2017 lack of interest

[Russell]

The trouble with the SOO is that it wrecks the comp unevenly. They could have a complete break from weakly NRL for 2 weeks in the middle of the year, have 3 SOO teams each state. First game with the poorest selection of FG players, like Rankin for example, then the middle grade game with Brooks for example and finally the top team hopefully deciding the series for maximum audience. Hopefully then the SOO load will be much more evenly distributed across more teams.

OR

Each state can only play each player once, this will also distribute the duty of SOO over more clubs thereby lessoning the burden on particular clubs.

Both these options could uphold the competitive nature coz the lower players will be thrilled to be representing the state, a once only chance to make an impression.

Now where is that bong, where did I put it down.

I've heard some looney ideas - that takes the cake. Bong indeed, hope that was the reason.

 

[goldcoast_tiger]

This is pretty much the way I feel as well. The game is too predictable. Refereeing is dreadful and the player market is not a level playing field. What the game needs is another young Benji Marshall.

I am not going to try and change your feelings, but how is the game predictable? The premiers never repeat, I am lucky to tip one or two perfect rounds a season, there are upsets absolutely every week.

Talk about 1994, ARL was much more predictable then. But apart from Newcastle being bog for the last few seasons, every other team is a threat every single week.

Refereeing sucks because of the level of scrutiny. That's all it is. There have been howlers in every round since I started watching in 1985, it's only that we now have 50 million replays to catch refs out, and they've made what I think is a mistake in bringing the ref-side of off-field to the public - refs boss, weekly commentary / announcements on decisions etc. If we stopped policing and babying the refs so much, they'd be able to do their jobs and not get buried under scrutiny and second-guessing.

Everyone wants less video reffing but they want every mistake or call to be corrected. Can't have both.

OK player market honestly not completely level and it never will be. You'll never be able to compete with popular single-city teams like Broncos or Warriors for signings, unless you have some very involved wealthy benefactors / power brokers.

But apart from that, who really dominates the player market? Roosters? For all that buying power Roosters have missed the finals 50% of the last 10 seasons, including a wooden spoon and a 15th. Sure they got the MP 3 years straight with 1 premiership, but there have been plenty of other premiers in that time as well.

And lastly yeah, the game does need young Benji Marshalls, or similar. So I'm just gonna discount RTS, Shaun Johnson, TMM, Nathan Cleary, Bryce Cartwright, Kayln Ponga, Mitch Moses, Tedesco, Latrell Mitchell, Connor Watson, Anthony Milford, Taumalolo, Ash Taylor, Liddle, Bevan French, Suli Vunivalu, none of these blokes have "it".

Like I said, can't change your impression. And then I wonder what the hell NRL are supposed to do for supporters who say things like this.

For a start they should acknowledge that the game has rules, then apply them, every team, and every game. That'd be nice

 

[TCL]

I can't wait, footy is not just about the game and results for me, its a family day.

We get together to watch every Tigers game. Either live or on TV. We eat, we talk, we cheer and we argue. If We lose we blame the players, the coach, the ref and kick the dog, we win happy days!

I hardly see my family over summer everyone is out doing their thing, but come footy season it's every weekend!

Bring it on.

sounds awesome TCL! Sometimes wish my girls had more interest, then again they have so many other interest maybe i should just be glad they sit down and watch the occasional Tigers game. Probably should also be grateful they are still Tigers fans despite being born and bred in Manly.

I had the same problem for a little while but now there all hooked and look forward to it. I bought a cheep bunnies hat and the last one to arrive for the 1st game of the year has to wear that all night and they are also responsible for the trips to the fridge and ordering the pizza. I still have to pay for it though!

My nephew used to be frightened of my carrying on during games, now he loves it and joins in, much to his mum's (my sisters) disgust.

 

[jirskyr]

This is pretty much the way I feel as well. The game is too predictable. Refereeing is dreadful and the player market is not a level playing field. What the game needs is another young Benji Marshall.

I am not going to try and change your feelings, but how is the game predictable? The premiers never repeat, I am lucky to tip one or two perfect rounds a season, there are upsets absolutely every week.

Talk about 1994, ARL was much more predictable then. But apart from Newcastle being bog for the last few seasons, every other team is a threat every single week.

Refereeing sucks because of the level of scrutiny. That's all it is. There have been howlers in every round since I started watching in 1985, it's only that we now have 50 million replays to catch refs out, and they've made what I think is a mistake in bringing the ref-side of off-field to the public - refs boss, weekly commentary / announcements on decisions etc. If we stopped policing and babying the refs so much, they'd be able to do their jobs and not get buried under scrutiny and second-guessing.

Everyone wants less video reffing but they want every mistake or call to be corrected. Can't have both.

