Well the ironic thing is that we aren't playing mistake free football. On the whole our completion rate and discipline this season have been unacceptable. All this talk about playing free flowing football is outdated. Everything in today's game is structured and planned out - not just with us but is most teams going around. How many teams can you honestly name that play free flowing football and without structure? The obvious examples are Penrith and the Warriors and look how they have fared this season.
I'm not so concern with playing unstructured footy as I am with eradicating penalties and handling errors from out game. In saying that, credit has to go to the teams that we are playing. Being premiers is a horrendous position to be in because every team in the comp, no matter where they are on the table, is going to lift and play out of their skin. That is part of the reason why no team has gone back to back since Brisbane in 1992-1993.
Any team that can develop a free flowing style with a degree of competence should run rings around the robots.These teams just need to persevere.
You're correct in saying that most teams play the same structured style,& that basically, is why the game is not very enjoyable to watch.The true game of RL is extinct;no doubt!!
I don't call it RL any more as it's evolved to something entirely different;& IMO for the worse.
I watch Sths out of loyalty but I very rarely watch any other match.
If I do watch a game other than Sths it will be the teams at the lower end of the table who have been forced into trying something different in the interests of making up points.Because of this they are taking risks;throwing the ball around; & scoring some spectacular tries.
TBH,I'd be just as happy to see Sths run 5th or 6th but make it there playing free-flowing,watchable "Rugby League."
Bring on the Ashes!!