Is Rugby League as a spectacle ruined?

[roosterchook]

After watching the last two rounds I’m finding the game so frustrating and no fun to watch anymore. Instead of fast flowing footy it seems to be focused solely on sin bins, send offs, penalties and players put on report. It’s become such a negative game lately. Watching sides battle it out from end to end with hardly any intervention from the refs was what made Rugby League the greatest game of all. Only the very worst incidents should be penalised as this is a contact sport.

Let the two teams fight it out and the best team win. That’s what fans want to see. All the focus has been on the knee jerk reactions of the refs instead of the footy. Where has the footy gone to?

[stringaz]

They are running on a supposed short term pain for long term gain with the crackdown.

So far I just see more dudes in the bin, the head highs are the same frequency. Brought even more to light because every instance is made a big deal of.

Most concussions received by the tackler across time to date.

The NRL are playing the game "the floor is lava" hopping from one form of manipulation to the next.

It's just lawyerball.

[OMR]

Unfortunately I agree. Whilst I agree with the need to protect
players heads etc, but the way the games are refereed and the way they’re implementing the rules is becoming a lottery and has made me lose interest.

[BenCumminsIsACheat]

Yes. The game has turned to garbage and all the fans know it.
No one wants to watch that rubbish with players being sin binned for nothing. The only player who went off for a hia was Sitili for when he was making a tackle.
Blow a penalty, fair enough, but V’landys has turned the game into an outright joke.
Get lost you absolute fool

[Paddo Colt 61]

It's a wide ambit the head high. We could be at a moment here - no tackling above the chest would certainly obviate the less clearcut but still high and damaging contacts. It would also limit gang tackles and if this is a longitudinal program as it should be, figures will eventually emerge that will benefit coaching. The Chooks seem to be front runners early.

[BenCumminsIsACheat]

Maybe V’landys was right for once when he said the game won’t be around in 15 years. There will be no fans left to watch this dead game

[roosterchook]

My main concern with the roosters is that because of errors we often have little possession and so must do heaps of defending and the more tackling we do, the more chance of a slip up hitting the head so the greater chance of reports, sin bins, send offs and suspensions. We are already down on troops so now we stand to lose Radley Manu too? Seriously our team may degrade to a reserve grade team if this continues. It’s overkill.

[Easts75]

You will never see players like Adrian Morley who i loved ever again. That loose unit who.runs the fine line to inspire their team or change momentum during a game.
To me, the best part of League is dead never to return

[Grant Hedger]

I had said weeks ago PVL would ruin the game but I never expected it would be this bad. The fact there are people still suggesting this is for the betterment of the game is unbelievable. THE GAME IS DEAD! Simple. There is no future. As I walked out of tonight’s game the anger was palpable. Not at losing, as we didn’t play well, but at the fact that these imposters have screwed our game. IT’S OVER! There is no future unless PVL and his clowns are removed. The fans are the only hope, as they were with the immediate demise of the ill fated English Champions League. I don’t know quite how but we’ve either got to recapture our game or leave it. There’s nothing in between. And at this stage the mood to leave it is strong. THE CARNIVAL IS OVER! Well done PVL, you moron.

[zac]

i don't think the crackdown has ruined league but it was crazy not to have done it at the end of last season and give players an off season to adjust.

yep, possession is esp important atm cos the more tackles you make the more chance you have of getting it wrong.

i don't think joey will miss any footy but he might get a fine or two. not sure what to make of rads' hits as i didn't see much super wrong with them but didn't get a close look

[Johnny Tobin]

I agree with the crackdown but some of the ones sent to the bin are ridiculous

[MCMLXVI]

They just need to add another graphic overlay to the broadcast, along with the time remaining, the score, and the tackle count. They need one for sin-bins and one for six agains. They should also stop advertising games as, say, Easts versus Brisbane, Instead they should be advertised as: Vlandy Productions presents a powerful family movie, perfectly choreographed by your favourite visually impaired referees.

[BenCumminsIsACheat]

At least he's now got a decent head of hair

[easts4eva]

The irony is, is their inactivity to respond properly to infractions against out players bought this to a head. Now we cop the shit full force.

[Bruce 38-0]

Who are the referees now. Looks like the bunker did more tonight. Stopping a play 5 tackles on from one that was missed on field and deemed suspect is just stooooopid.