NRL Thread (4 Viewers)

[MuffinMan]

what are you quoting me about?

parras gonna have the winning streak.

 

[MuffinMan]

lol parra is what?

hectic or totally rad...pick one or choose both

 

[*mel*]

Yeah i was thinking about Dragons winning 11 premierships in a row.
One of you dragons fans tell me, did they have all those salary cap rules back then, and all those other rules to keep teams from buying all the top players?

 

[*mel*]

hectic or totally rad...pick one or choose both

How bout neither?

 

[MuffinMan]

How bout neither?

u just watch...
i particularly like our halfback smith...i think hes really underrated...

 

[*mel*]

u just watch...
i particularly like our halfback smith...i think hes really underrated...

Didn't he only debut this year?

 

[blackfriday]

timmy smith played really well tonight, and he'll be competing with thurston and prince for maroons no. 7 jumper next season.

 

[DRAGONZ]

I'm watching the dragons beat the knights tomorrow night. Envy me.

Oh how I envy you, jumb! Argh I wish I could be there to watch the boys beat down on Newcastle.

That is, of course, provided they win. Overconfidence has been the bane of our side for ten years (that is, St George and then St George-Illawarra).

 

[DRAGONZ]

Yeah i was thinking about Dragons winning 11 premierships in a row.
One of you dragons fans tell me, did they have all those salary cap rules back then, and all those other rules to keep teams from buying all the top players?

Mel,

It's past midnight so I can't really be bothered to go into much detail about how rugby league used to be played, but I'll give you a quick outline.

Rugby league used to be unlimited tackles. This meant that, effectively, a side could receive the ball on the own line and work their way to the opponent's try line to score a try.

To counter this, though, the defence only had to stand five metres in front of the play the ball.

You combine those two factors, and you get a much tighter game without the flamboyance you see today with the 6-tackle, 10 metre rules. Add to those factors that players used to be very disciplined and almost never threw flick passes (a la Matthew Gidley) or bothered attempting the Andrew Johns banana kick. It didn't happen.

The emphasis around the time that we won 11 in a row (1956 - 66) was on ball control, disciplined footy, tight defence and straight, hard running.

Now you may not believe me when I say this, but it is 100% true. Back in these days, the forwards scored the majority of a team's tries. While today, with the deep backlines and 10 metre defence, it is commonplace (and more exciting) to watch a sweeping backline movement result in a try to the centre or winger. Purists hate it.

There was, of course, no salary cap until very recently. But Mel, I would have hoped that you would have realised that back in the 50s, players didn't play to earn big dollars. Clubs weren't spending much at all to pay a squad. They played to represent their local area (you didn't often see players switch clubs), and they had pride in their jersey. Playing for the Red V meant more to many of these players than the salary they were earning. Also, just to provide an indication of comparative spending levels, the ARL split the money for the minor premiership in 1961 between Wests and St George. Each club got a total of £125.

And after that history lesson on the sport, now to the Dragons.

The St George/Kogarah/Carlton area was a goldmine for local talent at this time. Much like the Illawarra district is today. The Dragons were able to get their local talent and use them.

We ended up the best forwards in the comp, and these players ended up being some of the best forwards the game has ever seen (Craig Young, Johnny Raper, Norm Provan, Harry Bath). We also had Graeme Langlands (Changa) at fullback towards the end of the run and Reg Gasnier in the centres.

To show you how little the players were paid, I'll use Changa as an example. St George bought Graeme Langlands' contract (his whole career) for £3000. Langlands played for Australia a total of ninety times. Imagine what a player of that quality would be on today... $400,000 to $500,000 a year, easy.

But yes. Point is that we had the best forwards, and with the unlimited tackle count, St George was inevitably always playing the game in the opponents half. And thus scoring the tries.

You are lucky this is after midnight, Mel. Or I could have gone on and on. Hehe.

 

[gordo]

u spk like you are a 75 yr old reminscing
u haven't known any different, so don't get all wishy washy

 

[*mel*]

Mel,

It's past midnight so I can't really be bothered to go into much detail about how rugby league used to be played, but I'll give you a quick outline.

Rugby league used to be unlimited tackles. This meant that, effectively, a side could receive the ball on the own line and work their way to the opponent's try line to score a try.

To counter this, though, the defence only had to stand five metres in front of the play the ball.

You combine those two factors, and you get a much tighter game without the flamboyance you see today with the 6-tackle, 10 metre rules. Add to those factors that players used to be very disciplined and almost never threw flick passes (a la Matthew Gidley) or bothered attempting the Andrew Johns banana kick. It didn't happen.

