Touch/Tag Rugby League TTRL

[unapologetic pedant]

On 08/12/2020 at 12:59, The Rocket said:

 these forms of the game should become free advertising for RL where ever they are played, imagine if all the very best players from these competitions where chosen to play in representative fixtures run by Rugby League, especially as high profile as a World Cup.

Why don`t we invite the top 16 teams to participate at our World Cup. Touch/Tag could have a World Championship for all nations who play every four years and every other four years their best 16 teams could play at our World Cup.

 

Given that some Leagues in the SH have shown more initiative and made more progress bringing Tag back into the RL fold, the baby step here would be an Aus/NZ League Tag international. There`s already been plenty of trans-Tasman Touch and Oztag competition. A SOO game ought to be more practicable, but I still can`t find any record of League Tag in QLD. Makes me wonder if there`s something in the QLD psyche that`s resistant to Tag. Same temperament that`s hitherto restricted League Tag for males in NSW RL clubs to over-35s.

If the RFL did fully emerge from their coma, a GB/Ire League Tag game is perfectly feasible since they have played each other a number of times in the mini form they call "Tag Rugby". I don`t know what the attitude of the Irish Tag community would be to acting under the aegis of RL. If you want to have a go at divining it yourself, spend a couple of minutes looking through Tag Rugby Ireland`s Facebook page. - take adequate precautions if you`re allergic to RU and brazen theft.

Never sure whether to trust such figures, but the Auckland RL are claiming 900 regular participants for Hibiscus Coast Raiders` KiwiTag module and 300 at Glenfield Greyhounds. That`s well over a thousand players in just two clubs on Auckland`s North Shore. A club official at Glenfield was citing the money the club was taking in through the after-session socialising. A lot of these players and their families will have backgrounds in Union, Netball, other or no sports, but via Tag they`re filling the coffers of a RL club and making personal connections with RL club members.

NZTFI held their Tag Nationals in Auckland last weekend. Looked a big turnout. There must be some invisible tension between Auckland RL and NZTFI. They are disputing ownership of what is essentially the same game. If this could be resolved by the absorption of the whole NZTFI constituency into Auckland RL clubs it would be a landmark step forward.

[The Rocket]

On 08/12/2020 at 21:44, unapologetic pedant said:

In Touch the ball is incessantly pinged about, but it`s unsatisfying to watch. There`s barely any role for defence.

League Tag has the right balance. It offers everything from the Tackle game bar tackling and offloading. Consequently there are different types of games, high-scoring, low-scoring, open, tight, depending on the abilities and styles of the teams. Plus there are additional skills unique to it, like how to effect the tag or hip-swivelling evasion techniques

This difference that you talk about between the two, is that due to the fact that Tag requires the removal of the Tag which is more difficult than the simple `touch`, hence the `pinging` it around in Touch to avoid approaching defenders. The difficulty in removing the tag also aided by what you describe as the `hip-swivelling evasion techniques`. I imagine this is why it is easier to make breaks in Tag as mentioned by a poster on here recently.

Last weekend or possibly the weekend before they had the semi-finals of a  W.A. womens touch tournament on NITV here, looked awfully like full field with either 7 or 9 players per team. Had an interesting rule where the player couldn`t score from dummy half, but where several times the dummy half would find themselves in the in-goal frantically looking for an unmarked teammate to plant the ball. Led to some very dramatic finishing with players catching and diving to plant the ball before they were touched. The whole thing was a great advertisement for the sport in that `afl rusted on state`.

The numbers you quoted in the Monarch Blues competition are mind boggling and the success of the touch/tag competitions in Auckland likewise, it`s interesting when you talk about the revenue raising potential of such ventures, I think it would be wise for all RL clubs to head down the path of health, fitness, well being centres for their communities, the money raised isn`t going to fund a first grade team but could be awfully handy even just expanding in their own areas.

