Here it is folks. The oft maligned, much anticipated and critically acclaimed NRL Elite review. It has been a hectic year which prevented a Traders review.
2022 has seen the stabilization of COVID (at least in Australia), some horrific weather events, a change of government from a Sharks tragic to a Souths tragic (what happened to a PM supporting the Raiders?) and physical card shop back in the Brisbane area, how good! Despite these tough times, I feel so lucky living in this wonderful country. It has been mentioned elsewhere that with all of the above and more affecting day to day life, we should be grateful that we can afford to purchase and collect NRL cards. I couldn't agree more but that being said, the purpose of this review is to provide honest feedback which hopefully helps improve the product in years to come.
I would say the COVID boom has slowed down somewhat. I still see new collectors popping up regularly (more so on the FB pages) but many seem to fly in while a product is at peak cost, try and make a buck and then jump out. This is extremely detrimental for the hobby in my opinion. I have been watching a thread on this page in the past few days which has a member busting random NBA packets from the 90's. These cards were so nice and sometimes, less is more!
There is a detailed summary at the end but in short, if I had to describe this release in one word, I would say 'lazy'.
As usual, please add your two cents and try to be objective!
OVERVIEW
This is then tenth version of Elite. Ten years since Select bowed out and ESP / TLA took over, where has time gone? Elite is 660 case release (60 cases are priority) which contains ten boxes per case and 24 packets per box. At $10 per packet / $240 per box, it is not cheap. Has this significant cost increase pushed some collectors out of the hobby? Does the product justify the cost?
Elite is the pinnacle of NRL cards and the only high-end release. This has seen the stock only available in hobby shops or online. I am not against this but speaking to a few local Newsagents who purchased Elite since the inception, they are very frustrated at being unable to access any stock through the conventional methods. I must admit, I always enjoyed picking up a few loose packs with the paper on a Sunday. Mojo Emerald
The collation case wise seems spot on but I have to question if putting the two case hits (Mojo BD and Team LS), in a single box was the right move. Perhaps it was intentional (like the two Game Breakers last year) to create a 'hot box'. I think this creates a feast or famine situation and while it works out for the case buyer, the single box or packet buyer could miss out. These two hits should be separated to allow a more even spread. I am yet to see or hear of a box with less than three hits with many having four and the priority 7! The quality control seems to be quite good this year, some of the effort players put into their signatures is questionable but TLA can't be blamed for a player having a lack of pride in their mark. Some of the cards seem to have been cut a bit bigger than previous years and won't fit into the traditional holder, this is something TLA should be getting right by now.
FOLDERS / ALBUM CARD
The folders are serviceable at best but never have any real spark. I think TLA could mix this up a bit, maybe some artwork on the front of the folder. At $40 RRP, a folder card was a must and thankfully TLA listened. The 'Speed Series Album' is a numbered parallel variant of the standard Speed Series. Numbered /157, I think that they could have done far better. At the very least this should have been on foil board and covered both players per team which would have brought the cards down to /80 and far more valuable. The folders come with stock standard pages and the color printed A4 checklist which I really like.
BASE SET
The black background on these is a bit of a throwback to 2016 Elite although the 16 Elite had the lovely silver foil and looked classy. This set looks like a mix of Traders and Rivalry and the white 'powder' background being a hotel room with Walsh, Munster and Smith! 144 is a good number, with nine per page however I would still like to see the club logo be the 'middle card'' of each team set and instead of a checklist contain some info about premierships, club records etc. as opposed to being a checklist. I long for the days when base cards contained a full game photograph and had subsets within the base set.
PARALLEL
Despite being listed on packets and boxes as silver specials (like previous years) the actual cards have 'P' prior to the number indicating to me they are intended as a parallel. They are clearly not a parallel as they are not the same image as the base. The 'cocaine' background is less effective on these and due to the volume, this set ends up being the second rarest non numbered insert set. Despite this, prices are usually low and after that 4-week boom post Elite release, singles sit around $0.50-$1ea. I will speak to this further down, but the WNRL should be part of both the base and parallel set. Being part of the parallel set would drastically reduce overall numbers which increases value, collectability and even allows a consideration to have these individually numbered. Could TLA try and jersey die cut variant on these?
