’m happy to stay in Asia. We travel enough. London is too far,” Payten said.
“But I’d like to temper our travel to keep it closer and further away. We’re travelling 60,000km throughout the season, which is plenty.
“It’s something we manipulate our schedule because of. We’re not the only club that does that, but we travel enough.”
The Cowboys’ Vegas rivals this week have confirmed they are open to more travel, but do not want it to come at the expense of a home game.
“It’s awesome for our game. We play so many games at home and it’s obviously so normal for all of us,” Knights coach Justin Holbrook said.
“But to be able to come away, whether it be here or anywhere in Japan, I think it’s awesome.
“Especially to get the players together for so long and staff, you can really connect up and can really launch a season.
“I love what Peter V’landys is talking about for the future, I think we’ve got to keep expanding our game.”
Dragons coach Shane Flanagan also backed the move and what it can do for his club, while proposing a full competition bye the week after a global round.
“Look at the media attention that we get for our (Vegas) game. It can only help us if we were to go to all the different parts of the world,” he said.
“Maybe we have a week one and then everyone has a bye week two and we get started again back home week three.”
Canterbury counterpart Cameron Ciraldo was less willing to throw his support behind more travel, after Bulldogs bosses indicated their interest.
“I’m just keen to get through Vegas at the moment,” he said.
“Hopefully we play, get on the plane home and get back to footy. I’m not thinking about going anywhere else at this point in time.
“It’s a lot to manage when we get home. It’s not just pick up where you left off when you get home. There’s a lot of things to think about.”
AAP