I exchanged emails with the young lady who runs the community programmes at Coventry Bears recently, she talked about the success of their Touch/Tag competition and other community programmes they have run, ` fitness in the park`, fun-runs and community bike rides. They also do a weekly podcast featuring local musicians, very innovative. I suggested they might try involving local comedians, the afl have done a masterful job over here enlisting several very high profile comics to their cause, they even have a programme which combines afl news with comedy which rates exceedingly well, it`s called ` The Front Bar`.

The whole thing was very interesting and she was keen to know what my interest in League was, I told her I was just a fan from Oz and encouraged to have a read of our TTRL thread on this forum. Always spreading the word. I find the problem when talking to most people about these things is that they are familiar with Touch and Tag but League Tag is to many an undiscovered and unnamed species , it makes it difficult, especially when to us, the initiated, see it as that obvious missing evolutionary link between the different RL creatures.

 

 

 

 

[unapologetic pedant]

On 10/12/2020 at 13:41, jacobus said:

It's hard to be critical of an authority that is clearly underfunded compared to Union. 

 

TTR don`t generally appear too flush. A lot of the players are in nondescript sportswear. They look like groups of joggers, hard to distinguish who belongs to which team. The contrast with the NSW League Tag teams in their gleaming club uniforms is striking. If the RFL integrated TTR into our clubs, creating a whole greater than the sum of the parts, they ought to be able to lever in more funding.

But only if the RFL truly see Tag as a priority in building the RL fanbase. So long as they persist in merely paying lip service, TTR will be wise to keep their independence.

The RFU might have more money but they also have people who better understand how to invest it for long term growth. If the RFL were given a million pounds to spend on development through the community clubs, and one programme would yield 1000 Tackle players but another would yield 100 000 Tag players, no doubt the former would get the largesse. If a million were given to a pro RL club for development, they`d sign two 35 year old Aussies.

It`s hard not to admire the RFU`s slick and surreptitious capture of Touch from its roots in League. Notwithstanding that 7s has arguably less in common with Union 15s than Touch/Tag has with Tackle RL, it`s inconceivable that 7s would have been left languishing and available to be adopted as a means of promoting League. Even the most hidebound of committed-to-15s RU stalwarts would never have been stupid enough to let that happen. Cave-dwellers with a proven anti-Midas touch however are more than capable of effortlessly letting Touch and Tag slip through their net.

[jacobus]

To be honest at ground level there is little discussion on whether union or league own "touch" and the new CEO here in the UK is keen to get the game moving in its own right from the ground level up. 

We've had players with us since they were three years old. Its the pathway into senior touch or the contact game (of whatever code) that is the hardest thing to facilitate. 

[unapologetic pedant]

8 hours ago, jacobus said:

We've had players with us since they were three years old. Its the pathway into senior touch or the contact game (of whatever code) that is the hardest thing to facilitate. 

What matters to me is that our clubs are set up to present RL as both a contact and non-contact game. Thereby maximising the number of participants and members. For manifold on and off the field reasons, Tag is now a better vehicle for this than Touch. Whether players progress from non-contact to contact is likely to be of diminishing importance.

Whatever the outcome of the RU concussion legal action, it`s another unmistakeable sign of the direction things are moving in. Extrapolating all the societal lines on the graph, it`s not hard to imagine a time when upwards of 90% of the players in RL and RU clubs will be non-contact and juniors. Prohibitive insurance costs may mean the adult contact game won`t extend much beyond the professional competitions. Additional players who want the contact would be uninsured, have to sign waivers, and play outside the ambit of current governing bodies.

If the RFL and RL clubs act soon enough to comprehensively establish an appealing non-contact offer, rather than wait for events to force their hand, the more obvious similarity of our Tackle game ought to be mean these trends are more to the advantage of League than Union.

Edited December 14, 2020 by unapologetic pedant

[jacobus]

They absolutely should do. 

Its 6 tackles/touches and that is absolutely key to me. 

It's why I play, I love league and this is as close to playing it as I want to get at the age of 46. 

