Mal Meninga has called for a major shake-up to the NRL calendar, arguing that the league's future should be anchored around a streamlined 20-team competition and a clear mid-season window for representative football.
Speaking on SENQ Breakfast, the Perth Bears coach said the current structure was too taxing on players and unfair on clubs affected by Origin selections. Meninga believes the competition will reach its optimal shape once it expands to 20 teams, a vision not far off with the confirmed additions of a new team in 2027 and the Papua New Guinea side soon after.
“You play each other once – that’s 19 games,” he explained. “The competition currently goes for 27 weeks with three byes. So you take it down to 19 weeks, and then there is two more months of new content if you want to.”
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“You can have Origin in blocks through it all, and have other comps involved, so clubs aren’t at a disadvantage. You could play internationals if you wanted to,” Meninga said.
“I would suggest (rep footy) middle of the year so you are going to finish up at the same time and the players get a better rest in the off-season.”
Origin selection headache sparks fresh debate
Meninga’s comments arrive as Origin selection rules come under fire, with clubs losing key players who are named as 18th men but never actually take the field.
On Sky Sports Radio, Laurie Daley pointed to Canterbury’s Matt Burton, who has now been the 18th man on five occasions without making an appearance, each time missing club games. “I don’t think anyone agrees with the way it is,” Daley said.
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Jacob Kiraz’s recent call-up for Game III reflects the same dilemma, with Daley clarifying that Kiraz was included in case Brian To’o fails to recover in time.
“We don’t think that’s right for him,” Daley said of a potential Friday-to-Origin turnaround. “But if he gets himself in the right fashion thinking he’s going to play, then Brian plays, he is still 18th man and he’s still a chance.”