NRL Players off contract beyond 2013

[Guest]

I would make a play for Matt Gillett/Feleti Mateo by getting rid of Mitch Aubusson, Minichiello and other deadwood. If SBW leaves then we can get both.

[Guest]

You used quality of footballers as reasoning for non expansion. The ARLC are not using and never would use quality of player as their justification for non expansion.

Record tv deals as I mentioned it was in response to you saying the football is below par and not an appropriate standard-young guys not aiming up, too many fringe players etc etc. Advertising and tv deals brokered last year would suggest different to your opinion in other words. That Pete the Punter is enjoying the NRL product as a whole, from mismatches at NRL level down through the ranks where communication giants like Telstra get involved in kids footy. If I related the tv rights to needing to "jump" at expansion I would understand your comment.. But in the discussion and in reference to what I said your comment is irrelevant.

I actually agree with you on expansion, for the minute..... So we don't have another Gold Coast.... But there needs to be another team representing western Brisbane/Ipswich/Logan sooner rather than later. And we more than have the talent to maintain the 'NRL show' at the level it is.

So you think the standard of footy today is as good as it was 6 or 7 years ago?

If there has been a decline in the standard its not related to any thinning of player talent.

Its due to poor officiating and rule interpretation by referees and their coaches, and secondly the focus of modern day coaches on the wrestle.

Good call Coat...

[Guest]

If only those teams can get club legends to retire from the game every time they meet I'm sure the crowds will remain huge. You really think all those people were there because of the quality about to be served up to them? You talk about comparing apples to oranges....

Fair point, I didn't realise what game it was when I posted. I still maintain on a whole that the fans/interested parties are still present across the board regardless of who is last and who is first, it just ebbs and flows from club to club, season to season. And that the interested parties (fans, media, sponsors etc) are a greater population than 2007. That wouldn't be if the on field product had deteriorated.

I look for to your selected responses headless.

[redwhiteblue]

Biggest crowd for one single match (outside of the finals series) last year was para v st George... Arguably two most boring teams to watch last year... Somehow people still seemed to want to watch....

The position of super rugby franchises is much more a reflection of Australian rugby as a whole in my opinion, especially their talent pool and the product they have. Our talent group/pool is 1000 times theirs. Hence they want to poach our players all the time. Even our mediocre ones-Saffy and Vuna.

That was because a whole bunch of legends like Nathan Hindmarsh retired. It was worth it to see this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWBltDM4Mb8

[Headless Chook]

Fair point, I didn't realise what game it was when I posted. I still maintain on a whole that the fans/interested parties are still present across the board regardless of who is last and who is first, it just ebbs and flows from club to club, season to season. And that the interested parties (fans, media, sponsors etc) are a greater population than 2007. That wouldn't be if the on field product had deteriorated.

I look for to your selected responses headless.

All I will say is I watched more AFL finals footy this season than I ever have in the past because the NRL finals were as boring as bat shit. Even the GF was of a low standard in my view. The quality of the athlete has improved, but the quality of the games hasn't.

[Guest]

All I will say is I watched more AFL finals footy this season than I ever have in the past because the NRL finals were as boring as bat shit. Even the GF was of a low standard in my view. The quality of the athlete has improved, but the quality of the games hasn't.

Is that because talent has thinned out or because of what Jack and I have both mentioned about what the law makers, and consequently the coaches have created? Yes the grand final was dour (spelling?).

[redwhiteblue]

Is that because talent has thinned out or because of what Jack and I have both mentioned about what the law makers, and consequently the coaches have created? Yes the grand final was dour (spelling?).

Freddy has been saying for a number of years now how this wrestling nonsense has infiltrated even the childrens' competitions now, much to his frustration. Yes, look at which teams made the finals last year and who has coached them. Maguire is Bellamy's apprentice and this ugly brand of football is here to stay. I long for the good old days when teams actually threw the ball around, something we've still managed to maintain a number of times over the years. As much as I despise them, Canterbury teams of the 80's weren't branded the entertainers for nothing. Yes, you've spelled dour correctly..