[unapologetic pedant]

On 11/12/2020 at 13:51, The Rocket said:

 I find the problem when talking to most people about these things is that they are familiar with Touch and Tag but League Tag is to many an undiscovered and unnamed species , it makes it difficult, especially when to us, the initiated, see it as that obvious missing evolutionary link between the different RL creatures.

Aside from a few over-35s teams League Tag is so far a game for women and girls. A feminist disquisition on the patriarchy of sport might lay out why it hasn`t yet found greater prominence.

I`ve urged previously on this thread that RL clubs in London should reach out to TTR. Which has got me wondering about a reciprocal movement. Looking at some recently posted London TTR videos, the fact that these players have been out there on all-weather pitches, despite the Covid restrictions and some pretty inclement conditions, indicates how important a part of their social life playing Tag must be. 

If the female players follow the game on social media, and type in Tag Rugby to Google or YouTube, they must get some results for NSW League Tag. What`s their reaction? If it were me, I`d feel quite jealous. Or at least inspired to make overtures to the nearest RL club with a view to replicating the experience here. But then, would Londoners be more likely to contact their local RU club who will be naturally reluctant to embrace a game which is visibly a form of RL. More palpably so than Touch.

The absence of male League Tag from NSW RL clubs could be hampering wider recognition. If I`m right in the suspicion that male Tag players would fear their possible depiction as a wimpy imitation, it`s up to the clubs to pitch an inclusive welcome. RL match officials are quite comfortable explaining how they got into the game because they love it but would never want to play the Tackle version.

On the subject of League Tag refs. They seem to fall into two categories. The lower grades are refereed mainly by lads barely older than the players. The higher grades feature what look to be retired Tackle refs, who need a bit of exercise. Some of these older geezers have body shapes like Makka Pakka from "In the Night Garden". Further proof that League Tag is getting or keeping more people active in RL at both ends of the age spectrum.

Edited December 14, 2020 by unapologetic pedant

[HarrogateKnights]

On 12/12/2020 at 19:25, unapologetic pedant said:

TTR don`t generally appear too flush. A lot of the players are in nondescript sportswear. They look like groups of joggers, hard to distinguish who belongs to which team. The contrast with the NSW League Tag teams in their gleaming club uniforms is striking. If the RFL integrated TTR into our clubs, creating a whole greater than the sum of the parts, they ought to be able to lever in more funding.

But only if the RFL truly see Tag as a priority in building the RL fanbase. So long as they persist in merely paying lip service, TTR will be wise to keep their independence.

The RFU might have more money but they also have people who better understand how to invest it for long term growth. If the RFL were given a million pounds to spend on development through the community clubs, and one programme would yield 1000 Tackle players but another would yield 100 000 Tag players, no doubt the former would get the largesse. If a million were given to a pro RL club for development, they`d sign two 35 year old Aussies.

It`s hard not to admire the RFU`s slick and surreptitious capture of Touch from its roots in League. Notwithstanding that 7s has arguably less in common with Union 15s than Touch/Tag has with Tackle RL, it`s inconceivable that 7s would have been left languishing and available to be adopted as a means of promoting League. Even the most hidebound of committed-to-15s RU stalwarts would never have been stupid enough to let that happen. Cave-dwellers with a proven anti-Midas touch however are more than capable of effortlessly letting Touch and Tag slip through their net.

I can only comment from the Leeds leagues I have played for but there are a couple of teams that have made the effort for custom kit and have large playing groups that will play up to 3 times a week between them. The rest are either people that don't want the additional cost or teams that are made up of individuals hence the orange/yellow tag to tell the teams apart. You are usually paying in the region of £40 per league per 8 weeks which can soon rack up. When we looked at TTR as our possible "minimal" contact option for our team we ruled it out on 2 things.

1) is the cost at £388 for a team for 8 sessions works with a recommended max of 10 players. Is £48.50 per session for the team. Games are only 40 mins so you could be charging £5 each for 20 mins. 

2) The main problem for us is the travel, on top of the above we would be travelling for 30-40 mins before and after to the game.