SPEED SERIES
I initially thought speed series, a much-overused theme. When I had a quick look through previous releases, I could only find the speed machines from 2019 Elite. So that changed my perspective a bit these are ordinary looking cards. More of a traders level as opposed to Elite. With all of the stats we have now, perhaps the data could have been used to actually determine the fastest players per team and then the most consistent speed. These numbers could then be included on the card? So, the theme is okay, but the cards are well below par for Elite.
ALL STARS
I understand how important this game is to the Indigenous and Māori players in the NRL but in terms of a collectible set, it is just not that popular. The cards themselves are actually well designed and the full foil finish looks like Panini NBA release. Could this be a nine-card set in the base?
NRLW
Without coming as disrespectful, this is a wasted set. The NRLW is thriving, up to six teams and 8 next year. Why note have these included in the base and parallel set? This seems like a very easy way to cover off on a low end insert. This is a 'lazy' set from TLA. There are multiple themes they could use to fill this void, perhaps even an Origin set or in the year of a World Cup, how about WC Retrospective? Crucial moments from previous campaigns?
DALLY M
I like this set as it celebrates the best of the best. This year’s design is very nice (despite going away from landscape) and I really like how the set expands to cover other awards aside from the Team of the Year. The lighter background works well, and this is a great example of how a low-end Elite set should be. Two per box is just right. It makes the set very collectible and keeps the price per card and per set reasonable.
YOUNG GUNS
Back to a one per box hit this year which I think is where this card belongs. I prefer this year's design to last year, player selection is pretty good but could have been better, particularly from a Canberra perspective. At /136 per card, TLA really missed an opportunity to have these individually numbered but overall, a tough chase and a good example of a box hit.
MASTERS SERIES / MASTER SERIES SIGNATURES
Continuing on with this theme is a big win. A great set, both the base level and signature variant with the player selection being top notch. The cards themselves are still well presented, clean designs, signature cards are magnificent in hand. I am unsure why the base set has gone from 18 with Slater, to 15 with Boyd and now 10 with Freddie. Consistency is key here and another example of a 'lazy effort' from TLA. For me, 15 is ideal because then you can put the three signatures' cards with the base. For the club signature, a dual image of Freddie in his Penrith and Roosters strip would have been better as he won premierships with both clubs.
CAPTAINS
The captains return again and are now no longer a box hit but a mid-level numbered card (1:5 boxes). #85, I was initially critical and still believe this theme is lazy from TLA. That being said, the cards are very impressive in hand and the gold club logo really pops. Overall, this set is nice, and the presentation has done the set justice. To really make this set challenging, perhaps the All Stars and SOO Captains could have been added?
YOUNG GUNS BLACK SIGNATURE
Young gun / future stars / top prospects etc. have been a key part of every NRL release since 2001 Impact. From 2005 (with the exception of 13 Traders) they have exclusively been a series 2 release. So, these signatures are essentially the life blood of a release and that is why player selection here is key. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing the YG signature replace the authentic signatures in series 1. The reason for this is lessen the large volume of signatures we now have each year which hopefully stops the same players having multiple across a few years. If these are to stay in Elite (which I suspect, they will), I would like to see them up around /200 and inserted 1:48 packets. You could really value add to the set by selecting an up-and-coming SOO star from each state also. So, onto this releases YGS's. The design is okay, and I like that they have removed the 'etching' from the signature block that was present in 21 Elite. The key for these (and any signature card) is to have focus on the signature so my preference would be to go back to a landscape style card with no actual signature block as such, just plenty of room for the player to sign. Again, less is more, and I think that by simplifying the design, the product will be better for it.