OK player market honestly not completely level and it never will be. You'll never be able to compete with popular single-city teams like Broncos or Warriors for signings, unless you have some very involved wealthy benefactors / power brokers.

But apart from that, who really dominates the player market? Roosters? For all that buying power Roosters have missed the finals 50% of the last 10 seasons, including a wooden spoon and a 15th. Sure they got the MP 3 years straight with 1 premiership, but there have been plenty of other premiers in that time as well.

And lastly yeah, the game does need young Benji Marshalls, or similar. So I'm just gonna discount RTS, Shaun Johnson, TMM, Nathan Cleary, Bryce Cartwright, Kayln Ponga, Mitch Moses, Tedesco, Latrell Mitchell, Connor Watson, Anthony Milford, Taumalolo, Ash Taylor, Liddle, Bevan French, Suli Vunivalu, none of these blokes have "it".

Like I said, can't change your impression. And then I wonder what the hell NRL are supposed to do for supporters who say things like this.

For a start they should acknowledge that the game has rules, then apply them, every team, and every game. That'd be nice

Sarcasm alert, sarcasm alert! Whirr whirr

You could not have written something less constructive if you'd just left a non-constructive seminar hosted by world leaders in non-constructivism.

 

[goldcoast_tiger]

This is pretty much the way I feel as well. The game is too predictable. Refereeing is dreadful and the player market is not a level playing field. What the game needs is another young Benji Marshall.

I am not going to try and change your feelings, but how is the game predictable? The premiers never repeat, I am lucky to tip one or two perfect rounds a season, there are upsets absolutely every week.

Talk about 1994, ARL was much more predictable then. But apart from Newcastle being bog for the last few seasons, every other team is a threat every single week.

Refereeing sucks because of the level of scrutiny. That's all it is. There have been howlers in every round since I started watching in 1985, it's only that we now have 50 million replays to catch refs out, and they've made what I think is a mistake in bringing the ref-side of off-field to the public - refs boss, weekly commentary / announcements on decisions etc. If we stopped policing and babying the refs so much, they'd be able to do their jobs and not get buried under scrutiny and second-guessing.

Everyone wants less video reffing but they want every mistake or call to be corrected. Can't have both.

OK player market honestly not completely level and it never will be. You'll never be able to compete with popular single-city teams like Broncos or Warriors for signings, unless you have some very involved wealthy benefactors / power brokers.

But apart from that, who really dominates the player market? Roosters? For all that buying power Roosters have missed the finals 50% of the last 10 seasons, including a wooden spoon and a 15th. Sure they got the MP 3 years straight with 1 premiership, but there have been plenty of other premiers in that time as well.

And lastly yeah, the game does need young Benji Marshalls, or similar. So I'm just gonna discount RTS, Shaun Johnson, TMM, Nathan Cleary, Bryce Cartwright, Kayln Ponga, Mitch Moses, Tedesco, Latrell Mitchell, Connor Watson, Anthony Milford, Taumalolo, Ash Taylor, Liddle, Bevan French, Suli Vunivalu, none of these blokes have "it".

Like I said, can't change your impression. And then I wonder what the hell NRL are supposed to do for supporters who say things like this.

For a start they should acknowledge that the game has rules, then apply them, every team, and every game. That'd be nice

Sarcasm alert, sarcasm alert! Whirr whirr

You could not have written something less constructive if you'd just left a non-constructive seminar hosted by world leaders in non-constructivism.

I wasn't being sarcastic. Not even a little bit.
I meant exactly what I said, the rules get thrown out the window in the majority of games in the name of a free flowing game .
Referees are there to make sure that the game is played by the rules. But only use the rules that they want to at that time.
Players cheat all the time because Refs don't want a big penalty count, so the game turns into a joke at times.
Crackdowns on a particular rule usually only last a few weeks, then its open slather again.Coaches and players rule the game. And the Refs have not got the guts to take control back.
I'm sick of seeing wingers( or in a most cases most of the team offside at a PTB on their line.
I'm sick of seeing players wishbone the legs of another player after a tackle
I'm sick of seeing obviously forward passes let go, especially from DH.
And I'm sick of headhigh tackles being penalised one week and then being let go the next week
Use the bloody rules that exist.

 

[TrueTiger]

And the one that annoys me the most…..THE OBSTRUCTION RULE.....they have to get the consistency right.....to much grey area......

