NRL is a poor and distant second to AFL. And that's coming from a dyed in the wool Queenslander who played league all his life. For me the wrestling is ruining the game. We now have the cannonball tackle, chinstrap tackle, chicken wing, grapple tackle and rolling pin tackle all banned. Scrummaging is a joke these days. You may as well draft some WWE old boys and have the refs ham it up.
I sort of agree. Having come from a school that was soley Rugby League (De La Salle) + 2 teachers that were Cronulla players/trainers, I'm at a loss watching it these days... but I'd say that about AFL too. apparently its evolving.
Apparently the powers to be seem to tell us that we want a faster more fumbling game. I'd be happier with a game of good quality skills.
RL now seems like a game of hot potato that we played in primary school. Nobody get caught with it, just throw it *somewhere*... AFL seems the same.. Some games are tragic to watch...
RL now seems to be a game of majority of tries scored from chips into the ingoal and people taking a grab that way.. Used to be 1 or 2 a game. now theres 1 or 2 runs down field a game if your lucky for tries.
And being a fat bastard front rower, whatever happened to the ScruM? For the last 20+ years the ball doesnt even get in the pack!!!! Why is there a position called "hooker" now? If you changed the rules back to ball must go between the front rowers feet/center of scrum, todays hooker would cry.
Anyway, go the r00sters... Fan since Russell Fairfax played fullback for em.
But I dont think they are anywhere near front runners anymore.