The game has become frustrating

[mickqld]

I sat there watching the Storm vs Bunnies game thinking that I am getting really sick and tired of watching the wrestle in the tackle. Constantly from both sides there were 3 or 4 in the tackle. The holding down was rediculous, turning players on their backs and turning them to face the wrong way. It was boring and frustrating to watch. It was summed up the other night I think on NRL 360 that the game has gotten a lot slower than it was 15 -20 yrs ago. There was no wrestle back then, no holding down and turning players it was 2 in a tackle and stand up. The Storm and Bellamy are responsible for this as well as the piss weak refs who wont police it at all (Unless its Manly). In fact the other game Parra v Tiger was much more entertaining because they weren't so proficient at the wrestle so the game was more free flowing. It's why footy like the QLD and NSW cup games are actually more entertaining as well. The NRL MUST STOP this wrestle it is killing the game.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

They cannot leave rule changes up to the coaches. Isn't that what's been happening? Maybe they could have a panel of 'immortals' or experienced players to make recommendations, coaches could be consulted but they shouldn't be the driving force of rule changes.

 

[mickqld]

Storm got away with murder in that game last night. The wrestle was the worst I have seen all year. If that's the example of what they will allow in the finals then it's going to be awful to watch.

 

[sweetest g]

The game is changing so much these days. i love the nsw cup

 

[MK Eagle]

Totally agree with this point but in saying this & not being bias to Manly, if its solid contact dominating the attacker theres room to have latitude for the defence winning the battle.
This has been part of Manlys success over the past 10 years - winning the physical battle to earn the right to dominate the ruck.
The main team to incorporate these dodgy wrestle tactics are the Storm in what you would could a standard tackle, turning into a turtle or twister than peeling off slowly without actually winning the contact.
For mine the Roosters are the worst & most obvious of this in 2013, particularly Jake Friend who could be penalised every tackle.
Ppl keep crediting great defence & tbh, the coach has them exploiting what the NRL are allowing but its not pleasant viewing, prefer to see Matai or Choc smash an attacker, winning the ruck in that style.

 

[mickqld]

Exactly MK and this crop of referees are the worst and weakest I have ever seen. They have no guts to take on the cheats. They let players like Ennis mouth off to them and try to influence them. It's piss weak. I want to see these refs grow a set and take charge.

 

[jbb/james]

the storms line speed in the first half defied belief. Im not saying i was impressed it actually defied belief. No way could they have been back 10. It wrecked what should have been a highly entertaining showpiece, and only highlighted how the refs decide who gets the opportunities to shine

 

[manlyfan76]

The game is definitely going backwards. I'd like to see the refs call held once momentum is stopped count to 2 and if the players arn't off the ball carrier penalise them.
I hate storm games as well. They are so good at getting players on their backs in a tackle with the first two in wrapping up the ball/upper body, the third grabs the legs and they twist them onto their backs.
I also think that less interchanges would be good because then having four in a tackle will allow the speedy players to run into holes and create excitement instead of the bore that Melbourne give us week in week out.

 

[Supernintendo Chalmers]

Storm got away with murder in that game last night. The wrestle was the worst I have seen all year. If that's the example of what they will allow in the finals then it's going to be awful to watch.

yup, i sat there thinking exactly the same thing. then burst out laughing any time a storm player tried to complain about being held down or having a cry for a penalty if they were dominated. Their standing on top of the guy playing the ball was ridiculous as well. When Buhrer was getting hammered for his holding down, i reckon if you got a stopwatch, he was off quicker than more than half the storm tackles last night.

 

[north coast eagle]

Two sides standing too flat, wrestling and running one out - boring. . The skills of the ball players are much more evident in the old games where they stand deep enough to give themselves room. Warren Ryan, Anderson and Bellamy have ruined the game with their spoiling tactics.

 

[Brissie Kid]

There was a set early in the 2nd half where Souths were getting back into the game, and Storm resorted to their wrestling & then twisting tackled players. Souths dropped the ball on the 4th tackle & referee called the scrum. You could then hear one of the referees admonishing Smith saying that on 3 occasions the Storm were too slow to get off the tackle. Souths got no penalty for Storm's illegal play. But in the first half Burgess blew up when Souths got pinged for a hold down on the first tackle in a set & he said to the referee you are ignoring the Storm's tactics.

They got away with the same against the Raiders but no one gave a peep about at as it became a blowout score. But that's precisely how the Storm got their domination in the first place.

