English Super???? League rapid deteriation

[Bennyfishel]

9. English Rugby League Is Dying And They Don't Care
England's 2008 World Cup campaign was the culmination of a disaster that has only been brewing for 30 years. For all the excuses and the inquiries the bald faced fact is that England didnt have any players good enough to play at that level.

Keep in mind, England won just one game in the World Cup, against a Papua New Guinea side that had players in it that make less money in one year than some of the English players spend on boots and taping for that game (And thats not an exaggeration!).

Now the rest of the world is moving forward, the Islands sides are getting better, New Zealand finally won the World Cup, even Australia is booming, its a great thing for the game. But England is getting worse and worse, and the terrible thing is, they don't know or care.

Just watch one Super League match and listen to the commentators saying "If only Sam Burgess was available for the World Cup" as if one young player who has achieved very little was going to turn around 50 point scorelines.

The English still honestly believe they are not far off the top nations and that they are improving. The fact is, they are getting worse....but as I said, they don't care. Ignorance is bliss.

 

[murraymob]

the english need to put a cap on the amount of overseas players allowed.Then it will force the top clubs to play english players pushing the amount available for national selection up

 

[Chook Norris]

The fact that over 10,000 English travelled over, for the World Cup, showed how strong the belief was that they could win. I don't think that England are really that doomed.. imo the warm conditions simply did not suit them at all.. after all, they did lose twice to the World Cup champions in 2 close mathces

 

[deluded pom?]

We just aren't producing enough players of a high enough skill level. There have been a couple of articles recently where players with plenty of SL gametime under their belt were saying that they hadn't been coached since they were amateurs. Nick Fozzard wrote that he'd only received proper coaching as a professional from Ian Millward at Saints. Fozzard was well into his twenties when he arrived at Saints. The attitude in the UK at junior level is win win win. Kids don't learn the basics to a high enough degree so it's a case of give the ball to the big kid who'll smash his way down field with little kids hanging off him. or give it to the fast kid on the wing regardless of whether that kid can actually play the game. For some junior coaches it's just about how many trophies they can boast they've won not how many accomplished players they have produced.

 

[Chook Norris]

someone needs to set up a Rugby League Academy over here as well.. the lack of genuine skilled halfbacks is a little worrying tbh

 

[Evil Homer]

I don't really see what the poor performance of the national team in a short tournament, or the ill-informed opinion of some Aussie journalist has to do with Super League.

 

[St.John]

We're all aware of the shortcomings of the game over here, we have been for some time.

We simply don't produce enough "raw materials" - our playing numbers are incomparable to Australia, for example. But having said that, our young players perform well against Australasian opponents; there just seems to be a sudden development stall, which may well be to do with the senior coaching as was pointed out earlier.

But here's the thing; in the past 10 or 15 years over here, the game here has expanded beyond anything we have known in the past. It's just grassroots level right now, but it's there and it's growing.

And (joy of joys!) we seem to be starting to produce natural, talented halfbacks again. This was a major problem for the national side for quite a while, so it seems we're heading in the right direction again.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Maybe the standard on field isnt up to the quality of the NRL, but off the field they are doing well from what I can tell. They just expanded, their competition spands 3 nations. Their clubs own the competition unlike here in the NRL.

Their main problems that I can see is on field quality, International depth and much like here in the NRL, small crowds.

 

[Evil Homer]

The crowds and on-field quality are as good as they have ever been.

 

[WireMan]

The crowds for most teams is steady at the mo. When the last teams with older grounds get new ones (or get kicked out) then crowds will improve further.

Now we have Franchises teams can develop younger players a bit more without the fear of relegation meaning we don't need to buy old aussies for a quick fix. While the next world cup is probably to soon, we will hopefully do better. The one after that should be good for us.

Large numbers travel because it was a nice holiday in Aus and English fans of all sports follow there teams abroad.

Overall super league is doing well, considering football is the big sport in the areas Rugby league thrives, the only comparison in Aus is in Melbourne as Aussie rules is the biggest game there? Take out the NSW and QLD players and they wouldn't be very good...

 

[sgringhuis]

I think your wrong, the games from ESL in the last 2 years have been the best ive ever seen, they usually beat us in the world club chalange, i think they just picked the wrong players for the work cup, The ESL is going strong Just not as good as the NRL, but i dont think they are far off .

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

Big woop, they beat us in one off games during our off season. Play it 2 weeks after the Grand Finals, then its a real Challenge.

On field, the truth is that it isnt competitive enough. Week in and week out it is almost an even challenge here in the NRL. Clubs had to find another edge in getting over other teams because all teams are almost as good as each other. That is why we have the so called "boring and repetitive" style of footy we have now. Also in the UK, junior coaches care more about their teams winning rather then teaching their kids the basic skills of the game. Players will say that they learn more about the game when they enter the Super League as coaches there will teach them new skills. Adrian Morley developed into a better player when he came over here to the NRL, the improvments were obvious.

 

[WireMan]

Big woop, they beat us in one off games during our off season. Play it 2 weeks after the Grand Finals, then its a real Challenge.

On field, the truth is that it isnt competitive enough. Week in and week out it is almost an even challenge here in the NRL. Clubs had to find another edge in getting over other teams because all teams are almost as good as each other. That is why we have the so called "boring and repetitive" style of footy we have now. Also in the UK, junior coaches care more about their teams winning rather then teaching their kids the basic skills of the game. Players will say that they learn more about the game when they enter the Super League as coaches there will teach them new skills. Adrian Morley developed into a better player when he came over here to the NRL, the improvments were obvious.