LEAGUE SENSATIONS SIGNATURE
I prefer this year's design to last years with the marbled background looking quite effective. I prefer the signature block also; it is better than last years, but I would prefer there to be no block at all, just space on the card to sign (think 2013 Elite). The player selection in this set is what really saves the release, some excellent selections with Grant, Ponga and Mitchell headlining. It is a shame that Grant and Ponga don't put a great deal of effort into their signatures. I was very happy with Whitehead as an LS for Canberra. He is at the backend but has been a massive reason for the green resurgence of recent years and has a great signature to boot. Why they have dropped the numbers to /60 is beyond me. /80 is perfect, and this allows the LSB to be /40 as they have always been.
LSB
I still don't understand why TLA went away from a completely black background and gold signature. For me, that is what set these cards apart and made them a must have in the PC. As mentioned above, an LSB has always been /40 and to me it makes no sense to have two variants numbered the same. I will use my theme word again 'lazy'.
LST
The overall print run for LS has increased to 150 across three variants (presumably due to the NRLW content). I still believe that this set should have been /20 with the increase in production numbers flowing into the white LS. I understand that this makes the odds less consistent, but these kinds of cards should be much sought after and harder to get. Onto the design, so 'lazy', a colored background, come on! The first release of LST in 2020 had a design that really popped off the card. They should be looking to replicate this design again, a card of such a limited print run should be a standout.
MOJO YELLOW DIAMOND
The first NRLW mojo set, and I have to say, the yellow is a nice design. The only issue is logo checklist are near impossible to see. I like the concept of keeping this set separate from the NRL men for a number of reasons but primarily because it allows collectors more of a choice if they are trying to complete all mojos and secondly, it doesn't affect the numbering per card.
MOJO RUBY / SAPPHIRE / EMERALD
A bit of a throwback to the 2020 mojos here with the gold foil on the edge of the cards. Not the best in my opinion as any imperfections show up really easily. The mojos are very much a cornerstone of any Elite release now and ensure that there are at least three numbered hits per box. These are tough sets to complete (especially the emerald variant) but lots of fun to chase.
MOJO BLACK DIAMOND
These are a classy looking card with the gold foil on a black background and dual player image working perfectly for a high-end hit. The prices are crazy though, $200 to $500 per card, a near impossible set to complete for a team collector. Should these have been kept as team sets?
MILESTONE CASE CARDS
I am really glad that this set continued, and I hope it does for some time. This year's design is much nicer than last years, and I didn't mind that one. Player selection was a bit down, but it might have been a case (pardon the pun) with that club not having had many player milestones.
ALL STAR SPOTLIGHT JERSEY / JERSEY BOOKLET SIGNATURE
These were such a great concept when introduced in 2019 and this was a great innovation, some much so that Select replicated it. I think this kind of card has well and truly run its course for now though. Again, not to diminish the cultural importance of the All-Stars game, but the sets are just not that popular. The player selection is not great for a high-end set, however. I will acknowledge that maybe only certain players will give they jersey. Some higher profile players (Hynes, Tapine) could have really made a difference. The actual cards look great, particularly the booklet and with the design of the jerseys, there will barely be a bad patch. In this space, I would like to see something different for next year such as dual signatures (past and present), another thmeed signature set 'Simply the Best - Clive Churchill Medal winners' etc. Dare I say it but the replication of this style of high-end signature seems 'lazy'. I like the clarification that the image of the player is in their training shirt, but the jersey patch is game worn.
BALL PATCH / BOOT PATCH
Another great innovation that has fallen short due to the player selection. I get the need to respect and represent the NRLW, but you have to cater to the market as well. Perhaps they could have done a ball patch from the NRLW and a boot patch from the NRL?
FUTERA GOLD 1/1
These are always a great card but have really spelt the end to master set collecting. To be fair, with the huge volume of low-end cards, that style of collecting was dying anyway. I haven't seen a redeemed product this year but hopefully they have saved the best patch for this card and unlike last year, they get the centering right!
