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Balls (Merged Threads)


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35 minutes ago, philipw said:

Do these suppliers actually supply them free or do they charge?

Was it said that the previous ball was rubbish in the wet. If so, hope this one is better.

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11 minutes ago, Rupert Prince said:

Do these suppliers actually supply them free or do they charge?

Was it said that the previous ball was rubbish in the wet. If so, hope this one is better.

Unsure. I think it was the Rhino ball that was rubbish in the wet - I know a lot of the players complained a lot on social media during the first couple of years of the Rhino deal. 

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A bad workman blames his tools............there were complaints when it was first launched in 2013..........i own a Rhino match ball from 2016 and i'm no expert but it feels pretty grippy to me............i'd imagine all rugby balls get more slippery when they are wet.......maybe we are just spoilt with the summer rugby and dry conditions.

Wonder if we've got a better deal out of Steeden than Rhino?

It'd be nice to see the design of the actual ball to go with the announcement but i guess that's the kind of joined up thinking we don't bother with in rugby league.

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31 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Steeden means rugby league. Rhino are a bit tarnished to my mind.

 

26 minutes ago, Mr Plow said:

Yeah I remember everyone complaining when they switched to rhino. I liked the look of the rhino balls though.

ive always associated Steeden with league and Gilbert with union

Aren't Steeden and Gilbert owned by the same company?

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58 minutes ago, latchford albion said:

 

Aren't Steeden and Gilbert owned by the same company?

They are. Grays International (of Gray-Nicolls cricket fame). Based just down the road from me (apropos of nothing).

Rhino started out by making scrum machines and are onion through and through.

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3 hours ago, Dave T said:

Looking forward to the reduction in errors now (even though I think the stats proved that the difference in errors was negligible).

Yep, negligible.  But let’s face it, these balls are well engineered to allow better handling.  Holding and passing either there’s nowt in it.

I’m not sure the Steeden has the same properties which allow the movement in the air that the Rhino does though.

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Good move imo, clearly seems like a bit of the Elstone effect. I don't know what it was about the Rhino balls, just generally a bit below the steeden in every way. I know a rugby ball is a rugby ball and all that but the Rhino balls just didn't feel as good I guess. The shape just felt a bit off compared to the Steeden, much more round like the Gilberts I used at school for Union. 

 

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Can remember when we switched to Rhino balls and the difference was noticeable. no doubt they improved, but Steeden's always seemed that bit better. Better grip (that lasted longer), better in the wet, and seemed to have a bit more bounce to them, though this was initially, as i mentioned.

Seems like theres an active attempt to align with the NRL in a number of areas now.

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We should play a season with the smooth Mitre balls and then we’ll really have a picture of modern day skills versus the old days!

I too loved the Puma ones in the early 90s (part of the deal when they made the GB, presumably?) but I guess that coincides with being a kid. 

Amazing how many people have no recollection of the 8 panelled balls. I remember them very clearly as I was playing regularly at the time and there seemed to be a big effort from the RFL at the time to make sure they were used at all levels, but by my reckoning they were only used at pro level in 2002? 

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28 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Amazing how many people have no recollection of the 8 panelled balls. I remember them very clearly as I was playing regularly at the time and there seemed to be a big effort from the RFL at the time to make sure they were used at all levels, but by my reckoning they were only used at pro level in 2002?  

They were introduced at the RLWC 2000 I think, certainly were used at that event. A quick google indicates there are versions with both the old and 'new' versions of the SL logo (God it looks like it's been around 15 years since that change happened, seems like just a couple of years ago) so looks like they may have stuck around for at least a couple of SL seasons -

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Smooth surface = leather balls ... harder to grip and absorb water. Better to pass at distance because there was a lace.

Dimpled surface = plastic/laminate balls ... easier to grip and do not absorb water. Harder to pass at distance because there was no lace. A greater degree of accuracy when being kicked.

 

 

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