 

[jirskyr]

I wasn't being sarcastic. Not even a little bit.
I meant exactly what I said, the rules get thrown out the window in the majority of games in the name of a free flowing game .
Referees are there to make sure that the game is played by the rules. But only use the rules that they want to at that time.
Players cheat all the time because Refs don't want a big penalty count, so the game turns into a joke at times.
Crackdowns on a particular rule usually only last a few weeks, then its open slather again.Coaches and players rule the game. And the Refs have not got the guts to take control back.
I'm sick of seeing wingers( or in a most cases most of the team offside at a PTB on their line.
I'm sick of seeing players wishbone the legs of another player after a tackle
I'm sick of seeing obviously forward passes let go, especially from DH.
And I'm sick of headhigh tackles being penalised one week and then being let go the next week
Use the bloody rules that exist.

I really don't think you have any idea what you are talking about. Wanting consistency of how the rules are policed / interpreted sure, but that's an eternal wish, they'll never get it totally right. But as for refs ignoring rules… total and utter nonsense.

Do me a favour and keep a running tally this year of all the wishbone tackles that occur.

Tell me also, how do refs "take back the game"? You want massive penalty counts until the teams are beaten and bowed?

Because you are actually quite very wrong about a ref's responsibility I think. Refs #1 job is to manage entertainment. They are not police. If refs aggressively follow every single rule to its full degree, you end up with a boring, slow game. The refs are charged with overseeing a product based on the over-changing needs / desires of the consumers.

Because State of Origin is arguably the least-policed form of the game when it comes to refs, but it is obviously the biggest and most consistently good spectacle.

 

[king_sirro]

I wasn't being sarcastic. Not even a little bit.
I meant exactly what I said, the rules get thrown out the window in the majority of games in the name of a free flowing game .
Referees are there to make sure that the game is played by the rules. But only use the rules that they want to at that time.
Players cheat all the time because Refs don't want a big penalty count, so the game turns into a joke at times.
Crackdowns on a particular rule usually only last a few weeks, then its open slather again.Coaches and players rule the game. And the Refs have not got the guts to take control back.
I'm sick of seeing wingers( or in a most cases most of the team offside at a PTB on their line.
I'm sick of seeing players wishbone the legs of another player after a tackle
I'm sick of seeing obviously forward passes let go, especially from DH.
And I'm sick of headhigh tackles being penalised one week and then being let go the next week
Use the bloody rules that exist.

I really don't think you have any idea what you are talking about. Wanting consistency of how the rules are policed / interpreted sure, but that's an eternal wish, they'll never get it totally right. But as for refs ignoring rules… totally and utter nonsense.

Do me a favour and keep a running tally this year of all the wishbone tackles that occur.

Tell me also, how do refs "take back the game"? You want massive penalty counts until the teams are beaten and bowed?

Because you are actually quite very wrong about a ref's responsibility I think. Refs #1 job is to manage entertainment. They are not police. If refs aggressively follow every single rule to its full degree, you end up with a boring, slow game. The refs are charged with overseeing a product based on the over-changing needs / desires of the consumers.

Because State of Origin is arguably the least-policed form of the game when it comes to refs, but it is obviously the biggest and most consistently good spectacle.

Your reply is exactly whats wrong with the game.

 

[jirskyr]

I wasn't being sarcastic. Not even a little bit.
I meant exactly what I said, the rules get thrown out the window in the majority of games in the name of a free flowing game .
Referees are there to make sure that the game is played by the rules. But only use the rules that they want to at that time.
Players cheat all the time because Refs don't want a big penalty count, so the game turns into a joke at times.
Crackdowns on a particular rule usually only last a few weeks, then its open slather again.Coaches and players rule the game. And the Refs have not got the guts to take control back.
I'm sick of seeing wingers( or in a most cases most of the team offside at a PTB on their line.
I'm sick of seeing players wishbone the legs of another player after a tackle
I'm sick of seeing obviously forward passes let go, especially from DH.
And I'm sick of headhigh tackles being penalised one week and then being let go the next week
Use the bloody rules that exist.

I really don't think you have any idea what you are talking about. Wanting consistency of how the rules are policed / interpreted sure, but that's an eternal wish, they'll never get it totally right. But as for refs ignoring rules… totally and utter nonsense.

Do me a favour and keep a running tally this year of all the wishbone tackles that occur.

Tell me also, how do refs "take back the game"? You want massive penalty counts until the teams are beaten and bowed?

Because you are actually quite very wrong about a ref's responsibility I think. Refs #1 job is to manage entertainment. They are not police. If refs aggressively follow every single rule to its full degree, you end up with a boring, slow game. The refs are charged with overseeing a product based on the over-changing needs / desires of the consumers.

Because State of Origin is arguably the least-policed form of the game when it comes to refs, but it is obviously the biggest and most consistently good spectacle.

Your reply is exactly whats wrong with the game.

Oh please don't elaborate at all.

 

[innsaneink]

It's a TV product now and they want it to be as fast and flash as possible.