MOJO RUBY GOLDEN TICKET
The golden ticket was always a bit of a bonus in my opinion but his is a joke. At the very least, they could have made the set-in landscape with different images, something to set it apart and reflect the rarity of the set. This is so lazy from TLA but at least it fits the theme of the release.
PRIORITY YOUNG GUNS
These are much better than last year's design and the lower numbering, /14, is well suited to a high-end priority hit. The priority bubble seems to have well and truly burst though, and I don't think that the excess price per priority box (post release) is warranted. At best they are a $350 box and that includes the excess black diamonds that can be found in them. The card itself is a simple design and lends itself well to the concept. The player selection has been discussed above, generally quite good.
PRIORITY DALLY M
Back again this year instead of the Priority Captain. I really like these cards and the priority version looks much better than it did in 20 Elite. I still think /67 is way too high for a priority release but there is no easy way around this unless the Dally M set becomes a box hit.
SUMMARY
This release that has gone back a step or two from the last two years. The quality of the LS and YG's have really saved this release. The QC seems reasonable, collation is also quite good, but I am not a fan of having two case hits in one box (makes cases more searchable as well). The low-end aspect is pretty stock standard, but I feel they can do much better here. Overall, I would say that TLA have been very lazy with this release with plenty of tired ideas being rehashed and nothing to justify the high price. TLA have shown they are capable of being innovative and producing some really nice cards and I think ten years in, they can do much better. A more collaborative approach with dealers is needed, give the customers what they want. I also think the NRLW is too excessive in this release. The NRLW is well and truly on the up with 8 teams next year and the number of games doubling. There is no doubt significant support and a market for the cards, but I think that they could look to replace rivalry with an NRLW release and then you can collect that if you like. I opened one priority box and pulled a NRLW Titans YG Priority, struggle to get $25 for it. I am sure that TLA's hands are somewhat tied with the content they are approved to include but the choice of what to collect should be the collectors.
So, does this release justify the price tag? No, it is still only an $8-$9 per packet release.
So overall, a solid release but not as good as the last two years.
Enjoy the read, happy collecting and good luck on your busts!
Elite 22 – 6.5/10
2022 has seen the stabilization of COVID (at least in Australia), some horrific weather events, a change of government from a Sharks tragic to a Souths tragic (what happened to a PM supporting the Raiders?) and physical card shop back in the Brisbane area, how good! Despite these tough times, I feel so lucky living in this wonderful country. It has been mentioned elsewhere that with all of the above and more affecting day to day life, we should be grateful that we can afford to purchase and collect NRL cards. I couldn't agree more but that being said, the purpose of this review is to provide honest feedback which hopefully helps improve the product in years to come.
I would say the COVID boom has slowed down somewhat. I still see new collectors popping up regularly (more so on the FB pages) but many seem to fly in while a product is at peak cost, try and make a buck and then jump out. This is extremely detrimental for the hobby in my opinion. I have been watching a thread on this page in the past few days which has a member busting random NBA packets from the 90's. These cards were so nice and sometimes, less is more!
There is a detailed summary at the end but in short, if I had to describe this release in one word, I would say 'lazy'.
As usual, please add your two cents and try to be objective!
OVERVIEW
This is then tenth version of Elite. Ten years since Select bowed out and ESP / TLA took over, where has time gone? Elite is 660 case release (60 cases are priority) which contains ten boxes per case and 24 packets per box. At $10 per packet / $240 per box, it is not cheap. Has this significant cost increase pushed some collectors out of the hobby? Does the product justify the cost?
Elite is the pinnacle of NRL cards and the only high-end release. This has seen the stock only available in hobby shops or online. I am not against this but speaking to a few local Newsagents who purchased Elite since the inception, they are very frustrated at being unable to access any stock through the conventional methods. I must admit, I always enjoyed picking up a few loose packs with the paper on a Sunday. Mojo Emerald
The collation case wise seems spot on but I have to question if putting the two case hits (Mojo BD and Team LS), in a single box was the right move. Perhaps it was intentional (like the two Game Breakers last year) to create a 'hot box'. I think this creates a feast or famine situation and while it works out for the case buyer, the single box or packet buyer could miss out. These two hits should be separated to allow a more even spread. I am yet to see or hear of a box with less than three hits with many having four and the priority 7! The quality control seems to be quite good this year, some of the effort players put into their signatures is questionable but TLA can't be blamed for a player having a lack of pride in their mark. Some of the cards seem to have been cut a bit bigger than previous years and won't fit into the traditional holder, this is something TLA should be getting right by now.