So for 90 mins commitment each week it doesn't add value in either cost or practice minutes as you spend more traveling than playing. 

Although I like the fact the RFL have "ownership" I think it should be a sidelined social sport run separately as it is now. I have said this previously on here and on podcasts too but for me X-league belongs with the clubs its already a developing tool for coaches of all ages when you don't want to smash up your fellow players in training but want to plan you attack vs defence. It doesn't require any additional equipment and you can play against each other.

Some of our players are going to be in the running for selection for the X-League World Cup running in November next year in Sheffield. This hopefully can be a catalyst for more teams to get involved. With us advertising X-league as a social sport we run a dedicated evening all year round for it with players paying to play just that will local tournaments around the corner early next year and events such as hosting the local Round table social evening amongst other events we have entering the diary. 

 

[unapologetic pedant]

On 15/12/2020 at 07:48, HarrogateKnights said:

 When we looked at TTR as our possible "minimal" contact option for our team we ruled it out on 2 things.

1) is the cost at £388 for a team for 8 sessions works with a recommended max of 10 players. Is £48.50 per session for the team. Games are only 40 mins so you could be charging £5 each for 20 mins. 

2) The main problem for us is the travel, on top of the above we would be travelling for 30-40 mins before and after to the game.

So for 90 mins commitment each week it doesn't add value in either cost or practice minutes as you spend more traveling than playing. 

You are clearly more conversant with the respective finances and logistics of the various options, and their consequent regional viability, than I am. I`ve quoted Monarch Blues League Tag in the Sutherland shire as an exemplar because the results appear so impressive. The NSW RL secured a significant sponsor, and focused mainly on one area, which relates to your point about the costs of travel. And this area has higher than average incomes and 16 mostly well-resourced junior clubs.

In our heartlands, the RFL could attempt something similar maybe in West Yorkshire or Warrington/St. Helens/Wigan/Leigh. With the possibility of drawing in participants from non-RL towns nearby, people who would never contemplate playing Tackle RL. With money tight,  it largely depends on whether the RFL can manage to view League Tag as a speculate-to-accumulate investment. I suspect at the moment non-contact still seems counter-intuitive to a game so associated with heavy contact.

The strongest potential benefits to RL from League Tag pro rata must be in London. There are about 9 million people in Greater London. The Broncos` fanbase is probably about a thousand, if that. Safe to say that whatever they`ve been doing to build support in the 40 years since the launch of Fulham hasn`t worked. Yet there are thousands of Londoners playing a non-contact form of RL. Seems an obvious course to try to bring those players and all their families and friends under the auspices of London RL clubs.

For the reasons in my first sentence, I accept that you deem X-League the best option for your circumstances. However, it would be typical of RL if each nation had a different favoured minimal contact form. Thus limiting the prospects of spreading the word through international competition and global cooperation.

[unapologetic pedant]

On 11/12/2020 at 13:51, The Rocket said:

This difference that you talk about between the two, is that due to the fact that Tag requires the removal of the Tag which is more difficult than the simple `touch`, hence the `pinging` it around in Touch to avoid approaching defenders. The difficulty in removing the tag also aided by what you describe as the `hip-swivelling evasion techniques`. I imagine this is why it is easier to make breaks in Tag as mentioned by a poster on here recently.

If you`re not tired of my interest in Cronulla junior League Tag, I think I`ve discovered why in 2019 there were suddenly big numbers of teams. Previously I`d guessed there must have been a lot of Oztag players in the area. This may have been an additional factor, but apparently until 2018 all the girls competitions in the Cronulla-Sutherland junior league were Touch.

The NSW RL in conjunction with the clubs transitioned the Touch League entirely into League Tag. The players and coaches must have been keen to play a version closer to Tackle RL. For me, this is further proof that the model in the Shire is the one to be copied elsewhere.

It`s especially relevant to what you`ve written in the quote. In mini and mod Tackle RL there isn`t much passing, it`s overwhelmingly about running with the ball. It`s the same in mini and mod League Tag. For the reasons you set out, Touch needs more ball movement, so it`s not as conducive to the younger grades as Tag. 

