[Bullseye]

Re: 2018 | Middle 8s : Mon Sep 24, 2018 12:23 pm  

tigertot wrote:

I had no idea rugby existed outside the top 4 of SL so cannot comment too much on that. No doubt Bellamy etc have perfected the art of slowing down the attacker but I think the bigger issue is how many defenders get involved. Having just watched a few minutes of early 90s Aussie RL it is unusual for more than 2 players to be involved, now it is 3 or 4, especially if it is up the middle. That can lead to the third or fourth player getting tied up with the attacker trying to get up. But I think it is an over-exaggeration to say it is spoiling the game. It is insignificant if teams are playing like Saints or Cas try to do. Boring attacking rugby is a bigger crime.

It's certainly spoiling the game in the lower tiers. I can't really comment on SL since I only watch bits on the SL Show.

Player ability is more limited in the lower leagues and it's easier to drill a side in holding down or milking a penalty that it is to coach champagne rugby. Refs allow the PTB to be much slower and policing of the 10m is almost non existent. I've endured more than enjoyed rugby this season.

Re: 2018 | Middle 8s : Mon Sep 24, 2018 12:30 pm  

Sal Paradise wrote:

Other clubs have had equal injury issues e.g. Hull and they haven't suffered anywhere near the calamatous season Leeds have had.

One more game to go. Can Hull avoid having a calamitous season by winning their final game of 2018?

If Hull do lose then that'll be 11 defeats on the bounce and 14 defeats from their final 16 games with their only wins coming against the 2 worst teams in the league: Salford & Widnes.

Re: 2018 | Middle 8s : Mon Sep 24, 2018 12:34 pm  

Sal Paradise wrote:

They like the other 4 - Giants, Widcats and Catalans have nothing to play for in the 8's none of them could have realistically made the top 4 and they players knew.

Sadly it is one of the downfalls of how the splits have worked out this year.

And yet they've lost to all 3 of those sides in the Super8s and at least once, maybe twice to them in the first 23 rounds.

But yeah.... the format.

Re: 2018 | Middle 8s : Tue Sep 25, 2018 6:50 am  

loiner81 wrote:

And yet they've lost to all 3 of those sides in the Super8s and at least once, maybe twice to them in the first 23 rounds.

But yeah.... the format.

But yeah - Hull were always going to be playing in SL next season regardless of losing all 7 games - the same cannot be said of Leeds. Champions to middle 8's or CC winners to top 8. The only person who doesn't see the former as a bigger fall than the latter is you - you really are a bonehead.

Re: 2018 | Middle 8s : Wed Sep 26, 2018 8:43 am  

So, its the final week of the middle 8s.
Who is going to be in MPG

Salford, HKR, Toulouse, Toronto or London

For starters, lets hope Toulouse beat Salford tomorrow

Re: 2018 | Middle 8s : Wed Sep 26, 2018 9:09 am  

Homer Simpson wrote:

For starters, lets hope Toulouse beat Salford tomorrow

That would make my week, would love to go to Headingley on Friday without any niggling doubts and I'm sure the players would too.

Re: 2018 | Middle 8s : Wed Sep 26, 2018 10:00 am  

BrisbaneRhino wrote:

The problem is when they've tried to clamp down to speed up the PTB it just leads to bucketloads of penalties. Good defensive teams in the NRL don't care about giving away penalties. The only thing I think could help is reducing the interchange. Whilst it won't speed the game up as such, it would reintroduce genuine fatigue and potentially give more space to halfbacks.

The 10 metres is a problem, particularly in a league where many defenders are less quick and possibly less fit than their aussie counterparts. Drop the gap to 7 and the defence would have time to get set, meaning the potential drawbacks for withdrawing from the ruck quickly would be fewer. There'd also be less scooting and (hopefully) better attacking. This idea isn't mine: Mal Reilly mentioned it in a recent interview.

[Frosties.]

Re: 2018 | Middle 8s : Wed Sep 26, 2018 5:21 pm  

Toulouse by 2, Leeds by 26, London by 46 and Widnes by 2.

London in the automatic promotion spot with Toulouse v HKR in the MPG... here’s hoping.

Re: 2018 | Middle 8s : Wed Sep 26, 2018 10:19 pm  

Sal Paradise wrote:

But yeah - Hull were always going to be playing in SL next season regardless of losing all 7 games - the same cannot be said of Leeds. Champions to middle 8's or CC winners to top 8. The only person who doesn't see the former as a bigger fall than the latter is you - you really are a bonehead.

The size of the fall was never the question. Ask Hull fans if they feel like 2018 has been somewhat calamitous for the club and I'm sure 99.999% will say yes.

It's a very weak minded person who can't admit when they're wrong Sal, choosing instead to dig in and go full Trump.
You never cease to amaze in that regard.

Re: 2018 | Middle 8s : Thu Sep 27, 2018 6:23 am  

loiner81 wrote:

The size of the fall was never the question. Ask Hull fans if they feel like 2018 has been somewhat calamitous for the club and I'm sure 99.999% will say yes.

It's a very weak minded person who can't admit when they're wrong Sal, choosing instead to dig in and go full Trump.
You never cease to amaze in that regard.

This discussion started because as usual you tried to be a smart booty and suggest that because Hull had had a bad season that somehow made the embarrassing season Leeds have had somewhat less embarrassing. I merely pointed out you cannot compare the two - something you have now admitted to be correct.

I cannot understand why you have kept digging - but then when you are as stubborn as you are then therein lies the answer