FOLDERS / ALBUM CARD
The folders are serviceable at best but never have any real spark. I think TLA could mix this up a bit, maybe some artwork on the front of the folder. At $40 RRP, a folder card was a must and thankfully TLA listened. The 'Speed Series Album' is a numbered parallel variant of the standard Speed Series. Numbered /157, I think that they could have done far better. At the very least this should have been on foil board and covered both players per team which would have brought the cards down to /80 and far more valuable. The folders come with stock standard pages and the color printed A4 checklist which I really like.
BASE SET
The black background on these is a bit of a throwback to 2016 Elite although the 16 Elite had the lovely silver foil and looked classy. This set looks like a mix of Traders and Rivalry and the white 'powder' background being a hotel room with Walsh, Munster and Smith! 144 is a good number, with nine per page however I would still like to see the club logo be the 'middle card'' of each team set and instead of a checklist contain some info about premierships, club records etc. as opposed to being a checklist. I long for the days when base cards contained a full game photograph and had subsets within the base set.
PARALLEL
Despite being listed on packets and boxes as silver specials (like previous years) the actual cards have 'P' prior to the number indicating to me they are intended as a parallel. They are clearly not a parallel as they are not the same image as the base. The 'cocaine' background is less effective on these and due to the volume, this set ends up being the second rarest non numbered insert set. Despite this, prices are usually low and after that 4-week boom post Elite release, singles sit around $0.50-$1ea. I will speak to this further down, but the WNRL should be part of both the base and parallel set. Being part of the parallel set would drastically reduce overall numbers which increases value, collectability and even allows a consideration to have these individually numbered. Could TLA try and jersey die cut variant on these?
SPEED SERIES
I initially thought speed series, a much-overused theme. When I had a quick look through previous releases, I could only find the speed machines from 2019 Elite. So that changed my perspective a bit these are ordinary looking cards. More of a traders level as opposed to Elite. With all of the stats we have now, perhaps the data could have been used to actually determine the fastest players per team and then the most consistent speed. These numbers could then be included on the card? So, the theme is okay, but the cards are well below par for Elite.
ALL STARS
I understand how important this game is to the Indigenous and Māori players in the NRL but in terms of a collectible set, it is just not that popular. The cards themselves are actually well designed and the full foil finish looks like Panini NBA release. Could this be a nine-card set in the base?
NRLW
Without coming as disrespectful, this is a wasted set. The NRLW is thriving, up to six teams and 8 next year. Why note have these included in the base and parallel set? This seems like a very easy way to cover off on a low end insert. This is a 'lazy' set from TLA. There are multiple themes they could use to fill this void, perhaps even an Origin set or in the year of a World Cup, how about WC Retrospective? Crucial moments from previous campaigns?
DALLY M
I like this set as it celebrates the best of the best. This year’s design is very nice (despite going away from landscape) and I really like how the set expands to cover other awards aside from the Team of the Year. The lighter background works well, and this is a great example of how a low-end Elite set should be. Two per box is just right. It makes the set very collectible and keeps the price per card and per set reasonable.
YOUNG GUNS
Back to a one per box hit this year which I think is where this card belongs. I prefer this year's design to last year, player selection is pretty good but could have been better, particularly from a Canberra perspective. At /136 per card, TLA really missed an opportunity to have these individually numbered but overall, a tough chase and a good example of a box hit.
