Smaller Physique RL

[RayCee]

When I was a lad, RL had a full range of big players down to small players. Now it has huge players down to big players and the odd smaller player. Unless a smaller framed person has some exceptional attributes,  RL is increasingly not catering for such ones. 

I wonder if there is a place for a smaller person league, say under a certain weight such as less than 80 kgs fully kitted. I'm not suggesting it as a pro game but at amateur level. It could operate within the existing club structure. I don't know if there is a demand for it. Just putting it out there. 

[Damien]

Would people be weighed on matchday? I don't know if this would work, and whether there would even be enough smaller players for it. I do get the general point though and we do need to change and adapt the game and have a modified version, or versions, to encourage older, smaller and less fit players to play it. I've said before I'd like to see over 30s leagues with 60 min games, 5 metre defences, maybe enforce passing from dummy half to stop quick scoots etc.

[RayCee]

39 minutes ago, Damien said:

Would people be weighed on matchday? I don't know if this would work, and whether there would even be enough smaller players for it. I do get the general point though and we do need to change and adapt the game and have a modified version, or versions, to encourage older, smaller and less fit players to play it. I've said before I'd like to see over 30s leagues with 60 min games, 5 metre defences, maybe enforce passing from dummy half to stop quick scoots etc.

I have the identical sentiments Damien, would it work and is the demand there? RL is really pushing wheelchair & women’s RL which is good to see. The more people that play the game, the more people will appreciate it and follow it. You have some interesting ideas on how to take the game to a wider audience. 

[Man of Kent]

Small time.

[Wollo Wollo Wayoo]

Ginger League anyone?

[Oliver Clothesoff]

There’s some bad ideas posted on this site but I reckon this is top twenty material, right here. 

[Griff9of13]

1 hour ago, Damien said:

Would people be weighed on matchday? I don't know if this would work, and whether there would even be enough smaller players for it. I do get the general point though and we do need to change and adapt the game and have a modified version, or versions, to encourage older, smaller and less fit players to play it. I've said before I'd like to see over 30s leagues with 60 min games, 5 metre defences, maybe enforce passing from dummy half to stop quick scoots etc.

We've already got that, Masters Rugby League, though it is for over 35s rather than over 30s.

[Toby Chopra]

1 minute ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

There’s some bad ideas posted on this site but I reckon this is top twenty material, right here. 

Why? No one's saying it'll be a pro spectator sport, but it's true that both codes of pro rugby have become dominated by giants in recent years and the games at the lower levels are being dragged along by that. 

Given we bemoan on here regularly the decline of the amateur game, why wouldn't we look at ways to widen the pool of players that could participate?

I know from playing union and American football in my teens and 20s that it's nothing to do with bravery, it's just that in sports built around collisions, the smaller player is at a disadvantage and is just easier to knock over. I was one of those. It just gets boring and good teams will target it. Sure, some smaller players carve a niche, or are exceptional talents, but most of us aren't. We just want to play rugby - and not touch/tag which has its place, but is not the same thing.

[dunno much]

In Auckland back in the day there used to be an open age restricted weight grade that was very popular. I don’t know if they still have it?

[gingerjon]

28 minutes ago, Wollo Wollo Wayoo said:

Ginger League anyone?

An idea that will not be stopped.

[Damien]

17 minutes ago, Griff9of13 said:

We've already got that, Masters Rugby League, though it is for over 35s rather than over 30s.

I know we have that but it's not really what I am on about. The very low level of that puts people off. I am talking about something more in between at the level where a lot of people just pack in the game completely and go off and play social RU. 

[Eddie]

Not a bad idea at the amateur level, might get more people playing. If I was a lad I wouldn’t fancy taking the game up these days, as a middleweight playing against heavyweights it wouldn’t be much fun. 

[Rupert Prince]

4 hours ago, RayCee said:

When I was a lad, RL had a full range of big players down to small players. Now it has huge players down to big players and the odd smaller player. Unless a smaller framed person has some exceptional attributes,  RL is increasingly not catering for such ones. 

I wonder if there is a place for a smaller person league, say under a certain weight such as less than 80 kgs fully kitted. I'm not suggesting it as a pro game but at amateur level. It could operate within the existing club structure. I don't know if there is a demand for it. Just putting it out there. 

I suspect that  some "smsll" players are not that small.  Bateman looks small compared with say Thompson, but he had a strong, but, upper body. I suspect Dean Bell looked smaller than he looked.

Speed and agility semi trumps size. Both are needed.

[Oliver Clothesoff]

1 hour ago, Toby Chopra said:

Why? No one's saying it'll be a pro spectator sport, but it's true that both codes of pro rugby have become dominated by giants in recent years and the games at the lower levels are being dragged along by that. 

Given we bemoan on here regularly the decline of the amateur game, why wouldn't we look at ways to widen the pool of players that could participate?