Its funny how quickly I can overlook and disregard a ref's error in our favour, yet if it goes against us it can burn me for some time (age is mellowing me here I think)
Im not into the game as much as I used to be, probably because we're just not very good consistently

 

[Basil_Tiger]

Johns and Fittler are simply mental midgets and are incapable of any analytical commentary that doesn't involve the bleeding obvious,or alternatively their long ago past deeds.

Yep,and i put Fatty in that category as well but these Days he rarely gets a start thank goodness.
Fittler has improved since he keeps his responses short and follows the prompts from the Commentary Box or Director.
Gould & Sterling are,IMO,for the most part OK,they see intricacies & trends in a game that most viewers would miss.

 

[goldcoast_tiger]

I wasn't being sarcastic. Not even a little bit.
I meant exactly what I said, the rules get thrown out the window in the majority of games in the name of a free flowing game .
Referees are there to make sure that the game is played by the rules. But only use the rules that they want to at that time.
Players cheat all the time because Refs don't want a big penalty count, so the game turns into a joke at times.
Crackdowns on a particular rule usually only last a few weeks, then its open slather again.Coaches and players rule the game. And the Refs have not got the guts to take control back.
I'm sick of seeing wingers( or in a most cases most of the team offside at a PTB on their line.
I'm sick of seeing players wishbone the legs of another player after a tackle
I'm sick of seeing obviously forward passes let go, especially from DH.
And I'm sick of headhigh tackles being penalised one week and then being let go the next week
Use the bloody rules that exist.

I really don't think you have any idea what you are talking about. Wanting consistency of how the rules are policed / interpreted sure, but that's an eternal wish, they'll never get it totally right. But as for refs ignoring rules… totally and utter nonsense.

Do me a favour and keep a running tally this year of all the wishbone tackles that occur.

Tell me also, how do refs "take back the game"? You want massive penalty counts until the teams are beaten and bowed?

Because you are actually quite very wrong about a ref's responsibility I think. Refs #1 job is to manage entertainment. They are not police. If refs aggressively follow every single rule to its full degree, you end up with a boring, slow game. The refs are charged with overseeing a product based on the over-changing needs / desires of the consumers.

Because State of Origin is arguably the least-policed form of the game when it comes to refs, but it is obviously the biggest and most consistently good spectacle.

Your reply is exactly whats wrong with the game.

Oh please don't elaborate at all.

Jeez you've taken the angry pills today :laughing:
The refs job is to ref the game and make sure that it's according to the rules,
I don't care how long if it takes to get the coaches and players to to get the message, and if it takes 3rounds 10 rounds or a whole season to start playing by the rules, i don't care.

If it means that we will Get our game back to what it should be ,it'd be worth it.
However it would not take that long. The reason that crackdowns now don't work is that Coaches know it will be only for a few weeks. Once they get the message that the rules are back. They will have to change the way the team plays or keep getting penalised

As for you not seeing wishbone tackles. I'm talking about when a tackler gets up and holdsthe tackled players leg or foot with him as he turns to go back onside There are plenty of them every games, some worse than others, and is completely unnecessary .
But hey! Let's not worry about the rules .
if you want a game full of forward passes, offside, etc,then go for it. You've got it. I'd rather see Rugby League .
I suppose you love the offside tactics as soon as the attacking side get inside the defenders 20 as well.
Caused by the thing that you think is good. Refs not wanting a high penalty count.
I hope you aren't one of the ones complaining when it happens to us in a big game.

 

[king_sirro]

I wasn't being sarcastic. Not even a little bit.
I meant exactly what I said, the rules get thrown out the window in the majority of games in the name of a free flowing game .
Referees are there to make sure that the game is played by the rules. But only use the rules that they want to at that time.
Players cheat all the time because Refs don't want a big penalty count, so the game turns into a joke at times.
Crackdowns on a particular rule usually only last a few weeks, then its open slather again.Coaches and players rule the game. And the Refs have not got the guts to take control back.
I'm sick of seeing wingers( or in a most cases most of the team offside at a PTB on their line.
I'm sick of seeing players wishbone the legs of another player after a tackle
I'm sick of seeing obviously forward passes let go, especially from DH.
And I'm sick of headhigh tackles being penalised one week and then being let go the next week
Use the bloody rules that exist.

I really don't think you have any idea what you are talking about. Wanting consistency of how the rules are policed / interpreted sure, but that's an eternal wish, they'll never get it totally right. But as for refs ignoring rules… totally and utter nonsense.

Do me a favour and keep a running tally this year of all the wishbone tackles that occur.

Tell me also, how do refs "take back the game"? You want massive penalty counts until the teams are beaten and bowed?

