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Rumours and Stuff

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19,175
Kenny was magic. The big difference in the 80s imo was most had full-time jobs and poor diets. Same as the 90s however it did improve. But back then a player like Grothe most likely did a bit more gym work and had a better diet then other players. If not then perhaps just genetically stronger. But a guy like Semi or even Ferguson if transported their 2017 body into the 80s would of been unstoppable.

But it was fun cause nobody knew how to have the fittest and strongest body.So guys stood out and could be glorified more often. Now in the NRL every single player is a full-time athlete. Their bodies have little room for improvement so it is all based on skill and genetic strength. Even the weakest guys like Moses would be seen as powerfull in the 80s.

It is also the reason you don't get these star centres anymore like Renouf,ET,Girdler etc.... It isn't that we do not have great centres but more the opposition is just so strong as well. Makes it harder to look good.

League was at its best imo in the late 90s thru to mid 2000s. When people would get excited over a Tallis or Puletua. While guys like Burt and Tookey still had a place in the game.

Now it is quite vanilla.


Not disaggreeing with any of your specific points but the main reason why we don't have so many 'star' centres is that teams' structure has changed. We've gone from inside/outside centres to left/right (who play more imporant defensive roles than they used to). The rules have also changed in important ways. We' went from a 5 metre offside rule, where you had to earn forward progress, to a 10 metre rule that encourages meter-eaters.

AFAIK Grothe wasn't a gym guy, just naturally strong. Kenny would be a superstar in any generation. He'd just drop a shoulder and be gone.
 

Glenneel

Bench
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3,481
I dunno. I'm looking forward to seeing how we continue to recruit for next year. I wonder how much Dylan Walker would cost. Avenger would be stoked if we signed another Serbian.
Recently undertook a big recruitment drive to recruit players like Kye Rodwell and Perham etc and would think those will be upgraded into top 30
 

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