The WCC is a match between the best super league team and the best NRL team, it's close and you never know who is going to win. The answer is of course not that maybe, just maybe, the super league is better than aussies would dare to admit. No, its that no one cares about it. Of course if you saw the teams, and how gutted the losing team always is, the truth is obvious.

The ESL is very competitve this year. Its what we are building towards. Thats right building. Cronulla, Newcastle, Manly, Parra all going bust and the only answer is to expand to the Central Coast, is not building. Yes England had a horrible world cup, but news flash, Australia didn't win it either.

I like watching the NRL, because i like Rugby league. I don't like having a pop at the Aussie league, but i really annoys me the attitude Aussies have to any sport played in the UK.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

The WCC is a match between the best super league team and the best NRL team, it's close and you never know who is going to win. The answer is of course not that maybe, just maybe, the super league is better than aussies would dare to admit. No, its that no one cares about it. Of course if you saw the teams, and how gutted the losing team always is, the truth is obvious.

The ESL is very competitve this year. Its what we are building towards. Thats right building. Cronulla, Newcastle, Manly, Parra all going bust and the only answer is to expand to the Central Coast, is not building. Yes England had a horrible world cup, but news flash, Australia didn't win it either.

I like watching the NRL, because i like Rugby league. I don't like having a pop at the Aussie league, but i really annoys me the attitude Aussies have to any sport played in the UK.

Yes thats it, Aussies are affraid to admit that the SL is a bit better then we let on. Thats the reason why we say we dont care. Not the fact that its a trial match for the NRL side. Its played almost half a year after the best teams are decided, how can you expect anyone to give a damn.

Newcastle and Parra are trading profitably now. Newcastle posting almost a $1 Million profit. Manly only really had issues with their stadium. Cronulla on the other hand are well and truely buggered.

Oh and yes, I know that Australia didnt win the World Cup, we were in the Final remember ;-). But the team that did win the World Cup had 16 out of 17 NRL based players in it.

I like the Super League, I love watch the game over there because it gives a real international feel to Rugby League. But the blindness towards the Super League of some Pommies towards their competition just annoys me.;-)

 

[WireMan]

But i actually watch the world club championship, you clearly don't. Thats your choice. But because you don't care don't mean the team involved doesn't care.

The team that won the world cup had one player in ESL, the team that lost had none. Its quite clear where the difference in the teams was... ;-)

That and a Billy Slater brain Freeze. :crazy:

 

[WireMan]

Newcastle and Parra are trading profitably now. Newcastle posting almost a $1 Million profit. Manly only really had issues with their stadium. Cronulla on the other hand are well and truely buggered.

Good to hear, shame about the sharks, but judging by what else i have read on this forum they will hardly be missed?

Still think that CC bears is a mistake. but hey ho, what will be, will be..

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

But i actually watch the world club championship, you clearly don't. Thats your choice. But because you don't care don't mean the team involved doesn't care.

The team that won the world cup had one player in ESL, the team that lost had none. Its quite clear where the difference in the teams was... ;-)

That and a Billy Slater brain Freeze. :crazy:

I actually did watch the WCC and I hope it becomes seriously successful in the future. But It isnt going to happen here in Australia unless it is held a couple of weeks after the GF. I care about every part of rugby league that exists, im talking about the general perception of it by people in Australia.

The team that had only SL players in it, only won 1 game barely, against a Rugby League "minnow".

Thomas Leuluai is a product made by the NRL and NZ development. Hardly something Super League can claim. You can claim Mark Calderwood, running into fellow country men during a match. Thats unpredictable, best thing about SL.;-)

 

[WireMan]

I actually did watch the WCC and I hope it becomes seriously successful in the future. But It isnt going to happen here in Australia unless it is held a couple of weeks after the GF. I care about every part of rugby league that exists, im talking about the general perception of it by people in Australia.

The team that had only SL players in it, only won 1 game barely, against a Rugby League "minnow".

Thomas Leuluai is a product made by the NRL and NZ development. Hardly something Super League can claim. You can claim Mark Calderwood, running into fellow country men during a match. Thats unpredictable, best thing about SL.;-)

I was only joking!! I am hardly gonna comment about Englands performances, although we prob should of beat NZ. But we didn't. In some ways its better we didn't, no "unlucky boys" this time. Changes all around now.

i don't know when to hold the WCC, after the grand final there are internationals and players just wanna go on there hols. Maybe a week before the start of your season? Your teams will be fully prepared and it will be a last hard match before the season proper starts.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

i don't know when to hold the WCC, after the grand final there are internationals and players just wanna go on there hols. Maybe a week before the start of your season? Your teams will be fully prepared and it will be a last hard match before the season proper starts.

When, here is what would be ideal.
Oct 3rd: SL GF
Oct 4th: NRL GF
Oct 17th: WCC
Oct 31st: Start of 4N
Nov 21st: 4N Final

Its only an extra week of footy, but it would require the SL to start the season a week early even though it already dose start early.

 

[WireMan]

When, here is what would be ideal.
Oct 3rd: SL GF
Oct 4th: NRL GF
Oct 17th: WCC
Oct 31st: Start of 4N
Nov 21st: 4N Final

Its only an extra week of footy, but it would require the SL to start the season a week early even though it already dose start early.

That would work!!

Shame its rugby league though so it will never happen.

Would be a cracking match though.