Mrs Barista wrote:Some really close ones all round. Wigan edging Widnes, Hudds beat Wakey, Leigh beat Saints, Leeds beat Salford, Cas beat Wire. Good that the comp's so close.
It is close every season after only 2/3 rounds. It can hardly be anything else. There are always a few surprises early in the season. Who would have predicted Cas top Wires bottom?
Joined: Jul 15 2005 Posts: 29811 Location: West Yorkshire
Keiththered wrote:It is close every season after only 2/3 rounds. It can hardly be anything else. There are always a few surprises early in the season. Who would have predicted Cas top Wires bottom?
barham red wrote:I think its crept in over the last decade or so, McGuire at Hudds was very into controlling the wrestle and this has led to more and cheap PTB penalties. The latest set of holding the ball in the scrum and throwing the ball into a player has taken it to a new level. More and more teams are going down the route of taking the 2 now as well, we'll be singing swing low soon.
Unless you have a vested interest in a game, ie its your team or you have a favourite most games are pretty dull and lacking in any great skill
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Holding the ball in the scrum has always been a legitimate tactic. It did not happen often after uncontested scrums arrived. However I can see it becoming more prevalent with the new 10 metre rule to put doubt in the defenders' minds and preventing them rushing up to try and effect the first tackle.
There is a difference between using the rules to your advantage and clearly unsporting behaviour. Most fans can see this difference, it's just a pity the officials either are not able to or are not prepared to punish such tactics. The most glaring example was when last week a player was given a penalty for deliberately passing the ball to an opponent on the ground. What made it worse was that it was actually a forward pass. The RFL quickly stepped in but that would not have been necessary if the officials were prepared to think for themselves. Do the RFL have to step in for every type of unsporting behaviour. A penalty against the offender will soon cut out these unsavoury aspects of our game if applied consistently.
Joined: May 23 2005 Posts: 240 Location: 221b Baker Street
When did anyone last walk out of a game with us in it saying that was a bloody good game,me personally was last Easter V Warrington..cracking game and enjoyable,take away the emotion of Wembley and that wasn't a good game,too many negative tactics and coaches now.
odd shaped balls wrote:When did anyone last walk out of a game with us in it saying that was a bloody good game,me personally was last Easter V Warrington..cracking game and enjoyable,take away the emotion of Wembley and that wasn't a good game,too many negative tactics and coaches now.
Clubs coached by forwards, rules and commentary bothered about "the collision" and "the wrestle"
Agree the sport has gone backwards but the last game with us involved I really enjoyed was the Catalans S8 home game. Defended well, attacked well. We made some basic errors but it was a great game to nil them just before Wembley
Joined: Feb 09 2004 Posts: 7735 Location: Here there and everywhere
I really think that if the season started in March then fans would have to suffer the dour stuff we get in the first 4-5 rounds due to poor pitch and weather conditions. Consequently the impressions we the fans have is the game is not what we remember it to be and are needing to be even more impressed with more skilful play to get on an even keel.
When we joined SL in 1998, our first game was at the back end of March, pitches were firmer, weather was better.
You only have to see Cas okay to see, when played openly, it's great to watch. I do think many teams take few risks during the early month or so until the conditions become better.
There have been some not so great games so far but there's plenty of time for them to improve. If things are feeling really grim just watch 10 minutes of a 6 Nations game and you'll realise it could be much worse.
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