If wrestling in tackles was abolished...

[mickdo]

Get rid of interchanges and go back to replacements

 

[Maroubra Eel]

And oranges at halftime.

 

[spiderdan]

Yeah cause there are way less injuries in the modern game?!:roll:
More interchanges means fresher players and higher impact collisions resulting in more injuries. IMO

can you show me the numbers that prove there is higher impact collisions, and if so that there is a conclusive link to greater injuries? I'd say you can't. When the nrl operated under unlimited interchange the rate of injury was no different to now.

 

[Tony Bongo]

And oranges at halftime.

I would rather oranges than mid strength Tooheys.

 

[Maroubra Eel]

I would rather oranges than mid strength Tooheys.

Is this what the players are having at halftime these days?

 

[Eels Dude]

Is this what the players are having at halftime these days?

If they were it would explain a lot.

 

[Strangenuts]

can you show me the numbers that prove there is higher impact collisions, and if so that there is a conclusive link to greater injuries? I'd say you can't. When the nrl operated under unlimited interchange the rate of injury was no different to now.

Nup can't show you numbers or stats, as I said it's just my opinion. But every year the media carry on how there are so many more injuries in the game today, they might be hyping it up? But please show me your numbers with the rates of injuries compared to the interchange rules.

 

[Tony Bongo]

Is this what the players are having at halftime these days?

No I bet they can still get full strength.

 

[spiderdan]

Nup can't show you numbers or stats, as I said it's just my opinion. But every year the media carry on how there are so many more injuries in the game today, they might be hyping it up? But please show me your numbers with the rates of injuries compared to the interchange rules.

Much like your opinion I can't do that because injuries are incidental to any collision sport and the truth of it is that any numbers won't show a direct link, they are just numbers. They are gonna happen and people, mainly in (but not always from) the media always try to point the finger at something for a story. Was only just a few weeks ago that the panthers and media were trying to draw a link to the worn surface of parra stadium as the cause of an injury to a penrith player, even though there was only one injury.

In my opinion the interchange thing and injuries is just something drummed up by old school players and the media because it's one of those things that gets people taking about how something needs to be changed (most years we also get the thing about how there isn't enough talent in league to support more than 16 teams but also get stories about how there is so much talent drained playing esl. Same thing every year about pre-season leading to so many injuries regardless of the inconsistent amount ).

At the end of it the nrl and the media reporting nrl have never actually provided stats that conclusively back up that restricting interchange lowers injuries. The only organization that I've seen do it is collingwood in the afl (when they went from four players close to unlimited to three players unrestricted with one sub last year), and funnily enough the numbers had a big shift showing the effect of fatigue on injury. While it was only over 2011 it was consistent across the afl and backed up by coaches of the other clubs. Again the numbers may just be coincidental but sports med research has shown that fatigue does play a big part in injury.

Put it this way, apart from blocker whining on the radio about interchange, when it was unrestricted was the product worse? My opinion is no.

 

[Tony Bongo]

On topic it was good to see Cameron Smith get penalised last night for working the player over. What a shame he was playing for Australia at the time though. It's not hard for the refs to speed up the play the ball if everyone including them is instructed to do it.

 

[Gronk]

All the storm boys were awsome last night. As was Inglis.

#merkins

 

[mickdo]

On topic it was good to see Cameron Smith get penalised last night for working the player over. What a shame he was playing for Australia at the time though. It's not hard for the refs to speed up the play the ball if everyone including them is instructed to do it.

I yelled the exact same thing at the TV. Took a pommie ref to see the obvious.

 

[eel01s]

I yelled the exact same thing at the TV. Took a pommie ref to see the obvious.

Agreed! The pommie ref was outstanding I thought, warning the players to get up quickly. And notice how the players responded instantly - which tells me if the NRL refs (and Bill Harrigan) grew a pair and changed their "interpretation" the game would change for the better overnight.

 

[Justafan]

Last night you could clearly hear the Pommie Referee yell "MOOVE" after several seconds in every tackle. Commented to a few friends also watching the game and they all agreed that it was clear that the players were listening and obeying the call. Made for a pretty good spectacle I thought. Now, if only during regular games the NRL refs did the same...worth dreaming about I suppose.

 

[lingard]

Yeh, but they pretty quickly went from the entertainers to the thugs when Warren Ryan got hold of them.

Suity

Another great era. Some of the Canterbury players were thugs, but overall they were extremely talented and extremely well coached.