MASTERS SERIES / MASTER SERIES SIGNATURES
Continuing on with this theme is a big win. A great set, both the base level and signature variant with the player selection being top notch. The cards themselves are still well presented, clean designs, signature cards are magnificent in hand. I am unsure why the base set has gone from 18 with Slater, to 15 with Boyd and now 10 with Freddie. Consistency is key here and another example of a 'lazy effort' from TLA. For me, 15 is ideal because then you can put the three signatures' cards with the base. For the club signature, a dual image of Freddie in his Penrith and Roosters strip would have been better as he won premierships with both clubs.
CAPTAINS
The captains return again and are now no longer a box hit but a mid-level numbered card (1:5 boxes). #85, I was initially critical and still believe this theme is lazy from TLA. That being said, the cards are very impressive in hand and the gold club logo really pops. Overall, this set is nice, and the presentation has done the set justice. To really make this set challenging, perhaps the All Stars and SOO Captains could have been added?
YOUNG GUNS BLACK SIGNATURE
Young gun / future stars / top prospects etc. have been a key part of every NRL release since 2001 Impact. From 2005 (with the exception of 13 Traders) they have exclusively been a series 2 release. So, these signatures are essentially the life blood of a release and that is why player selection here is key. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing the YG signature replace the authentic signatures in series 1. The reason for this is lessen the large volume of signatures we now have each year which hopefully stops the same players having multiple across a few years. If these are to stay in Elite (which I suspect, they will), I would like to see them up around /200 and inserted 1:48 packets. You could really value add to the set by selecting an up-and-coming SOO star from each state also. So, onto this releases YGS's. The design is okay, and I like that they have removed the 'etching' from the signature block that was present in 21 Elite. The key for these (and any signature card) is to have focus on the signature so my preference would be to go back to a landscape style card with no actual signature block as such, just plenty of room for the player to sign. Again, less is more, and I think that by simplifying the design, the product will be better for it.
LEAGUE SENSATIONS SIGNATURE
I prefer this year's design to last years with the marbled background looking quite effective. I prefer the signature block also; it is better than last years, but I would prefer there to be no block at all, just space on the card to sign (think 2013 Elite). The player selection in this set is what really saves the release, some excellent selections with Grant, Ponga and Mitchell headlining. It is a shame that Grant and Ponga don't put a great deal of effort into their signatures. I was very happy with Whitehead as an LS for Canberra. He is at the backend but has been a massive reason for the green resurgence of recent years and has a great signature to boot. Why they have dropped the numbers to /60 is beyond me. /80 is perfect, and this allows the LSB to be /40 as they have always been.
LSB
I still don't understand why TLA went away from a completely black background and gold signature. For me, that is what set these cards apart and made them a must have in the PC. As mentioned above, an LSB has always been /40 and to me it makes no sense to have two variants numbered the same. I will use my theme word again 'lazy'.
LST
The overall print run for LS has increased to 150 across three variants (presumably due to the NRLW content). I still believe that this set should have been /20 with the increase in production numbers flowing into the white LS. I understand that this makes the odds less consistent, but these kinds of cards should be much sought after and harder to get. Onto the design, so 'lazy', a colored background, come on! The first release of LST in 2020 had a design that really popped off the card. They should be looking to replicate this design again, a card of such a limited print run should be a standout.
MOJO YELLOW DIAMOND
The first NRLW mojo set, and I have to say, the yellow is a nice design. The only issue is logo checklist are near impossible to see. I like the concept of keeping this set separate from the NRL men for a number of reasons but primarily because it allows collectors more of a choice if they are trying to complete all mojos and secondly, it doesn't affect the numbering per card.
MOJO RUBY / SAPPHIRE / EMERALD
A bit of a throwback to the 2020 mojos here with the gold foil on the edge of the cards. Not the best in my opinion as any imperfections show up really easily. The mojos are very much a cornerstone of any Elite release now and ensure that there are at least three numbered hits per box. These are tough sets to complete (especially the emerald variant) but lots of fun to chase.
