NRL considering four quarters, longer games

The NRL is considering a proposal to change to four quarters. Photo / Richard Robinson

The NRL is looking at a radical overhaul of the game - with the idea to change to four quarters and extending to 100 minutes of game time.

According to the Daily Telegraph the NRL's rules and competition committee proposed the changes to NRL CEO Dave Smith last week.

The newspaper reports that initial discussions have been positive but any changes, if they are agreed, would be several years away.

The proposal reportedly would see four quarters of 25 minutes with five-minute breaks for each quarter and 10 minutes at halftime.

The interchange bench would increase from four players to eight, increasing the match-day squad to 21, to avoid adding more workload on the players.

The change to four quarters would mean the opportunity for more advertising and more revenue for the NRL - the basis of the proposal.

The Daily Telegraph also reports that the NRL's rules and competition committee raised the prospect of expanding the competition to 18 teams. The newspaper reports that the meeting also adding two new teams, "one from Brisbane and another from a capital city in Australia or New Zealand".

The lure of a strong weekly television audience and capturing the interest of fans outside Auckland are two of the main selling points of a consortium bid for a Wellington-based team.

A four-man contingent out of Australia, fronted by Sydney lawyer Robert Picone, are working with a local party to extend the NRL in New Zealand with a Wellington-based team after 2017.

The two groups are working to strengthen their business plan and to secure the support of local councils as they begin the process of lobbying the NRL for inclusion in 2018.

A second New Zealand team would allow the NRL to have a game on this side of the Tasman each week and increase opportunities around television scheduling.

Other bids are being prepared across Australia and Papua New Guinea.