I know from playing union and American football in my teens and 20s that it's nothing to do with bravery, it's just that in sports built around collisions, the smaller player is at a disadvantage and is just easier to knock over. I was one of those. It just gets boring and good teams will target it. Sure, some smaller players carve a niche, or are exceptional talents, but most of us aren't. We just want to play rugby - and not touch/tag which has its place, but is not the same thing.

How’s it going to even work? Players on scales and cutting like boxers do pre-fight?

It’s a daft idea. 

[Toby Chopra]

Why not? It's not like it's going to be enforced on every rugby match, just those where the players are specifically opting in to this format. If a weigh-in before the game is the price to pay for making the format work for those that want to take part, so be it. Clubs should be doing a registration check before the game anyway, so there's already pre-game checks happening. 

Rowing does it without any problems. 

[dunno much]

10 minutes ago, Toby Chopra said:

Why not? It's not like it's going to be enforced on every rugby match, just those where the players are specifically opting in to this format. If a weigh-in before the game is the price to pay for making the format work for those that want to take part, so be it. Clubs should be doing a registration check before the game anyway, so there's already pre-game checks happening. 

Rowing does it without any problems. 

True & if it works in NZ why couldn’t it happen here?

[fighting irish]

57 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said:

How’s it going to even work? Players on scales and cutting like boxers do pre-fight?

It’s a daft idea. 

Don't play then

[Auntie Linzi Morris]

Whilst the idea is probably unworkable, the principle behind a move away from the current dominance of size is one I wholeheartedly support.

I think the vast majority of, perhaps even all, followers of the sport would like a shift away from five drives, safety first, unexpansive rugby.

Anything that benefits creative smaller players or those with sheer pace gets my agreement.

Whether any of the following would assist I don't know, but here's a few suggestions off the top of my head.

• Further reductions in interchanges
• Adjustment of the 10m marker retreat
• Reduction to 12 men a side

I'd much, much rather watch an Andy Gregory or Martin Offiah (no, I'm not a Wigan fan!) than 34 back-row clones boring each other into submission.

[fighting irish]

1 hour ago, Auntie Linzi Morris said:

Whilst the idea is probably unworkable, the principle behind a move away from the current dominance of size is one I wholeheartedly support.

I think the vast majority of, perhaps even all, followers of the sport would like a shift away from five drives, safety first, unexpansive rugby.

Anything that benefits creative smaller players or those with sheer pace gets my agreement.

Whether any of the following would assist I don't know, but here's a few suggestions off the top of my head.

• Further reductions in interchanges
• Adjustment of the 10m marker retreat
• Reduction to 12 men a side

I'd much, much rather watch an Andy Gregory or Martin Offiah (no, I'm not a Wigan fan!) than 34 back-row clones boring each other into submission.

I don't think its unworkable Auntie Linzi, and if smaller human beings are indeed put off by the bigger ones, it might just draw in and keep more smaller players in the fold. I wonder if any of the amateur clubs would be interested in conducting the experiment. We do it in boxing and horse racing (or race horsing as my wife calls it), so why not in our game? 

It would also be the same game, which doesn't need rule amendments to ''soften'' the impact forces. 

[Lounge Room Lizard]

There are a number of players in the NRL that are 85Kgs or under. Players like Ryan Papenhuysen (80 Kgs), James Maloney (83 Kgs), Dylan Brown (85 Kgs), Mitchell Moses (85 Kgs), Luke Keary (82 Kgs), Adam Reynolds (85 Kgs) dont have a problem and I know a number of smaller guys in the amateur game when I played that could more than hold their own against much bigger players.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

6 hours ago, Wollo Wollo Wayoo said:

Ginger League anyone?

Now if you'd said ginger women's league I'd be there quick as a flash, I'd go down there more than down Hull probably, in fact where do I get a season pass?! Tell me now!! 

[GUBRATS]

12 hours ago, Damien said:

Would people be weighed on matchday? I don't know if this would work, and whether there would even be enough smaller players for it. I do get the general point though and we do need to change and adapt the game and have a modified version, or versions, to encourage older, smaller and less fit players to play it. I've said before I'd like to see over 30s leagues with 60 min games, 5 metre defences, maybe enforce passing from dummy half to stop quick scoots etc.

Could be sponsored by ' weight watchers '

[GUBRATS]

Dwarf RL ? , It's the future

[RayCee]

5 hours ago, Lounge Room Lizard said:

There are a number of players in the NRL that are 85Kgs or under. Players like Ryan Papenhuysen (80 Kgs), James Maloney (83 Kgs), Dylan Brown (85 Kgs), Mitchell Moses (85 Kgs), Luke Keary (82 Kgs), Adam Reynolds (85 Kgs) dont have a problem and I know a number of smaller guys in the amateur game when I played that could more than hold their own against much bigger players.

I get your point but that’s why I suggested under 80 kgs. 

[RayCee]

9 hours ago, fighting irish said:

Don't play then

A succinct comment. It made the point well.