Is the All Stars game now officially a joke??

[Evenflow]

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.

I doubt they'd actually care but anyway, why is the AFL brought up in so many threads when they have sweet FA to do with the topic? We could be talking about anything about our game and for some pointless and totally irellevant reason someone always brings the other code up. It makes us look and sound nothing short of scared and insecure.

You said "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" All fair points and the most important points so why the f**k should we care what the AFL thinks either way?

 

[Raidersrawesome]

It's a glorified trial , but its still a game of league. I'll watch it but I can't say i'll be cheering any team other than the Raider players themselves.

All this game means to me is that the season is getting closer

 

[butchmcdick]

I doubt they'd actually care but anyway, why is the AFL brought up in so many threads when they have sweet FA to do with the topic? We could be talking about anything about our game and for some pointless and totally irellevant reason someone always brings the other code up. It makes us look and sound nothing short of scared and insecure.

You said "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" All fair points and the most important points so why the f**k should we care what the AFL thinks either way?

Because some posters here are obsessed with AFL

 

[morley101]

Expect the clubs to whinge if a serious injury happens.

 

[Raidersrawesome]

Expect the clubs to whinge if a serious injury happens.

They will but they whinge when there is an injury in a trial anyway

 

[Bulldog Force]

This game became a joke when The Dally M Medal winner of the year was chosen as a backup for the current fullback (Billy Slater). It became a further joke when Inglis pulled out. It would've been smashing to see Inglis vs C Smith for once.

 

[Paullyboy]

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.

I don't see a single quote by one of your so-called 'non-indigenous' people. I think you've done nothing to further your ridiculous point and you continue to look like a clown for trying to belittle other peoples interest in a game of rugby league. Maybe it's because I'm 'non-indigenous' that I miss the point?

 

[meltiger]

Agree the game is a waste of time.

Agree, but at the end of the day, it's only a trial game.

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

Disagree on this, though would prefer to see it never played at a venue that hosts any premiership games - ie: Keep it out of Woolongong, Gosford, Newcastle


The concept of having a trial game for spots in the NSW side, particularly in positions where there is competition has always been a fantastic one imo

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

Look to the AFL for this one mate, every year they run a farcial competition for 4-5 weeks prior to the seasons start, where most of the good teams field teams of kids and is only taken seriously most of the time by the bad teams. It's nothing but a glorified practice match circuit and is better off being killed.


Without knowing better, my guess is at the moment the clubs themselves organise their trial games? If the IC is organising, telling clubs which areas to go, maybe that would work?

 

[nrlnrl]

Ummmm, maybe because he received the next highest number of votes from Souths. You were aware of how the selection system worked ?

If you did, give yourself an uppercut.

it was suggested by someone at the NRL that Burgess take Taylor's place. ( even though Burgess was considered ineligible for the voting process )

 

[nrlnrl]

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.

Yeah, they're adding a few things to make the coverage different & some that might be looked at as possible rule changes

To me it's like a launch for the pre-season to put rugby league into the minds of more people - 4 weeks before the comp starts seems good timing.

As they've named squads of 20, is it unlimited interchange or are they trimming final squads to 17 ?

 

[nrlnrl]

Agree, but at the end of the day, it's only a trial game.

Disagree on this, though would prefer to see it never played at a venue that hosts any premiership games - ie: Keep it out of Woolongong, Gosford, Newcastle

The concept of having a trial game for spots in the NSW side, particularly in positions where there is competition has always been a fantastic one imo QUOTE ]

I just think it's an extra game that's not needed. Do QLD have a trial game ?

Also, the timing is terrible. For 8 clubs to have players travel & back up from this game as well as the test is wrong. Have a look at the club round that follows the test & City v Country this year :

Knights v Titans / Roosters v Cowboys / Sea Eagles v Dragons &
Storm v Broncos.

 

[Baron Vo Mandor]

Yeah, they're adding a few things to make the coverage different & some that might be looked at as possible rule changes

To me it's like a launch for the pre-season to put rugby league into the minds of more people - 4 weeks before the comp starts seems good timing.

As they've named squads of 20, is it unlimited interchange or are they trimming final squads to 17 ?

