Re: When did the sport peak as a spectacle? : Sat Aug 21, 2021 4:32 pm  

The Ghost of '99 wrote:

In the '80s I thought it was in the '70s.
In the '90s I thought it was in the '80s.
In the '00s I thought it was in the '90s.
In the '10s I thought it was in the '00s.
Now I think it was in the '10s.

Ten years from now we'll be all good about the current era, especially with games like this afternoons.

Very well put. Personally in terms of Leeds 2003 to 2009, but in terms of the sport as a whole 90 to 94, when GB were standing toe to toe with the Aussies, was very special.

Re: When did the sport peak as a spectacle? : Sat Aug 21, 2021 6:01 pm  

ArthurClues wrote:

Very well put. Personally in terms of Leeds 2003 to 2009, but in terms of the sport as a whole 90 to 94, when GB were standing toe to toe with the Aussies, was very special.

eastwood half an hour to kick an misses - wembley with powell dixon an gibson was special

Re: When did the sport peak as a spectacle? : Sat Aug 21, 2021 6:18 pm  

Shabino wrote:

For me it was at the 2007 grand final, when that star studded Saints side, met Tony Smiths golden young generation.
Wow, what a game. What an atmosphere.
Is sad thinking how on earth we’ve gone from then, to what we see now.....I truly believed it was the greatest game in the world back then.

2 great great sides. Would walk the current SL either team.

Re: When did the sport peak as a spectacle? : Sat Aug 21, 2021 7:24 pm  

doc-rhino wrote:

eastwood half an hour to kick an misses - wembley with powell dixon an gibson was special

Yep. 2nd test at Old Trafford in 90 was astonishing game. I remember walking out of the game stunned. Meninga would never got away with the obstruction on Gibson with a video ref (or would he?). Melbourne 92 must stand as the single greatest GB performance of my lifetime.

Re: When did the sport peak as a spectacle? : Sat Aug 21, 2021 8:36 pm  

ArthurClues wrote:

doc-rhino wrote:

eastwood half an hour to kick an misses - wembley with powell dixon an gibson was special

Yep. 2nd test at Old Trafford in 90 was astonishing game. I remember walking out of the game stunned. Meninga would never got away with the obstruction on Gibson with a video ref (or would he?). Melbourne 92 must stand as the single greatest GB performance of my lifetime.

That game in Melbourne really illustrated what a quality player (one of the best ever) Schoey was. At least on a par with Hanley, sadly just didn’t have the professionalism. Thousands of GB fans in the stadium too.

Re: When did the sport peak as a spectacle? : Sat Aug 21, 2021 11:05 pm  

My idol growing up was Schoey. What a player

Re: When did the sport peak as a spectacle? : Mon Aug 23, 2021 11:21 am  

I think from the late 90's when all teams went fully pro and had gotten to grips with the 10 metre rule (watching old videos of the first couple of years when it went from 5 to 10 is hilarious) to around 2015. Late 90's had the magnificent Saints, Bradford and Wigan sides who played tough and skillful rugby. Leeds briefly joined that group in 1998/9 then came back in 2003, culminating in 2004 being our year. The rugby played back then was brutal, fast and the English game had real superstars, plus we could still recruit top quality overseas players. I've seen the game since the very early 80's and back then Ioved it and there were some great matches but there were lots of mistakes, lots and lots of mistakes. That could result in entertaining matches as teams threw the ball everywhere, but constantly dropping the thing often gave dire and unwatchable garbage. Some of the worst games I ever saw were mixed in with some of the best during the 80's.
When the game went to 10 metres it was dreadful for 2-3 seasons. Wigan destroyed everyone in that period as nobody else could defend and their "money no object" squad of attacking players ripped the league to shreds.
So, if I was going to pick I would say 1997-2015 would be the era I would chose.

Re: When did the sport peak as a spectacle? : Mon Aug 23, 2021 11:29 am  

I don't know if it was just because I was young but the early 2000s felt so exciting and more importantly it felt like every match mattered and the crowds were up for it. I remember the excitement of the build up to a Bradford derby and genuinely being excited and how much it mattered (which was the Bulls game where we absolutely threw it away with a ball into touch then they got the ball from two kick offs in a row I think? From Deacon IIRC).

For me personally the quality on the pitch doesn't have to be the best but what I find important is that stadiums aren't half empty, crowds are loud and actually care and it actually feels like an event worth winning. Maybe it's just nostalgia as a young kid, but it just felt big.

Re: When did the sport peak as a spectacle? : Mon Aug 23, 2021 11:43 am  

tomlufc wrote:

I don't know if it was just because I was young but the early 2000s felt so exciting and more importantly it felt like every match mattered and the crowds were up for it. I remember the excitement of the build up to a Bradford derby and genuinely being excited and how much it mattered (which was the Bulls game where we absolutely threw it away with a ball into touch then they got the ball from two kick offs in a row I think? From Deacon IIRC).

For me personally the quality on the pitch doesn't have to be the best but what I find important is that stadiums aren't half empty, crowds are loud and actually care and it actually feels like an event worth winning. Maybe it's just nostalgia as a young kid, but it just felt big.

The bulls derby games were fabulous in the late 90s early 00s i miss them a great deal, the 00s were a great time to be a Rhinos fan and I do think it was the best era personally, however there is probably some nostalgia rose tinting going on as there was some equally drab fixtures and low crowds in that era aswell.

I think the game isn’t as healthy as it was then but personally don’t think its as bad now as done of the doom merchants are saying, I think we meed to just get this season over which has been massively impacted by Covid and reassess when things are more normal next season.

I am really excited for the next few years as a Rhinos fan we seem to be getting alot of homegrown players coming through with real quality

[Bullseye]

Re: When did the sport peak as a spectacle? : Mon Aug 23, 2021 1:07 pm  

As a sport I think the early 90s was the era when we seemed to get the most national coverage. Having a regular international programme helped as did having a resurgent GB side. The game on the field was attractive to watch too. It could be intense but it was also quick and open with different sides playing more off the cuff. Since then the game became more structured and predictable as players got fitter and better organised. So if you compare the game in 1992 with now they look very different and there's no doubt today's professionals are fitter and better organised but the spectacle isn't as good IMO.