This is proper RL this.

SL is like pat a cake pat a cake compared to this.

Maybe explains why we are so lacking when it comes to international rl.

Puts our game to shame big time.

Beltin first half of RL from our Australian cousins.

One of your better posts!

That said, whilst I agree Origin is a much better preperation for internationals than anything we have I think the reasons Aus are so much better than us are many - such as the much higher profile the sport enjoys down under compared to here and the far higher numbers of kids playing compared to us.

Brilliant game , the only thing that stood out for me is the fact that the refs dont blow their whistle every time there is a sniff of a penalty , the amount of high tackles and grapple tackles that were ignored to let the game flow was brilliant

SoO is different though compared to normal games, they deliberately let the game flow and the biff happen, kind of wish this was the norm, the game is getting a little soft, players need protecting in some respects but not from a few smacks and and a bit of roughing up in the ruck.

Have to agree what a game and yes the refs allowed the game to flow and the game was better for it. I remember when our game followed a similar pattern but now we have ended up with a game of tag with the game being stopped every few seconds. Hate to think how many times Mr Child will stop our game on Monday.
For heavens sake if the our refs watched they must nave been able to see the difference, at the end of the day we do not pay money to see the ref.
Getting back to the game what a drop goal to win the game

was it craegh that clocked a 20cm gash to the top of the head bandaged it put on a scrum cap and back on

I agree entirely.

Our game in the uk is almost becoming a non contact sport.

The tough uncompromising play in the SoO game this morning was a wonderful spectacle but you just know if that had it been played over here with a British ref there would have been penalties, putting on reports and sending offs galore.

The amount of soft penalties for minor infringements in our game is pathetic, no wonder guys like Moz are becoming sidelined.

Bring back the biff as they say.

Pretty much spot on, Yed

The SoO is MASSIVE intensity, and the refs use common sense..

Our game (the northern hemisphere game) is becoming TOO sanitised. It's almost like the players aren't aloud to "hit hard" anymore, without Eddie and Stevo (and this is one of the FEW bug-bears I have with them) shouting "DISGRACEFUL- WE DON'T NEED THAT IN OUR GAME", when all the incident was a bit of a flare-up. The RL disciplinary hear this, and they "pooh a brick" and start handing bans around). The Bridge incident v Hudds, earlier on the season, was a typical example. A very strong tackle, but NOT ileagal, yet E&S react like someone's been shot. The refs need to be a touch more lenient to "hard play", but still recognise out and out thuggery.

A side question still remains, though

Do we sacrifice SL's entertainment (because IT IS more "easy on the eye" than the NRL comp, for fluid RL) to have more intensity in our competition, and therefore (hopefuly) be more competative at the end of the season Internationals, or do we carry on as we are, and have England "go through the motions" every year, and have Cas, Wids, London receive "kickings" virtually EVERY week.

The RFL need to decide, and pretty quick to, or we'll just meander on, through the next decade, and the status-quo will remain the same.

There's loads more roughing up and loads less whinging like little girls to the ref in the Aussie game, especially SoO.

It seems like a proper sport played by proper men over there and Origin is the rubber stamp/ highlight of it all.

Any sort of roughing up in our game and you've got players crying to the ref like a Premier League footballer about getting their hair ruffled a little bit. Some Super League players need to stop pulling their face and swearing at the ref and just get on with the ing game and give a bit out themselves when they get the chance (not on the sly and not illegally); Super League refs need to start telling these cry babies I stop trying to officiate the game and really clamp down on the swearing.

I know Greg Bird was actually once a Super League player - and Jamie Peacock said that Grand Final Eliminator between Leeds and Catalan a few years ago was the roughest game he's ever played in with GB in the Catalan forwards - but what a man he is, and Paul Gallen and Matt Scott and Greg Inglis etc etc etc. They literally throw everything they've got at the opposition. They fly at each other. There's no soft take downs at any point. And yet none of the rugby is taken away, it's still highly skilful and highly exciting with superb tries scored.

I'm very jealous of what they've got!

There also seems to be much less of the little 'cheats' in their game.

I'm sick of seeing diving, all the trapping-in and hands on the ball in the ruck and at the PTB in our game. Then players getting up and pulling their face at the ref or throwing their arms in the air. JUST PLAY THE GAME LADS!
[2 refs on the pitch help with this massively!

A lot of Super League players need to toughen up.

FWIW I think that every bloke that takes the field is hard as nails and certainly don't need to 'toughen up'. They play the rules and the refs and it's the way the game is reffed that needs to change. If people like wellens got a yellow card every time they whinged to the ref, they would soon stop.