Third Tier 2026

[JRugby2]

I don't necessarily disagree JR2 - but I'll play devils advocate and ask this.

What if I support one of the shitter teams in the Shute Shield or QPR? One of the many teams who haven't won anything of note for decades.

Now you chuck us into a national competition, and I watch the same team get pantsed by every club in Australia.

Does that damage the club brand in a negative sense where if you're consistently bottom 2-3 in your local comp and then bottom 2-3 in the national competition its going to make it harder to attract decent players?

I can see that being a potential deterrent for clubs to want to put their hands up.

Obviously I don't know for sure but I would doubt that unless you're club was one of the 'big ones' with a bit of cash - if you're consistently bottom 3 you wouldn't get a look in anyway.

But assume you were put into the national comp - I'm guessing you'd find players "magically" appear at training and super teams sending your their squad members to make sure they were getting games. You might find that your fortunes turn around at least locally - though I doubt that would do much to improve the amount of people who follow your club.

 

[PhilClinton]

Obviously I don't know for sure but I would doubt that unless you're club was one of the 'big ones' with a bit of cash - if you're consistently bottom 3 you wouldn't get a look in anyway.

But assume you were put into the national comp - I'm guessing you'd find players "magically" appear at training and super teams sending your their squad members to make sure they were getting games. You might find that your fortunes turn around at least locally - though I doubt that would do much to improve the amount of people who follow your club.

And the highlighted point is probably the other problem. What happens to the poor clubs? Any club left out likely dies a slow and painful death over the next 10 years as they lack the exposure of the richer clubs and their player numbers dwindle.

I know that was one of the major problems with the proposed teams in NRC Version 1 and why the QRU ended up taking control of the QLD based teams.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Create have and have nots ruining your existing club comps, or create new teams that no-one cares about that take decades to build into something

Th eternal dilemma of the third tier that has never been resolved

 

[JRugby2]

And the highlighted point is probably the other problem. What happens to the poor clubs? Any club left out likely dies a slow and painful death over the next 10 years as they lack the exposure of the richer clubs and their player numbers dwindle.

I know that was one of the major problems with the proposed teams in NRC Version 1 and why the QRU ended up taking control of the QLD based teams.

Couldn't agree more mate - I don't see a club version happening. I think the next version of the NRC if we ever get one (of which I'm doubtful) will either be what we're doing this year but somehow expanded or a return to the old NRC format (ie 8-10 new teams).

Most likely we just rugby Super AU somewhere in the August-October slot for a while.

 

[Caputo]

I don't want to be pedantic but shouldn't the Thread Title be Third Tier 2025. If the games are 13 Sep - 5 Oct 25.

 

[JRugby2]

I don't want to be pedantic but shouldn't the Thread Title be Third Tier 2025. If the games are 13 Sep - 5 Oct 25.

Probably easier if you just don't be pedantic

 

[wamberal99]

Probably easier if you just don't be pedantic

What would the forum be without pedantry?

 

[Lindommer]

If/when RA give this comp a discrete name I'll change it.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

It does though.

Super Rugby Aus 25

 

[Wilson]

Seems like it would make more sense to keep that discussion to main rugby forum, given the teams are just the super sides and the comp is a 3-4 week sprint.

Not sure there's anything to justify silo-ing the posts off in a section of the forum dedicated to a different, long dead competition (RIP NRC )

 

[Strewthcobber]

Seems like it would make more sense to keep that discussion to main rugby forum, given the teams are just the super sides and the comp is a 3-4 week sprint.

Not sure there's anything to justify silo-ing the posts off in a section of the forum dedicated to a different, long dead competition (RIP NRC )

Especially for a 2025 comp (this being a 2026 thread!)

 

[liquor box]

Always thought a good idea for a Tier 3 is to combine the Shute Shield Sides into their regions so Manly, Warringah, Norths (would say Gordon but with Newcastle will add Newy) make the Northern Sydney team (should get 30 quality players from this lot... Uni, Easts, Souths and Wicks make the southern Eastern team and West Harbour, Woodies, Gordon, Two Blues make the metro west team - do the same for Qld hospital with 3 teams, 3 from Canberra and maybe 2 from Perth and 1 from Melbourne (2 if we think we have it) and this keeps the tribalism in play and opens up a solid 3rd tier comp

I consider myself to be a pretty decent rugby fan, I have missed one Reds game in about 2 decades and regularly watch 3-4 games each weekend.

