Rugby League is getting dull : Thu Feb 23, 2017 10:41 pm  

You don't expect a classic in cold, windy and wet conditions...but you've got to wonder where this sport is heading as a spectacle. Doesn't help that we've had two games in poor conditions in a row but across the league the game has become increasingly negative in recent years.

Players milking injuries to slow the game down, wriggling on the floor to win penalties and then taking the 2 because teams are scared of going for the 6 and losing possession, teams taking an age to form the scrum to again slow the game down. Referee's giving inconsistent calls, video ref decisions taking ages...add it all together and the game is slowly becoming everything we used to mock Union for.

We shot ourselves in the foot a lot tonight and didn't deserve the win, but yet again we lured in a lot of floating fans on cheap tickets and didn't put on a good 'show' Sitting for what seemed like hours in a cold, near silent stadium watching negative tactics isn't going to encourage fans to watch the game.

Not just HullFC's issue, I think its a issue for the entire sport at the moment, and proabably needs more rule changes to penalise 'timewasting' and to reward attacking play.

Re: Rugby League is getting dull : Thu Feb 23, 2017 11:07 pm  

Luring fans in after good results and getting big attendances then failing to show up has been an FC trait for years. Tonight though Sneyd gave it away - he said we was prepared to play ugly cos of the conditions. Conditions that improved after 6pm yet we continued with these basic tactics whilst Cats tried to play more. Thats what f**ked us imo

Re: Rugby League is getting dull : Thu Feb 23, 2017 11:08 pm  

Why is the game stopping for nearly every injury?
Head shots yes , but players are getting wise to it and feigning injury to slow things down . Catalan certainly had this tactic weighed off tonight !

Re: Rugby League is getting dull : Thu Feb 23, 2017 11:13 pm  

HFC Boy wrote:

Why is the game stopping for nearly every injury?
Head shots yes , but players are getting wise to it and feigning injury to slow things down . Catalan certainly had this tactic weighed off tonight !

Was particularly bemused when a Catalan player was getting treatment with what what looked like a cut to the face, why couldent he have been ordered off the field for that? He could clearly still walk! its making the game like American Football, one play and then a break.

Re: Rugby League is getting dull : Thu Feb 23, 2017 11:48 pm  

HFC Boy wrote:

Why is the game stopping for nearly every injury?
Head shots yes , but players are getting wise to it and feigning injury to slow things down . Catalan certainly had this tactic weighed off tonight !

Must say I was thinking the same thing. Amazing wasn't it how players were staying down after the slightest of tackles and as soon as the clock was stopped they hopped up and were fine. Just wanted a breather.

Re: Rugby League is getting dull : Fri Feb 24, 2017 12:47 am  

Yeah! .....And Fonua is the master at throwing himself on the floor at every play of the ball he is involved in and then appealing to the referee!

Re: Rugby League is getting dull : Fri Feb 24, 2017 5:56 am  

The sport has struggled in recent years and will continue to do so in a competitive marketplace. Great games are the exception rather than the norm these days.

Re: Rugby League is getting dull : Fri Feb 24, 2017 6:56 am  

WHen was the last time we made clean breaks on a regular basis

Re: Rugby League is getting dull : Fri Feb 24, 2017 9:18 am  

UllFC wrote:

You don't expect a classic in cold, windy and wet conditions...but you've got to wonder where this sport is heading as a spectacle. Doesn't help that we've had two games in poor conditions in a row but across the league the game has become increasingly negative in recent years.

Players milking injuries to slow the game down, wriggling on the floor to win penalties and then taking the 2 because teams are scared of going for the 6 and losing possession, teams taking an age to form the scrum to again slow the game down. Referee's giving inconsistent calls, video ref decisions taking ages...add it all together and the game is slowly becoming everything we used to mock Union for.

We shot ourselves in the foot a lot tonight and didn't deserve the win, but yet again we lured in a lot of floating fans on cheap tickets and didn't put on a good 'show' Sitting for what seemed like hours in a cold, near silent stadium watching negative tactics isn't going to encourage fans to watch the game.

Not just HullFC's issue, I think its a issue for the entire sport at the moment, and proabably needs more rule changes to penalise 'timewasting' and to reward attacking play.

I think its crept in over the last decade or so, McGuire at Hudds was very into controlling the wrestle and this has led to more and cheap PTB penalties. The latest set of holding the ball in the scrum and throwing the ball into a player has taken it to a new level. More and more teams are going down the route of taking the 2 now as well, we'll be singing swing low soon.

Unless you have a vested interest in a game, ie its your team or you have a favourite most games are pretty dull and lacking in any great skill

Re: Rugby League is getting dull : Fri Feb 24, 2017 9:44 am  

Catalan played to a game plan and we followed their lead, think a couple of their players will miss a game or two after last night though.