Re: 30 -0 : Tue Sep 04, 2012 1:46 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

The thing is balance. Super league was too quick when we had Roby/KC/Higham ravaging sides up the middle. They then spotted this and went far too far the other way. Teams like Wigan under Maguire and Warrington under Smith get so many men into the tackle that they can slow it down to 10 second play the balls, meaning the defensive line is well and truly set and that there is no momentum at all.

Super League just doesn't have the calibre of creative player to have the game as slow as it is now. The few close games in semis and finals are won by which side is the most aggressive and the side that makes the least errors and kicks better. As a viewing spectacle the NRL is great only because the calibre of player is so much higher. Super League is, on the whole, incredibly boring to watch now as the standard is so low, there are so many errors and penalties and the play the balls are so drawn out.

I agree with everything well except for the NRL been exciting, up until 2-3 years ago I though super league was a better spectator sport. However its a long time since I watched the NRL so maybe it has picked up.

Re: 30 -0 : Tue Sep 04, 2012 2:57 pm  

smileysmiles wrote:

I agree with everything well except for the NRL been exciting, up until 2-3 years ago I though super league was a better spectator sport. However its a long time since I watched the NRL so maybe it has picked up.

I find the NRL is easy to watch because even though it's slower than Super League has been typically, it's so much cleaner around the ruck. They play the game in a more crisp way, play the balls are done properly, it's slowed naturally if the defending team wins the collision, it's quick if the ball carrier does and the basic skills are always executed more sharply and you see less basic errors. The NRL sides pretty much always have good kicking games, so whilst it's still defensively minded and 5 drives and a kick like Super League has become, it's done to a higher standard. There is also a much wider spread of elite players, it seems pretty much every side in the NRL has a 'wow' player, where in Super league the better players don't stay at clubs like Wakefield, London, Salford, Cas etc they move on to the big clubs very quickly.

Bulldogs - Barba, Sea Eagles - Lyon, Storm - Slater, Rabbitos- Inglis, Cowboys - Thurston, Broncos - Thaiday, Raiders - Dugan, Sharks - Gallen, Knights - Uate, Titans - Bird, Eels - Hayne, Dragons - Morris, Roosters - Pearce, Warriors - Johnson, Tigers - Marshall, Panthers - Jennings.

I bet it would be pretty embarassing by comparison to list the Super League clubs like that.

Re: 30 -0 : Tue Sep 04, 2012 4:58 pm  

Saddened! wrote:

I find the NRL is easy to watch because even though it's slower than Super League has been typically, it's so much cleaner around the ruck. They play the game in a more crisp way, play the balls are done properly, it's slowed naturally if the defending team wins the collision, it's quick if the ball carrier does and the basic skills are always executed more sharply and you see less basic errors. The NRL sides pretty much always have good kicking games, so whilst it's still defensively minded and 5 drives and a kick like Super League has become, it's done to a higher standard. There is also a much wider spread of elite players, it seems pretty much every side in the NRL has a 'wow' player, where in Super league the better players don't stay at clubs like Wakefield, London, Salford, Cas etc they move on to the big clubs very quickly.

Bulldogs - Barba, Sea Eagles - Lyon, Storm - Slater, Rabbitos- Inglis, Cowboys - Thurston, Broncos - Thaiday, Raiders - Dugan, Sharks - Gallen, Knights - Uate, Titans - Bird, Eels - Hayne, Dragons - Morris, Roosters - Pearce, Warriors - Johnson, Tigers - Marshall, Panthers - Jennings.

I bet it would be pretty embarassing by comparison to list the Super League clubs like that.

It's helped by the fact that it's a pretty level playing field, any of the teams can make a push for the top, sure some teams are ''bigger'' than others but it's not a HUGE difference like we see in Super League.

And you think all Super League is 5 drives and a kick, did you see Wakefield and Widnes the other day? Couldn't even get through five drives!

Re: 30 -0 : Tue Sep 04, 2012 5:17 pm  

Carlos Alberto wrote:

Took my girlfriend to her first match tonight. She still has no clue what a halfback is.

Is your girlfiend Mike Rush?

Re: 30 -0 : Tue Sep 04, 2012 5:41 pm  

saint at wire wrote:

Is your girlfiend Mike Rush?

Re: 30 -0 : Tue Sep 04, 2012 10:51 pm  

saint at wire wrote:

Is your girlfiend Mike Rush?

Re: 30 -0 : Sat Sep 15, 2012 7:09 pm  

Two great wins, away from home, against the two "top" teams in the league, both off the back of great defense. Where did that come from? I reckon it came from games like the London one, maybe not the most exciting, but perfect preparation for the big games to come. Why is rush our coach? Because he has set a course to get us to OT. We aren't there yet, but he's given it a chuffing good go.

Re: 30 -0 : Sat Sep 15, 2012 8:17 pm  

Have to admit that that result shocked the bloody life out of me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: 30 -0 : Sat Sep 15, 2012 8:36 pm  

SomersetSaint wrote:

Two great wins, away from home, against the two "top" teams in the league, both off the back of great defense. Where did that come from? I reckon it came from games like the London one, maybe not the most exciting, but perfect preparation for the big games to come. Why is rush our coach? Because he has set a course to get us to OT. We aren't there yet, but he's given it a chuffing good go.

I think it's shocking how anyone can question the job mike Rush has done this year. Is sole job was to get us in a postion to put a play off run together and he did that, we then beat Warrington in their own back yard and only one game from old Trafford.

The guy has no top level coaching experince, took over a team with zero confidence but he's still bagged for "not playing young players" and " playing boring rugby"

Well done Mike and KC, you've done a terrific job.

Re: 30 -0 : Sat Sep 15, 2012 8:50 pm  

We have been to the playoffs every season since, when? 2006? Or did we get into the playoffs in 2005? I can't remember. Anyway, obviously since 2006 at the latest.

In that time we have had Anderson, Potter, Simmons and now Rush as coaches. Clearly our ability to play play off rugby is not simply a coaching matter otherwise we wouldn't be so consistent across so many coaches.

IMO it's a mentality. What the players showed tonight was what they generally haven't showed this season: a desire to play. I think the last time we saw Saints play anything near that kind of rugby was against Leeds at Langtree Park. I feel like I've been duped out of my season ticket after the trugid rot I've had to watch. I might not bother paying out next year and just turn up for the play offs, like Saints have done.