Quote: D.D. "As I said, "quality" is not the same as "entertainment". I'm not a complete village idiot. I am aware that the quality of defending is significantly better than it ever has been.'"
Didn't want to sound condescending, I've no doubt you've watched more RL than me (I'm 2icon_cool.gif. But I remember watching some truly horrible games during winter rugby. They were not all about throwing the ball about, there was lots and lots of "up the jumper" dour rugby, as the conditions demanded it.
Quote: D.D. "I have never said the "quality" used to be better but the "entertainment" was. It's nothing to do with rose tinted spectactles. Anyone can see that the game has evolved into a very different game than it was ten years ago. Anyone can see that the predominant tactic has changed to ploughing it down the middle and securing territory. Anyone can see that the flair half backs, centres and wingers have all but disappeared. Anyone can see that long range tries are largely a thing of the past. They are stone wall facts. The game is different.'"
I personally find the brutal defense based games far, far more entertaining. Give me the big shots of the Aus/NZ game over length of the field tries due to poor defence. Plus, long range tries may be a thing of the past at Saints due to a lack of pace, but they certainly aren't at Leeds for example.
Going back 10-15 years, who were these flair half backs you speak of? I'd rather watch Tomkins and Eastmond at 6 and 7 than people like Tony Smith and loose forwards playing 6 like we saw then for GB.
Is, for example, Eastmond any less exciting than a young Sean Long?
Quote: D.D. "The brand of rugby that was formerly played is very different than now. I enjoyed free-flowing, attack based Rugby League, with teams looking to score whenever possible. I'm not a fan of conservative, safety first Rugby League.'"
Fair play
Quote: D.D. "I have my own written reports of every game dating back twenty years. Those reports signify my love of the game. They talk enthusiastically about the entertaining day that I had. They don't anymore. So at least I have some contemporary evidence to back me up. '"
Maybe you were a different person 20 years ago to what you are now? Maybe RL played a more important part in your life?
Quote: D.D. "There were low scoring games in the past you know? A look at things will tell you that there were significantly less points per game on average in the period between 1990 and 1993 than there was in the period between 2006 and 2008. '"
I would expect so, given the games were played in the depths of winter in often terrible conditions.
Quote: D.D. "The 4-5 and 8-8 games against Wigan though still involved people trying to move the ball about. '"
As do the close games these days.
Quote: D.D. "The Australia-New Zealand game was more more like that kind of era. The close games in Super League of late don't even resemble the same sport sometimes.'"
The Australia-New Zealand is more like this era because, well, it IS this era.