NRL General Discussion Thread

[Sproj]

I get that there needs to be a duty of care but this isn’t a soft sport, it has full contact and that comes with inherent risks that players are fully aware of when they pursue a career in it and are very healthily compensated. These days no one can say they don’t know the risks if they play. So why does it need to be over-policed?

I know @McHunt doesn’t like ref bagging and to be honest, I do see his point to an extent but I think most fans will generally accept bad decisions will happen from time to time on field. I think what is really driving fans nuts is that the captain’s challenge and bunker were supposedly bought in so that the howlers could be taken out of the game and the game can speed up. Well the opposite has happened. The bunker makes dumb calls despite all the evidence to the contrary and backs up some howlers that are made on field. Then the judiciary and moron in charge of refs comes out be close fans dumb by making up de rules to justify said mistake or using a completely different precedent. On field decisions they are poor in the best of the moment I can cop, doubled down stupidity that flies in the face of the evidence I can not.

Also because apparently fans wanted a faster game, six agains were introduced which no one wanted and I don’t believe many want to this day. The effect of a faster game with stronger, bigger and faster players is that they are under more fatigue. So players are being penalised because of previous stupid decisions made by the administration being doubled down as players bear the effects of more fatigue and subsequent increased risk of things going wrong.

So on the one hand, they are talking about duty of care and trying to stamp things out of the game while actively making rules that increase the danger to duty of care. It is hypocritical. Then on top of all of that, they double down on it by cross promoting boxing / MMA. Kent is the perfect example of this hypocrisy. He seems to be clearly mandated to promote the NRL at ever post and constantly goes off his nut about fans not being supportive of these rule changes / being dangerous, etc while simultaneously talking about hoping this boxer / fighter knocks out that one and that would be an amazing outcome.

This sport man, it pulls your hair out with the incompetence and double standards all round.

 

[Morkel]

dude is all class

I hate that he is so likeable. Ex Storm. Playing for Sharks. **** him and his excellence and class and everything an NRL role-model should be. So conflicted.

 

[Midean]

I hate that he is so likeable. Ex Storm. Playing for Sharks. **** him and his excellence and class and everything an NRL role-model should be. So conflicted.

Yep haha.
I'd have him at the Broncos any day.

 

[Wolfie]

He's one of the most likable players in the game. Still want him smashed if he pulls they grubby blue shirt on in Origin though!

 

[McHunt]

I get that there needs to be a duty of care but this isn’t a soft sport, it has full contact and that comes with inherent risks that players are fully aware of when they pursue a career in it and are very healthily compensated. These days no one can say they don’t know the risks if they play. So why does it need to be over-policed?

I know @McHunt doesn’t like ref bagging and to be honest, I do see his point to an extent but I think most fans will generally accept bad decisions will happen from time to time on field. I think what is really driving fans nuts is that the captain’s challenge and bunker were supposedly bought in so that the howlers could be taken out of the game and the game can speed up. Well the opposite has happened. The bunker makes dumb calls despite all the evidence to the contrary and backs up some howlers that are made on field. Then the judiciary and moron in charge of refs comes out be close fans dumb by making up de rules to justify said mistake or using a completely different precedent. On field decisions they are poor in the best of the moment I can cop, doubled down stupidity that flies in the face of the evidence I can not.

Also because apparently fans wanted a faster game, six agains were introduced which no one wanted and I don’t believe many want to this day. The effect of a faster game with stronger, bigger and faster players is that they are under more fatigue. So players are being penalised because of previous stupid decisions made by the administration being doubled down as players bear the effects of more fatigue and subsequent increased risk of things going wrong.

So on the one hand, they are talking about duty of care and trying to stamp things out of the game while actively making rules that increase the danger to duty of care. It is hypocritical. Then on top of all of that, they double down on it by cross promoting boxing / MMA. Kent is the perfect example of this hypocrisy. He seems to be clearly mandated to promote the NRL at ever post and constantly goes off his nut about fans not being supportive of these rule changes / being dangerous, etc while simultaneously talking about hoping this boxer / fighter knocks out that one and that would be an amazing outcome.

This sport man, it pulls your hair out with the incompetence and double standards all round.

The great thing about rugby league over rugby union is it continually tweaks its rules and adapts to feedback from those involved. Right now it's getting pushback from everyone over the hip drop rulings. These rules were not imposed out of drunken whimsy by morons who've never played the game or even watched from their Jason recliner. They would be reacting to complaints about injuries resulting from this type of tackle. And this type of tackle might have evolved as a byproduct of wrestling moves. Which evolved from the priority placed on defence at all costs. Or something else. It doesn't matter. That ship has sailed.

