The NRL Season of 2016

@akan004 said in The NRL Season of 2016:

Haven't followed the NRL over the last few years as I just don't have the time to watch as much sport as I used to. How would you guys compare the talent in the NRL with say the players in NZ rugby and how would the NRL compare to Super Rugby in terms of standard?

Bit hard to compare, but both top professional competitions so tend to have the best talent in each game (Super rugby for the SH anyway).

I've noticed in the past couple of years there's been a move away from the usual league forward (5' 11"/6ft) to some big boppers that wouldn't look out of place on a rugby field.

Obviously the hyperbole from the Aussie leaguies is off the charts these days, they're all the greatest champions to grace a rectangle field and a rah rah player would break in the first minute of a league match.

@Nepia I don't know why the leaguies feel that way about Rugby players. Don't they realise that a good portion of the kiwi league players have a Union background. I don't think we feel that way about some of the great League players, and would happily welcome them to our game.

@akan004 said in The NRL Season of 2016:

@Nepia I don't know why the leaguies feel that way about Rugby players. Don't they realise that a good portion of the kiwi league players have a Union background. I don't think we feel that way about some of the great League players, and would happily welcome them to our game.

There'd be a few I'd welcome to see them get trapped at the bottom of a ruck (Bird, Gallen, Slater, used to be Cam Smith but I'm softening on him).

Of all the codes the Nrl is closest to entertainment supercedes the pursuit of the purity of the games laws, and indeed the hollow words and messages of player safety, values and integrity which emanate from the administrators.

the law book will surely state that Ennis high first tackle is a bin. Ditto the fijian a few minutes later. But no way is that enforced. Similarly Thaidays spear tackle in SOO. Similarly the 10 minute conversion attempt in last year's gf.

In my opinion the law book runs second fiddle to the hype and sensationalism.

Watching how stringently rugby is officiated inthe morning and then the league was chalk and cheese.

Nothing wrong with that if thats how the NRL and fans want it. Good luck to them. They got me watching it.

@Chris-B. said in The NRL Season of 2016:

It's a bit soccer mum-ish, but I wouldn't be keen on my kids playing league, in the same way I wouldn't want them taking up boxing.

That Storm guy who came in with a swinging arm to the neck that led to the Fifita try - that would have been a definite yellow card in rugby and even a possible red. In league, it's just a penalty and play on.

My favourite part was the Koroibete tackle early that was pretty fucking bad, and "Place ON REPORT" - which is fucked, because its a Grand Final, and secondly, the prick is going to rugby anyway.

Fuck!

Kiwis squad: Gerard Beale, Adam Blair, Jesse Bromwich, Lewis Brown, Greg Eastwood, David Fusitu'a, Tohu Harris, Shaun Johnson, Jordan Kahu, Solomone Kata, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Thomas Leuluai, Issac Luke, Simon Mannering, Te Maire Martin, Manu Ma'u, Jason Nightingale, Kevin Proctor, Jordan Rapana, Joseph Tapine, Jason Taumalolo, Martin Taupau, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak.

Jesse Bromwich is still Kiwis captain for the tournament.

@Sneakdefreak what has Matulino done behind the scenes to piss everyone off?

@mariner4life Nothing. He's had surgery and is out.

@Sneakdefreak right you are

For those in OZ they are showing Samoa v Fiji on ch 507 live right now.

Willing game as expected.

Also on Sky sports pop up channel.. channel 56

Bit surprised by the missing names in the Samoa squad

That's two weak teams - guessing since it was in Apia that a few players went "nah".

Kiwis named for the test in Perth against Roos:

how does square wheels Nightingale keep getting picked?

@mariner4life probably because he performs well for the Kiwis. I rate him ahead of DWZ (but my wingers in 2017 are Fusitua and Rapana at this point).

No room for Mannering. Interesting.

@Gunner hes having surgery apparently

@taniwharugby Mannering is recovering from surgery so was given an extra week of rehab.

NRL news: Greg Bird released by the Titans, Dylan Walker and Aaron Gray in trouble again (this time in Thailand).

Australian Kangaroos team: Darius Boyd, Blake Ferguson, Greg Inglis, Josh Dugan, Valentine Holmes, Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk, Matt Scott, Cameron Smith (captain), Shannon Boyd, Boyd Cordner, Matt Gillett, Trent Merrin. Interchange: David Klemmer, Michael Morgan, Tyson Frizell, Sam Thaiday.