The emphasis around the time that we won 11 in a row (1956 - 66) was on ball control, disciplined footy, tight defence and straight, hard running.

Now you may not believe me when I say this, but it is 100% true. Back in these days, the forwards scored the majority of a team's tries. While today, with the deep backlines and 10 metre defence, it is commonplace (and more exciting) to watch a sweeping backline movement result in a try to the centre or winger. Purists hate it.

There was, of course, no salary cap until very recently. But Mel, I would have hoped that you would have realised that back in the 50s, players didn't play to earn big dollars. Clubs weren't spending much at all to pay a squad. They played to represent their local area (you didn't often see players switch clubs), and they had pride in their jersey. Playing for the Red V meant more to many of these players than the salary they were earning. Also, just to provide an indication of comparative spending levels, the ARL split the money for the minor premiership in 1961 between Wests and St George. Each club got a total of £125.

And after that history lesson on the sport, now to the Dragons.

The St George/Kogarah/Carlton area was a goldmine for local talent at this time. Much like the Illawarra district is today. The Dragons were able to get their local talent and use them.

We ended up the best forwards in the comp, and these players ended up being some of the best forwards the game has ever seen (Craig Young, Johnny Raper, Norm Provan, Harry Bath). We also had Graeme Langlands (Changa) at fullback towards the end of the run and Reg Gasnier in the centres.

To show you how little the players were paid, I'll use Changa as an example. St George bought Graeme Langlands' contract (his whole career) for £3000. Langlands played for Australia a total of ninety times. Imagine what a player of that quality would be on today... $400,000 to $500,000 a year, easy.

But yes. Point is that we had the best forwards, and with the unlimited tackle count, St George was inevitably always playing the game in the opponents half. And thus scoring the tries.

You are lucky this is after midnight, Mel. Or I could have gone on and on. Hehe.

Omg! Well that was very interesting! And no, i didn't realise about the money thing... i didn't even think about it to tell the truth. I had absolutely no idea what footy was like back then.

And since when do you care if it's after midnight or not? Why aren't u on msn?

 

[DRAGONZ]

u spk like you are a 75 yr old reminscing
u haven't known any different, so don't get all wishy washy

Haha. I am reminiscing (who wouldn't when their club has won 11 premierships in a row?), but I'm sure as hell not 75

Nah, it's just reading about the history of the Dragons in books and on the internet. You learn heaps.

And since when do you care if it's after midnight or not? Why aren't u on msn?

It's because I've got my soccer match early tomorrow morning. I didn't intend to come on here, but I did and I got carried away.

I shall go now, though! So gnite, Mel!

 

[*mel*]

It's because I've got my soccer match early tomorrow morning. I didn't intend to come on here, but I did and I got carried away.

I shall go now, though! So gnite, Mel!

Ahhh ok... good luck. Score 3 goals for me! Good night

 

[Jiga]

Id just like to point out that St George ILLAWARRA havent won any Premierships since their entrance into the NRL

 

[blackfriday]

well they've got into an arl grand final in the last ten years, which is more than i can say about the sharkies of course. jack gibson even said that waiting for cronulla to win the premiership is like leaving the porch light on for harold holt.

 

[gordo]

Haha. I am reminiscing (who wouldn't when their club has won 11 premierships in a row?),
Nah, it's just reading about the history of the Dragons in books and on the internet. You learn heaps.

for my 18th i got a framed signed photo of the 1965 legends team, after 10 in a row

 

[Smokey_22]

well they've got into an arl grand final in the last ten years, which is more than i can say about the sharkies of course. jack gibson even said that waiting for cronulla to win the premiership is like leaving the porch light on for harold holt.

LOL.

-Or like flogging a dead horse.

-The wheels turning but the hamsters dead.

LOL.

 

[padutz]

Manly got jipped and deserved 2 win..... parras 1st try was definately a knock on n wif 5 minutes left we got the ball from a rake and the ref sed it was a 2 on 1 rake.... that is bullsht!

oh well.... the game had a great atmosphere with over 18000 people there and there wernt any brawls in the crowd (which is a change bcoz of the rivalry). i spose the boys will just be more pumped up for next week against panthers

GO THE EAGLES

 

[Suney_J]

A fair bit. Her SH column focuses mostly on NRL news.

correction. NRL gossip

 

[Jiga]

Ah the Premiership knocks, well we will see what happens this year wont we. Unless you support Brisbane, having the 'crappy' sharks ahead of you must be prity sad! Either way, Illawara Dragons havent won a Premiership yet, that other dead entity called the Dragons did though