League Tag is perfect for primary schools. It would be viable and satisfying to play from 4 or 5 years old.

[The Rocket]

On 16/12/2020 at 21:53, unapologetic pedant said:

In our heartlands, the RFL could attempt something similar maybe in West Yorkshire or Warrington/St. Helens/Wigan/Leigh. With the possibility of drawing in participants from non-RL towns nearby, people who would never contemplate playing Tackle RL. With money tight,  it largely depends on whether the RFL can manage to view League Tag as a speculate-to-accumulate investment. I suspect at the moment non-contact still seems counter-intuitive to a game so associated with heavy contact.

And this is why my friend you must get together with someone more tech-savvy than yourself (your words) and put together a CD or whatever you put these things on (I am as tech-savvy as you) of exactly everything you have been talking about and you can show plenty of highlights from the different League Tag competitions and send to the relevant people at the different clubs.

There has been some wonderful promos for different clubs on here recently, York, Coventry, Newcastle and all the other clubs you mention with plenty of contact numbers etc., plus importantly send one to the RFL.

I hesitatingly refer to you as friend as I read your post on " rat faced Cockney oiks " and Australians a couple of days ago. Not quite sure where that came from, very strange. I don`t like Victorians and I mock Tasmanians and Queenslanders and even Poms sometimes, but Pedant, that attack was beyond the pale. Anyway it`s good to know exactly how you feel about Australians, I won`t forget. One thing that has struck me about this forum is the antipathy felt by some, it appears only some, to Australians, I don`t quite understand where that comes from, I have met quite a few English people over the years, gone camping and to the League with Pommy backpackers and they always struck me as being not much different to ourselves.

Anyway it`s all very interesting.

[unapologetic pedant]

5 minutes ago, The Rocket said:

I hesitatingly refer to you as friend as I read your post on " rat faced Cockney oiks " and Australians a couple of days ago. Not quite sure where that came from, very strange. I don`t like Victorians and I mock Tasmanians and Queenslanders and even Poms sometimes, but Pedant, that attack was beyond the pale. Anyway it`s good to know exactly how you feel about Australians, I won`t forget. One thing that has struck me about this forum is the antipathy felt by some, it appears only some, to Australians, I don`t quite understand where that comes from, I have met quite a few English people over the years, gone camping and to the League with Pommy backpackers and they always struck me as being not much different to ourselves.

That top part is a historical fact. The offending post was far more a gentle barb aimed at our London compatriots over here, most of whom have been banished to Essex and Kent, apart from the minicab drivers. If you were reading carefully you`d have seen I was assuming the effects would have long since worn off. Mainly due to the change in climate.

It`s hard to judge whether you`re being serious, but if this is another burst of wounded pride, let me assure you that if there is such a thing as an Australiophile, I`ve been an enthusiastic one for 30 to 40 years - RL, music, people, scenery - the whole caboodle.

[The Rocket]

8 minutes ago, unapologetic pedant said:

That top part is a historical fact. The offending post was far more a gentle barb aimed at our London compatriots over here, most of whom have been banished to Essex and Kent, apart from the minicab drivers. If you were reading carefully you`d have seen I was assuming the effects would have long since worn off. Mainly due to the change in climate.

It`s hard to judge whether you`re being serious, but if this is another burst of wounded pride, let me assure you that if there is such a thing as an Australiophile, I`ve been an enthusiastic one for 30 to 40 years - RL, music, people, scenery - the whole caboodle.

Not wounded at all, perhaps more surprised, and the offending post was far from gentle to neither Cockneys or Australians.

But I`ll leave it there, that`s O.k. Good night.

[Man of Kent]

I’ve been playing touch during lockdown (now banned with Tier 4, of course) but it’s somewhat unsatisfactory because it doesn’t really reward evasive running. It’s all about rucking up the pitch and interplay between middles. 

Tag seems to be a better trade-off between non-contact and proper RL. I’d love to try it!