I think the NRL is using it as an exhibition match to hopefully get people to watch it who normally wouldnt. As such they've watered it down to the sh*thouse. Not a bad idea for mine.

Traditionalists might hate it but with words like Aboriginals V Allstars and such will garner interest from those it normally wouldnt + explaining stuff along the way not a bad idea.

 

[Cerne Abbas Giant]

I don't see a single quote by one of your so-called 'non-indigenous' people. I think you've done nothing to further your ridiculous point and you continue to look like a clown for trying to belittle other peoples interest in a game of rugby league. Maybe it's because I'm 'non-indigenous' that I miss the point?

Do i have to spell it out to you.

The game is an extension of sorry day and has been hijacked by people with special interests to become a political football. They are feeding off the guilt experienced by descendants of european invaders. I woul dhave thought Canberra would have been a more appropriate forum.

 

[meltiger]

Agree, but at the end of the day, it's only a trial game.

Disagree on this, though would prefer to see it never played at a venue that hosts any premiership games - ie: Keep it out of Woolongong, Gosford, Newcastle

The concept of having a trial game for spots in the NSW side, particularly in positions where there is competition has always been a fantastic one imo QUOTE ]

I just think it's an extra game that's not needed. Do QLD have a trial game ?

Also, the timing is terrible. For 8 clubs to have players travel & back up from this game as well as the test is wrong. Have a look at the club round that follows the test & City v Country this year :

Knights v Titans / Roosters v Cowboys / Sea Eagles v Dragons &
Storm v Broncos.

At the end of the day, they are full time professionals, if they can't back up for another game then they aren't training hard enough.

Remember back to the days of the mid-week comp when semi-professionals would back up for the following weekend?

With QLD, for starters, NSW have a hell of alot more players to pick, hell QLD have resorted to selecting NSW players now to help them win the series. So in that sense, a trial game for NSW does make sense.

The other side of the coin and the big thing for me is the promotional value of the game, so long as it's played out at Orange or down in Wagga etc, I think it's a great comcept to keep. If you are playing it at stadiums that host premiership games though, then the promotional value really is lost.

 

[ByRd]

If you want to enjoy the game dont come into it expecting a proper game, enjoy it for what it is and that is an all star game where its more about the fun and entertainment. Think of it like the NBA all star game and stiff, its for the fans and although its something different, its something we can grow used to and maybe later on we can add a few events to it to make it a bigger event (eg. goal kicking challenge etc.)

 

[Parra]

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

I recall it being hyped right up.

There wasn't a lot of rep footy & the idea of clubmates playing each other was novel & eagerly anticipated.

Everyone was used to midweek footy on TV. Everyone watched the game. It was a sellout at Lang Park.

Certainly the people who opposed it had to eat humble pie. But I recall fans all looking forward to it.

 

[eels_fan]

They are feeding off the guilt experienced by descendants of european invaders. .

You're a top class muppet!!

 

[nrlnrl]

At the end of the day, they are full time professionals, if they can't back up for another game then they aren't training hard enough.

Remember back to the days of the mid-week comp when semi-professionals would back up for the following weekend?

My point is those 8 teams that are playing in round 9 are disadvantaged. The 8 teams that have the bye receive 2 points & their rep players can spend the time recovering.

If the NRL doesn't want to have SOO as stand-alone games, surely this weekend would be ideal for all 16 teams to not play. Play the test on Friday night & the City v Country on Saturday night.

 

[Pierced Soul]

i dont see why so many people are whinging. it's a great concept and we'll see players who we'd otherwise never see together playing together i.e. marshall and lockyer. it probably wont be mroe than a glorified touch game but i'm anticipating we'll see some tricks and skills we dont normally get to see during the regular season cos players are too scared to make a mistake.

there's a chance of injury no matter what - hodges is gone for 6 months doing extras after training, kidwill missed a chunk of his season tripping on his kid...

at this time of year there's always players resting from surgery so the whole conspiracy of injured players is moot

its a positive thing so if you dont like it f**k off and do something else

 

[_Johnsy]

FMD why can't people just enjoy a game of footy featuring some of the codes best players?