Is Bennett past it?

[aqua_duck]

Good points. I think thats relevant to every club though. The 20s is a shit comp in regards to preparing nrl players.

I agree about the 20's being a shit development ground but a few lean years in the NYC can kill off a players future and it's done so for many of our promising juniors.
In recent years we had guys who looked like world beaters in SG Ball, schoolboys championships, underage origin games etc and none of them kicked on, they literally get to NYC and lose their ability

 

[Bengal]

who gives a f**k what they think besides most kids and newbie fans aren't informed enough to realise what's going on, but the fact is it's vital to the success of a football team.

I do because they?re the future. As a Leaguie growing up in Union heartland (NZ) I watched as League almost did the impossible and rolled Union from its number one perch ? something that League would?ve been able to achieve had the Union diehards and traditionalists had their way. But the Union powers-that-be to their credit hired outsiders that, long story short, eventually lead to a near complete overhaul of their game that quickly cemented their position back on the top of the sporting tree here in NZ. Similar things have happened in Oz and even though Union was never anywhere near the top of the tree ? I?ve seen that game progress from playing internationals at shitty Concord oval in the eighties to having several domestic (state-type) teams who regularly attract crowds above the international attendances they once got, not to mention the big crowds their national team attracts. Of course we can argue that they don?t get big TV audiences which is a valid point. But two decades+ ago they didn?t get TV audiences nor big gates to their game either.

That game keeps progressing and developing ensuring that their product is as attractive as it can be. They learnt their lesson from us not to take their game nor their audience for granted. We on the other hand, we?re going backwards at a great rate of knots. We have joke scrums; we have waterboys continuously on the field, we?re lauding boring play (wrestling), we?ve outlawed the games most spectacular play of all (the shoulder charge) and we?re even mucking around with one of the few real attacking options developed over recent years (decoy plays). The game is going backwards but unfortunately most people can?t see that and won?t see that until its too late. As a League fan that took decades of crap from Union - it pains me to see what's happening to this once great game .

I don't care about Bennett's philosophical objections or who he has to hire to fix it, until we fix it we'll be also-rans

I don?t know about ?Bennett's philosophical objections? but I do know that without decent cattle then all coaches are up against it.

 

[maple_69]

I think it's a valid point. As much as we'll both get slammed for complimenting the direction of Rugby, they have made the necessary tweeks when needed to keep their game relevant. That said, they're still a long way off the entertainment that league provides, but we have a much better product to work with.

If I started watching NRL from about 2006, I doubt I'd be as interested as I am now based on a love of the game developed when it was a joy to watch and a crazy, illogical allegiance to a team.

What the game needs, if the administrators don't do anything, is a supremely talented side (could be Canberra, could be Penrith) to blow away the status quo with free flowing football and force the rest to adapt to match them.

 

[Amadaca]

I think it's a valid point. As much as we'll both get slammed for complimenting the direction of Rugby, they have made the necessary tweeks when needed to keep their game relevant. That said, they're still a long way off the entertainment that league provides, but we have a much better product to work with.

If I started watching NRL from about 2006, I doubt I'd be as interested as I am now based on a love of the game developed when it was a joy to watch and a crazy, illogical allegiance to a team.

What the game needs, if the administrators don't do anything, is a supremely talented side (could be Canberra, could be Penrith) to blow away the status quo with free flowing football and force the rest to adapt to match them.

It won't happen. The Panthers had such a team in 2003. The Tigers had such a team in 2005. Teams like those didn't change the League, because you just can't coach what they have the way you can defensive outfits.

 

[Loudstrat]

I think it's a valid point. As much as we'll both get slammed for complimenting the direction of Rugby, they have made the necessary tweeks when needed to keep their game relevant. That said, they're still a long way off the entertainment that league provides, but we have a much better product to work with.

If I started watching NRL from about 2006, I doubt I'd be as interested as I am now based on a love of the game developed when it was a joy to watch and a crazy, illogical allegiance to a team.

What the game needs, if the administrators don't do anything, is a supremely talented side (could be Canberra, could be Penrith) to blow away the status quo with free flowing football and force the rest to adapt to match them.

Its actually a very good point. We currently marvel at the individuals who have done amazing things in your time - Hayne, Benji, Slater, Barber and now GI. We dont marvel at the teams teams who do amazing things like the 01 Eels, 02 Warriors, 05 Tigers and Cowboys or even the 08 Sea Eagles.

Canberra are the closest atm, but they are as consistent as Telstra Customer Service.

 

[Delboy]

I agree about the 20's being a shit development ground but a few lean years in the NYC can kill off a players future and it's done so for many of our promising juniors.
In recent years we had guys who looked like world beaters in SG Ball, schoolboys championships, underage origin games etc and none of them kicked on, they literally get to NYC and lose their ability

Well, when you consider that the U20s competition was the brainchild of one Denis Fitzgerld as a way to save money by cutting reserve grade, and his painfully stupid idea that if you don't make NRL by the time you are 20, then you are past it

No wonder that it stuffs up the game, the man was a legend in his own lunchtime, whoever called him the Emperor deserve a punch in the head, as he lived off that too

 

[magpie4ever]

Well, when you consider that the U20s competition was the brainchild of one Denis Fitzgerld as a way to save money by cutting reserve grade, and his painfully stupid idea that if you don't make NRL by the time you are 20, then you are past it

No wonder that it stuffs up the game, the man was a legend in his own lunchtime, whoever called him the Emperor deserve a punch in the head, as he lived off that too

Agreed, can I suggest you punch Hadley in the head.

There is a need for a national reserve grade comp in line with the NRL (make it around a $1 million cap (20 players on an average of $50 grand) plus any of the top 25 NRL players dropping back.

Under 20s returns to a 9 week Jersey Flegg comp as with Ball and Matts.

The NSW Cup becomes a U23s comp, then open aged RMC Cup and Sydney Shield comps.

 

[Spot On]

I think a couple in here are over stating the "wrestle" as Newcastle's reason for losing games. The ruck has sped up a lot this year. Penalties galore for f**king around in there now. People aren't looking in the right places to see the problem.

 

[Shorty]

Newcastle was always going to be bigger challenge than the saints, and the injury issues with Newcastle seem to a bigger deal than most teams.
I'd happily have him at the Cows, you guys can have Henry if you like lol.

 

[Card Shark]

Maybe the last 5 years away from his family is taking a toll?

He wouldn't have the luxury of flying home when he wanted on Tinkler's jet anymore.

 

[betcats]

All of Nathan Tinklers works are destined to fail, kinghts included.

It is the curse of the unpaid tradie, or the kmav curse.

 

[Card Shark]

the kmav curse.

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