[unapologetic pedant]

2 hours ago, The Rocket said:

And this is why my friend you must get together with someone more tech-savvy than yourself (your words) and put together a CD or whatever you put these things on (I am as tech-savvy as you) of exactly everything you have been talking about and you can show plenty of highlights from the different League Tag competitions and send to the relevant people at the different clubs.

and even Poms sometimes, but Pedant, that attack was beyond the pale.

Pommy backpackers

 

The best expositions are the Bar TV Cronulla junior league 2019 grand final marathons on YouTube. The two League Tag packages last about 6 or 7 hours, covering the whole day, but just jumping along dipping into a few minutes of each game gives a fair illumination.

Alongside the entrenched fixation with Tackle, funding is clearly an obstacle. Someone at the RFL or officials from a group of clubs would have to see League Tag as a calculated investment. The shift towards non-contact will happen eventually, but in the UK probably more as the consequence of legal defeats and the fear of further such, rather than strategic thinking.

On the subject of anti-English hate speech. Your content is consistently peppered with variations on a certain pejorative. You`ll have noticed when typing that even our algorithms are appalled. Hitherto I`ve allowed them all to pass without comment. But now you`ve decided this forum is not a safe space for Australians, we natives should correspondingly strive to feel deeply upset if there`s any repetition. Do you want us all crying ourselves to sleep? How will that sit with your conscience?

Edited December 22, 2020 by unapologetic pedant

[Man of Kent]

While touch is on my mind...why oh why oh why do onionists absolutely insist on spin-passing, even when standing a metre or two away in wet weather?

Edited December 23, 2020 by Man of Kent

[The Rocket]

14 hours ago, unapologetic pedant said:

The best expositions are the Bar TV Cronulla junior league 2019 grand final marathons on YouTube. The two League Tag packages last about 6 or 7 hours, covering the whole day, but just jumping along dipping into a few minutes of each game gives a fair illumination.

Send this in.

 

15 hours ago, Man of Kent said:

I’ve been playing touch during lockdown (now banned with Tier 4, of course) but it’s somewhat unsatisfactory because it doesn’t really reward evasive running. It’s all about rucking up the pitch and interplay between middles. 

Tag seems to be a better trade-off between non-contact and proper RL. I’d love to try it!

Your first testimonial !

[jacobus]

16 hours ago, Man of Kent said:

I’ve been playing touch during lockdown (now banned with Tier 4, of course) but it’s somewhat unsatisfactory because it doesn’t really reward evasive running. It’s all about rucking up the pitch and interplay between middles. 

 

Depends on what rules you are playing. 

There are so many variants of the laws its untrue. 

Around Peterborough we have played 4 different interpretations in the last year or so. 

But the England Touch variant does reward good passing and enterprising running, especially since the offside line was moved from 5 to 7 metres at the start of 2020. 

There are times we choose to play %age drives up the middle and try and get to one side of the pitch on play 5 so when we turnover there is only one way for our opponent to try and get out, but the main we like to throw some passes and use the wings. 

That makes it more authentic for me. But I accept there will be other views. 

[Man of Kent]

4 minutes ago, jacobus said:

Depends on what rules you are playing. 

There are so many variants of the laws its untrue. 

Around Peterborough we have played 4 different interpretations in the last year or so. 

But the England Touch variant does reward good passing and enterprising running, especially since the offside line was moved from 5 to 7 metres at the start of 2020. 

There are times we choose to play %age drives up the middle and try and get to one side of the pitch on play 5 so when we turnover there is only one way for our opponent to try and get out, but the main we like to throw some passes and use the wings. 

That makes it more authentic for me. But I accept there will be other views. 

I must be playing that. Seven metres is hard work!

I really enjoy playing it but it’s slightly limited, formulaic and unsatisfactory. Tag feels more of a real game than a training exercise. 

[unapologetic pedant]

3 hours ago, The Rocket said:

Send this in.