Meanwhile players like Jamie Buhruer are getting singled out & hammered by referees for supposedly being bad guys in the tackle and hold downs.

Teams walking off the mark is also now back in the game. Go watch the Bulldogs.

And the video referee has a completely different idea to the onfield referees about what is a knockon. The onfield referees treat nearly every dropped ball as a knockon. The video referee looks to see if the ball went forward.

 

[manlyfan76]

Storm got away with murder in that game last night. The wrestle was the worst I have seen all year. If that's the example of what they will allow in the finals then it's going to be awful to watch.

yup, i sat there thinking exactly the same thing. then burst out laughing any time a storm player tried to complain about being held down or having a cry for a penalty if they were dominated. Their standing on top of the guy playing the ball was ridiculous as well. When Buhrer was getting hammered for his holding down, i reckon if you got a stopwatch, he was off quicker than more than half the storm tackles last night.

It won't be long until there is a computer program that grids the field and will show how far each Ref has different teams back and what teams they favor (storm - roosters I'm thinking of you here) and also how long teams are allowed to hold players down. Coaches will then use this to select the refs they don't want to call their games. In Major League Baseball they have a graffic that shows the strike zone as the ball crosses it. something similar will pull these refs into line, or show up how poor they are.

 

[Brissie Kid]

I cannot stand Cechin's "Moooooooooooooooooove!" at the start of every set. Just shut up. Please.

 

[globaleagle]

I cannot stand Cechin's "Moooooooooooooooooove!" at the start of every set. Just shut up. Please.

I never noticed it until Dan bought it up.

Now I hate them both.

 

[The Who]

A guy rang up on radio with great idea for RL. In every match there is a 10-minute period where biffo is allowed, say from the 10th to the 20th minute. Outside this period the rules are adhered to.
Now that would bring the crowds back!

 

[Killer03]

The sanitizing of the game is what frustrates me the most. We need to turn Rugby League into a completely different game so that mum will allow little Jamie to play. Player safety is paramount, but the shoulder charge rule is now out of control, and no-one really seems to know what a shoulder charge is. My attitude is always the same, if you do a tackle (be it shoulder charge or other) that goes wrong and hits someone in the head...you do time...plain and simple.

An attacking kicker cannot have anyone within a 10m radius otherwise it's a penalty. This is becoming an absolute joke. Again I didn't think players like Price jumping at kickers feet was safe, but now you can't tackle or bump the kicker....even if the kicker runs into the defender...it's pathetic.

 

[Daddycool08]

I couldn't agree more with everything above. It has got to the point that I no longer watch games that don't involve manly. I don't follow league any more, I just follow the sea eagles. It starts at the top - people running the game who have no background in it, no respect or understanding of it's history. There is no one who actually has the games best interests at heart - it's all about dollars, corporate bull****, winning at all costs, letting coaches have far too much say, weak referreeing etc etc. The game was a thousand times better in the 1990's under the stewardship of arko and quayle - true league men who had the games best interests at heart. Does anyone actually enjoy watching teams like the storm play?

Agreed.

I think I've watched about twenty minutes in total this year of games that don't involve Manly.

In fact I am proud of the fact that I don't even know who won last night I couldn't care less unless it affects Manly's chances.

So the NRL has some work to do.

But they have to put we fans somewhere above where they hold us at present. I think in the NRL's view if a rugby league fan and a piece of **** are together the **** shines.

 

[Ralphie]

I switched off after 20 minutes.

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

Agreed, it was a horrible game of footy to watch precisely because of the wrestle. The Storm started it and Souths have modelled their game on it. Unfortunately I can't see the refs policing it in the finals so unless we can beat them at their own game we'll be stuffed.

 

[MissKate]

The wrestle is less prolific in uk super league, one ref manages to control the game, the game is faster, it is becoming a better game to watch in comparison to some of the games here.

The refs had a bit of a predicament last night, reffing the least penalised team in the comp (the scum) and the team that get every call go their way (the rabbids) - what to do. When the rabbids were not getting all the favourable calls they almost self imploded, poor samantha had a whinge to the refs and suddenly they got some calls go their way

The scum - least penalised team in the league - this not because they are the most disciplined it is as mentioned above they just get away with everything most other teams get penalised for

Not sure who many assistant coaches bellamy has had but they are a scourge on the game with their coached dirty tactics proving that super league curse still has a strangle hold on the game (pardon the pun)