Rugby League 2023

Ollie Derbyshire

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If it can't be us yes indeed. I hope it's Leigh for Lammy but I hope it isn't Leigh because they are in fact just a bus stop in Wigan!
They are ! I’m super surprised they are doing this well this year. When I go back home (Wigan) in a couple of months I’ll have to chat to the boys about it.
 

jojojo

JoJoJoJoJoJoJo
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Welcome to Manchester reception committee
It's kind of freaky. Their last promotion (admittedly one that was massively affected by COVID) was followed by an awful start for them - but memorable for the fact that they were getting so close against good teams and then losing on the closing minutes.

This promotion, I was thinking that survival would be a good result for them. Turns out they're a much better team now they're Leopards. Good recruitment and key players staying fit the fundamentals - but for the team to jell this fast is amazing.
 

Ollie Derbyshire

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Yeah it’s great to see for the game in general that a newly promoted team can be this competitive. If we could ever get another top club in France and a couple down south things would really be looking up.
 

jojojo

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Yeah it’s great to see for the game in general that a newly promoted team can be this competitive. If we could ever get another top club in France and a couple down south things would really be looking up.
I always feel like there's an awful conflict between expanding the top division and money. Because money's tight, no one wants to spread it out even thinner.

On the other hand for the longer term health of the game, more clubs and more geographical spread could make all the difference.
 

Ollie Derbyshire

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I always feel like there's an awful conflict between expanding the top division and money. Because money's tight, no one wants to spread it out even thinner.

On the other hand for the longer term health of the game, more clubs and more geographical spread could make all the difference.
I think if it stays in the same corridor eventually it’ll get worse, expanding is the only way to increase overall wealth of clubs. As difficult as it might be they need to look at merging some clubs together potentially.
 

dannyrhinos89

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Yeah it’s great to see for the game in general that a newly promoted team can be this competitive. If we could ever get another top club in France and a couple down south things would really be looking up.
sadly that will never happen, maybe France has a chance to get another competitive team but down south there’s just not enough interest in it.
 

Ayush_reddevil

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Heard recently that BT might be buying the broadcast rights so I hope that the broadcast will improve. It's pathetic that so many games are not available to watch at all
 

Northstand

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Not surprisingly, Daryl Powell has been sacked as Warrington coach after the pathetic showing earlier today. Apart from a few games at the start of this season, his results have been shocking.
 

Port Vale Devil

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Heard recently that BT might be buying the broadcast rights so I hope that the broadcast will improve. It's pathetic that so many games are not available to watch at all

Yeah crazy that Sky show almost every NRL game but Super League games maybe 2/3 a week.

Especially over the summer when there is no footy on
 

Ayush_reddevil

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Yeah crazy that Sky show almost every NRL game but Super League games maybe 2/3 a week.

Especially over the summer when there is no footy on
Yeah that’s because sky get their NRL feed from fox in Australia who cover most games. I mean it’s also on the Rugby league teams here that it’s 2023 and they can’t even provide a stream of any kind
 

Ayush_reddevil

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It’s insane how badly Warrington have fallen apart after a crazy start to the season
 

jojojo

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I was at the match (still am at Wembley actually - to watch at least some of the Batley Bulldogs match). Enjoyed the match, enjoyed the day. Really pleased for the Leigh fans - it means a lot for them.
 

12OunceEpilogue

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I like a Friday night trip to the game, I'll be sad to see less of them. Then again there has been an insane amount of clashes between Wigan Rugby and United recently, so it can't get any worse on that score.
 

12OunceEpilogue

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A fine kettle of fish at Leigh this weekend. The break seemed to suit them to be fair :lol:
 

12OunceEpilogue

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Wigan look to be peaking at the right time of year. Topping the league feels like it'll be big this year so I'm hoping we can dispatch Castleford at home as we should and then negotiate a tricky trip to Leigh on the final regular day. After that I'll take nothing for granted as we've had a stinker in us all season.
 

12OunceEpilogue

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We've given ourselves the best chance for the play-offs but we need to be better than we were last night. Leigh were very unlucky to be fair to them.
 

