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‘Shaun’ has uploaded some right full-match gems on YouTube lately.

I give you Wellington vs Great Britain, 1990 Lions tour

Hull FC vs Widnes 1991 Premiership Final

Wigan vs Bradford Northern, 1992 Challenge Cup (peak Wigan?)

Well done to Shaun!

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I was at the Wellington Vs GB game at the Basin Reserve in 1990 it was mid week and i skipped school that afternoon with half a dozen mates to go and watch, weather wasnt to good but i can remeber looking up and seeing Martin Offiah watching the game from the members lounge. ive just watched the 1st couple of minutes... unbelievable what wellington had back then kiwis all over the show Mike Kuiti, Morvin Edwards. Robert Piva, Barry Harvey...etc not the case these days even a lot of league fans in wellington would struggle to name a member the current Wellington Team!

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4 hours ago, kiwis 13 6 said:

I was at the Wellington Vs GB game at the Basin Reserve in 1990 it was mid week and i skipped school that afternoon with half a dozen mates to go and watch, weather wasnt to good but i can remeber looking up and seeing Martin Offiah watching the game from the members lounge. ive just watched the 1st couple of minutes... unbelievable what wellington had back then kiwis all over the show Mike Kuiti, Morvin Edwards. Robert Piva, Barry Harvey...etc not the case these days even a lot of league fans in wellington would struggle to name a member the current Wellington Team!

Lovely.

What time was kick-off? 

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11 hours ago, Marty Funkhouser said:

Quick watch of the 1990 GB game shows how slow , flat , and lacking in skill/invention the current game is....

Absolutely spot on, it is laughable that some people on here think the game now, is better than it was back then. I have seen it posted many times on here, that we are looking back at things with rose tinted spectacles that the game only seemed better then.

I hope some of them watch a few games from back then to compare.

RL was a fantastic game, it needs to get back to what it was, a fast, hard and skillful sport.

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5 minutes ago, DOGFATHER said:

Absolutely spot on, it is laughable that some people on here think the game now, is better than it was back then. I have seen it many times posted on here that it is because we are looking back at things with rose tinted spectacles that the game only seemed better.

I hope some of them watch a few games from back then to compare. RL was a fantastic game, it needs to get back to what it was, a fast, hard and skillful sport.

I definitely agree the games back then were more entertaining and appeared more rugged. But I can't agree with anybody who thinks the style of play back then beats how modern RL is played at the top level - not a chance. So, I guess it depends how you define 'better'. 

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12 minutes ago, hunsletgreenandgold said:

I definitely agree the games back then were more entertaining and appeared more rugged. But I can't agree with anybody who thinks the style of play back then beats how modern RL is played at the top level - not a chance. So, I guess it depends how you define 'better'. 

Indeed, it is all opinion. 

The big difference I could see was how deep the attack was, and coupled with slower defensive lines it meant there were more passes rather than one-up drives, but not sure it was any better, it seemed like wasted passed tbh. There was also some shoddy handling.

I do  miss deeper attacks, but I do think it made the game appear slower and more disjointed.

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1 minute ago, Dave T said:

Indeed, it is all opinion. 

The big difference I could see was how deep the attack was, and coupled with slower defensive lines it meant there were more passes rather than one-up drives, but not sure it was any better, it seemed like wasted passed tbh. There was also some shoddy handling.

I do  miss deeper attacks, but I do think it made the game appear slower and more disjointed.

Exactly that - line speed and the flat pass are key to winning the 'arm wrestle' we all know and (love?) in modern day RL.  Still find it great to watch but kind of feels like a different sport to what the game has evolved into now. 

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18 hours ago, Marty Funkhouser said:

Quick watch of the 1990 GB game shows how slow , flat , and lacking in skill/invention the current game is....

If you played like that in the modern game you’d lose 10 yards every tackle. 

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8 hours ago, hunsletgreenandgold said:

I definitely agree the games back then were more entertaining and appeared more rugged. But I can't agree with anybody who thinks the style of play back then beats how modern RL is played at the top level - not a chance. So, I guess it depends how you define 'better'. 

I 100% agree with you, there is a definite reason teams play the 5 drives and a kick style of play we see today, it wins games.

My definition of better, was a better spectator sport, it wasn't as sterile.

I just wish they could play to the same speed of PTB now, as they did then, that would be a massive step in the right direction and open the game up and help to reward creative play.

I'm sure part of the problem with the modern game, and what is stifling creative players, is simply down to the defensive line being set most if not all of the time. They have had so long to get set and in to position due to the amount of wrestling in the tackle, it is rare to see players running in broken play like you used to.

The defensive line speed is partly so quick now, because the defense has had so long to get back and organised. Back then, teams didn't have that time, as soon as the defending team had got back on side, the opposition was running at them again. 

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14 minutes ago, DOGFATHER said:

I 100% agree with you, there is a definite reason teams play the 5 drives and a kick style of play we see today, it wins games.

My definition of better, was a better spectator sport, it wasn't as sterile.

I just wish they could play to the same speed of PTB now, as they did then, that would be a massive step in the right direction and open the game up and help to reward creative play.

I'm sure part of the problem with the modern game, and what is stifling creative players, is simply down to defensive line being set all of the time. They have had so long to get set and in to position due to the amount of wrestling in the tackle.

