This I think proves my point, to me the KR Catalan game was great as Rovers are my
team. I assume most people like me have little connection to the sides in most TV games not involving our clubs. I have got rid of sky & only use now TV for the games I am interested in. I won't get to any Rovers games now as they insist on playing Friday evenings or Thursday. They don't kick off until a time I am getting ready for bed or at least at home. I get my fill now watching amateur sides or I intend to try the odd Sunday game at York. I would love to take my grand kid to a game but not at eight at night. I have followed my club for over 50 years & it breaks my heart not to go & as I say TV rarely makes up for missing live games, That's how I was introduced to the great game not through TV.

Attacking play is dreadful. Go watch a few videos of Wigan around 1995. To name a few.

I agree and don’t agree with what you have said agree about the Thursday Friday matches because the gates on Sundays are a lot better but with out sky were I now live I would only see rugby league once or twice a year has I now live down south

The first 10 years of Superleague had a decent level of intensity, there was enough quality skillful players for most of the tries to be scored from exciting passing plays.
These days there a lot of tries scored from kicking plays, if hitting the corner flag was not allowed there would be a big reduction in try’s scored. Most of the game would then be 5 drives and a kick add in all the wrestling in the tackle then we have a basic low intensity step start game with lots of rest periods so that players can keep it as a power game.

Would you not attribute much of this to the increase in Aussie coaches and their emphasis on defence.
The game now is all about territory and "coaching by numbers".
As I alluded to in my earlier post Powell at Cas, has a whole different strategy and whilst it unravelled spectacularly in the GF, Cas played some really attractive rugby.
There is always a tendency to remember the good things from the past and believe that things were better than they were.
A previous poster mentioned Wigan of the 90's, a star studded side, that almost bankrupt them and the game.
It's up to the modern day coaches (and players) to find ways to score against better defences and whilst your right that more tries are coming from kick plays.
Although your right about the corner flag ruling possibly increasing kick plays to the corner, the athleticism of todays wingers is stunning and this rule should be kept.

If I remember it was Huddersfield and Wigan who changed the game to what it is today and I think you are right in respect of the Aussie coaching effect.
Huddersfield brought in the kicking game to the wingers and the lying on at the tackle, Wigan brought in the suffocation by taking the wrestle in the tackle to a higher level.
Add in the mix of the officials finding it difficult to judge a loose carry, a ball strip towards a knock on then we have a less entertaining game.
This year I think we might see more of the scooter from dummy half which can create havoc in the regimented defensive line, much better to play expansive rugby to the new supporter than 5 drives and a kick.

I understand as I lived in Dorset for 20 years & had to make do with whatever the BBC had to offer or the odd game when at home on leave, even had to play union. how things have changed now I could play League in the Navy now (instead of getting a life ban for it) But still would prefer an amateur live game to TV.

OK if you were a Wigan fan the rest of us had to put up with a walloping every time they came to town. people forget they were the only really full time team & signed the best players just to stop others having them (then just about bankrupted them). As a fan of League, even two amateur teams put on a good show as long as they are the same standard (poor or good)Only one sided games I like is the odd time its my side handing out a thumping.

Go back to the defences of past eras as well and I'm sure youll see the same attacking prowess emerge.

As fellow Wakey fan as alluded to that Cas were entertaining to watch last season as were Saints/Hull when i saw them on the tv, BUT most of all with total bias i loved watching the Trin throwing the ball around wily nilly last season and with our good wingers it was a joy to watch. This year most of all have had 2 sl games none's really been great but where in FEB, So when the sun finally comes the pitches will dry up making for a more entertaining games







Up The Trin

Can’t believe a Rovers victory is the only game you haven’t enjoyed this season. Who’d have thought?

Salary Cap a quarter of century out of date... NRL SC much higher, Aviva Prem and especially French RU SCs are much higher... Therefore the quality are going to NRL and sometimes to Union.

Fifteen years ago I think we only had Adrian Morley over in the NRL. All our other stars were in SL.

That’s like leaving Sam Burgess down in Aus but Saints having Graham, Hudds having George Burgess, Wire having Tom, Wigan having Hodgson, Hull having Whitehead, Leeds with Widdop and Charnley Solomona and whoever else has gone to Union staying put... all in SL.

Reduce the quality pool of players and you reduce the quality of games.

What also doesn’t help is the NRL becoming a much more robotic, one-out hit-up game and SL trying to copy it. With worse players playing a more boring style the quality of games is even further reduced.

SL needs to operate at what Leeds Saints Hull Wire Toronto Catalans and Wigan can afford to operate at and hopefully the money will trickle down the clubs. Keep our players, sod the NRL, sod Union, sod robotic one-out rugby and play some expansive rugby with superstars of the game.

In terms of spectacle and on pitch skill, rugby league has been overtaken by rugby union.

Regards

King James

I saw a bit of one of the Union internationals last week and it was embarrassingly poor. You are talking tripe.

I think the quality has dropped in the last couple of years, more down to ever decreasing standards of imports than Brits in the NRL (the Burgii and Graham have been there for years anyway). However, comparisons to 95 have to include what passed for defence back then, particularly once fatigue set in. Almost a completely different sport.

Where I think SL falls down particularly is error rates being way too high. Nothing kills continuity in a game quicker than a dropped ball. SL just doesn't punish teams and individuals enough for these basic errors, which we also suffer from at international level.