Kangaroos hooker Harry Grant has called for the NRL to shorten the regular season in a bid to avoid the contracting circus which has engulfed Australia’s World Cup campaign.
In a move which Grant believes would also strengthen the international game, the Melbourne captain claims a shorter season would allow players to focus on Test commitments before resolving their futures.
Close to half of the squad selected by Kevin Walters entered the final 12 months of their deals on November 1.
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“Maybe we could shorten the season, then you have a World Cup where everyone can play footy and you have your conversations off the back of that,” Grant said.
“That’s an easy idea, and I know there’s an understanding that maybe a shorter season would get a bit more footy and open up some rep windows with Origin, Australia, Samoa, and Tonga.”
Harry Grant has called for fewer NRL games and more international rugby league. Credit: AAP With the Perth Bears entering the competition in 2027 and the PNG Chiefs joining 12 months later, existing NRL clubs are urgently looking to get surety on their rosters for the seasons ahead.
The Sydney Roosters withdrawing their offer of an extension to premiership-winning halfback Sam Walker in the aftermath of his Australian Test debut is perhaps the best example.
The flow-on effect of the Roosters’ shock stance led to speculation that Canberra five-eighth Ethan Strange and North Queensland halfback Tom Dearden – both of whom are in Australian camp with Walker – are now linked with moves to Easts.
“I’d like to think we can have some mature conversations collectively going forward. I’ve certainly got some opinions myself, but it doesn’t mean they’re always right.
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“If you get a few things that you think can take the game forward in a better fashion, then I’m all for it.”
Grant is also of the belief that a shorter season would allow the sport’s powerbrokers to generate a more meaningful international calendar which helped strengthen smaller Test nations.
The hooker has seen France and the Cook Islands – the only two sides to not win a game at this World Cup – be lambs to the slaughter against opposing teams stacked with NRL players.
But Grant sees value in giving those teams more exposure to playing elite opposition outside of World Cups.
“With this World Cup, you see that there’s a real market for the games and whether there is a window at the end of the year it’s also about giving those guys opportunities,” Grant said.
“I don’t know how many games France or the Cook Islands get to play together since the last World Cup (in 2022).
“There’s certainly an opportunity for those teams, even New Zealand, Tonga, and Samoa, to get together and have more games.
“I look at France, and since the World Cup last time, how many games have they played together? I think there might be an opportunity to allow those teams to play more footy together.”