ESL now ahead of the NRL

[Non Terminator]

A better game does not mean anything other than the top two teams were closer on ability.The Rhinos like any other team would have been fodder today.

I would only believe that if I saw it.

Good odds eh.

 

[Mr. Fahrenheit]

Most of the non-beleivers would be those that rarely watch the ESL, if at all.

 

[Evil Homer]

:crazy::lol:

Do you ever watch ESL?

 

[oneeyedeaglesman]

I watch it and enjoy it.That said the intensity is chalk and cheese.

 

[Perth Red]

You can keep your intensity and toughness, give me fast play of the balls, lots of breaks and great attacking rugby. That was a great GF and considering the weather conditions it was definately the pick of the two.

GB's/Englands problem has always been lack of strength in depth, nothing has or will change. It is simply a numbers game re juniors and the fact they don't have the advantage of having thousands of Polynesians moving to Blighty.

 

[roopy]

We'll see how the England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland perform at the world cups, if they all do well i might agree that their game is improving.

Wales will be very quiet i think.

 

[Nuke]

No argument there. I reckon Saints v Storm, Leeds v Manly would have provided closer semis though...

The world cup game in Melbourne should be interesting. With GB/England you always feel like the Roos are a try away from breaking the game open and putting a stack of points on, but they usually manage to hang in, and when the forwards fire they can really dominate. With Burrow, Pryce in the halves, experienced centres, Roby at 9 and a good pack they are looking pretty good. Roos backline will be awesome but the Poms will match us up the middle I reckon.

They'd better hope Leon Pryce goes better in the World Cup than he did in the ESL GF last night. He did bugger all.

 

[Girondin]

As a neutral follower of both comps I agree that SL sides play a more entreprising brand of RL but the standard of defending is so much lower that I think the NRL sides would break them at will. On both teams' respective finals form I think Manly would have torn Leeds a new a**hole !

 

[oneeyedeaglesman]

2 tries conceded in 240 minutes of finals footy against three good sides.You never see ESL sides defend like that.Throw in 22 tries as well.

 

[ali]

I think England is going to perform very well in the World Cup. The forward pack is shaping up very nicely and the first choice halves are as good as they've had in a while. The outside backs are not a patch on the Roos, but hopefully their forwards will keep them in games.

 

[fanatique]

The top ESL clubs are just as good as anything in the NRL. Saints, Leeds and arguably the Catalans would be top 6 in the NRL easily. However the quality does tail off out of the top 3. Wigan, potential superstar though they are, are not really the force they can be and bradford have faded.

3 ESL teams would be top 6 in the NRL but only 3 would be top 8 in my view.

 

[KalgoorlieRed]

Most of the non-beleivers would be those that rarely watch the ESL, if at all.

yup

 

[ByRd]

The ESL is not ahead of the NRL, there are a few clubs that can match it with NRL sides but when you get outside that top4/5, the quality drops by a big margin. Teams like Harlequins, Hull KR, Salford, Castleford etc. are not up to standard and our bottom teams here will deal with them easily.

And until the ESL stops poaching 1000 players a year, the comp will always be sub standard cause they are just using NRL hardened players to boost there comp.

 

[Perth Red]

Not saying its ahead in terms of standard but it is arguably more enjoyable to watch.

I think its 23 overseas players signed so far this season and 22 leaving SL so hardly thousands (not to mention there are two new teams to fill the overseas places of). I presume you would consider the English PL a sub standard soccer comp given the number of overseas players plying their trade in it? If you've got the money you sign the best you can, that's globalisation for you!

 

[Chachi]

The under 20's is better to watch than the NRL right now.

That doesn't mean they're better athletes or footballers, it just means the game isn't wrecked by wrestling and terrible video refs.

Hopefully the Cameron Smith suspension indicates the rubbish in the tackles will be eliminated from the game, bringing the sport, and crowds, back up to where it should be.

 

[ByRd]

Not saying its ahead in terms of standard but it is arguably more enjoyable to watch.

I think its 23 overseas players signed so far this season and 22 leaving SL so hardly thousands (not to mention there are two new teams to fill the overseas places of). I presume you would consider the English PL a sub standard soccer comp given the number of overseas players plying their trade in it? If you've got the money you sign the best you can, that's globalisation for you!

The English prem league is different where there are numerous leagues throughout Europe where the comps are high standard. The English super league is (sometimes) a bit better to watch, they throw the ball around more etc. but i think this is due to the fact that NRL teams are more focused and disciplined and the defence here is of a higher standard.

 

[Hanscholo]

You can keep your intensity and toughness, give me fast play of the balls, lots of breaks and great attacking rugby. That was a great GF and considering the weather conditions it was definately the pick of the two.

GB's/Englands problem has always been lack of strength in depth, nothing has or will change. It is simply a numbers game re juniors and the fact they don't have the advantage of having thousands of Polynesians moving to Blighty.

Ok, you put a side that throws the ball around against a side that is intense and physical and the intense side will win by 60. The SL game is where ours was years ago. Im not saying thats a bad thing mind you. I love watching attacking football, but you have to play the way the game is at the time, and in the NRL if your not dominating in the forwards and kicking long your out of the contest after 10 mins.

 

[Shorty]

LOL.
While I agree that the ESL is entertaining to watch.

It is and by a long stretch not ahead of the NRL in terms of quality,the intensity is dramatically different for starters.
The fact that they have to play NRL teams with massive handicaps at the start of the year to be competitive should determine that.

Australia still flogs GB in IRL.

 

[Jasdragon]

Not saying its ahead in terms of standard but it is arguably more enjoyable to watch.

I think its 23 overseas players signed so far this season and 22 leaving SL so hardly thousands (not to mention there are two new teams to fill the overseas places of). I presume you would consider the English PL a sub standard soccer comp given the number of overseas players plying their trade in it? If you've got the money you sign the best you can, that's globalisation for you!

How many ex NRL players are in the ESL at them moment??? bloody heaps! and how many ESL players are in the NRL don't think there is even 1 :lol:. This is a stupid argument.

 

[Perth Red]

Ok, you put a side that throws the ball around against a side that is intense and physical and the intense side will win by 60. The SL game is where ours was years ago. Im not saying thats a bad thing mind you. I love watching attacking football, but you have to play the way the game is at the time, and in the NRL if your not dominating in the forwards and kicking long your out of the contest after 10 mins.

No disagreement but personally i watch RL to be entertained , not to judge the intensity, discipline of a team. Give me an open free flowing game over a staid arm wrestle anyday! That's why I would judge the SL more fun to watch than the NRL. Not better but more fun to watch.