Emerging Nations Player Draft

By RLP 2/3/2008

Rugby League has made some great progress in spreading it's wings across the Pacific and Europe over the last 10 years. To have over 40 nations playing the game in some capacity is a feat within itself. The growth is made even more remarkable when most emerging league nations receive little financial assistance. Many emerging nations rely on passionate volunteers and equipment donations from English and Australian league clubs. This is the bare minimum required to help establish the game and keep it going in the short term.

The key to the ongoing viability of any sport is to get kids interested and playing at a young age and provide a pathway for those who are talented enough to take the next step. Rugby League has pathway's well established in the major Rugby League Nations of Australia, England, France and New Zealand. The fully professional Super League (Europe) and National Rugby League (Australia/New Zealand) provides players with the opportunity to play at professional level which is rarely available to players of emerging league nations. This has in turn affected the competitiveness of International teams outside the top 4 nations.

The grandparent rule, were a player can qualify for a nation based the nationality of grandparents has it's pro's and con's for emerging nations. Many emerging international teams are using it to their advantage in fielding teams that can be competitive at the expense of local talent. In the short term the grandparent rule can help with the development and national exposure of the sport. In the long term it can disenchant youngsters who have no chance to play at the international level thus weakening the very foundations required to keep League going at the local level long term.

The RLIF has helped alleviate the problems caused by the grandparent rule by introducing a criteria that states all international teams must have a minimum of 6 locally grown players in international teams. This rule also assists with building the credibility of the international game in general. The RLIF are heading in the right direction but need to look at other ways to develop talent in emerging league nations.

When player drafts are mentioned sporting codes begin to get nervous. But for the emerging nations of league this would be a huge injection for the ongoing development of the sport internatonally. To give their best players an opportunity to play at the top level would do wonders for the sport in emerging nations. Imagine the media frenzy of having a locally developed American or Serbian drafted into the Super League or NRL. Drafted players would gain from the experience and later would be able to return to their country with a wealth of knowledge. This is key to seeing emerging nations improve.

How would an emerging nations player draft work? It might be as simple as a panel of selectors picking the best six players from all the emerging nations. These six players are then split into two groups. One group forms the NRL draft players & the other group the Super League draft players. For example the NRL would have a draft schedule of teams. Three teams might be forced to take part in the draft each year. The NRL would put forward a retainer for each player with the three clubs bidding against each other making up the other part of the total player payment. The drafted players may only play for the lower grade or feeder clubs of the bidding club. The players will gain much needed experience and if there good enough might get an opportunity at first grade. The same structure would also take place with the Super League clubs. As the draft evolves more players can be added and the countries involved expanded.

In the short term the benefits of the draft might not be realised. In the long term the international game will be the winner. The experience and skills gained by the players who have taken part in the draft will no doubt increase the quality of the game locally and international for emerging nations. The RLIF need to look at innovative ways to help the development of the game abroad. An emerging nations players draft might just be the ticket to reinforce the foundations already laid and speed up the development of the international competition.