Fitness Now V Then : Sun Apr 19, 2020 1:37 am  

Been watching lots of 90s games last few weeks and one thing that stands out is that despite claims to contrary, the Wigan players back in the 90s were every bit as fit as today. Id even go as far as to say the props were fitter. The game was every bit as fast, if not faster and the props played long minutes without a break and never looked out on their feet like so many do today after 20 minutes. Kelvin Skerrett was doing 60+ minutes without any noticeable drop off in intensity. Why are todays props so unfit when they have better training facilities and nutrition? Is it a mental thing because they know they will be coming off at a certain time or are they really only able to manage 20 minutes?

One other observation, the early 90s Wigan teams would beat todays team easily. The attacking play was on another planet.

Re: Fitness Now V Then : Sun Apr 19, 2020 6:02 am  

In 10 years time we will have the same discussion about fitness now (then) and the fitness of the players in the future.

After all the implants and genetic modificatons of course

Re: Fitness Now V Then : Sun Apr 19, 2020 7:06 am  

The_Enforcer wrote:

Been watching lots of 90s games last few weeks and one thing that stands out is that despite claims to contrary, the Wigan players back in the 90s were every bit as fit as today. Id even go as far as to say the props were fitter. The game was every bit as fast, if not faster and the props played long minutes without a break and never looked out on their feet like so many do today after 20 minutes. Kelvin Skerrett was doing 60+ minutes without any noticeable drop off in intensity. Why are todays props so unfit when they have better training facilities and nutrition? Is it a mental thing because they know they will be coming off at a certain time or are they really only able to manage 20 minutes?

One other observation, the early 90s Wigan teams would beat todays team easily. The attacking play was on another planet.

And there was not the number of substitutions like we have now, just two substitutes which were more often than not a back and a forward.

Re: Fitness Now V Then : Sun Apr 19, 2020 1:37 pm  

Teams defend far better today than in the early '90s. We were also playing oppositions who might have had only one or two full time pro players compared to Wigan who had a full squad of full timers.

Re: Fitness Now V Then : Sun Apr 19, 2020 1:51 pm  

Smaller players, less players involved in the tackle, and a 5 metre rule probably meant the required fitness levels then were lower.

Re: Fitness Now V Then : Sun Apr 19, 2020 5:18 pm  

Charlie Sheen wrote:

Smaller players, less players involved in the tackle, and a 5 metre rule probably meant the required fitness levels then were lower.

10 metres in the 90's

Re: Fitness Now V Then : Sun Apr 19, 2020 6:42 pm  

Pieman wrote:

10 metres in the 90's

From 1993 and defences took a couple of years to adapt.

Re: Fitness Now V Then : Sun Apr 19, 2020 6:48 pm  

Any excuse to try and belittle Wigans success back then and how good we were.

Re: Fitness Now V Then : Mon Apr 20, 2020 9:26 am  

Charlie Sheen wrote:

From 1993 and defences took a couple of years to adapt.

no they didnt

Re: Fitness Now V Then : Mon Apr 20, 2020 9:32 am  

You were good no doubt about that ! You signed all the best players and were one of only 2 full time teams , unfortunately it meant eventually you had to sell your ground
and you are still suffering from it now .