How many of you...

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Palyed from 7's thru to first grade in the bush. Played FG in Group 8 (canberra) which is a good bush league.

Finished at 23 due to work commitments. Came back at 29 for a year and wish i could still do it now. Loved every minute.

 

[Sugar]

Played
15's, 16's, 18's , C Grade,B grade, A Grade

The time will come and have a crack at Masters.

Loved playing footy

 

[thommo4pm]

Played for 20+ years. Made Jersey Flegg as a halfback, never really tried to go further from there. Work and family commitments made me stop playing A Grade in Penrith Junior League.
Refereed for 2 seasons after that, and also coached for 3 years.

Played against Brad Drew, Willie Leyshon and a few other grade players (no massive names).

Loved it, was the ultimate team sport, and test of someone's physical and mental toughness.

Still play touch footy now, and would love to play again, but I enjoy watching my 7 & 6 year old boys run around now.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Played from 12 to 17, mostly at hooker. Fractured my sternum attempting to tackle a giant Fijian during a school game and was out for a year. First game back I cracked it again and decided that my future lay elsewhere. Loved playing.

 

[Big Pete]

Has anyone ever played against famous RL players?

My claim to fame is i used to play backyard footy with Steve Turner who was my cousin's best mate when they were 10.
Also played against hayne in a knock out comp, his team flogged us, he scored about 5 tries, a few of them straight through me :lol:

Not famous by any means, but played against Canberra Raider Under 20's player Chris Medcalf back in primary. The kid was an absolute freak, had unbelievable footwork for a kid that age and I remember him basically ghosting straight past my entire team to score.

Only knew it was him because we went to the same after-school care together. We were the older kids of the group and I just remember he was extremely competitive in everything and he had a dirty sense of humour, even at his age. Loved his League too, would reference it relentlessly.

 

[jonno_knights]

Sims Gerringong, Rein Kiama, Henry Warilla....which group 7 team did you play with?

Oh, and if I remember correctly....Tariq played wing for the Lions, didn't he?

Sharks.

I think tariq played in the forwards when I played him. Might have played on the wing when he played grade or something though. But Both Gerringong and Kiama were both in between the A's and B's in junior footy back then, so for a B comp Tariq didnt dominate anywhere near the level you would have expected watching him play today. Could turn it off and on in spurts though, so may have been an attitude thing.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Has anyone ever played against famous RL players?

My claim to fame is i used to play backyard footy with Steve Turner who was my cousin's best mate when they were 10.
Also played against hayne in a knock out comp, his team flogged us, he scored about 5 tries, a few of them straight through me :lol:

With and against Jason Croker ex Raiders, NSW and IRL and Brett Boyd ex Raider and Cowboy.

Fun times.

 

[adamkungl]

I've played 13 years for Greystanes Devils, Merrylands Rams, Coogee Wombats. Mostly on the wing, usually one of the smallest on the field, and I've always been pretty rubbish but it keeps me fit and is good fun so whatever. Put on a bit of size so i've actually spent most of this year off the wing for once.

 

[Mr Fourex]

Played RL from U/7's through to U/21's

Was getting to the stage where I had to get serious or give it away

Brown bottles of gold and funny little cigarettes.......

and girls

won over.........

Opposed Craig Grauf (Broncos '89 bench player) on and off through the years...........played all over him in a school boys rep game, he later on was chosen to represent QLD .......U/12's

I've got two young boys. I haven't pushed them towards RL........they've chosen soccer for the moment and as a concerned parent, I can't say I'm unhappy

..........lot bigger kids out there these days.

I was a small player.....halfback. Played against plenty of big kids.

It's not the same anymore. Some of these kids are giants even for adults.

 

[***MH***]

Played from under 7's till under 18's, then been refereeing since then for 9 years.

 

[Fingerbang]

Sharks.

I think tariq played in the forwards when I played him. Might have played on the wing when he played grade or something though. But Both Gerringong and Kiama were both in between the A's and B's in junior footy back then, so for a B comp Tariq didnt dominate anywhere near the level you would have expected watching him play today. Could turn it off and on in spurts though, so may have been an attitude thing.

My boys played with the Eagles. Pretty sure it was Tariq Sims I saw playing on the wing for Gerringong, and it was in grade footy.

 

[Red Bear]

Beau Henry was the age group below me, played cricket against him and saw their school team trounce someone before one of our school games.

Dad played against Benny Elias in school footy, his team got absolutely smashed and the school band was playing after every try, today at Leichhardt when there were a few guys with trumpets/trombones it reminded him of that. He played against Nathan Gibbs as well as a few other players around that era, and with some obscure norths player.

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

I played with Justin Horo in primary school. He was the best on our team. I played with Matthew Wright in high school. Im honestly surprised that he has kicked on like he has. He was never that good.

 

[Bicey_18]

A few years back now when i was living in Bowraville.. I used to play with a current NRL player in school. Was the best player by far...although he made a habit of not showing up when the conditions were poor... I still remember his excuse ... "I couldnt come play today, its raining and the buses aren't running"

 

[taipan]

High school, 1 year of rugby league and 5 years of union.1 year of joy 5 of pain.
Now league flows through my veins,as fast as the heart pumps it.

 

[Bgoodorgoodatit]

played from under 7's to 23.

mostly for the paddington tigers in sydney. few early season for waterloo

moved to QLD under 16's. (not sure who im eligible for... :sarcasm

always played in the centres.

played in and against teams with matt balin, antonio kafusi, willie tonga, nick parfitt, maurice blair.

i beat out willie tonga for the starting centre spot in a rep team once. before he went down to parra.

played colts in birsbane for wests for a season and then just played for UQ for some fun after that.

was seriously considering going back having a run in the brisbane a grade seconds for some fun. only 27 and still pretty fit.

 

[gronkathon]

Played from very young.

Played Union at school because all they played but league on the weekends.

Played up to Harold Matthews. Copped a back injury early in the season. Was looking at coming back but the SL thing really tore my heart away from the game for a while so quit. Was ok. Played second row and prop.

Had an ill fated comeback at age 30 and I enjoyed it when I made it out there but in that season I got a concussion or two and dislocated my kneecap in a trial.

So that was it.

 

[seaeagle sam]

Played league and union until I turned 18. I'm in my early 40s which means I was playing before union turned professional so i had to chose what to play when i turned 18. Choose union cause I like the social aspect more and the Saturday arvo games gave the bod a chance to recover before work on Monday.

Played a bit of both in my mid 20s and still play the occasional rugby game in thirsty thirds.

 

[RHCP]

f**ked around in soccer (lol) when I was very young just because my mates played, followed by two years in union because it was what I was raised on. Started playing league U12s and have been playing ever since (U17s now). Began as a second rower but playing front row now. Can't get enough, love it.

Obviously being a lot younger than most I haven't played with any famous players. But I've played with and against a lot of guys who are certainly going to be playing first grade and possibly beyond for some, very strong comp here in Newcastle.

 

[***MH***]

From a lot of posters who have played other sports and then League, it's great to see most of the preference is towards League. I've only ever grown up playing League and Squash, I can't really compare that to those who have played Union and Soccer though.

Although, from an outside perspective, League really is a sport that gives both teams an equal opportunity in both attack and defense. Union and Soccer could easily have an uneven level of possession and territory which will heavily impact a poor team. A poor team in League at least have a sporting chance of six tackles in possession before being scored against!