Quote: MorePlaymakersNeeded "Fair points RD and DSM. Even if we are inferior to the NRL, I still want the game to played in a more positive manner, without all the restrictive practices being used at the play the ball. We'd still lag behind the NRL in player quality, but we'd have a better game to watch.'"
I'm an old flatulent who started watching the Wire as a kid in the 1950's(I went to school with kevin Ashcroft that's how old I am) We stood in the railway end when there was no cover and we often got drenched in inclement weather. We didn't care, we were loving every minute. About 5 seasons ago I walked out of the HJ and haven't been back since. I was bored witless. I still follow the game on TV but rarely last more than a few minutes, for me the game as it is now has very little entertainment value. We learned how to play the game in the schoolyard playing tick rugby where tackling was a no-no. We had to find ways to beat the opposition, side steps, dummies and sheer speed if you had it.Those methods have long since gone from the game and replaced by sheer brutal force and incessant kicking for position in order to crash over the line from short range. It's time for a re-think.When League was formed in Huddersfield in the days when it was called broken time payments the rules of the game were radically changed, two players were dropped from the teams, play the ball introduced and the scrums were contested. In those days players weren't as fit as they are now and the game was more open. Now they spent their days in the gym pumping iron and even halfbacks and wingers have arms like Popeye. If I had my way(which I won't) there would be a further two players removed from teams, scrums abolished, infringements to be replaced by turning over the ball. Only two players on the bench to be used only because of injury. It would be more of a test of fitness and stamina than the present day game, who knows, the old skills could make a comeback. An old codger can have his dreams can't he ?