Important point.


Hopefully all sides will try to be more expansive and ditch "the grind".

Of course you have to go forward down the middle before you can throw it about but for many teams the style of RL now is utterly predictable.

It was only a couple of years ago that Leeds were playing this way, offloading at will and tearing teams apart.

So what happened?

SPOTY, Kiwis and Floods changed everything.

The early 90's pre super league was my favorite era full stop for the game, whist i enjoyed as a club our 10-12 years dominance and success the most from a purely Leeds fan point of view, the whole game across the board was a better spectical to watch back then. most clubs were going full time (Mainly) the start of massive improvements to fitness and player preparation, combined with natural flare and skill still being allowed to flourish. still had kangaroo tours and the 1990 side and 1994 sides where full of players equal to the 82 and 86 teams but we could match them and nearly win the series and have not been anywhere near being close to beating them since 1994. Leeds did play some cracking rugby under laughton, but just could not get past Wigan. but ultimately cost Wigan their ground and nearly cost us ours trying to catch them.
i certainly hope this trend for open attacking flair starting to creep in is going to be the future again not just nostalgia.

No the only enjoyment is in winning trophies - Loiner81 say so!!

Agree 100%.

I agree i thought RL as a whole was great to watch in that early 90's period and it truly felt like we were an equal to the Aussies on the international stage.

On this season so far, early but i have enjoyed watching the Rugby so far (us aside ) and the more expansive play, hopefully it continues and it always helps to force the issue when that is the brand being played by the top sides others usually follow.

I'm guessing that most of the fans who loved the early 90s were probably between 18 and 25 at the time. I bet most people's favourite era would be the period when RL was probably one of the most important things in their lives.

I feel the game is in transition a little at the moment. Once the 'scooting' style of play wad exposed in the 2008 world cup, and with the likes of Anderson, Brown, and Maguire coming over and putting a greater emphasis on 'the wrestle' coaches and players have struggled to adapt, but Robinson, McDermott (2015) and Powell have found ways to negate that and bring back attractive rugby in spite of the slow ptb. Hopefully this trend is a sign of things to come.

Knowing a few on here I'd say you're not too far off there with some notable exceptions.

It's a mere coincidence though as it's obvious it was better then

I was 25 in 1990, I was in Sydney. I loved that time for a many reasons, RL was probably not one of them but it was nice to spend a Sunday afternoon at a game.

Think that's spot on and something I've commented on before. People will have different decades as their favourites but I'd guess that whatever decade that was the age range was quite similar.

I bet when those people who were going in and enjoying the 80's & early 90's they had older fans telling them how much better the 50's/60's/70's were etc.

That's a fair comment. I don't think it can be argued SL has been on the slide over the last few years, certainly as a spectacle.

Again, hopefully things have bottomed out already and the product is on the up entertainment wise as current early season evidence suggests.

Super League, as a product, for me has had it's day.

To me, we're either Rugby League or we're not.

Not true. Loiner81 no say so!!

Loiner81 say Sal Paradise is silly old man.
Loiner81 say Sal Paradise need take nap and rethink life.

Loiner81 did say that - and my life is pretty good thank you