: Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:16 am  

Why not?

The grass banks as you call them are/were crowd favourites where families would spread out a blanket and let the kids kick a ball around and play.

You couldn't do it in England could you because there would be too many fights and trouble I guess.

: Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:28 am  

no i call them hills....but they are grass banks


and it's funny you mention fighting...2 NZ fans and 1 pi$$3d up aussie tried fighting with us (a group of 10+ english lads) while on the hill @ newcastle during the world cup game..


we laughed at them,they got carted off by the police

: Thu Feb 12, 2009 11:37 am  

roughyedspud wrote:

in the modern world we are'nt allowed to sit on grass banks...

You can at Dewsbury (cue"yes, but I said modern world").

: Thu Feb 12, 2009 1:14 pm  

dally messenger wrote:

they have some of the finest attacking players who largely arent used for that purpose.

the storm invariably use a kick to israel folou to score their tries rather than genuine creative play.

slater, inglis, folou - they shouldve been running the ball more.

and on the rest of the nrl being boring, well thats just BS as well.

some teams are defensive, some are very attacking.

have a look at the titans or canberra for pure attacking teams.

the cowobys before injuries destroyed them.

all those teams play an attacking style you guys would cream over.

not the piddling little attack where danny mcguire makes a run in broken play and you think he split the atom.

If you actually look at the stats for 2008 some of your points simply do not stack up when examined. Both Slater and Inglis scored more tries than Folau last season not sure Slater would be catching many high kicks and Inglis is more likely to be putting the kick up.

Most observers including the Australians are concerned at the falling quality on the field - compare SOO last year to 2005 and back - and the attendances would also suggest something is not OK. This is the true impact of the salary cap - it reduces quality logically it has to.

I haven't read anywhere an article commenting on the entertainment offered in 2008 in a positive light. The ponderous PTB has killed the speed of the game that combined with an attitude of not losing rather than winning has resulted in a greater emphasis on defence - as a result you have numerous turgid stalemates - fact.

NQC were a great attacking side in 2006 - we are talking about 2008 here?

I am not disputing the standards in the NRL are higher than those of SL just the game has issues caused in part by the salary cap - and part by a no lose rather than a win mindset - which is odd given there is no promotion or relegation in the NRL.

: Thu Feb 12, 2009 1:22 pm  

Jonesy wrote:

Its not easy for the NRL to compete with the "World class" Stadia that Super League has, I mean how do you match..
Odsal
The Jungle
Brewery Field
The GPW Recruitment Stadium
Belle Vue
Some grounds would be condemned in the modern world as a throw back to when you spent your life at Mill from aged 12.

What is the average capacity of most SL grounds?
Plenty are under 15,000

How many are not Rugby league grounds but shared grounds with another sport?

The comparison between the two countries is a joke.
You have a history of playing big Test games at Old Trafford and in heartlands like Wembley

Brookvale? Believe it or not the sporting world moved away from grass hills a couple of decades a ago~!

: Thu Feb 12, 2009 1:39 pm  

JB Down Under wrote:

Brookvale? Believe it or not the sporting world moved away from grass hills a couple of decades a ago~!

It is a figment of our imagination the grass banks at the likes Diary Farmers, Koograh, Penrith etc

: Thu Feb 12, 2009 1:56 pm  

Eccleshill Rhino wrote:

If you actually look at the stats for 2008 some of your points simply do not stack up when examined. Both Slater and Inglis scored more tries than Folau last season not sure Slater would be catching many high kicks and Inglis is more likely to be putting the kick up.

Most observers including the Australians are concerned at the falling quality on the field - compare SOO last year to 2005 and back - and the attendances would also suggest something is not OK. This is the true impact of the salary cap - it reduces quality logically it has to.

I haven't read anywhere an article commenting on the entertainment offered in 2008 in a positive light. The ponderous PTB has killed the speed of the game that combined with an attitude of not losing rather than winning has resulted in a greater emphasis on defence - as a result you have numerous turgid stalemates - fact.

NQC were a great attacking side in 2006 - we are talking about 2008 here?

I am not disputing the standards in the NRL are higher than those of SL just the game has issues caused in part by the salary cap - and part by a no lose rather than a win mindset - which is odd given there is no promotion or relegation in the NRL.

weve got enough juniors to ensure a quality competition though with around 80 of ours in SL and 10 or so in RU that is quite a lot.

this year the problem with the cowboys was injuries and the coaching situation.

the attack of teams like canberra, titans or broncos when they feel like it kills anything in SL.

: Thu Feb 12, 2009 1:57 pm  

i dont like the hill myself.

its similar though to an uncovered terrace.

when the weather is good its good for families

: Thu Feb 12, 2009 4:48 pm  

dally messenger wrote:

weve got enough juniors to ensure a quality competition though with around 80 of ours in SL and 10 or so in RU that is quite a lot.

this year the problem with the cowboys was injuries and the coaching situation.

the attack of teams like canberra, titans or broncos when they feel like it kills anything in SL.

Do you mean you have enough south sea islanders to fill the void approx 25% of the players in the NRL are SSI?

Not just this year - last year too - Thurston is an awesome player as in Bowen those two apart not sure where the attack comes from?

I agree re the Broncos especially if Lockyear is playing - superb to watch when they are song - they are the most potent attack in the comp.

Canberra remind me of Wests from three years ago - quick and nimble - it will interesting to see if they too get found out like Wests did ie one season wonders.

As for the Titans - don't get that from what I have seen they seem a bit numb especially if Prince is unavailable.

: Thu Feb 12, 2009 4:55 pm  

where players or their parents are born is irrelevant

if they are australian citizens or kiwis then its fine.

all these polynesians kids have been developed by the game of RL in australia or NZ. they are our juniors. we made them what they are.

SL doesnt do that.

titans also have preston campbell and mat rogers. they were coming first for a while before injuries.

with bowen and thurston you dont need anyone else really, just back them up

other teams have their moments when they can put on a brilliant try

but cronulla, manly, storm and the roosters were quite boring most of the time (maybe not the storm all the time)

putting a kick on last tackle for the winger is so boring.

watch saints this year, bennett will take a talented side and let them play a great open style