Footy is a spectator sport.

[Johnsy]

Football is a spectator sport, either in league or union. This begs the question why is union so bloody boring to watch. Lets look at the highest standard of games in union, the Tri-Nation torurnament. In the 2 games so far a total of 1 try and 20 goals in 160 minutes of football, hardly worth paying to watch. Would you fork out $40-50 to watch a wrestle and goal-athon interupted only by inept refeering? Lets look at 2 of the lower scoring games in State of origin for this year, games 3 & 2. A total of15 tries and 12 goals ummmmmmmm which would more interesting fore the spectators to watch. This is union biggest problem, they love hearing the phrase "running rugby" but when was the last time you saw this at international level? But lets be fair hey, look at the recent british lions tour 3 games a total of 14 tries and 26 goals, an average of 3.6 tries a game and 8.6 goals a game. As a spectacle union has some way to go. Johnsy

 

[imported_Roopy4246]

I have speculated on this a lot in recent times and it's my opinion that League is a game developed with spectators in mind, while Union is a game developed by players and for players.
Jack Gibson once dismissed Union as 'an excuse for fat forwards,' and this is, as usual with Jack, a precise summing up of the situation. The Union game allows a lot of guys to go out and get really involved in a technical old slog. Boring to watch, but no doubt great to play.
Union players go on playing into middle age often and they seem to have a great time bumping into each other, long after they have lost the ability to run fast and play hard.
Test match Union is barely watchable, but the lower the standard, the less watchable it gets. I can watch a good test, just, but club Rugby would rate with lawn bowls on the watchability scale.

 

[ozbash]

dont get me wrong, i love league, but a g/f is the closest league can get to union. its dull,boring and lacks the excitement normally associated with league.
give me a semi anyday.

 

[Johnsy]

I agrre with you tony, one of my favourite games was the elimination semi between the drags and sharks. Choc won the game in a space of 10 minutes, ahhhh the excitement of a sudden death semi final. Only 6 weeks to go.

Johnsy

 

[Gasnier]

i don't get it. Our game is in a lot of trouble but all that this site talks about is Union.Everyone seems to be trying to convince themselves that we are the best.If we are then why is everything so hopeless in attitude.I'm going down to the pub to talk footy.It's knock off time anyway.

 

[Marcus]

Johnsy,

"The greatest game of all" lol.

Yeah, RL has the greatest of everything. High tackles, shoulder charges, scrums, hopoate, no contest of possession, bad kickers (except for JT), etc.

Mate, haven't you checked the score lines of the matches last week, the week before that, and the other week before that. Notice the winning margins??? 30 points, 40 points, even some 50 points. Its nice to have tries, but people don't want to go to games and know already know who's won at the end of the 1st half. People of course want excitement, but they also want to see intensity.

As a spectacle union has some way to go.

If its not a spectacle, why do I see the stadiums packed?

 

[Willow]

Marcus your predujuce is growing into a rather ugly mole. You really should have it removed.

If its not a spectacle, why do I see the stadiums packed?
That's a silly thing to say. A few well publicised internationals are mere highlights of the real situation. We all know that RU can't get great numbers at their club games. Let's not push this discussion down to that level.


I actually like Rugby Union. It's OK.
Ask a RU supporter about the most exciting moment they can think of in a game of Union this year and they'll probably mention the goal John Eales kicked to win a match for Australia. I saw it on telly and I thought it was a real buzz as well.

But ask a Rugby League supporter about they're exciting moment this year....
Well, go ahead, ask me ......

My most exciting moment this year was watching a certain winger taking the ball downfield with 70 metres of paddock in front of him. This certain winger began by evading the defence, accelerating at an incredible pace, kicking over the head of the cover defence whilst in full stride and scoring one the seasons most exhilarating tries.... moments before fulltime...thus giving his team victory.
He finished of by doing somersaults and back flips through the air and the crowd went crazy!
Slightly off the subject, I know...

 

[Marcus]

willow,

......Nathan Blacklock of course

. Yes, that was something special. It was such a shame not seeing him in the SOO, he really deserved to be in there.

I know my presence has the tendency to annoy people on this forum, and it mainly has to do with the fact I am a RU supporter. I know I am the outsider here, and many of the views that I provide are essentially from an "outsiders" prespective.

All that I am trying to provide, is a balanced view......hopefully!

 

[Willow]

Marcus, you should know that despite the shaky start, you are most welcomed here. I value your comments.
Personally, I wish the RU v RL debate never existed.
But it does so maybe we just to live with it.
Cheers mate.