Because you are actually quite very wrong about a ref's responsibility I think. Refs #1 job is to manage entertainment. They are not police. If refs aggressively follow every single rule to its full degree, you end up with a boring, slow game. The refs are charged with overseeing a product based on the over-changing needs / desires of the consumers.

Because State of Origin is arguably the least-policed form of the game when it comes to refs, but it is obviously the biggest and most consistently good spectacle.

Your reply is exactly whats wrong with the game.

Oh please don't elaborate at all.

If a refs job is "to manage entertainment" then ill give the game away. Its the NRL's job to do that by making the appropriate rules. The refs then police those rules. Thats the only job a ref has, police the rules. The confusion comes from them not doing that.

If the refs did the job they are paid to do then the NRL wouldnt have anything to hide behind anymore, they will have to take on the responsibility of fixing the rules which hold the game back. At the moment they escape it by the old "interpretation" line. Ref the rules and these clowns running the show will be forced to clean the game up. Refs are on a hiding to nothing because of the weak people who run this game.

 

[happy_tiger]

I really don't think you have any idea what you are talking about. Wanting consistency of how the rules are policed / interpreted sure, but that's an eternal wish, they'll never get it totally right. But as for refs ignoring rules… totally and utter nonsense.

Do me a favour and keep a running tally this year of all the wishbone tackles that occur.

Tell me also, how do refs "take back the game"? You want massive penalty counts until the teams are beaten and bowed?

Because you are actually quite very wrong about a ref's responsibility I think. Refs #1 job is to manage entertainment. They are not police. If refs aggressively follow every single rule to its full degree, you end up with a boring, slow game. The refs are charged with overseeing a product based on the over-changing needs / desires of the consumers.

Because State of Origin is arguably the least-policed form of the game when it comes to refs, but it is obviously the biggest and most consistently good spectacle.

Your reply is exactly whats wrong with the game.

Oh please don't elaborate at all.

If a refs job is "to manage entertainment" then ill give the game away. Its the NRL's job to do that by making the appropriate rules. The refs then police those rules. Thats the only job a ref has, police the rules. The confusion comes from them not doing that.

If the refs did the job they are paid to do then the NRL wouldnt have anything to hide behind anymore, they will have to take on the responsibility of fixing the rules which hold the game back. At the moment they escape it by the old "interpretation" line. Ref the rules and these clowns running the show will be forced to clean the game up. Refs are on a hiding to nothing because of the weak people who run this game.

LOL KS , you kick my butt for being a downer :brick: :laughing:

 

[jirskyr]

I really don't think you have any idea what you are talking about. Wanting consistency of how the rules are policed / interpreted sure, but that's an eternal wish, they'll never get it totally right. But as for refs ignoring rules… totally and utter nonsense.

Do me a favour and keep a running tally this year of all the wishbone tackles that occur.

Tell me also, how do refs "take back the game"? You want massive penalty counts until the teams are beaten and bowed?

Because you are actually quite very wrong about a ref's responsibility I think. Refs #1 job is to manage entertainment. They are not police. If refs aggressively follow every single rule to its full degree, you end up with a boring, slow game. The refs are charged with overseeing a product based on the over-changing needs / desires of the consumers.

Because State of Origin is arguably the least-policed form of the game when it comes to refs, but it is obviously the biggest and most consistently good spectacle.

Your reply is exactly whats wrong with the game.

Oh please don't elaborate at all.

Jeez you've taken the angry pills today :laughing:
The refs job is to ref the game and make sure that it's according to the rules,
I don't care how long if it takes to get the coaches and players to to get the message, and if it takes 3rounds 10 rounds or a whole season to start playing by the rules, i don't care.

If it means that we will Get our game back to what it should be ,it'd be worth it.
However it would not take that long. The reason that crackdowns now don't work is that Coaches know it will be only for a few weeks. Once they get the message that the rules are back. They will have to change the way the team plays or keep getting penalised

As for you not seeing wishbone tackles. I'm talking about when a tackler gets up and holdsthe tackled players leg or foot with him as he turns to go back onside There are plenty of them every games, some worse than others, and is completely unnecessary .
But hey! Let's not worry about the rules .
if you want a game full of forward passes, offside, etc,then go for it. You've got it. I'd rather see Rugby League .
I suppose you love the offside tactics as soon as the attacking side get inside the defenders 20 as well.
Caused by the thing that you think is good. Refs not wanting a high penalty count.
I hope you aren't one of the ones complaining when it happens to us in a big game.

I'll reply here, but I am including KS's comments too.

Firstly yes angry pills this morning, a bit too front-foot, sorry.

I honestly don't think it's realistic for refs to blow the pea out of the whistle every round until the teams all "play by the rules". Every player in every team spends up to 80 minutes every week trying to push and bend the rules. It's much like police, they can take a heavy-handed approach for sure, let's get out the combat gear and jail everyone who jaywalks, but that isn't fun or fair on everyone. Furthermore unlike police, the refs are not there to keep the streets safe, they are there to create an entertaining product.