Wibble

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NRL Grand final will be Panthers vs Broncos to the surprise of nobody. Both winning their preliminary final against The Storm and Warriors (great teams) at a canter.
 

Wibble

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NRL final for the ages. Panthers come back from 8-24 with 15 mins to go, to win 26-24. Cleary is playing at a Thurston level and he is still only 25.
 

Northstand

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NRL final for the ages. Panthers come back from 8-24 with 15 mins to go, to win 26-24. Cleary is playing at a Thurston level and he is still only 25.
He's a fantastic player. Sounds like a great game too...I'll have to see if I can catch up on that.
 

Ayush_reddevil

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NRL final for the ages. Panthers come back from 8-24 with 15 mins to go, to win 26-24. Cleary is playing at a Thurston level and he is still only 25.
Watched it live. I had money on Penrith so I couldn’t believe my luck. What a game
 

DanielofLeyland

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Panthers seemed dead and buried. Cleary single handedly dragged them back into the game. Superb final.
 

McGrathsipan

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Is there any other World level tournament where so many of the matches are so pointless from a competition viewpoint.
Such a gulf in class between the top sides and the rest of the fodder.
 

Ayush_reddevil

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Don’t understand why they can’t provide a tackle counter in the Catalan home games
 

T00lsh3d

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Don’t understand why they can’t provide a tackle counter in the Catalan home games
What’s the difference in skills between the different forwards in league? Like, a front row and a second row have to do completely different things in union …..but in league?
 

Ayush_reddevil

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What’s the difference in skills between the different forwards in league? Like, a front row and a second row have to do completely different things in union …..but in league?
Well in theory they have a separate role in scrum but obviously scrums in league are mostly set plays with not much in the scrum action. Generally back row players play a bit wider and are heavy tacklers but nothing like the specific roles in union
 

T00lsh3d

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Well in theory they have a separate role in scrum but obviously scrums in league are mostly set plays with not much in the scrum action. Generally back row players play a bit wider and are heavy tacklers but nothing like the specific roles in union
Thanks. My sons started playing but I know nothing really about the game as opposed to union.

Watching Saints Catalan tonight, it’s a proper shitfest. Looks like they’re playing on oil or treacle half the time. Full of cheap shots in the first half as well
 

Ayush_reddevil

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Thanks. My sons started playing but I know nothing really about the game as opposed to union.

Watching Saints Catalan tonight, it’s a proper shitfest. Looks like they’re playing on oil or treacle half the time. Full of cheap shots in the first half as well
Saints are my local team so I have a soft spot for them but this has been very ugly
 

P-Nut

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Thanks. My sons started playing but I know nothing really about the game as opposed to union.

Watching Saints Catalan tonight, it’s a proper shitfest. Looks like they’re playing on oil or treacle half the time. Full of cheap shots in the first half as well
It's a miles better sport to play and watch once you get used to it, and that's coming from someone that has played both. The speed of the game is so much different and much more action friendly in league.

I'm guessing your question before was due to that being the position your son is playing in? I'd say the main difference between props and second rows, is that second rows are usually fitter and not quite as big. They also see more sides of the game attacking in wide areas, whilst also expected to do the dogs work down the middle. Class position to play in only beat by loose forward for me.
 

T00lsh3d

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It's a miles better sport to play and watch once you get used to it, and that's coming from someone that has played both. The speed of the game is so much different and much more action friendly in league.

I'm guessing your question before was due to that being the position your son is playing in? I'd say the main difference between props and second rows, is that second rows are usually fitter and not quite as big. They also see more sides of the game attacking in wide areas, whilst also expected to do the dogs work down the middle. Class position to play in only beat by loose forward for me.
Thanks. I’ll always be a union man but I’m giving this a go seeing as he’s started playing it. I’m just curious about the technical differences. I used to play to a reasonable standard but have literally never played league….so I’m fecked if I can impart any knowledge or training.
Appreciate the fitness element is probably the biggest initial difference. How would you train, I’ve already been told shuttle runs to death. Anything more interesting?