Re: 2018 | Middle 8s : Sun Sep 23, 2018 9:22 pm  

Completely understand what you mean. These days, the game is often quite boring, there’s many a time I’ve been watching a TV game and gone into the kitchen to make a cuppa, only to not bother going back to watch the match again.

If it’s getting to this stage, it’s time to really do something to pick up the interest level again.

Re: 2018 | Middle 8s : Sun Sep 23, 2018 11:20 pm  

The game needs some new attacking ideas. The defences have improved and innovated significantly over the last decade, but it's become too much about 'the wrestle', and coaches and players haven't found a a way to counter that consistently.

Re: 2018 | Middle 8s : Sun Sep 23, 2018 11:53 pm  

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.

Re: 2018 | Middle 8s : Mon Sep 24, 2018 6:28 am  

Predicted final positions.
But if Salford lose to Toulouse, London win against Halifax and we beat Toronto, then SALFORD will be in the MPG again.

12 Leeds Win - Toronto (H) 80
10 Salford Win - Toulouse (H) 109
10 Hull KR Win - Widnes (H) 5
8 Toronto Loss to Leeds (A) 17
8 London Win - Halifax (H) -10
6 Toulouse Loss - Salford (A) 0
2 Widnes Loss - HKR (A) -51
0 Halifax Loss - London (A) -150

Re: 2018 | Middle 8s : Mon Sep 24, 2018 6:52 am  

Homer Simpson wrote:

Predicted final positions.
But if Salford lose to Toulouse, London win against Halifax and we beat Toronto, then SALFORD will be in the MPG again.

12 Leeds Win - Toronto (H) 80
10 Salford Win - Toulouse (H) 109
10 Hull KR Win - Widnes (H) 5
8 Toronto Loss to Leeds (A) 17
8 London Win - Halifax (H) -10
6 Toulouse Loss - Salford (A) 0
2 Widnes Loss - HKR (A) -51
0 Halifax Loss - London (A) -150

That would be really really funny, but can't see it happening.

If we beat Toronto, I think London will get the win big enough to overall the points difference of Toronto, so think they will be other way round.

Re: 2018 | Middle 8s : Mon Sep 24, 2018 8:16 am  

this years middle 8's is going to the wire (not thew Wire), what a fantastic league this is. Lets have it again next year..............What, the RFL have changed the format yet again. oh no !

Re: 2018 | Middle 8s : Mon Sep 24, 2018 8:32 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.

Reducing subs from 10 down to 8 is one of the things discussed at last weeks SL meeting

Other things potentially on the cards include shot clock like they have in NRL and golden point but they are talking about 'golden try'

Also talking about doing away with the 'free play' rule

Re: 2018 | Middle 8s : Mon Sep 24, 2018 10:02 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.

I don't think PTB is a problem, nor with my limited viewing of NRL do they appear any better than us (as claimed by some others). Defences are just better & fitter, techniques improved. I'd have no problems in reducing the number of subs; though whether that would have any effect on player welfare & longevity I don't know.

As much as I dislike Wigan & their style you have to admire their defence. Especially near the goal line.

[Bullseye]

Re: 2018 | Middle 8s : Mon Sep 24, 2018 10:31 am  

tigertot wrote:

I don't think PTB is a problem, nor with my limited viewing of NRL do they appear any better than us (as claimed by some others). Defences are just better & fitter, techniques improved.

Seriously? I think the PTB is a massive problem. The Bellamy/Maguire obsession with it has been passed on like a virus. Dominating the PTB is the key to winning, everyone knows it so it’s become a battleground where both sides try all kinds of tactics to get an advantage. The spectacle is awful IMO. It reminds me of scrums in the 80s where a ref could take his pick as to what to penalise as both packs struggled for an advantage. You’d see scrums re-setting over and over until the ref just let something go. Eventually they allowed feeding just so they could get on with the game.

A similar drastic approach is needed to made the PTB less important to the game as a whole. I’ve no idea what it is. The only thing you can do is referee it better. In SL the standards of reffing are light years ahead of the Championship and L1. There I’ve seen PTBs last several hours

tigertot wrote:

I'd have no problems in reducing the number of subs; though whether that would have any effect on player welfare & longevity I don't know.

I’m sure coaches would whine about it but tough. It would make the qualities of fitness and endurance more important. It would make the monster forwards less common and therefore decrease the force of impacts in some collisions, probably beneficial to player welfare.

I’d definitely bring in the shot clock for all re-starts, penalty to the opposition if they take too long. Something also needs to be done about stoppages for injuries. There is too much cynical exploitation of this rule. I’d say that if a player goes down injured and requires attention and the game stopping he should be removed from the field for two sets for assessment. That'd focus minds.

Re: 2018 | Middle 8s : Mon Sep 24, 2018 11:48 am  

Bullseye wrote:

Seriously? I think the PTB is a massive problem. The Bellamy/Maguire obsession with it has been passed on like a virus. Dominating the PTB is the key to winning, everyone knows it so it’s become a battleground where both sides try all kinds of tactics to get an advantage. The spectacle is awful IMO. It reminds me of scrums in the 80s where a ref could take his pick as to what to penalise as both packs struggled for an advantage. You’d see scrums re-setting over and over until the ref just let something go. Eventually they allowed feeding just so they could get on with the game.

A similar drastic approach is needed to made the PTB less important to the game as a whole. I’ve no idea what it is. The only thing you can do is referee it better. In SL the standards of reffing are light years ahead of the Championship and L1. There I’ve seen PTBs last several hours

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.

I’d definitely bring in the shot clock for all re-starts, penalty to the opposition if they take too long. Something also needs to be done about stoppages for injuries. There is too much cynical exploitation of this rule. I’d say that if a player goes down injured and requires attention and the game stopping he should be removed from the field for two sets for assessment. That'd focus minds.

No problem with that. No skill required, unlike tackling technique.