I don't however have a club that I support, I have watched a grand total of 1 Hospital Cup game on Stan, oddly enough this was to see how Dane Zander went at THP and have not watched a game since.

The last time I watched Shute Shield was when ABC had it on in country NSW on Sunday mornings. I fondly remember watching David Knox play.

I also played the game but have little interest in a third tier with club teams and I think many from outside of Sydney and Brisbane would feel the same.

I loved NRC and especially how the Reds used it as a development tool for players and coaches.

I would prefer the Super Franchises to have two teams each made up of non-Wallabies players and then pick the best club players or development players to make up the team. As long as there is a link to the Super Rugby team I will be interested as I can look out for the next big thing from club land or junior development.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Anyone else find Soccer's new comp interesting? I want to see how it will work after a couple of seasons but the approach of established Clubs is one mooted by Rugby even though I don't think it's good for Rugby to need to stand up new systems which just about all Clubs would need huge investment to be more than they are.

One thing Soccer will have to be careful with is that this may eat support for A League sides. Most rusted on fans of Soccer are a good chance of following one of these sides like Apia in Sydney. May have a deeper support of that side than Sydney FC and spend less on them.

 

[Rob42]

Is that the Australia Cup? Australian soccer has its own dilemma that it can't solve - too few people care about the A-League clubs, and the clubs that people do care about come with all sorts of baggage, often violent. As soon as the support for an A-League club gets passionate, it devolves to some sort of anti-social behaviour, and drives away the casual supporters.

The administrators want the passion, but not the stupid behaviour, and it seems remarkably hard to dissect the two.

 

[Highlander35]

I'm pretty sure the NSD is already viewed as a bit of a mess by the football fan establishment as it's not a quote unquote "real" second division but rather halfway between a second division and an extended NPL playoffs.

I'd imagine players playing across multiple levels concurrently is a significantly smaller issue for the NPL too.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Is that the Australia Cup? Australian soccer has its own dilemma that it can't solve - too few people care about the A-League clubs, and the clubs that people do care about come with all sorts of baggage, often violent. As soon as the support for an A-League club gets passionate, it devolves to some sort of anti-social behaviour, and drives away the casual supporters.

The administrators want the passion, but not the stupid behaviour, and it seems remarkably hard to dissect the two.

I think the Australia Cup is our version of the FA Cup. I think this is called the Australian Championship. Also grabbing from England's 2nd tier.

This other comp is a tier below the A League. I'm surprised they have persisted with the idea tbh. Costs must be massive in a country like Aus and I think it has the potential to eat the A League. We will also almost certainly have some incident when two very passionate culturally identified teams face off and some twats in the crowd have watched Green Street Hooligans the night before.

 

[Brumby Runner]

With all squads now announced for the SRAus competition, what are the favoured teams to start off in Round 1?

For the Brumbies, I'd go with :

1 Lington Ieli
2 Liam Bowron
3 Rhys Van Nek (if available)
4 Toby McPherson
5 Lachlan Shaw
6 Rory Scott
7 Luke Reimer
8 Tuaina Taii Tualima

9 Klayton Thorn
10 Declan Meredith
11 Ollie Sapsford
12 David Feliuai
13 Hudson Creighton
14 Kadin Pritchard
15 Shane Wilcox

16 Lipina Ata
17 Finn Baxter
18 Tevita Alatini
19 Eli Langi
20 Judah Saumaisue
21 Dan Nelson
22 Joe Dillon
23 Jarrah McLeod

That's a strong forward pack with a heap of Super Rugby experience. The backs also have a good share of experience with Sapsford, Meredith and Feliuai. The bench otoh are nearly all one or two years out of U20s. Starting side should be strong but the finishers are mostly unknowns at this level. Makes it a great competition.

 

[Red Runner]

QLD

1 Aidan Ross
2 George Blake
3 Massimo de Luttis
4 Connor Vest
5 Seru Uru
6 Tom Robinson
7 Kohan Herbert
8 Joe Brial
9 Kalani Thomas
10 Harry McLAughlin-Phillips
11 Lachie Anderson
12 Dre Pakeho
13 Isaac Henry
14 Tim Ryan
15 Jock Campbell

16 Theo Fourie
17 Sef Fa'agase
18 Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen
19 Charlie Brosnan
20 Hamish Muller
21 James Martens
22 Xavier Rubens
23 Will McCulloch

 

[Brumby Runner]

Will take particular interest in how James Martens performs. He was our standout No 9 this year in the U20s.