Every set of laws in every condition is up for interpretation. You cannot write an interpretation-free document, just ask the lawyers, clerics, politicians and policy-makers of the world. As soon as you add personal opinion, bias, pressure, you get variation.

Now I'm not saying refs stop blowing penalties for the sake of it. I am saying you need a balance between enforcement and judgement. It does the game no good not to penalise, same as it does the game no good to over-penalise.

I guarantee you, 1000% if the refs were robotically meticulous in application of the laws each week, with no leeway, fans would be in uproar for the negative impact on the game. Just as an example, take the NRL PTB interpretations for 2016:

At the completion of the tackle
The player in possession:
‘shall be immediately released’ by the defender and/or defenders. Section 11 (10) (a)
Methods that impede the immediate release of the player in possession
a. Flop onto the player in possession who is grounded
b. Working the player in possession
c. Leg pulls
d. Leaving or placing the hands or arms on the ball or the arms of the player in possession once the
tackle is complete
e. Spinning on the player in possession once the tackle is complete
f. Defenders ‘peeling off’ the player in possession^
g. Climbing over the player in possession once the tackle is complete
h. Crowding the player in possession once the tackle is complete using their knees, arms or body
i. Pulls the player in possession to the ground once the tackle is complete

So potentially you can penalise at every opportunity every flop, "working", leg pull (your favourite), placement of arms, spinning, peeling, climbing, crowding or pulling.

Sure go ahead, do it, penalise absolutely every time anything like that ever happens. You will surely blow 100+ penalties a game.

So we need not be silly, of course I don't want forward passes all game. But the more stringently and aggressively you police a product, the greater the risk of killing the fun in it. Neither of you have addressed the State of Origin issue at all - everyone knows they relax the rules, same rules as usual, for the SOO matches and it's the greatest spectacle in the modern game.

And regarding KS, no actually the NRL's role is not to "make the appropriate rules". The NRL apply interpretations to the International Laws of Rugby League.
International Laws: http://www.webcitation.org/5mYyri5Wv
ARLC-approved interpretations 2016: https://www.nrl.com/portals/nrl/RadEditor/Documents/ARL%20Rules%20book%202016.pdf

They then instruct the referees to apply those interpretations. The interpretations differ from season to season without necessarily changing the laws. The old "interpretation" line is literally true, the game is literally policed as a series of interpretation of laws.

So lastly back to GCT, "Get our game back to what it should be". What should the game be and when was the time when it was that thing? Income is up, participation is up, membership is up, TV audiences are up, media coverage is up, crowds are strong (but honestly fluctuate year to year). What nostalgic golden era are we being transported back to? When players were amateurs? When they punched and bit each other? When you had to play for your local side? When they played on mud-soaked fields with leather footballs? When the players were mostly white kids from working-class suburbs?

 

[tsjonathan]

i also have a lack of interest this year the most out of all. I guess over a decade of ineptness will do that to supporters.

 

[Juro]

When are they going to release the season promo this year? It doesn't feel like footy is close until I see one of those…

 

[king_sirro]

Your reply is exactly whats wrong with the game.

Oh please don't elaborate at all.

Jeez you've taken the angry pills today :laughing:
The refs job is to ref the game and make sure that it's according to the rules,
I don't care how long if it takes to get the coaches and players to to get the message, and if it takes 3rounds 10 rounds or a whole season to start playing by the rules, i don't care.

If it means that we will Get our game back to what it should be ,it'd be worth it.
However it would not take that long. The reason that crackdowns now don't work is that Coaches know it will be only for a few weeks. Once they get the message that the rules are back. They will have to change the way the team plays or keep getting penalised

As for you not seeing wishbone tackles. I'm talking about when a tackler gets up and holdsthe tackled players leg or foot with him as he turns to go back onside There are plenty of them every games, some worse than others, and is completely unnecessary .
But hey! Let's not worry about the rules .
if you want a game full of forward passes, offside, etc,then go for it. You've got it. I'd rather see Rugby League .
I suppose you love the offside tactics as soon as the attacking side get inside the defenders 20 as well.
Caused by the thing that you think is good. Refs not wanting a high penalty count.
I hope you aren't one of the ones complaining when it happens to us in a big game.

I'll reply here, but I am including KS's comments too.

Firstly yes angry pills this morning, a bit too front-foot, sorry.

