Quality of the NRL

[Brownie.Kougari]

There's been a lot of talk about how exciting (or not) the NRL has been of late. While the finals series has been one of the best in recent years, this weekend was a fizzer.

I've watched 4 RL games this weekend & this is how I'd rate them:
1) Toyota Cup: Bri v NZ
2) Super League: Leeds v Wigan
3) NRL: Manly v NZ
4) NRL: Mel v Cron

Watching the Toyota Cup it's amazing how more exciting a game can be when you take the video ref out of the equation while ESL have a rule where you can take a quick tap from the 20-restart without waiting for the other team to set their line, discouraging teams to grubber. Also a player was sin-binned for a grapple!

Obviously teams can't be forced to play expansive footy, but there are things that the NRL could do to make the game far more entertaining.

Anyways, congrats to the Eagles, you deserve to be there. Hope you win next week!

 

[salivor]

Agreed on the Toyota Cup being so much easier to watch without video referees. I think that's where the best footy has been played this year which hopefully bodes well for the future of our game as the stop start nature of first grade footy this year is taking the spectacle out of it.

The first rule that has to go for 2009 has to be allowing the video referee to check on strips at scrum time. I don't know why the NRL bothered reducing the interchanges if they were just going to allow players to milk every stoppage in play for all it's worth.

 

[Hanscholo]

The standard of play is worse now than at anytime i have watched the game since the early 80's. The negative tackling rules attempting to control the ruck are the main problem, the other massive issue is that we just dont let sides build up anymore. There are no more Canberra's of the early 90's, Brisbane of the mid 90's because you simply cant build a side with that much strength anymore. Its stupid really when you think about it, 1 team has to finish first and 1 has to finish last and no amount of evening out of the comp is going to stop that, but it will stop great spectacle games through out the year and in the semi's.

The sh*t teams are still sh*t and the good ones are still good, all we are acheiving with the salary cap is making sure 90% of the comp are poor instead of 70%.

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

super league is far better to watch than anything else available in rugby circles ...

 

[CHRIS SANDOW]

Agreed on the Toyota Cup being so much easier to watch without video referees. I think that's where the best footy has been played this year which hopefully bodes well for the future of our game as the stop start nature of first grade footy this year is taking the spectacle out of it.

The first rule that has to go for 2009 has to be allowing the video referee to check on strips at scrum time. I don't know why the NRL bothered reducing the interchanges if they were just going to allow players to milk every stoppage in play for all it's worth.

I agree.

 

[petetheileet]

The standard of play is worse now than at anytime i have watched the game since the early 80's. The negative tackling rules attempting to control the ruck are the main problem, the other massive issue is that we just dont let sides build up anymore. There are no more Canberra's of the early 90's, Brisbane of the mid 90's because you simply cant build a side with that much strength anymore. Its stupid really when you think about it, 1 team has to finish first and 1 has to finish last and no amount of evening out of the comp is going to stop that, but it will stop great spectacle games through out the year and in the semi's.

The sh*t teams are still sh*t and the good ones are still good, all we are acheiving with the salary cap is making sure 90% of the comp are poor instead of 70%.

Couldnt have said it better myself mate

 

[skeepe]

Ah, another "woe is me, the game is sh*t, worst it's ever been" thread. Funny how these come up every year, yet the game goes from strength to strength. If you really hate the game so much, f**k off and follow another sport.

I'm not saying there aren't problems, but to say that the game is the worst it's ever been is absolutely ludicrous.

 

[thug jimmy]

Ah, another "woe is me, the game is sh*t, worst it's ever been" thread. Funny how these come up every year, yet the game goes from strength to strength. If you really hate the game so much, f**k off and follow another sport.

I'm not saying there aren't problems, but to say that the game is the worst it's ever been is absolutely ludicrous.

you chose to read it even though you saw the title of the thread, so what you complaining about? if you don't like the thread, dont fkn post in it!

how do you know the games not at its worst? its going through massive changes not only to the rules, but also to who is influencing the game the most. people once did, that's not the case no more.

unless you have some points that can prove me wrong? (tv ratings excluded).

 

[Cockadoodledoo]

Agreed on the Toyota Cup being so much easier to watch without video referees. I think that's where the best footy has been played this year which hopefully bodes well for the future of our game as the stop start nature of first grade footy this year is taking the spectacle out of it.

The way the NRL is played now is because of the coaches.. It has nothing to do with the players.. The Toyota Cup players who will make it through to the top grade will play the same style of football that the current First Graders play unless there are some rule changes..

 

[OVP]

The way the NRL is played now is because of the coaches.. It has nothing to do with the players.. The Toyota Cup players who will make it through to the top grade will play the same style of football that the current First Graders play unless there are some rule changes..

And there will be ...