The rules are clearly experimental, and that experiment is falling down in application. When rules are experimental like this, and it becomes clear over time they're untenable, the situation is further compounded by fans demanding consistency. So they have to soldier on with it.

The referees, bunker and administration is now caught in an impossible paradox. If they soften or tighten the rules mid season, or officials are permitted a scale of subjectivity, fans, commentators and coaches will start up with the whatabouts pointing back to earlier incidents.

Regardless of whether you believe the referees are even dumber than us fans - and that's one heck of a slight - they're being lumbered with an experimental rule that's destined to return to the workshop at the end of the season.

At least we don't have to suffer a conga line of lineouts, scrums, touchfinders and bickering over whose ball it is. Just because that's how it's always been done.

 

[Sproj]

The great thing about rugby league over rugby union is it continually tweaks its rules and adapts to feedback from those involved. Right now it's getting pushback from everyone over the hip drop rulings. These rules were not imposed out of drunken whimsy by morons who've never played the game or even watched from their Jason recliner. They would be reacting to complaints about injuries resulting from this type of tackle. And this type of tackle might have evolved as a byproduct of wrestling moves. Which evolved from the priority placed on defence at all costs. Or something else. It doesn't matter. That ship has sailed.

The rules are clearly experimental, and that experiment is falling down in application. When rules are experimental like this, and it becomes clear over time they're untenable, the situation is further compounded by fans demanding consistency. So they have to soldier on with it.

The referees, bunker and administration is now caught in an impossible paradox. If they soften or tighten the rules mid season, or officials are permitted a scale of subjectivity, fans, commentators and coaches will start up with the whatabouts pointing back to earlier incidents.

Regardless of whether you believe the referees are even dumber than fans, they're being lumbered with an experimental rule that's destined to return to the workshop at the end of the season.

At least we don't have to suffer a conga line of lineouts, scrums, touchfinders and bickering over whose ball it is. Just because that's how it's always been done.

No idea why you are talking about union here so I will ignore that weird reference and say, why are these being experimented on once the season has started? Why do rules get changed suddenly midseason? This is not what a profession organisation would do. Again let’s take six again as an example, who wanted it? Where is that evidence? Can you even single out one journalist even who was calling for it and saying they speak for fans?

Yet this came in during the Covid break when teams were supposedly not allowed to train together and the result was an absolute disastrous season of blow outs and a World Cup that was probably the most boring in history.

 

[Harry Sack]

I hate that he is so likeable. Ex Storm. Playing for Sharks. **** him and his excellence and class and everything an NRL role-model should be. So conflicted.

This.

 

[Midean]

The great thing about rugby league over rugby union is it continually tweaks its rules and adapts to feedback from those involved. Right now it's getting pushback from everyone over the hip drop rulings. These rules were not imposed out of drunken whimsy by morons who've never played the game or even watched from their Jason recliner. They would be reacting to complaints about injuries resulting from this type of tackle. And this type of tackle might have evolved as a byproduct of wrestling moves. Which evolved from the priority placed on defence at all costs. Or something else. It doesn't matter. That ship has sailed.

The rules are clearly experimental, and that experiment is falling down in application. When rules are experimental like this, and it becomes clear over time they're untenable, the situation is further compounded by fans demanding consistency. So they have to soldier on with it.

The referees, bunker and administration is now caught in an impossible paradox. If they soften or tighten the rules mid season, or officials are permitted a scale of subjectivity, fans, commentators and coaches will start up with the whatabouts pointing back to earlier incidents.

Regardless of whether you believe the referees are even dumber than us fans - and that's one heck of a slight - they're being lumbered with an experimental rule that's destined to return to the workshop at the end of the season.

At least we don't have to suffer a conga line of lineouts, scrums, touchfinders and bickering over whose ball it is. Just because that's how it's always been done.

They could avoid all this by telling those people with the initial complaints over injuries to watch/play another sport as obviously a high contact, violent sport is not for them and their delicate nature.

Im not being a tough guy, or talking shit, but i don't watch lawn bowls because i find it boring as ****, and i sure as shit don't try to change their rules to suit me, someone who doesn't like the current state of lawn bowls.

Its the same with RL, ban the shoulder charge, its too dangerous, as though the players who signed up to play the sport didn't know shoulder charges were a part of the deal when they signed up.

