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Thread: SL and NRL. No Comparison

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    Default SL and NRL. No Comparison

    Interesting comments about Saints style of play, quality of players and performance of the coach on the Wakefield game thread. Let's extend the discussion and look at the wider picture.
    I am not at all impressed by the style of play in many games by the Saints, culminating in the Wakefield game. However, I am unimpressed by the style of play and standard of ANY SL teams at this time.
    I am sure lots of Saints fans have been watching NRL games in recent months - it has been an interesting view to say the least. In my view, there is a massive difference between the 2 Leagues on ALL LEVELS.
    NRL players are bigger, faster, tougher, stronger and fitter. These are all physical factors so I should add that the skill levels of SL players bear no comparison with their counterparts in the
    NRL.
    The result of these differences is that the NRL is a top quality product which makes it a much more attractive game, highly successful in competition with other sports (including Aussie RU) and brings much exposure and finance into the game.
    In addition, to mention the standard of TV presentation and refereeing in SL (both absolutely appalling for a professional sport) in the same sentence as the NRL equivalent is an embarrassment I have just committed.
    It hurts me to say that the game we are seeing in SL (and I include Saints) will not move forward in any meaningful way unless things change. It will slowly decline.
    How to bring the improvements needed and where to start this process is a whole new discussion.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Joe Forber View Post
    Interesting comments about Saints style of play, quality of players and performance of the coach on the Wakefield game thread. Let's extend the discussion and look at the wider picture.
    I am not at all impressed by the style of play in many games by the Saints, culminating in the Wakefield game. However, I am unimpressed by the style of play and standard of ANY SL teams at this time.
    I am sure lots of Saints fans have been watching NRL games in recent months - it has been an interesting view to say the least. In my view, there is a massive difference between the 2 Leagues on ALL LEVELS.
    NRL players are bigger, faster, tougher, stronger and fitter. These are all physical factors so I should add that the skill levels of SL players bear no comparison with their counterparts in the
    NRL.
    The result of these differences is that the NRL is a top quality product which makes it a much more attractive game, highly successful in competition with other sports (including Aussie RU) and brings much exposure and finance into the game.
    In addition, to mention the standard of TV presentation and refereeing in SL (both absolutely appalling for a professional sport) in the same sentence as the NRL equivalent is an embarrassment I have just committed.
    It hurts me to say that the game we are seeing in SL (and I include Saints) will not move forward in any meaningful way unless things change. It will slowly decline.
    How to bring the improvements needed and where to start this process is a whole new discussion.
    Not much to argue with here unfortunately.


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    In The North Stand With All The Old Folk
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    Sport in Australia is still regional in a lot of ways, with RL the big sport in NSW and parts of Queensland, but in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth it’s a minority interest because Aussie Rules is the king there. We always forget that. The NRL is not a national league in the real sense, it’s a regional league, just like the AFL is. Cricket is the only sport that is truly national in Australia, but we always look at the NRL and think it’s some massive thing in Australia when it’s actually only massive in a certain part of it.

    However, in NSW and Queensland it’s a big thing, and is the No.1 sport for most of the year, which RL has never been here. We have football which dwarfs everything but the NRL has nothing because the AFL exists in other areas and cricket never overlaps the footy seasons. So for 6-7 months it is the big thing, so it gets massive tv deals and attracts top end sponsors. We can never really compete with that because we are simply another sport in a crowded calendar, and apart from a few towns we aren’t the sport that kids dream of playing, whilst in Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane it is the thing that kids dream of playing.

    So it’s tough to compare the two in terms of money and interest IMO. In terms of on field stuff, you’re of course spot on. Our game is a poor comparison to theirs, and there is no reason our games shouldn’t be as compelling even if the overall talent levels are weaker.

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    I lived in Australia for a long time, and at that time they were crying out for British players that possessed skills their players did not. Just off the top of my head there were the likes of Topliss, Lockwood, Reily, Laughton, (short term), Bishop, Watson, Gray, Stevo, were all over there at the same time, and all rated by the Aussies.There were also many others before I went there. I know we have a few over there now but the way those earlier players were revered when I was there, seemed more than those today. I say that not taking anything away from the likes of Burgess and Jammer. There has to be a reason why we are now saying that they are more skilful us, the only things I can think of is money, with the SC holding us back, and the profile of the game of the game in Aus.

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    In The South Stand Sean Day's Avatar
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    Watching the game this morning (I don’t watch a lot of NRL) I just thought how incredibly well they produce 6 ft 2/3 centres who can run like the wind. We produce so few of those, Newlove is the only one who comes close

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    Quote Originally Posted by Gray77 View Post
    Sport in Australia is still regional in a lot of ways, with RL the big sport in NSW and parts of Queensland, but in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth it’s a minority interest because Aussie Rules is the king there. We always forget that. The NRL is not a national league in the real sense, it’s a regional league, just like the AFL is. Cricket is the only sport that is truly national in Australia, but we always look at the NRL and think it’s some massive thing in Australia when it’s actually only massive in a certain part of it.

