It's not quite as ground-breaking as my creation of aus.sport.rugby-league seventeen years ago, but I've set up a discussion group for LinkedIn members interested in the NRL and Pertinent League Matters in the Australasia/South Pacific basin.

I launched "Rugby League in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific", to give its descriptive title, because I believe it fills a niche that hasn't been catered for on LinkedIn to date.

There's a great "Rugby League" group on LinkedIn already, but inevitably it has a strong focus on the Super League and the game in Great Britain.

With "Rugby League in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific" the focus is on independent discussion by LinkedIn members on matters relating to rugby league in Australia and New Zealand as well as the South Pacific nations (Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands, etc).

As well as the NRL, the ARLC and media coverage of the sport we can discuss the sport's development, its business, marketing and social responsibility.

Tipping comps, fan clubs and match-day chatter are better served elsewhere, and indeed there are a number of NRL club supporters groups on LinkedIn.

Since I kicked it off last Monday we've featured the Gold Coast Titans' woes and the high profile re-signing by the Melbourne Storm of Cooper Cronk. Not to mention the first of what I aim to be weekly or fortnightly polls.

Any LinkedIn member can join and contribute to the conversation. It all starts here.