They are softening the game at the request of people who see the game as too brutal, whereas the diehard fans all come from loving the game and its brutality, because if we didnt, we would all be watching AFL ( sorry Sproj ).

Its insane.
Its taking a product, and changing what made people love it in the first place to appease people that dont like the game as it is, and want it to cater to what they believe is acceptable.

 

[Harry Sack]

I'll never understand how he is so high on the list for NRL's sexiest man though. He looks like he would smell a bit and that hair just looks greasy. Must be his inner good guy shining through.

 

[ivanhungryjak]

I hate that he is so likeable. Ex Storm. Playing for Sharks. **** him and his excellence and class and everything an NRL role-model should be. So conflicted.

Stupid sexy Nicho

 

[GCBRONCO]

Ironic Braith Anasta giving the West Tigers a serve about being the place NRL careers go to die, I guess if anyone would know it's Braith.

 

[tommy]

I'll never understand how he is so high on the list for NRL's sexiest man though. He looks like he would smell a bit and that hair just looks greasy. Must be his inner good guy shining through.

What? This is complete bullshit. He’s just like heath ledger from 10 things I hate about you.

 

[Porthoz]

They could avoid all this by telling those people with the initial complaints over injuries to watch/play another sport as obviously a high contact, violent sport is not for them and their delicate nature.

Im not being a tough guy, or talking shit, but i don't watch lawn bowls because i find it boring as ****, and i sure as shit don't try to change their rules to suit me, someone who doesn't like the current state of lawn bowls.

Its the same with RL, ban the shoulder charge, its too dangerous, as though the players who signed up to play the sport didn't know shoulder charges were a part of the deal when they signed up.

They are softening the game at the request of people who see the game as too brutal, whereas the diehard fans all come from loving the game and its brutality, because if we didnt, we would all be watching AFL ( sorry Sproj ).

Its insane.
Its taking a product, and changing what made people love it in the first place to appease people that dont like the game as it is, and want it to cater to what they believe is acceptable.

I don't totally disagree with you, but the shoulder charge is a bad example in my opinion, which just like the spear tackle for example, can maim a player for life if not worse, as has happened. I also do think the concussion protocol is a good thing, because of its potential long term consequences, and I doubt anyone would sign up to play a sport that can cause you permanente brain damage!

The discussion around the hip drop tackle is a valid one though. While it can cause injuries, those are not of the life threatening kind, and that should be accepted as part of a high contact sport such as Rugby League. That's where I draw the line.

 

[Midean]

I don't totally disagree with you, but the shoulder charge is a bad example in my opinion, which just like the spear tackle for example, can maim a player for life if not worse, as has happened. I also do think the concussion protocol is a good thing, because of its potential long term consequences, and I doubt anyone would sign up to play a sport that can cause you permanente brain damage!

The discussion around the hip drop tackle is a valid one though. While it can cause injuries, those are not of the life threatening kind, and that should be accepted as part of a high contact sport such as Rugby League. That's where I draw the line.

Can i ask, who was the last player that was maimed for life by a shoulder charge? I get a spear tackle, that shit can straight kill a guy, and there has been examples of people getting seriously injured by them.

But regardless of the example, you see my point.
At some stage, you have to walk away from a sport if you find it too dangerous etc.

Car racing kills participants all the time, but that's not banned.
Players know full well the risks of playing a contact sport and still sign up because thats part of the attraction.

In terms of concussion, you have people that sign up to be MMA fighters, knowing the CTE risks, but still do it because its what they love to do and it pays well.

No one HAS to be a footy player/mma fighter, and i guarantee every single footy player knows the risks they are signing up for.

 

[GCBRONCO]

I'll never understand how he is so high on the list for NRL's sexiest man though. He looks like he would smell a bit and that hair just looks greasy. Must be his inner good guy shining through.

 

[Midean]

Im not saying RL should be a blood bath either, as you said Porthoz, there are some things that are blatantly dangerous and should be banned outright, but this is a contact sport, and you will NEVER mitigate the risk entirely until you stop it being a contact sport, which is what is slowly slowly happening to RL.

 

[Fozz]

Can i ask, who was the last player that was maimed for life by a shoulder charge? I get a spear tackle, that shit can straight kill a guy, and there has been examples of people getting seriously injured by them.

James Ackerman.

 

[Foordy]

Can i ask, who was the last player that was maimed for life by a shoulder charge? I get a spear tackle, that shit can straight kill a guy, and there has been examples of people getting seriously injured by them.

So can a shoulder charge ... just ask James Ackerman's family.