How? And to whom? I don`t even know how to post clips or links on here. And also why? When it`s already up there for any interested party to see.

Off topic, I would have liked last week to post the highlights from the Toulouse/Avignon game from the previous weekend on one of the threads relating to offloads, creativity from deep, the value of refs not calling phantom knock-ons. The second Avignon try was a perfect illustration of all this. Showing that where there`s a will, we don`t need rule changes.

[jacobus]

5 hours ago, Man of Kent said:

I must be playing that. Seven metres is hard work!

Mate !!! 

 

My coach says my new position isn't on the edges its "Offside"... Brutal.

[unapologetic pedant]

On 11/12/2020 at 13:51, The Rocket said:

 I find the problem when talking to most people about these things is that they are familiar with Touch and Tag but League Tag is to many an undiscovered and unnamed species , it makes it difficult, especially when to us, the initiated, see it as that obvious missing evolutionary link between the different RL creatures.

On other threads when you link gentrification of an area with a commensurate decline in RL, how much of that is a negative image of the physical nature of the game? 

RU is hardly risk-free, Aussie Rules has plenty of dangerous contact, and having played it at school I can attest there`s no shortage of painful bangs in Soccer including to the head. So if parents in the eastern suburbs or north of the harbour are looking for a safe non-contact game for their children, League Tag could be the means of involving more of the Sydney middle-class in RL clubs.

The problem at the moment, as you note, is that League Tag is a word-of-mouth thing, operating under the media radar. Most families would still think what they see on Channel 9 is all that RL clubs can offer.

BTW, a few days on and thanks to you I`m still feeling slightly guilty and disconcerted following your latest determination to impute malign intent where none existed. It`s a relief these cross-purposes are only in the ether. If they were face-to-face, I might be imbibing fluids through a straw by now.

There must be a place on the personality spectrum for a condition where a habitual tolerance for vigorous, reciprocal banter is punctuated by brief episodes of hypersensitivity. If it`s already identified, it will have an elaborate polysyllabic title, but "Rocket`s Syndrome" has a snappy ring to it.

[Copa]

On 23/12/2020 at 02:00, unapologetic pedant said:

It`s hard to judge whether you`re being serious, but if this is another burst of wounded pride, let me assure you that if there is such a thing as an Australiophile, I`ve been an enthusiastic one for 30 to 40 years - RL, music, people, scenery - the whole caboodle.

Good stuff... you made me think about Australian music from 30 to 40 years ago and I'm now listening to Bachelors From Prague on Spotify...

[Copa]

38 minutes ago, unapologetic pedant said:

The problem at the moment, as you note, is that League Tag is a word-of-mouth thing, operating under the media radar. Most families would still think what they see on Channel 9 is all that RL clubs can offer.

while league tag isn't widely known in canberra, both Oz Tag and Touch are very well known. Both Oz Tag and Touch generally operate outside of a RL club structure. People form their own teams and then join the most appropriate competition. 

clubs do have league tag teams though ... the first game at this link is women's league tag. It has commentary, on screen graphics etc.

 

Edited December 26, 2020 by Copa

[unapologetic pedant]

11 hours ago, Copa said:

 Both Oz Tag and Touch generally operate outside of a RL club structure. 

The general consensus (well, me and my mate the Rocket) on this thread, is that the full benefits of non-contact RL can only be realised when a substantial part of the Oztag participant base is incorporated via the League Tag form into RL clubs.

It`s hard to judge in isolation each League Tag competition. You can only look at the quality of passing, organisation, and general feel and tempo. But from what I`ve seen, Canberra region League Tag appears to be a high standard. I saw some of this year`s GF between Queanbeyan Blues and Gungahlin Bulls and it was at least as good as 2019 despite the disruption to the season.

11 hours ago, Copa said:

 It has commentary, on screen graphics etc.

The commentaries on League Tag are always a bit off the mark. When you`re used to watching Tackle RL it requires an adjustment in your mind. In time, as it grows, people who have played or coached a lot of Tag will emerge in local media to provide more specialist coverage.