Re: Australian Grand Final : Mon Oct 04, 2021 9:13 am  

A couple of times I've wondered if the last thing the RFL would actually want would be a lot more of us watching the NRL, which is exactly what's happened since the start of the pandemic.

In short, far fewer of us now need to be told that our game is in the Stone Age by comparison because we've seen it for ourselves.

I've heard all the excuses. We haven't got any money. Our TV deal is rubbish. We only play along the M62 corridor. Yet lots of us are old enough to remember the early 1990s, when some of the best players in the world were playing British rugby league, when we regularly won the WCC convincingly and when we ran Australia very close in a World Cup Final at Wembley, only losing because of a bent New Zealand referee.

I think we've got a right to ask questions of our administrators. To try and find out how we frittered all that away. To find out what plan there is to revive our fortunes. And if there isn't one, to find out how we get rid of them.

Re: Australian Grand Final : Fri Oct 08, 2021 2:46 pm  

Salty wrote:

Wish I lived in Australia.

dont we all....... instead of this sh1th0le and all the self -inflicted problems we have to deal with at the moment

Re: Australian Grand Final : Fri Oct 08, 2021 7:06 pm  

It's about coaches, even more than players, I think. Time and again Craig Bellamy has taken unfancied journeyman players, often no better than SL standard, and made them into something better, so they can fit seamlessly in his side. Penrith just won the GF with 13 of the 17 coming through academy. That would warm Shaun Wane's heart!

And I think the other point, which I've made before, is that in criticising the standard of SL, it''s a bit harsh to judge it by Wigan's standard, as we have been literallly the worse team in the comp to watch this last year.

But Cruncher's point is a fair one. SL looks vastly poorer than the NRL in every respect. Not least the professionalism of the whole TV package, studio pundits, commentators, the Bunker set-up. All much better than our equivalents. And that won't change whilst it's on Sky. Does anyone buy a Sky Sports package just for SL? I wouldn't (I wouldn't give Sky a penny of my-earned anyway,as it goes, but I mean, even if I didn't have an ideological objection to Sky, I wouldn't pay God knows how much it is these days just for SL) Such SL needs as I have, I can get down the pub, if necessary (like tomorrow).

Re: Australian Grand Final : Sat Oct 09, 2021 2:32 am  

Yorkshire Warrior wrote:

I could not understand why Cleary received hardly any kick pressure. The one time Souths did hunt him down resulted in a poor clearance. It was so obvious to me but somehow Bennet and Demetriou didn’t prioritise it.

I was fortunate enough to go to the Grand Final. I said the the same thing that every time the bunnies kicked they were put on their backside. Pressure on Cleary worked the one time the Bunnies did it. The protection when receiving a bomb from the Panthers was far better too with their blocking players.

Re: Australian Grand Final : Sat Oct 09, 2021 8:42 am  

moto748 wrote:

It's about coaches, even more than players, I think. Time and again Craig Bellamy has taken unfancied journeyman players, often no better than SL standard, and made them into something better, so they can fit seamlessly in his side. Penrith just won the GF with 13 of the 17 coming through academy. That would warm Shaun Wane's heart!

And I think the other point, which I've made before, is that in criticising the standard of SL, it''s a bit harsh to judge it by Wigan's standard, as we have been literallly the worse team in the comp to watch this last year.

But Cruncher's point is a fair one. SL looks vastly poorer than the NRL in every respect. Not least the professionalism of the whole TV package, studio pundits, commentators, the Bunker set-up. All much better than our equivalents. And that won't change whilst it's on Sky. Does anyone buy a Sky Sports package just for SL? I wouldn't (I wouldn't give Sky a penny of my-earned anyway,as it goes, but I mean, even if I didn't have an ideological objection to Sky, I wouldn't pay God knows how much it is these days just for SL) Such SL needs as I have, I can get down the pub, if necessary (like tomorrow).

To be fair yeah I'm probably one of a small number but I buy Sky Sports for Super League. I watch NFL and occasionally NRL on there but if they lost Super League I would cancel and move to whoever got it.

Re: Australian Grand Final : Sat Oct 09, 2021 11:00 am  

Grimmy wrote:

To be fair yeah I'm probably one of a small number but I buy Sky Sports for Super League. I watch NFL and occasionally NRL on there but if they lost Super League I would cancel and move to whoever got it.

Like wise with me, I only buy sky for the sports. Predominately rugby league, plus in recent years I have come to like American football. Would pack the sky in if it lost rugby league. I am never certain if rugby league is getting its fair financial rewards from sky. Or is sky propping up professional rugby league.

Re: Australian Grand Final : Sat Oct 09, 2021 11:14 am  

Backwoodsman wrote:

Like wise with me, I only buy sky for the sports. Predominately rugby league, plus in recent years I have come to like American football. Would pack the sky in if it lost rugby league. I am never certain if rugby league is getting its fair financial rewards from sky. Or is sky propping up professional rugby league.

Little column a, little column b.

Re: Australian Grand Final : Sun Oct 10, 2021 8:26 am  

moto748 wrote:

It's about coaches, even more than players, I think. Time and again Craig Bellamy has taken unfancied journeyman players, often no better than SL standard, and made them into something better, so they can fit seamlessly in his side. Penrith just won the GF with 13 of the 17 coming through academy. That would warm Shaun Wane's heart!

And I think the other point, which I've made before, is that in criticising the standard of SL, it''s a bit harsh to judge it by Wigan's standard, as we have been literallly the worse team in the comp to watch this last year.

But Cruncher's point is a fair one. SL looks vastly poorer than the NRL in every respect. Not least the professionalism of the whole TV package, studio pundits, commentators, the Bunker set-up. All much better than our equivalents. And that won't change whilst it's on Sky. Does anyone buy a Sky Sports package just for SL? I wouldn't (I wouldn't give Sky a penny of my-earned anyway,as it goes, but I mean, even if I didn't have an ideological objection to Sky, I wouldn't pay God knows how much it is these days just for SL) Such SL needs as I have, I can get down the pub, if necessary (like tomorrow).

no but I would get rid of it if super league dropped off