The defensive line speed is partly so quick now, because the defense has had so long to get organised. Back then you didn't have that time, by the time teams had got back on side, the opposition was running at you again. 

I'm not sure I agree with this. One of the criticisms of the current game is the quick ptbs that allow for hookers to scoot and make massive yards.

My recollection wasn't of fast play the balls 30 years ago, and those videos didnt suggest it either imho.

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Just now, Dave T said:

I'm not sure I agree with this. One of the criticisms of the current game is the quick ptbs that allow for hookers to scoot and make massive yards.

My recollection wasn't of fast play the balls 30 years ago, and those videos didnt suggest it either imho.

I suppose it is down to personal opinion, I find it much slower now a days, even compared to the videos. I would argue it the other way that the hookers don't get the chance to scoot as much as they did, because the ruck is slowed so much with most tackles involving 3+ defenders laying all over the man with the ball.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

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I always think the big difference between RL now and in the past is that now the focus is on the tackle and winning the collision and the quick play-the-ball. Back then, it was what happened between the tackles that was the important thing.

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10 hours ago, Dave T said:

Indeed, it is all opinion. 

The big difference I could see was how deep the attack was, and coupled with slower defensive lines it meant there were more passes rather than one-up drives, but not sure it was any better, it seemed like wasted passed tbh. There was also some shoddy handling.

I do  miss deeper attacks, but I do think it made the game appear slower and more disjointed.

Really?   There is a clear deep offensive line these days, in both codes. I am not sure which code started it but the nr6 in particular often stands deep more than 45degs. Obviously everyone is in motion but they stand deep.

(When did the 10 yard off side line come in?)

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29 minutes ago, Rupert Prince said:

Really?   There is a clear deep offensive line these days, in both codes. I am not sure which code started it but the nr6 in particular often stands deep more than 45degs. Obviously everyone is in motion but they stand deep.

(When did the 10 yard off side line come in?)

Yes, but look at those and the attack pass deep instead of the flat passes now. We also now have dummy runners up in the defensive line. 

Look at those videos and we see the attackers receiving the ball far deeper behind the ptb.

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46 minutes ago, Rupert Prince said:

Really?   There is a clear deep offensive line these days, in both codes. I am not sure which code started it but the nr6 in particular often stands deep more than 45degs. Obviously everyone is in motion but they stand deep.

(When did the 10 yard off side line come in?)

I thought it was brought in for the Wigan v Manly WCC. Not sure if it then took a few years to fully filter through the game. 

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17 hours ago, hunsletgreenandgold said:

So, I guess it depends how you define 'better'. 

Music, girls and TGG was always alot better when I was 18 and everything was always better in black and white.

Just look at the proof

image.png.c4c408d03be5e4d5d8412a59579241d4.png

Even refs knew you had to stand and watch the biff and wait to send people and irate female fans from the field.

2 warning points:kolobok_dirol:  Non-Political

 

 

 

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12 hours ago, Dave T said:

Yes, but look at those and the attack pass deep instead of the flat passes now. We also now have dummy runners up in the defensive line. 

Look at those videos and we see the attackers receiving the ball far deeper behind the ptb.

I think we are both agreeing then.  

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6 hours ago, Oxford said:

Music, girls and TGG was always alot better when I was 18 and everything was always better in black and white.

Just look at the proof

image.png.c4c408d03be5e4d5d8412a59579241d4.png

Even refs knew you had to stand and watch the biff and wait to send people and irate female fans from the field.

Is the woman on the far left about to bring her handbag crashing down on a players head?

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Used to love the midweek tour games. So many teams and players you'd never normally see.

Looks like a young John Lomax at 10 and Esene Faimalo in 12 for Wellington.

Newham Dockers - Champions 2013. Rugby League For East London. 100% Cockney Rugby League!

Twitter: @NewhamDockersRL - Get following!

www.newhamdockers.co.uk

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The game has evolved that's all; there has been a huge increase in levels of fitness and professionalism. Coaches have got better at finding the most effective way to win RL games.

It has happened in all sports and improved the spectacle in some but not others. IMO it has had a negative effect on RL. A greater focus on completion rates and waiting for your opponents to make an error doesn't result in spontaneous unpredictable play like we had in the past. However, there is no way of going back to the old days.

The only hope is that it evolves again and what works is a better spectacle. This has happened before. I remember concern about how Tennis looked to be going down the route of becoming a serving contest in the late 90s before a new generation turned it on its head. 

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2 hours ago, Maximus Decimus said:

The game has evolved that's all; there has been a huge increase in levels of fitness and professionalism. Coaches have got better at finding the most effective way to win RL games.

It has happened in all sports and improved the spectacle in some but not others. IMO it has had a negative effect on RL. A greater focus on completion rates and waiting for your opponents to make an error doesn't result in spontaneous unpredictable play like we had in the past. However, there is no way of going back to the old days.

The only hope is that it evolves again and what works is a better spectacle. This has happened before. I remember concern about how Tennis looked to be going down the route of becoming a serving contest in the late 90s before a new generation turned it on its head. 

The easy way to make it more about skill and thought than a wrestling , slowing down, and aimless kicking contest would be to revert back to 5 from 10...would ease a lot of the severe ailments suffered by players past and present also.

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