Time for Trial Games and unnecessary games to go

[Walshie's 9th Love Child]

I say it every year, these ****ing trial games dont mean shit, they are a complete waste of time and expose ALL players to unnecessary exposure to injury, same with all stars games.

GET rid of trial games PLEASE !!!!!!!!

[elo]

They don't mean anything but some coaches want them, some don't........why clubs choose to have 3 or 4 however mystifies me, surely 2 is enough.

[Guest]

There should be just 1 trial for each team 2 weeks before round 1. The All Stars game should stop. In theory the NRL All Stars team should win every year as they can choose from far more players, plus 99% of league lovers couldn't give a rats ar$e who wins but would be hugely pi$$ed off if a star player from the team they support gets injured!

[Roosterfarian]

Yeah Walshie to get their fitness up in other ways!

[Guest]

While trials are almost useless for established players (other than for match fitness), they are a great tool to guage young talent and fringe first graders. They are here to stay.

[Vasco]

Every sport, at every level, has trials.

It's just the way it is.

[Guest]

There should be just 1 trial for each team 2 weeks before round 1. The All Stars game should stop. In theory the NRL All Stars team should win every year as they can choose from far more players, plus 99% of league lovers couldn't give a rats ar$e who wins but would be hugely pi$$ed off if a star player from the team they support gets injured!

the All Stars game is an excellent initiative and is here to stay

[Guest]

Ofcourse they need trial games......and the Allstars game is great. Players can get injured anytime....its a contact sport. Some bleeding hearts dont want our players to play any rep games either.... right........ask the players how they feel.

[Guest]

the All Stars game is an excellent initiative and is here to stay

The game is a great initiative but i imo i believe it will lose its legs in a few years. Once Thurston and Prince stop playing they are really going to struggle. The indigenous team at a guess can pick from about 5-10% of the NRL players, which makes for a lopsided contest and people will quickly lose interest if it is a one sided cricket score each year. Everyone i hear from already couldn't care less about the game and only fear of injury to a player from the team who they support. Can you imagine the up roar from a team and their fans if a high profile player like a Benji Marshall sustains a series injury and misses most or all of the season for a pointless game?

[Guest]

The game is a great initiative but i imo i believe it will lose its legs in a few years. Once Thurston and Prince stop playing they are really going to struggle. The indigenous team at a guess can pick from about 5-10% of the NRL players, which makes for a lopsided contest and people will quickly lose interest if it is a one sided cricket score each year. Everyone i hear from already couldn't care less about the game and only fear of injury to a player from the team who they support. Can you imagine the up roar from a team and their fans if a high profile player like a Benji Marshall sustains a series injury and misses most or all of the season for a pointless game?

Ask the players if they want to play....or do we wrap them in cotton wool and bring them out on game day?................... this is such a pointless thread.

[Kingbilly]

lets stop the tackling too someone is going to get hurt

[Guest]

Ask the players if they want to play....or do we wrap them in cotton wool and bring them out on game day?................... this is such a pointless thread.

Hey Roosdaman - you changed your avatar. Like the old one with your car but the new one is good too.

[Guest]

Hey Roosdaman - you changed your avatar. Like the old one with your car but the new one is good too.

I just put this one on for Christmas.......but now i cant get the old one back up.

[TheLoneRooster]

The All Stars game is an odd event given it actually tacitly endorses one of the things it was designed to help stamp out. Broadening the concept to three teams (to include a Polynesian team) is no better as that further reinforces the same contradictory and seemingly glossed over message. Get rid of it.

[Guest]

Ask the players if they want to play....or do we wrap them in cotton wool and bring them out on game day?................... this is such a pointless thread.

If you ask the Indigenous players they will tell you that it means plenty to them. If you ask an NRL All Stars player on camera obviously out of respect they are going to tell you it is worthwhile, however off camera in private i honestly believe they would tell you that they would prefer not to play the game as the season is long enough as it is and the result of the game means absolutely nothing! To play a full on game in the middle of February and go right through the year to playing tests in November is going to take its toll both physically and mentally.

I have no doubt that some people's opinion on here would change if Carney was to play in next years fixture, injure his knee and be out for the season thus ruining our chances of winning the comp for that year!