Is the All Stars game now officially a joke??

[Loudstrat]

TBH it isn't Burgess so much as some of the silly rules making it a joke.

 

[Jason_(Is_our_King)_Smith]

Game's been sold out for weeks --- interest in the team voting system was sky-high --- the match has generated plenty of positive feel-good stgories for rugby league in the off-season. Why bag an initiative like this before it's even been played?

 

[typicalfan]

Game's been sold out for weeks --- interest in the team voting system was sky-high --- the match has generated plenty of positive feel-good stgories for rugby league in the off-season. Why bag an initiative like this before it's even been played?

exactly without it all we would be talking about is that big moron from the Chooks heading north.

Great for the game and a great way to spread the game, play it in the new Storm venue in 2011 for example

 

[East Coast Tiger]

The Sevens would still be better.

 

[aussie_q_factor]

Game's been sold out for weeks --- interest in the team voting system was sky-high --- the match has generated plenty of positive feel-good stgories for rugby league in the off-season. Why bag an initiative like this before it's even been played?

People on this forum love to bag everything. Tough crowd to please thats for sure. We like to whinge because nothing appears to get done, but as soon as something is done, what do we do? Bag the hell of out of it...Quite comical really.

I am looking forward to the game. Yeah, it's an exihibition match, but a great way to see in the new season.

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

Playing it in quarters, video ref's explaining decisions, coach's miked up....... It was already a joke.

That being said its a bit of fun and its rugby league after a long offseason, looking forward to it.

 

[butchmcdick]

Some of the older posters might e able to answer this one but didn't people sh*tcan the whole origin concept when it was first announced too ?

 

[Wilson1]

It's just a bit of fun before thew season starts. It is meant to generate interest/revenue for the upcoming season. It's not meant to be as serious as SoO or anything.

 

[Paullyboy]

Of what value is this game? Its only purpose is to make non-indigenous people feel warm and fuzzy inside. .

You've made two posts in this thread with both having the exact same context, you've decided to take some racial holier-than-thou approach for some unknown reason and masked it as a post about the context the game should be played in.

Please feel free to tell me how this game is designed to make me feel warm and fuzzy inside? I'm looking forward to a game of rugby league, I couldn't care less if it was a game of left-handers vrs right-handers, it's rugby league, why people like you feel the need to degrade it is beyond me.

 

[Paulie Jay]

You beat me to it Paullyboy. I'm not indigenous and I don't feel warm and fuzzy. I'm just happy that I get to see a game of footy earlier than usual.

 

[Cerne Abbas Giant]

From NRL.com

But Campbell stresses over and again - it's not about the result.
"It is more than a rugby league game or a sporting event, especially being on the anniversary of sorry day - this is very special," Campbell said.
Played on the second anniversary of the federal government's apology to the Stolen Generation, Campbell firmly believes the match will not only honour their past but also inspire indigenous communities toward a bright future.
"So it's not about the end result - it's about what it can do for people after the game," he said.

 

[_Johnsy]

Thanks Johnsy for your positive response,

Regardless of the selection criteria my question re Burgess remains relevant to the whole stupidity of the concept.

Wouldn't you agree?

Ask a stupid question and you now what type of answer you will get.

I don't agree, the game is a showpiece. People (fans of the game, not just souths) obviously want to see him play. End of story one would have thought.

 

[RedAndWhiteThommo]

Some of the older posters might e able to answer this one but didn't people sh*tcan the whole origin concept when it was first announced too ?

Yep - the media and the clubs rubbished it. It was seen as pandering to QLD and had the stigma of following in the footsteps of AFL. Some clubs initially refused to release players but were forced to back down.

After the game though a lot of people had to eat humble pie

 

[Evenflow]

I personally can't wait for the game for the sole reason it seems like forever since we last saw some footy, that said i can understand why so many players have been pulling out through "injury".

While it's a great concept i'm sure the clubs who are paying these players hundreds of thousands of dollars would hate for one of them to go down with a long term injury. Yes i know it can and does happen in trials and the season proper as well but that's a completely different thing. Trials are a necessity for teams to give the young blokes a taste of things as well as trying out new plays, new combinations etc and clubs have to take those risks to properly prepare for the season.

 

[manly40gimps0]

Looks like Slaters gone.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/n...ds-all-star-woes/story-e6frfgbo-1225827715761

 

[Jankuloski]

Boohoo... Slater and Inglis are out.. How will we ever survive with only Lockyear, Hayne finally at fullback where he belongs, Marshall, Campbell, Thurston ..

For once Rugby League is trying to create a positive vibe about itself, and because Super Billy rolled his ankle it's all over..

 

[Parra]

"Race based selections - stunning idea" F W DeKlerk

 

[Evenflow]

For once Rugby League is trying to create a positive vibe about itself, and because Super Billy rolled his ankle it's all over..

No, it was losing much of it's credibility well before Slater got injured. It was more like about half way through the other 10 or so players that have pulled out with "injury".

 

[Brutus]

Agree the game is a waste of time.

Just like City v Country is a total waste of time.

Bring back a proper pre-season knock-out comp and hit the country areas hard.

Add an QLD residents team & PNG just for something a little different.

 

[bobmar28]

What rubbish, it's a great concept. We have something to watch after being starved of league for 4 months. A chance to see the top players in the one game. Huge promotion for rugby league and best of all, the AFL will be green with envy considering how they massively promote the fact that they have a few indigenous players.