I honestly don't think it's realistic for refs to blow the pea out of the whistle every round until the teams all "play by the rules". Every player in every team spends up to 80 minutes every week trying to push and bend the rules. It's much like police, they can take a heavy-handed approach for sure, let's get out the combat gear and jail everyone who jaywalks, but that isn't fun or fair on everyone. Furthermore unlike police, the refs are not there to keep the streets safe, they are there to create an entertaining product.

Every set of laws in every condition is up for interpretation. You cannot write an interpretation-free document, just ask the lawyers, clerics, politicians and policy-makers of the world. As soon as you add personal opinion, bias, pressure, you get variation.

Now I'm not saying refs stop blowing penalties for the sake of it. I am saying you need a balance between enforcement and judgement. It does the game no good not to penalise, same as it does the game no good to over-penalise.

I guarantee you, 1000% if the refs were robotically meticulous in application of the laws each week, with no leeway, fans would be in uproar for the negative impact on the game. Just as an example, take the NRL PTB interpretations for 2016:

At the completion of the tackle
The player in possession:
‘shall be immediately released’ by the defender and/or defenders. Section 11 (10) (a)
Methods that impede the immediate release of the player in possession
a. Flop onto the player in possession who is grounded
b. Working the player in possession
c. Leg pulls
d. Leaving or placing the hands or arms on the ball or the arms of the player in possession once the
tackle is complete
e. Spinning on the player in possession once the tackle is complete
f. Defenders ‘peeling off’ the player in possession^
g. Climbing over the player in possession once the tackle is complete
h. Crowding the player in possession once the tackle is complete using their knees, arms or body
i. Pulls the player in possession to the ground once the tackle is complete

So potentially you can penalise at every opportunity every flop, "working", leg pull (your favourite), placement of arms, spinning, peeling, climbing, crowding or pulling.

Sure go ahead, do it, penalise absolutely every time anything like that ever happens. You will surely blow 100+ penalties a game.

So we need not be silly, of course I don't want forward passes all game. But the more stringently and aggressively you police a product, the greater the risk of killing the fun in it. Neither of you have addressed the State of Origin issue at all - everyone knows they relax the rules, same rules as usual, for the SOO matches and it's the greatest spectacle in the modern game.

And regarding KS, no actually the NRL's role is not to "make the appropriate rules". The NRL apply interpretations to the International Laws of Rugby League.
International Laws: http://www.webcitation.org/5mYyri5Wv
ARLC-approved interpretations 2016: https://www.nrl.com/portals/nrl/RadEditor/Documents/ARL%20Rules%20book%202016.pdf

They then instruct the referees to apply those interpretations. The interpretations differ from season to season without necessarily changing the laws. The old "interpretation" line is literally true, the game is literally policed as a series of interpretation of laws.

So lastly back to GCT, "Get our game back to what it should be". What should the game be and when was the time when it was that thing? Income is up, participation is up, membership is up, TV audiences are up, media coverage is up, crowds are strong (but honestly fluctuate year to year). What nostalgic golden era are we being transported back to? When players were amateurs? When they punched and bit each other? When you had to play for your local side? When they played on mud-soaked fields with leather footballs? When the players were mostly white kids from working-class suburbs?

So your saying the NRL cant change, alter and add rules, they just apply interpretations to internation laws? Thats very broad and hard to believe as they change crap every year. Of course they can change rules. Obviously they cant cant change the make up of the game, but rules within that they can and have done many times. To say they can just apply rules already deemed is rediculous. They make changes mid year sometimes.

 

[innsaneink]

Not working any more jirskyr?

 

[goldcoast_tiger]

Oh please don't elaborate at all.

Jeez you've taken the angry pills today :laughing:
The refs job is to ref the game and make sure that it's according to the rules,
I don't care how long if it takes to get the coaches and players to to get the message, and if it takes 3rounds 10 rounds or a whole season to start playing by the rules, i don't care.

If it means that we will Get our game back to what it should be ,it'd be worth it.
However it would not take that long. The reason that crackdowns now don't work is that Coaches know it will be only for a few weeks. Once they get the message that the rules are back. They will have to change the way the team plays or keep getting penalised

As for you not seeing wishbone tackles. I'm talking about when a tackler gets up and holdsthe tackled players leg or foot with him as he turns to go back onside There are plenty of them every games, some worse than others, and is completely unnecessary .
But hey! Let's not worry about the rules .
if you want a game full of forward passes, offside, etc,then go for it. You've got it. I'd rather see Rugby League .
I suppose you love the offside tactics as soon as the attacking side get inside the defenders 20 as well.
Caused by the thing that you think is good. Refs not wanting a high penalty count.
I hope you aren't one of the ones complaining when it happens to us in a big game.

I'll reply here, but I am including KS's comments too.

Firstly yes angry pills this morning, a bit too front-foot, sorry.

