Well, given the number of people who said Austin played at loose forward in that game when he was named at 13, I'd suggest a good number can't work out where someone is playing if they are not told.

More difficult in rugby league than in football.

It does throw me a bit when you have a number 1 playing centre (to give just one example, which often happens now). Because my eyesight isn't brilliant I think for a split second "what the hell is the full-back doing?"

I didn’t say, and don’t think implied, I had a problem with players position during a match. My point was, not giving a comfort pad to any squad player. No one is bigger than his selection into the first team. If a player comes in and plays well, he keeps that shirt with that number. A starting shirt number promotes competition, and that is healthy...I don’t want to see undroppables,

Edited, sorry, I just realised your post was not a question to me.
Stay safe and great year to you FMC.

Apart from making money selling shirts I don't see much point in squad numbers. As a coach I would hate to show my hand of who I think should play where so early in the season. Must be de-motivating for those on the edge of the team. I used like training at the start of the season before the first selection.

When watching teams I don't follow, like the Aussie games, I seem to be able to work out what's going on a bit quicker with the traditional numbering.

This is basically the point I was trying to make. Someone wearing 20 playing on the wing doesn't bother me. Someone wearing 6 but playing the loose forward role does, especially if the club's number 7 is then playing stand-off (have seen it happen), although I accept that a reshuffle could take place like this with traditional numbering it was at least set right at the beginning of most games.

I dont see that its that big a deal, I see where people line up on the field in defence, that tells me what position they're defending in.

In attack, I see where people are standing and what they do, that tells me what positions they're attacking in.

Theres no point getting overly concerned about 6 and 7 in most cases now, when most teams play split half backs.

I can understand why some can't see the difference but I assure you when you don't know all the players (so not your own team) it just seems to make it easier. Not a big deal ... but there is not much to talk about.

I take your point on all matters, here.

Judging by what the club do, 48 hours before kick off (where our squad is released alphabetically), why not have squad numbers that way. It might give Fitzpatrick a wacky idea.

I’ve no issue. A bit like Leicester...if they still do it.

They did it by alphabet, i.e.
A = prop
B = Hooker
C = Prop.
etc

You don't need to be Stephen Hawking to work it out.


If we had someone called Aardvark, he'd be 1, etc


Yes, I know we can all "work out a team", when squads are released, but I find the urge to give out a "perfect" 1-13 a bit old hat.

Football don't do it
Teams in crap Americana sports don't do it.
Cricket don't do it.

Quote: lefty goldblatt " Teams in crap Americana sports don't do it.'" Actually, the NFL does have a system the teams have to conform to, but not many British viewers realise it, You can tell a player's position by his shirt number https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationa ... rm_numbers

Quote: lefty goldblatt " Teams in crap Americana sports don't do it.'" Actually, the NFL does have a system the teams have to conform to, but not many British viewers realise it, You can tell a player's position by his shirt number https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationa ... rm_numbers

Correct, there's also a sort of numbering system in the nba, not so much thats position related , but certain shirt numbers are permitted so the refs can hand gesture them to the scoring table

Anyway, it's more of a minor annoyance and a talking point.

I would say the same about football too, although the numbering system broke down way before the introduction of squad numbers in 92(ish?) because formations and positioning are much more fluid.

For the sake of argument, I would also prefer teams to stick to their proper colours (i.e. Warrington in primrose and blue should only really wear an away kit at Leeds and sometimes Castleford and Catalans if they have shirts with lots of yellow on) but I realise that that doesn't sell shirts, as fewer people buy a shirt that might only be worn twice.

And then there was the Challenge Cup final debacle against Leeds where the referee should have made someone change to a different kit to avoid a clash, but no-one did Bizarre.

That was Leeds fault for having an away kit that was also yellow and blue

Yes, so I believe. So no.1 it was Leeds being daft, but...

I don't know the exact rugby league rulebook on this, but I would expect it is the same as the football one.

If Sheffield Wednesday (blue and white stripes) for example are at home to Everton (who that season have a blue home kit and a white away kit), the referee can make the home team change if distinguishing players is likely to be a problem for him and spectators. Surely RL is the same?