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This great game

PARRA_FAN

Coach
Messages
17,010
Like everyone here I love this great game, Rugby League.

Thursday night getting home from work there was nothing on TV.

Then last night there was that real weird feeling, finishing up work, ordering a pizza, opening up a cold one, switching to Fox League with no NRL game, late March on a Friday night.

Even more weird is that I'm actually home on a Friday night, occasionally I would knock off just before the 6pm game, have a few beers at the pub and then maybe kick on afterwards to another pub to catch the 7.30pm game.

No doubt this is a real difficult time, not just Rugby League but for all sports and also families with job cuts and financial issues, people going crazy wondering what's happening in the world.

The one thing that I'm certain on, is that this game will survive.

Yes its sad there is no footy for a while, with players, coaches, officials, taking pay cuts, making sacrifices and clubs facing uncertain futures.

But the game of Rugby League has always dealt with plenty of blows and still got up and kicked on.

Since 1908, we survived 3 wars, WW1, WW2, Super League, we got through salary cap dramas, peptides scandals, plenty of off field dramas.

This is certainly one of the biggest challengers we've ever had to face.

But one of the things that keeps this game going, is us, the fans. We love Rugby League.

Every week from March till September, we read our team lists, sledge each other, make of fun of Cameron Smith, bag the referees, get annoyed by Gus Gould, watch a great game of footy with family, friends, work collegues, fans you don't even know but still have a nice chat them.

I honestly don't know what Id do without Rugby League. I followed this game since I was a kid, I was brought up in a family of Eels, some Bulldogs, Magpies and Panthers but I started noticing the game in the late 80s and early 90s, a great period for the game.

I don't think anyone alive today could ever imagine a time where games have been suspended for a period because of this horrible situation. No-one in Australia would ever thought we'd get to this situation but we've got to stick together, stay at home, fight this disease.

When the dust finally settles, hopefully things are back to normal and the NRL comp starts, and when things get back to normal, which might take a while, I look forward to having that first schooner catching up with mates, collegues, watching the footy on the big screen with a nice plate of chicken wings or sharing a pizza on a Friday night.

Then going to the game the next day, seeing all the blue and gold flags, and opposition flags, cheering my team, booing the opposition, but clapping them at the same time appreciating all the clubs, because its back.

Then the next day we chat to our relatives, work collegues, our neighbours, about the game we just saw during the weekend.

It may be a lot different when we come back, obviously less games, but less teams. (well who knows anyway).

If we have to make sacrifices, taking pay cuts, playing at ANZ (if its not demolished), or playing at Bankwest, Gosford, Brisbane, wherever, as long as it'll keep the game financial.

For now lets look watch some classic matches on Fox League, Youtube or even play Rugby League games on XBOX, PlayStation, PC, imagining what our comp would look like if this virus didn't happen.

Looks like a tough time now but I have no doubt something in the next few years or longer would bring this game back, just like the following moments that made this game special:

1963 Provan Summons embrace
1980 State Of Origin begins
1981 Ding Dong the witch is dead
1989 Raiders Grand Final win
1990 Tina Turner Simply the Best
1997 ARL Grand Final, Newcastle's win
2003 Sattler's tackle
2005 Benjis flick
2008 Beaver Menzies final Manly try
2014 South Sydney triumph
2015 Cowboys win
2016 Sharks break drought

People could argue with that list, but that's ok.

What are some of the best moments in your opinion that make this game special?
 

THE CHAMP

First Grade
Messages
8,222
Like everyone here I love this great game, Rugby League.

Thursday night getting home from work there was nothing on TV.

Then last night there was that real weird feeling, finishing up work, ordering a pizza, opening up a cold one, switching to Fox League with no NRL game, late March on a Friday night.

Even more weird is that I'm actually home on a Friday night, occasionally I would knock off just before the 6pm game, have a few beers at the pub and then maybe kick on afterwards to another pub to catch the 7.30pm game.

No doubt this is a real difficult time, not just Rugby League but for all sports and also families with job cuts and financial issues, people going crazy wondering what's happening in the world.

The one thing that I'm certain on, is that this game will survive.

Yes its sad there is no footy for a while, with players, coaches, officials, taking pay cuts, making sacrifices and clubs facing uncertain futures.

But the game of Rugby League has always dealt with plenty of blows and still got up and kicked on.

Since 1908, we survived 3 wars, WW1, WW2, Super League, we got through salary cap dramas, peptides scandals, plenty of off field dramas.

This is certainly one of the biggest challengers we've ever had to face.

