THE most radical changes in rugby league history — including four-quarter football over 100 minutes — are under consideration at the NRL.

The NRL’s rules and competition committee floated the extraordinary idea at Moore Park headquarters last week in front of CEO Dave Smith, chairman John Grant, the game’s most influential coach, Wayne Bennett, and Head of Football Todd Greenberg.

CLICK HERE TO BLOG WITH BUZZ FROM 9AM

The changes would generate hundreds of millions of dollars in extra revenue from the TV networks through quarter-time advertising breaks and an extra 20 minutes of game time.

AUCKLAND BEATS SYDNEY TO NRL LAUNCH

NRL COACHES TO PAY FOR FREE SPEECH ON REFS

The committee also raised the prospect of expanding the premiership to an 18-team competition to get a fairer premiership draw over a shorter season with spare weekends to play State of Origin.

While initial discussions have been positive, any changes of this magnitude would be several years away, if they are to happen at all.

From what I have been told by sources inside the meeting, this is roughly how it would work.

GAME DAY

Matches would run for over two hours instead of 90 minutes as it is now.

It’s still much quicker than a gridiron game that goes for three and a half hours with all their stoppages.

There would be five-minute breaks for each quarter and 10 minutes at half-time.

CLICK HERE TO BLOG WITH BUZZ FROM 9AM

Fans at the ground would get a better match-day experience with more footy and live interviews on big screens with the coaches and players during the quarter breaks.

Professional half-time entertainment would be a big part of the show.

The extra time and entertainment would justify clubs charging more at the gate and put them in a stronger financial position.

media_camera Interchange benches could increase from four to eight fresh players. Pic: Gregg Porteous

THE PLAYERS

On face value, it appears a much heavier workload on the players.

The interchange bench would increase from four fresh players to eight.

In theory, most players would not be playing extra football because game-day squads would be 21 instead of 17 as it is at the moment.

TV AND EXPANSION

Potentially, the NRL television deal could be almost doubled to $2 billion from what the code is offering the TV networks.

The meeting also discussed adding two new teams, one from Brisbane and another from a capital city in Australia or New Zealand.

This would provide the networks with one extra game each week — plus the extra 20 minutes of football with the advertising possibilities during the long breaks.

From doubling the broadcast money, players would be much better paid and more cash would go into junior development to fight the AFL threat.

THE SCHEDULE

There were discussions about how 18 teams could play over a shortened season of 23 weeks plus the finals.

This would allow a longer pre-season for the Nine’s, All Stars, World Club Challenge, Charity Shield or even an official and televised pre-season competition.

In an 18-team schedule, the clubs would play each other once over 17 weeks.

Each club would then play three “derbies” against their closest neighbours.

CLICK HERE TO BLOG WITH BUZZ FROM 9AM

For example, the Broncos would play the Titans, Cowboys and a second Brisbane side twice.

Parramatta would play Penrith, the Wests Tigers and the Bulldogs twice.

We’d have three free weekends for State of Origin to bring the season to a total of 27 weeks, including the finals series.

This would allow the possibility of an international series at the end of a season that would be three weeks shorter than it is now.

media_camera Local rivalries would be played more often under the NRL’s proposed plan. Pic: Mark Evans

THE CONCLUSION

Nothing this radical has ever been discussed by the NRL.

Cricket used to be played over five long days with eight-ball overs.

And then along came Kerry Packer to deliver the most spectacular change that probably saved cricket from dying a slow death.

Even if this rugby league plan never eventuates, at least we know there are some people within the game who are prepared to think left field and discuss big-picture ideas.

There are no limits to how great rugby league could be.

HIGHLIGHT

One sleep to go until the cricket Test. Bring it on Channel 9. And go you good thing Michael Clarke!

LOWLIGHT

Another loss for the Western Sydney Wanderers and now the situation of players complaining about their pay packets. This wouldn’t have happened under Lyall Gorman’s watch.

CLICK HERE TO BLOG WITH BUZZ FROM 9AM

SPOTTED

Dave Smith playing at the touch football State Cup over the weekend.

We hope he showed more speed than he does in his day job.

SHOOSH

We keep hearing the Parramatta Eels are close to securing an even bigger signing than Anthony Watmough. It will be one of the biggest stories of the new year.

COOKED CHOOKS

The Roosters are not happy about the opening round NRL schedule, revealed in The Sunday Telegraph. Instead of hosting archrivals Souths at Allianz in the traditional kick-off game, they are off to play the Cowboys in the Townsville heat.

FAREWELL BISHOP

Rugby league lost one of the most colourful characters of its history with the death this week of Jack McNamara (aka ‘The Bishop of Manchester’). A Kiwi by birth, Jack wrote rugby league for the Manchester Evening News from 1954-1990, covering 10 tours to Australia, starting with the Ashes-winning GB campaign of 1958.