Is RL about to blow its big chance?

[Dunbar]

7 minutes ago, LeeF said:

No I don’t based on what I’ve read from the RFL and various other sources.

As discussed ad nauseam on this forum the videos did seem to confuse matters and there was a disconnect between words and pictures. Your “very similar” comment is probably the key. Similar but not the same. 

I hope you are right.

[The Blues Ox]

3 hours ago, Damien said:

Yes, I think most people would have major issues if that tackle was deemed illegal. The fact that official channels are praising it and highlighting it for promotion says it all. Tackles like that are a key selling point of our game.

For me it is below the armpit and should not be illegal. By the RFLs message at the time it shouldn't be either. However that same message was completely contradictory to the video examples they gave which would certainly be analogous to this.

Unfortunatley that is the reality that we will face next season and I certainly don't expect benefit of the doubt to be given to the defenders. We do have that thing where you go back a few years that dump tackles and shoulder charges were also widely praised and one of the selling points of the game.

I have spoke to a couple of amateur refs recently that did say they would be very lenient when it comes to the new rules especially when it comes to low impact/slow collisions and the contact areas, they have also been instructed by the RFL when it comes to certain situations like a player trying to get out of his ingoal and going low or a player taking a tackle to avoid an obstruction where higher contact will be allowed as long as the defender has made a reasonable attempt in regards player safety. How that will translate when it comes in to the pro game and every game is on TV may be another thing though.

[Odsal Outlaw]

Hull red card. This is RL blowing its future if this is the norm. Absolutely agree with Wilkin and Carney here. 

Edited February 23 by Odsal Outlaw

[yipyee]

On 16/02/2024 at 23:32, Odsal Outlaw said:

As we start the new season I, like most, have been really impressed with the refreshing way the game has been presented. The impact of IMG seems clear. Good social media, good stories in the news, positive tv deals and a refreshing presentation of the game by Sky.

However the game itself feels less enjoyable. Clearly the amount of cards has a part in this, but these should reduce as players adapt to new rules over time you would think, but we are also slowly removing any aggressive play and this will only get worse from 2025.  The sport is clearly going through a noticeable change, and there is a constant reference to it being needed due to the risk the game faces from health related issues, especially around head injuries. 
 

Historically fans of TGG have always said that we have the greatest sport in the world, we just need to tell people about it.  Well we are finally starting to tell people about it … but what if we no longer have the greatest game?

I hope I’m wrong by the way.  But I think we need to find a balance in the sport that retains the aggression.

RL always used to be about greater skill levels, better attacking lines, fantastic attacking lines and moves, keeping the ball alive, great handling.

We then went to a robotic one up, complete sets, play percentages, its all about the process etc..

With the latter all that is left is aggression. We are worried about loosing aggression, however a clamp down on a clean ruck, correct play the ball, markers square, lower tackling height etc should help us revert back to the former open rugby that made our game great and distinctive from other similar sports.

Edited February 23 by yipyee
Spelling mistake

[yipyee]

On 19/02/2024 at 17:54, The Blues Ox said:

Unfortunatley that is the reality that we will face next season and I certainly don't expect benefit of the doubt to be given to the defenders. We do have that thing where you go back a few years that dump tackles and shoulder charges were also widely praised and one of the selling points of the game.

I have spoke to a couple of amateur refs recently that did say they would be very lenient when it comes to the new rules especially when it comes to low impact/slow collisions and the contact areas, they have also been instructed by the RFL when it comes to certain situations like a player trying to get out of his ingoal and going low or a player taking a tackle to avoid an obstruction where higher contact will be allowed as long as the defender has made a reasonable attempt in regards player safety. How that will translate when it comes in to the pro game and every game is on TV may be another thing though.

Happened tonight where it was a yellow not red as the Hull player dropped unexpectedly infront of the wire tackler

[Coggo]

Classic British rugby league. Just as it finally enters the 21st century with proper marketing, it blows its own legs off with suicidal rule changes.

[Odsal Outlaw]

15 minutes ago, Coggo said:

Classic British rugby league. Just as it finally enters the 21st century with proper marketing, it blows its own legs off with suicidal rule changes.

I’ve said many times about rugby league, it’s not the fact we shoot ourselves in the foot that’s the issue, it’s the speed at which we reload the gun.

[Just Browny]

There's just no logic to some of the stuff we are doing.

Yes, crack down on the head shots and the swinging arms (Pele), and on the poor technique where nobody is making any efforts to get the shoulder down low (Watts).

But dishing out yellow and red cards for clear accidents serves no purpose. You can't learn anything from an accidental head glance (Brown red card) incident where a guy has just fallen over in front of you (Powell yellow card last night), and those incidents will always occur in a contact sport.