But one of the things that keeps this game going, is us, the fans. We love Rugby League.

Every week from March till September, we read our team lists, sledge each other, make of fun of Cameron Smith, bag the referees, get annoyed by Gus Gould, watch a great game of footy with family, friends, work collegues, fans you don't even know but still have a nice chat them.

I honestly don't know what Id do without Rugby League. I followed this game since I was a kid, I was brought up in a family of Eels, some Bulldogs, Magpies and Panthers but I started noticing the game in the late 80s and early 90s, a great period for the game.

I don't think anyone alive today could ever imagine a time where games have been suspended for a period because of this horrible situation. No-one in Australia would ever thought we'd get to this situation but we've got to stick together, stay at home, fight this disease.

When the dust finally settles, hopefully things are back to normal and the NRL comp starts, and when things get back to normal, which might take a while, I look forward to having that first schooner catching up with mates, collegues, watching the footy on the big screen with a nice plate of chicken wings or sharing a pizza on a Friday night.

Then going to the game the next day, seeing all the blue and gold flags, and opposition flags, cheering my team, booing the opposition, but clapping them at the same time appreciating all the clubs, because its back.

Then the next day we chat to our relatives, work collegues, our neighbours, about the game we just saw during the weekend.

It may be a lot different when we come back, obviously less games, but less teams. (well who knows anyway).

If we have to make sacrifices, taking pay cuts, playing at ANZ (if its not demolished), or playing at Bankwest, Gosford, Brisbane, wherever, as long as it'll keep the game financial.

For now lets look watch some classic matches on Fox League, Youtube or even play Rugby League games on XBOX, PlayStation, PC, imagining what our comp would look like if this virus didn't happen.

Looks like a tough time now but I have no doubt something in the next few years or longer would bring this game back, just like the following moments that made this game special:

1963 Provan Summons embrace
1980 State Of Origin begins
1981 Ding Dong the witch is dead
1989 Raiders Grand Final win
1990 Tina Turner Simply the Best
1997 ARL Grand Final, Newcastle's win
2003 Sattler's tackle
2005 Benjis flick
2008 Beaver Menzies final Manly try
2014 South Sydney triumph
2015 Cowboys win
2016 Sharks break drought

People could argue with that list, but that's ok.

What are some of the best moments in your opinion that make this game special?
Great post. But in 1988 a truly great team was introduced. A team that’s been propping up the league for a long time.

The mighty Brisbane Broncos.

Should really have included that or it gives you away
 

PARRA_FAN

Coach
Messages
17,010
Great post. But in 1988 a truly great team was introduced. A team that’s been propping up the league for a long time.

The mighty Brisbane Broncos.

Should really have included that or it gives you away

Ahh yes when we expanded to Brisbane, Newcastle and Gold Coast.

Very good point.
 

PARRA_FAN

Coach
Messages
17,010
What a weird post. Did you actually order a pizza and get stuck into the beers and then were surprised there was no footy on the TV? It's been all over the news. When I know there's no footy on, I don't sit down to watch footy and then get shocked when there's no footy on.

cecil.jpg


I said a weird feeling because we are not used to it, where did I say I was surprised?
 

THE CHAMP

First Grade
Messages
8,222
Rugby League is truly the greatest game.

We had had players make it into the NFL and not as kickers ffs.

Our athletes walk straight into the all blacks, wallabies and English rugby union sides.

League players have played the crap Victorian game at the highest level. Haven’t seen one of them do jack shit in our sport for a very long time.
 
Messages
11,611
Great post. But in 1988 a truly great team was introduced. A team that’s been propping up the league for a long time.

The mighty Brisbane Broncos.

Should really have included that or it gives you away


Ah yes, the club that proved just how resilient this great game is by almost breaking it.
 

THE CHAMP

First Grade
Messages
8,222
Ah yes, the club that proved just how resilient this great game is by almost breaking it.


Yeah it was all the broncos fault. Have a good look around the league and see how many former broncos players are at other clubs.

We attract more money for the competition than any other club by some margin
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
65,420
Well said, RL is like the working class it was built from. Strong, resilient, used to dealing with sht. It will be fine.

in regards to best times, for my club that was 1980-1986. I was ten when our glory years started and had the best time going to cup finals and cheering my team during championship winning seasons as a kid.
We’ve fallen, and bounced back, a long way since then!
 

T-Boon

Coach
Messages
15,168
Johns to Albert try in 07.
Brilliant theatre.
Totally instinctive and unstructured play.
 

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