Gus Gould

[gerg]

For sure. If the definition of a "good footballer" includes being able to play what is in front of you (this gets labeled "heads up football" now but wasn't even a term in the 80s or 90s as that was a bit part of every play) well then today's players/halves are a pretty low standard of footballer.

Not singling you out T boon but you only need to look at any old game from the 90s to see massive gaps in defensive structures. Didn't really take much to look like an amazing ball player in the 90s because the players weren't as fit, or big so they didn't cover the space in defence, as well as they do now. This is why all teams had that superfit lock / sweeper cleaning up all the linebreaks.

The modern player from 1 to 17 has infinitely more ball skills than playmakers 40+ years ago. It's pure fantasy to think otherwise. Go and watch a 90s game and get back to us.

 

[Trifili13]

Let's then just scrap all records and disband the immortals concept as they don't compare with the greats of the past decade. Are those who are waxing lyrical about Cleary, Yeo, JFH (or any other player you want to mention) going to say there are not up to the standard and would not be able to compete and get trampled in 30 or 40 years time?

 

[Saxon]

The modern player from 1 to 17 has infinitely more ball skills than playmakers 40+ years ago. It's pure fantasy to think otherwise. Go and watch a 90s game and get back to us.

What absolute twaddle. I defy you to name any current forward who would have "infinitely more ball skills" than say Sterling or Mortimer. In fact apart from a handful of hookers (several of whom played most of their junior careers at halfback) I doubt you can name more than one or two who who even enter the conversation.

 

[dogslife]

Let's then just scrap all records and disband the immortals concept as they don't compare with the greats of the past decade. Are those who are waxing lyrical about Cleary, Yeo, JFH (or any other player you want to mention) going to say there are not up to the standard and would not be able to compete and get trampled in 30 or 40 years time?

I think you'll find most, if not all Penrith players would stand up in any era, even moving forward.

Nobody else though.

 

[Captain Apollo]

Today's forwards? Ball skills?!!!!

Guys like Arthur Beetson make today';s forwards look like a team of under 6 players. Many of today's NRL players, both forwards and backs don't even know how to do a draw and pass.

 

[gerg]

What absolute twaddle. I defy you to name any current forward who would have "infinitely more ball skills" than say Sterling or Mortimer. In fact apart from a handful of hookers (several of whom played most of their junior careers at halfback) I doubt you can name more than one or two who who even enter the conversation.

There's really no need to remove the context from what I said. Put any forward today up against the diabolical defence of the pre professional era and they would absolutely kill it. Please... before you respond go take a look at an 80s or 90s game. Teams back then rarely needed set plays to rip through the opposition. I played in that era. All you had to do was 'put it through the hands' and if it made it to the winger you would score a try, 9 out of 10 times.

 

[Det.Wojciehowicz]

Exactly Captain. I'll wager these guys have never seen a game thats more than 40 years old.

 

[Saxon]

There's really no need to remove the context from what I said. Put any forward today up against the diabolical defence of the pre professional era and they would absolutely kill it. Please... before you respond go take a look at an 80s or 90s game. Teams back then rarely needed set plays to rip through the opposition. I played in that era. All you had to do was 'put it through the hands' and if it made it to the winger you would score a try, 9 out of 10 times.

I'm not removing any context. You said "The modern player from 1 to 17 has infinitely more ball skills than playmakers 40+ years ago." This is obviously not the case.

That's not taking you out of context. You made two separate and distinct statements - each of which is capable of standing on it's own. One of which was the judgement that defences back then were nowhere near as good as today, the other a blanket opinion which was obviously complete bullshit.

 

[gerg]

I'm not removing any context. You said "The modern player from 1 to 17 has infinitely more ball skills than playmakers 40+ years ago." This is obviously not the case.

That's not taking you out of context. You made two separate and distinct statements - each of which is capable of standing on it's own. One of which was the judgement that defences back then were nowhere near as good as today, the other a blanket opinion which was obviously complete bullshit.

How old are you? I'm not asking to belittle you, just curious how far back you've watched. Haas, Tapine, Yeo to name just a few have more ball playing ability than the halves playing back then. Peter Sterling used to be pretty open about the skill difference between the different eras.

Haas and Tapine would have 20+ offloads a game back then.

 

[kurt faulk]

I use an ad blocker so I've lost all my privileges on this site.

Why would I change it anyway? It's trot bra!

You're lucky. Watching on the phone means ads that cover the whole screen and won't go away. You have to scroll up and down to try to make them disappear so you can see one thread title to click on before the ad reappears to trick you to click on it.

.

 

[Perth Red]

How old are you? I'm not asking to belittle you, just curious how far back you've watched. Haas, Tapine, Yeo to name just a few have more ball playing ability than the halves playing back then. Peter Sterling used to be pretty open about the skill difference between the different eras.

Haas and Tapine would have 20+ offloads a game back then.

Gavin Miller >>>>>> Yeo for ball handling.

 

[Cheese sandwich]

Don Bradman would only average 27 in today's game.

Oh sorry, wrong sport.

 

[Crazyperpman]

Not on the Bulldogs Radar.

 

[Saxon]

How old are you? I'm not asking to belittle you, just curious how far back you've watched. Haas, Tapine, Yeo to name just a few have more ball playing ability than the halves playing back then. Peter Sterling used to be pretty open about the skill difference between the different eras.

Haas and Tapine would have 20+ offloads a game back then.

I was in high school when Parra won their first 3 premierships. So yes, I watched that era.

Sorry, but a few offloads and the occasional decent pass doesn't mean better skills than the key playmakers of the 80's. Asserting that Haas has more ball playing ability than Sterlo (who is too modest for his own good) is just risible.

 

[Trifili13]

I was in high school when Parra won their first 3 premierships. So yes, I watched that era.

Sorry, but a few offloads and the occasional decent pass doesn't mean better skills than the key playmakers of the 80's. Asserting that Haas has more ball playing ability than Sterlo (who is too modest for his own good) is just risible.

And Kenny (Brett, not the Mitch variety) was a genius. A pure footballer, not some athlete who happened to play league. Would run rings around most 5/8ths of today if he had the same diet and training methods as they do.

 

[Fangs]

And Kenny (Brett, not the Mitch variety) was a genius. A pure footballer, not some athlete who happened to play league. Would run rings around most 5/8ths of today if he had the same diet and training methods as they do.

When I go back and watch footage from the 80s Brett Kenny appears to stand head and shoulders above his contemporaries. Even Wally Lewis to be honest.

 

[Captain Apollo]

When I go back and watch footage from the 80s Brett Kenny appears to stand head and shoulders above his contemporaries. Even Wally Lewis to be honest.

A lot of Wally's contemporaries in the Qld Origin side, and Wally himself, used to cheer when Kenny wasn't picked at five eight for NSW. They've said it publicly he gave them a heap of trouble whenever he played five eight for NSW.

 

[dogslife]

Brett Kenny. Wally Lewis. Brad Fittler. You could go on for days. It's all a moot point anyway. Not one of them are fit to carry the bags of modern day titans like *checks notes* Blaize Talagi

 

[Dogs Of War]

Not on the Bulldogs Radar.

View attachment 102688

Well if he wants to win a comp, that's a great move.

 

[Trifili13]

Brett Kenny. Wally Lewis. Brad Fittler. You could go on for days. It's all a moot point anyway. Not one of them are fit to carry the bags of modern day titans like *checks notes* Blaize Talagi

Also not as good as a kid called Galvin according to some person who hadn't met him until about a week ago by accident.