    However, in NSW and Queensland it’s a big thing, and is the No.1 sport for most of the year, which RL has never been here. We have football which dwarfs everything but the NRL has nothing because the AFL exists in other areas and cricket never overlaps the footy seasons. So for 6-7 months it is the big thing, so it gets massive tv deals and attracts top end sponsors. We can never really compete with that because we are simply another sport in a crowded calendar, and apart from a few towns we aren’t the sport that kids dream of playing, whilst in Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane it is the thing that kids dream of playing.

    So it’s tough to compare the two in terms of money and interest IMO. In terms of on field stuff, you’re of course spot on. Our game is a poor comparison to theirs, and there is no reason our games shouldn’t be as compelling even if the overall talent levels are weaker.
    Though I agree I look at it as follows: the failure to beat Australia for over 40 years in a series or world cup match of consequence is a national embarrassment.

    FFS even the footballing might of Greece had their day, winning Euro 2004. They weren't bemoaning that Italy, Germany, France, England etc had more dosh, better profiles and any other excuses. They went out and over-achieved. Surely in 40 odd years we could win a ••••ing series? Just one?

    We cant use excuses about the disparity between the profile of their and our game as some sort of continued excuse. We just sound like a walking version of eric the eel trying that sob story.

    At any rate surely the sport has both the opportunity and obligation to change but what is our sport doing about it? Not much. Rugby league has been run atrociously for decades and has failed to grow the game at a level that generates exposure and talent.
    Last edited by eddiewaringsflatcap; 10th October 2020 at 21:41.

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    I moved to Australia in 2016 and at the time thought the NRL was one man up biff and bash. I even thought Cam Smith was overrated.

    But I was converted after a handful of games. Skilful, fast, powerful and good to watch.

    The differences for me:

    The Australian climate promotes a more active lifestyle and sport is easier to do
    There is no sport like the Premier League which dominates the whole of the country
    The NRL and AFL, although with regional strongholds are considered national sports with coverage in national news bulletins and significant game time on free to air TV
    Big players are allowed to play in the backs and don’t get automatically shunted into the forwards.
    Defence is still king but attack has its place. Structure is going out of fashion for players who can go things off the cuff and with unpredictability.
    Cash is king - the NRL salary cap is around £5.5m ish and the Tv deal I think gives clubs another £3m per year so there is far more funding for player development, community support and growing the game.


    It’s not perfect
    Media coverage does pick up good and bad - off field issues have tarnished the rep at times in the past few years
    The clubs dominate and there isn’t much interest in the game worldwide. State of Origin is seen as the premier product.
    It’s been hard to grow the game in non NRL strongholds like Vic, South Australia and Western Australia

    Super League can learn quite a bit but also needs to decide where it is heading to - should it be a regionally focussed game or should it grow, how can it become financially more secure and as a product does it want alignment with Australia in style of play or some U.K. differences.

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    Michael Jennings positive drug test and Tristan Sailor arrested and charged with aggravated sexual assault. It has its problems also.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sean Day View Post
    Watching the game this morning (I don’t watch a lot of NRL) I just thought how incredibly well they produce 6 ft 2/3 centres who can run like the wind. We produce so few of those, Newlove is the only one who comes close
    I remember Andy Currier being an average player at Widnes but went over to Oz & was a revalation.

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    My wife, who doesn't watch a lot of RL and is not a big fan, came in and sat down while I was watching Eels v Rabbitohs.
    This is a different game from here says she - quicker, harder, more physical - a higher level. The players are bigger, faster, fitter, more skillful, more committed.
    Who could argue ?
    "No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy".
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    Quote Originally Posted by dr death View Post
    My wife, who doesn't watch a lot of RL and is not a big fan, came in and sat down while I was watching Eels v Rabbitohs.
    This is a different game from here says she - quicker, harder, more physical - a higher level. The players are bigger, faster, fitter, more skillful, more committed.
    Who could argue ?
    Can't argue with that, tough gig


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    I also think that the difference in speed and physicality is magnified by the camera angle which seems like a closer shot in the NRL.

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    Quote Originally Posted by tilly2006 View Post
    I remember Andy Currier being an average player at Widnes but went over to Oz & was a revalation.
    Andy Currier was much better than an average centre...I seem to remember around that time we got linked to him and Darren Wright a lot

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    Quote Originally Posted by Saint in Queensland View Post
    Andy Currier was much better than an average centre...I seem to remember around that time we got linked to him and Darren Wright a lot
    He was really fast. When Jonathon Davies went to Widnes they said he was too slow. After training he was made to do extra time, sprinting against Offiah and Currier.

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