MOJO BLACK DIAMOND
These are a classy looking card with the gold foil on a black background and dual player image working perfectly for a high-end hit. The prices are crazy though, $200 to $500 per card, a near impossible set to complete for a team collector. Should these have been kept as team sets?
MILESTONE CASE CARDS
I am really glad that this set continued, and I hope it does for some time. This year's design is much nicer than last years, and I didn't mind that one. Player selection was a bit down, but it might have been a case (pardon the pun) with that club not having had many player milestones.
ALL STAR SPOTLIGHT JERSEY / JERSEY BOOKLET SIGNATURE
These were such a great concept when introduced in 2019 and this was a great innovation, some much so that Select replicated it. I think this kind of card has well and truly run its course for now though. Again, not to diminish the cultural importance of the All-Stars game, but the sets are just not that popular. The player selection is not great for a high-end set, however. I will acknowledge that maybe only certain players will give they jersey. Some higher profile players (Hynes, Tapine) could have really made a difference. The actual cards look great, particularly the booklet and with the design of the jerseys, there will barely be a bad patch. In this space, I would like to see something different for next year such as dual signatures (past and present), another thmeed signature set 'Simply the Best - Clive Churchill Medal winners' etc. Dare I say it but the replication of this style of high-end signature seems 'lazy'. I like the clarification that the image of the player is in their training shirt, but the jersey patch is game worn.
BALL PATCH / BOOT PATCH
Another great innovation that has fallen short due to the player selection. I get the need to respect and represent the NRLW, but you have to cater to the market as well. Perhaps they could have done a ball patch from the NRLW and a boot patch from the NRL?
FUTERA GOLD 1/1
These are always a great card but have really spelt the end to master set collecting. To be fair, with the huge volume of low-end cards, that style of collecting was dying anyway. I haven't seen a redeemed product this year but hopefully they have saved the best patch for this card and unlike last year, they get the centering right!
MOJO RUBY GOLDEN TICKET
The golden ticket was always a bit of a bonus in my opinion but his is a joke. At the very least, they could have made the set-in landscape with different images, something to set it apart and reflect the rarity of the set. This is so lazy from TLA but at least it fits the theme of the release.
PRIORITY YOUNG GUNS
These are much better than last year's design and the lower numbering, /14, is well suited to a high-end priority hit. The priority bubble seems to have well and truly burst though, and I don't think that the excess price per priority box (post release) is warranted. At best they are a $350 box and that includes the excess black diamonds that can be found in them. The card itself is a simple design and lends itself well to the concept. The player selection has been discussed above, generally quite good.
PRIORITY DALLY M
Back again this year instead of the Priority Captain. I really like these cards and the priority version looks much better than it did in 20 Elite. I still think /67 is way too high for a priority release but there is no easy way around this unless the Dally M set becomes a box hit.
SUMMARY
This release that has gone back a step or two from the last two years. The quality of the LS and YG's have really saved this release. The QC seems reasonable, collation is also quite good, but I am not a fan of having two case hits in one box (makes cases more searchable as well). The low-end aspect is pretty stock standard, but I feel they can do much better here. Overall, I would say that TLA have been very lazy with this release with plenty of tired ideas being rehashed and nothing to justify the high price. TLA have shown they are capable of being innovative and producing some really nice cards and I think ten years in, they can do much better. A more collaborative approach with dealers is needed, give the customers what they want. I also think the NRLW is too excessive in this release. The NRLW is well and truly on the up with 8 teams next year and the number of games doubling. There is no doubt significant support and a market for the cards, but I think that they could look to replace rivalry with an NRLW release and then you can collect that if you like. I opened one priority box and pulled a NRLW Titans YG Priority, struggle to get $25 for it. I am sure that TLA's hands are somewhat tied with the content they are approved to include but the choice of what to collect should be the collectors.
So, does this release justify the price tag? No, it is still only an $8-$9 per packet release.
So overall, a solid release but not as good as the last two years.
Enjoy the read, happy collecting and good luck on your busts!
Elite 22 – 6.5/10
