Joined: May 27 2003 Posts: 20373 Location: educating League Freak on all things rugby league
LovesToSpooge wrote:No not in the religious sense but in a SuperLeague sense. I remember a time when I use'd to race home from work on a Friday night through rush hour traffic to watch a great game of Rugby, genuinely looking forward to a Leeds Bradford game or a Saints Wire game.
However over the last couple of seasons my appetite for SuperLeague has waned considerably, I always watch Wigan on a Friday night and then used to regularly attend a game on a Sunday somewhere in the West Yorkshire area, however because the way the game has recently been evolving I found myself not bothering at all with a second game on a weekend.
What I want to make clear is that my love for Rugby League has not been altered by the position that Wigan occupy in the table but by the style of Rugby that we and every other side play, I've been lucky enough to see the majority of the NRL this season through Setanta and that made me feel even more glum because it showed just how Rugby League should be played.
So I'm guessing my question is, are there any others out there who are feeling a similar way to myself in regards to questioning the game they once loved?
My feelings are the same, so much so that i have started playing again to fill the gap in passion that i have had for the last 2 years or so.
Having said that, i do think for the first time in a good few years we may well see an upturn in the standards across the board next year. At least i hope that is the case.
Unofficially the most boring poster on Cherry and White.
Seen the Folau flick from dummy half to put the winger over in the corner?
Not as good as the rest but that was truely great awareness!
Dropkick Murphy..we actually saw and heard a mass of bouncing and scarf and flag waving to Dale Cavese that drowned out anything we could muster.. It stopped us singing our own celebratory songs, it died out seconds later when we accepted we couldn't be heard over the Wigan lot Celebrations muted from us, job done from them. Most fans who slag them off are jealous their own club's support is nowhere near that good - sally cinnamon..Why not discuss Wigan? It's a rugby league message board. Wigan are the most famous brand in rugby league - Tre Cool..Saints fans are hopeless unless it's a cup final or grand final. Wigan fans are so much more loyal and passionate - the flying biscuit..Wires havent been massively succesful over the years, but I've spoke to Brian Bevan And he spoke to me and i wouldnt swap that for Wigans History, ever - Ande..on the TV i could only hear the Wigan fans with about 10 to go - Saint94..Every team is in your feckin shadow, we all know - FIOS
The ten yard rule was brought in to give the attacking team more room, all that's happened is teams stand flat now.
12 subs, what the hell is that about? There's hardly any gaps in play now, teams are more intersted in bashing the line and keeping 13 fresh players on the park than using craft to open teams up.
These are the 2 main areas that I've blamed for the past 4 or 5 years, the game has been in decline for a good while now.
Teams concentrate on possesion and territory looking a for a try from a kick far too often. There's no risks, and off the cuff rugby seems to be a thing of the past.
ChrisA wrote:The ten yard rule was brought in to give the attacking team more room, all that's happened is teams stand flat now.
12 subs, what the hell is that about? There's hardly any gaps in play now, teams are more intersted in bashing the line and keeping 13 fresh players on the park than using craft to open teams up.
These are the 2 main areas that I've blamed for the past 4 or 5 years, the game has been in decline for a good while now.
Teams concentrate on possesion and territory looking a for a try from a kick far too often. There's no risks, and off the cuff rugby seems to be a thing of the past.
You have some fair points about the interchanges, you only need to look at fielding a bench of 2 props a 2nd row and a hooker as the defacto standard - what happened to the days of having a fresh back on the bench to bring on and try and open things up.
Off the cuff still does exist in the sport though, just look at the Eels in the NRL.
I'm really hoping that better methods and ideas over here will return the ability to make space and open up gaps. I know I've been banging on about the Storm a lot recently (I just find it appropriate given the coaching situation), but i've been watching quite a lot of NRL past games recently, and they really are very good at working for a gap - like the age old cliche in wrestling of working on one body part to wear the guy down, and then striking at the right time.
I think SL can move forward in the right direction, and I think across the board there are some exciting youth prospects that with the right coaching and development will give us a more attractive game and better International competition.
kirkamania6 wrote:It had me thinking 'surely he's not gonna..' and then he did it.
Jennings scored a few beauties!
Jennings is a fantastic player! He looked great in the WC and has got even better since. I would have him to replace Carmont as Inglis, Folau, Hodges etc are just unrealistic
Dropkick Murphy..we actually saw and heard a mass of bouncing and scarf and flag waving to Dale Cavese that drowned out anything we could muster.. It stopped us singing our own celebratory songs, it died out seconds later when we accepted we couldn't be heard over the Wigan lot Celebrations muted from us, job done from them. Most fans who slag them off are jealous their own club's support is nowhere near that good - sally cinnamon..Why not discuss Wigan? It's a rugby league message board. Wigan are the most famous brand in rugby league - Tre Cool..Saints fans are hopeless unless it's a cup final or grand final. Wigan fans are so much more loyal and passionate - the flying biscuit..Wires havent been massively succesful over the years, but I've spoke to Brian Bevan And he spoke to me and i wouldnt swap that for Wigans History, ever - Ande..on the TV i could only hear the Wigan fans with about 10 to go - Saint94..Every team is in your feckin shadow, we all know - FIOS
Odemwingie wrote:Jennings is a fantastic player! He looked great in the WC and has got even better since. I would have him to replace Carmont as Inglis, Folau, Hodges etc are just unrealistic
If my mind isn't playing tricks, he's OOC at the end of next season?
That would give us the extra quality some people are blabbering on about.
Joined: Oct 10 2004 Posts: 2651 Location: the quiet west stand
Years ago nearly every team had an Australian coach but gradually British coaches took over, coinciding with a decline. As we get more expertise from Down Under, our game will improve.
BUT...I still really enjoy watching it.
I had a discussion with Jack Dearden on GMR about 10 years ago. He said the game was dying and I disagreed. I was right. But it still has some way to go.
Joined: Oct 10 2004 Posts: 6124 Location: Still at the Top
It's just a phase IMO, it's happened in the NRL too. We just seem to be a few years behind in the cycles. Not long ago the NRL was fairly boring and slow paced, all about wrestling and grapples. Look at it now. I think Maguire could be the man to get us one step ahead of the game.
23 - 20 - 4
Warrington led 16-2 in Saturday's Grand Final, but their joy was short-lived as Wigan roared back to win the Super League title and extend the Wire's 58-year wait to be champions
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