I honestly don't think it's realistic for refs to blow the pea out of the whistle every round until the teams all "play by the rules". Every player in every team spends up to 80 minutes every week trying to push and bend the rules. It's much like police, they can take a heavy-handed approach for sure, let's get out the combat gear and jail everyone who jaywalks, but that isn't fun or fair on everyone. Furthermore unlike police, the refs are not there to keep the streets safe, they are there to create an entertaining product.

Every set of laws in every condition is up for interpretation. You cannot write an interpretation-free document, just ask the lawyers, clerics, politicians and policy-makers of the world. As soon as you add personal opinion, bias, pressure, you get variation.

Now I'm not saying refs stop blowing penalties for the sake of it. I am saying you need a balance between enforcement and judgement. It does the game no good not to penalise, same as it does the game no good to over-penalise.

I guarantee you, 1000% if the refs were robotically meticulous in application of the laws each week, with no leeway, fans would be in uproar for the negative impact on the game. Just as an example, take the NRL PTB interpretations for 2016:

At the completion of the tackle
The player in possession:
‘shall be immediately released’ by the defender and/or defenders. Section 11 (10) (a)
Methods that impede the immediate release of the player in possession
a. Flop onto the player in possession who is grounded
b. Working the player in possession
c. Leg pulls
d. Leaving or placing the hands or arms on the ball or the arms of the player in possession once the
tackle is complete
e. Spinning on the player in possession once the tackle is complete
f. Defenders ‘peeling off’ the player in possession^
g. Climbing over the player in possession once the tackle is complete
h. Crowding the player in possession once the tackle is complete using their knees, arms or body
i. Pulls the player in possession to the ground once the tackle is complete

So potentially you can penalise at every opportunity every flop, "working", leg pull (your favourite), placement of arms, spinning, peeling, climbing, crowding or pulling.

Sure go ahead, do it, penalise absolutely every time anything like that ever happens. You will surely blow 100+ penalties a game.

So we need not be silly, of course I don't want forward passes all game. But the more stringently and aggressively you police a product, the greater the risk of killing the fun in it. Neither of you have addressed the State of Origin issue at all - everyone knows they relax the rules, same rules as usual, for the SOO matches and it's the greatest spectacle in the modern game.

And regarding KS, no actually the NRL's role is not to "make the appropriate rules". The NRL apply interpretations to the International Laws of Rugby League.
International Laws: http://www.webcitation.org/5mYyri5Wv
ARLC-approved interpretations 2016: https://www.nrl.com/portals/nrl/RadEditor/Documents/ARL%20Rules%20book%202016.pdf

They then instruct the referees to apply those interpretations. The interpretations differ from season to season without necessarily changing the laws. The old "interpretation" line is literally true, the game is literally policed as a series of interpretation of laws.

So lastly back to GCT, "Get our game back to what it should be". What should the game be and when was the time when it was that thing? Income is up, participation is up, membership is up, TV audiences are up, media coverage is up, crowds are strong (but honestly fluctuate year to year). What nostalgic golden era are we being transported back to? When players were amateurs? When they punched and bit each other? When you had to play for your local side? When they played on mud-soaked fields with leather footballs? When the players were mostly white kids from working-class suburbs?

So your saying the NRL cant change, alter and add rules, they just apply interpretations to internation laws? Thats very broad and hard to believe as they change crap every year. Of course they can change rules. Obviously they cant cant change the make up of the game, but rules within that they can and have done many times. To say they can just apply rules already deemed is rediculous. They make changes mid year sometimes.

I understand what you're saying Jirskyr , just that I don't agree with giving the game over to the Coaches to manipulate to what they want.
The annoyance that most of us suffer from , is that the game is so inconsistent in how it's being run on the field. Almost any passage of play , every pass, every tackle can now be penalised at a Refs whim because it's open to so much interpretation .4 forward passes will be let go and the next one will be penalised, 1 shoulder charge will be penalised the next one won't, because of interpretation or a Ref with no guts. This applies thoughtout the game.
The perfect example of the mess in the game at the moment is one I've already mentioned, and that's the situation where the ball is being played close to the line.

The defence in close will mostly have their front foot behind the attacking teams DH.
The wingers and outside defenders can sometimes be as much as a metre outside their goal line, and players near the P TB usually will have their hands on the player whose playing
The ball. ( there's probably at least 4 different penalties that could be blown )
Both sides of the field are effectively closed off from the attack

It's the easiest problem to fix. (There's a straight line there, and three officials .if anyone's over the line , blow the whistle.Simple , ) and could be cleared up quickly when Coaches get the message that it's not going to continue , but at the moment the Coaches would rather give away a couple of penalties than risk a try against them. why ???? Because they know that theRefs don't want to keep penalising.
That's typical of the game at the moment