A miserabalist writes ... timesonline.typepad.com/rugby_le ... -be-a.html

A miserabalist writes ... timesonline.typepad.com/rugby_le ... -be-a.html

has steve jones taken over your computer in recent days?

Sorry, but I agree with him, the standard of SL appears to be slipping yet again.

Mmm. As a saints fan, I look back on the outrageously talented set of players we had on show in 2000 with mixed emotions. Yes, the standard of our team was higher then, and probably that ability for the bigger clubs to horde the lions' share of the talent made for better big games. We'd also have a dozen games a year when we'd rack up 50, mind.

But

We have implimented strategies through the salary cap and quota system, not only keep clubs financially secure, but to even out the competetion and to help produce a more stable, british based player pool.

Perhaps now we lack the all star line ups which we were so fond of, but in time the extra number of youngsters given the chances throughout the league [ishould[/i start to adapt the the level set by the now spread out stars.

The worst thing the RL could do (and something that that have a habit of doing) is not sticking to a well set out plan just because they don't see the benifits immediately. You can't make an omelete without breaking some eggs.

What a load of crap teams like Saints have been bending the Rules for years now some teams are starting play the so called big teams at the own game and it is only a couple years away where there will new kid on the block.
Going on about Celtic and Salford is wrong it is a diffrent game in the NL1 it more based on skill and not size and pace it will take the a couple years to get used to it thats why we have the franchise systam.

Not having seen a SL game 'in the flesh' for over 10 yrs I'm not best placed to comment on the accuracy of what you say but taking it at face value it poses a simple question for me. Does bigger and faster make for a better spectacle? For me the answer is no but growing SL attendance figures would suggest otherwise in the opinion of many.

It's Friday 13th and we've got a burst of misery and pessimism.

Joy unconfined.

As Wembley '83 points out – crowds are on the up. The product can't be getting that much worse. And this would not be the first time that a season has (in some eyes at least) been slow to get going.

Alhough I'd suggest that the current form of the likes of Castleford and Warrington makes it a really interesting start to the season, since it has not started predictably.

One wonders whether, if it had started predictably, the same naysayers would be complaining about predictability?

One wonders, indeed, where RL in the UK would be without whinging?

watching how fast the nrl is tonight in comparison to the SL its a fair gap.

Quote ="Canyoubelieveit"A miserabalist writes ... timesonline.typepad.com/rugby_le ... -be-a.html'" Why let the pr!ck bother you, we KNOW we have the best ball playing sport on the planet, no amount of bile coming from the likes of him will change that.

Quote ="Canyoubelieveit"A miserabalist writes ... timesonline.typepad.com/rugby_le ... -be-a.html'" Why let the pr!ck bother you, we KNOW we have the best ball playing sport on the planet, no amount of bile coming from the likes of him will change that.

Both opening NRL game decided by field goals, exciting stuff.

[i[/i
It's not our fault you're from Warrington.

yep you've finally caught up...but you needed to turn the game on it's head and install 2 refs to achieve it

i taped a SL game from a few weeks ago.

i was fast forwarding it tonight to get to something id taped after

as i was watching it i was suprised as in fast forward the SL looked exactly like the nrl.

Just without the sexual assaults and sponsor slappings.

they dont happen during games.

as it was a game id taped that was a silly comment

We have DVD recorders in England. No need to fast forward through stuff..

oooh, sick burn!

well after being behind in cricket, union and RL thats good to hear its not all one sided.

I do wonder if the Northern mindset and use of language holds back development in the South.

When, as a young man, I lived for a year in the South and had, for the first time, Southern friends I was jealous of how their nights-out always seemed to be amazing, fantastic and brilliant. Then I went out with them and discovered it was at best 'awright'. Northerners are phlegmatic (or miserable), southerners are effusive (or vapid). When Inverdale tells you a Six Nations game has been good and you think 'nay lad, 'twere s***e.', you aren't actually disagreeing, just using different linguistic norms.

To illustrate, here are some northern rugby terms with the southern equivalent in brackets:

Pigging woeful (scope for improvement next week)
Average (decent)
Not bad (very good)
Quite pleased (ecstatic)

Eddie and Stevo are just speaking Southern, because that is the language of Sky Sports.
This also why we should be wary of signing 'decent' players from RU.

so the only thing that SL had over the NRL was speed of the game... now whats left for SL.

this mornings game of broncos v cowboys was far superior in every aspect (skill, pace, defence, excitement) then any SL game or trial I've seen this season.

dragons / storm was even better.

And theres me enjoying the season so far! I would much rather see competitive games, played by teams that even with injuries galore keep putting in gritty performances than seeing one team swipe everyone to one side week after week.

Sure the odd bit of utter class is enjoyable to see, but as easily dull if the same teams keep doing it.

Im enjoying the super league season and hope for a few more twists yet... although if Leeds dont win again I'll eat the chip on my widnesian shoulder