[Headless Chook]

Is that because talent has thinned out or because of what Jack and I have both mentioned about what the law makers, and consequently the coaches have created? Yes the grand final was dour (spelling?).

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Probably a little from column A and a little from column B.

[Guest]

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Probably a little from column A and a little from column B.

[Guest]

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Probably a little from column A and a little from column B.

Well on the grand final mate I'd have to disagree. Grand Final was a strangle-a-thon by two of most strangle minded coaches who employ the hell out of the wrestle/dominate the ruck. And they do so because the rules and men in charge allow it. Sad day when a game which involves Slater, Chambers, Cronk, Smith, Widdop, Hoffman, Barba, Inu, Morris, Graham, Pritchard, Kasiano, Eastwood ends up dour.. I wouldn't have considered there a lack of talent in that group.

[Headless Chook]

Well on the grand final mate I'd have to disagree. Grand Final was a strangle-a-thon by two of most strangle minded coaches who employ the hell out of the wrestle/dominate the ruck. And they do so because the rules and men in charge allow it. Sad day when a game which involves Slater, Chambers, Cronk, Smith, Widdop, Hoffman, Barba, Inu, Morris, Graham, Pritchard, Kasiano, Eastwood ends up dour.. I wouldn't have considered there a lack of talent in that group.

No, thats why they were in the GF, we are talking about the talent being spread too thin. Never have I said there is no talent.

Compare the abovementioned to the likes of Chase Stanley, Jamie Soward, Dan Hunt, Trent Merrin, Will Matthews, Leeson Ah Mau, Jack De Belin, Jake Mullaney, Ryan Morgan, Chayse Blair, Ken Sio, Nathan Smith, Matt Ryan, Joseph Paulo and Taniela Lusalo. Those are some of the 'talented' players who took part in that Saints/Parra blockbuster.

The GF is an example of the rulemakers having an impact on the quality of the footy. The Parra v Saints game is an example of the talent being spread too thin across the competition.

[Guest]

Well on the grand final mate I'd have to disagree. Grand Final was a strangle-a-thon by two of most strangle minded coaches who employ the hell out of the wrestle/dominate the ruck. And they do so because the rules and men in charge allow it. Sad day when a game which involves Slater, Chambers, Cronk, Smith, Widdop, Hoffman, Barba, Inu, Morris, Graham, Pritchard, Kasiano, Eastwood ends up dour.. I wouldn't have considered there a lack of talent in that group.

I think you are going a little off track with your reference to talent thinning out and a lack of talent in the GF teams.

Talent within a squad thins out quickly. Top flight talent is as good as it has ever been if not better. The problem is that if Barba goes down who replaces him?

Two weeks ago our backline was potentially Mini, RTS, SKD, Maubs and Tupou. Two of those players have played a handful of games, both taleted but inexperienced, another is a backrower, another well past his best, whilst SKD spent much of last year injured. The backups were an injured Moga, an average Henry and Oldfield who is questionable. The Roosters have just had to buy Jennings, who replaces him at Penrith? No doubt a very capable but inconsistent youth with a lot of potential.

This site last year was filled with threads on how good our forward pack was going to be. They were mostly kids, all with potential, but got rolled week in week out. No doubt they will improve this year.

Ask Parra, Penrith, St George, or Titans fans if they are happy with their squads. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be. Half the people on here aren't happy with our own.

The depth simply isn't there for an additional team. I think we'll need to agree to disagree on that one.

I agree with you on the way the game is adjudicated.

[Guest]

I understand the points your both making, but I don't believe the gap is as large as you're making it. When was last time you saw 60/70-nil score lines repeatedly in a season? We see bottom eight teams roll and push top eight teams more frequently. I watched Para beat the Broncos up here at Suncorp last year.

Again difference of opinion. Will agree to disagree.

[Headless Chook]

I understand the points your both making, but I don't believe the gap is as large as you're making it. When was last time you saw 60/70-nil score lines repeatedly in a season? We see bottom eight teams roll and push top eight teams more frequently. I watched Para beat the Broncos up here at Suncorp last year.

Again difference of opinion. Will agree to disagree.

I disagree with that!

[Guest]

I disagree with that!

Don't get me started on emoticons Headless... Lol.