Mistakes in league? It must be the ball’s fault
Roar Pro By Benjamin Conkey, 23 Apr 2009 Benjamin Conkey is a Roar Pro
- Tagged:
- Andrew Voss, Matt Johns, NRL, Phil Gould, Rugby League, Tommy Raudonikis
Tigers Benji Marshall (centre) gets a pass away during the NRL Rugby League, Round 16, Penrith Panthers V Wests Tigers game in Sydney, Saturday, June 24, 2006. AAP Image/Action Photographics/Jonathan Ng
As I sat in Canberra Stadium last Friday night watching the Brumbies’ thrilling one point win over the Bulls, it dawned on me that there was hardly any dropped ball. Well, a miniscule amount considering how expansive the Brumbies played for much of the game.
It was a typical Autumn night in Canberra, with dew on the ground. The kind of conditions that have seen rugby league experts complaining.
For the past couple of weeks Phil Gould, Matt Johns and Andrew Voss have made the point that the rugby league ball is too hard to handle as soon as there’s a bit of moisture around.
They’ve since called for the NRL to develop a night ball.
Matty even went so far as to do an ‘experiment’ on The Footy Show, which proved nothing, apart from Billy Slater being able to catch an old leather ball with mud on it.
I understand that the rugby union ball is slightly bigger than league’s, but it’s made of the same synthetic material.
However, you don’t seem to hear too many union players, coaches or commentators complaining about the ball in night conditions.
And what about in the Old Dart?
They play in shocking conditions all the time. In fact, I’m surprised England didn’t use it as an excuse in the League World Cup – that they weren’t used to playing in dry weather.
Could it be that league experts are using the Steeden ball as an excuse for poor play?
We all know it’s more difficult to play at night, in almost any sport. But it’s not impossible.
In Origin matches there’s hardly any handling errors. If the ball was so bad (in dewy conditions), surely even the most elite players would make regular mistakes.
Matt Geyer hit the nail on the head in his assessment on the Sunday Roast. He posed the question of how many teams actually train at night. Judging by TV news reports, the players are always training during the day.
It’s little wonder, then, that after training with a dry ball in broad daylight, players struggle when the pressure is on under lights.
The ball is only an issue because the experts say it is. They are trying to come up with reasons why so many players are making mistakes in night matches, and it’s easier to blame the ball rather than the players.
As Tommy Raudonikis would say “rugby league is a simple game. You just have to hold on to the ball.”
Recommend this story.
- Explore:
- Andrew Voss, Matt Johns, NRL, Phil Gould, Rugby League, Tommy Raudonikis
April 23rd 2009 @ 8:16am
el_capitan said | April 23rd 2009 @ 8:16am | Report comment
I find it ironic that amature teams around the country train at night and play during the day on Saturdays, while the pros train during the day and play at night. Perhaps its time to revisit training times for clubs if they are playing on a Friday/Saturday/Monday night?
April 23rd 2009 @ 8:39am
Brett McKay said | April 23rd 2009 @ 8:39am | Report comment
Conks, I must admit that I happily accepted the ball being to blame initially, but like you’ve raised here, I’ve started to wonder myself. The Steeden ball in question has been in use in the NRL for a number of years now, perhaps not as long as the Gilbert in Super rugby, but easily long enough for this problem to have materialised previously. Why has it only come up this year?? Secondly, the same Steeden is now used in the UK Super League (and perhaps for a few years there too), and was also the ball for the RLWC last year.
The day-training, night-playing theory would seem to hold water.
I wonder also if the faster game, under the two ref system, is also having an impact??
April 23rd 2009 @ 9:43am
Brian said | April 23rd 2009 @ 9:43am | Report comment
Please don’t compare Union and Leagues handling. The ball is in play in a game of union for about 30 mins out of 80. Of course there will be less mistakes – especially when all that happens is kicking.
April 23rd 2009 @ 9:52am
Michael C said | April 23rd 2009 @ 9:52am | Report comment
For whatever the perculiarities of the ball might bring into it –
it makes me think of 4 sports :
A. baseball, and it’s condition is not an issue. They get smacked around and into the crowd and happily it’s replaced over and over again.
B. Tennis – new balls ever how often? Fluffy balls aren’t desirable.
C. Cricket, the changing condition and nature of the ball, the pitch, the weather etc all come into play, that dictate the value of blasting early balls to the concrete/metal fences/stands
D. AFL – used to at best change balls at half time or every quarter if weather and ground conditions really bad. Fair enough. But, now we have a bucket of balls at each goal…..and, a brand new Sherrin is glossy and hard – - and in AFL people ask why goal kicking doesn’t seem to have improved over the years. . . well, in perfect conditions, a Sherrin is about perfect to kick and handle about half way into the game. The balls these days don’t get to that stage.
Now – before this was the case in the AFL, I remember attending my first NRL matches back in ’98 and ’99 – - and I kept getting caught out as the ball sailed into the crowd, I was watching for it’s return, when, suddenly the game kicked off again with another ball.
I much prefer it when the game and the ball progress together. Apart from anything else, it makes the ‘match ball’ all the more worthy a post match ‘prize’.
April 23rd 2009 @ 10:02am
Brett McKay said | April 23rd 2009 @ 10:02am | Report comment
but Brian, even when the ball’s kicked in Rugby, it still has to be caught. And they play at night almost exclusively, so it’s not that unrealistic a point to compare the ball handling. And I say that without wanting to turn this topic into another code war…
April 23rd 2009 @ 10:11am
Michael B said | April 23rd 2009 @ 10:11am | Report comment
Lets not forget that League forwards run to the defensive line in a upright position, giving the defender the opportunity hit the player / ball hard on impact. This, in many cases, can cause the “slippery” ball to pop out. Also, there are quick play the balls which can cause players drop it.
Compare this to a union forward, who holds the ball, head down, hits the defensive line in a hunch back position, while covering and protecting the ball, gets tackled, turns faces his own players, plants the ball to be rucked out again – This process offers less opportunity for the ball to be lost. Plus when the ruck forms, its difficult as a spectator to see what is happening or whether the ball has been knocked on or not.
April 23rd 2009 @ 10:39am
Matt said | April 23rd 2009 @ 10:39am | Report comment
It depends on what one considers “handling” too though Brian.
Passing = Yes
Recieving a pass without the intention of passing it and knowing that all you have to do is run = Not so much
April 23rd 2009 @ 10:39am
Brett McKay said | April 23rd 2009 @ 10:39am | Report comment
fair point Michael B, but with regard to the upright position of League players at impact, has the ball been popping out any more frequently this year that suddenly the ball is the problem?? As I said above, the same ball’s been in use for years – why is it only a problem now??
April 23rd 2009 @ 10:43am
Colin N said | April 23rd 2009 @ 10:43am | Report comment
I would be amazed if there are more mistakes in League than Union as I would say there is more time in League than Union and territory is more crucial than in Union.
Michael B, I see where you are coming from with your presentation of the ball assertion, but wouldn’t you say that League players has no such worries, regarding the contact situation. All they have to do is hold onto the ball in contact, whereas Union players have to also present the ball well after contact, which gives them an extra dimension to think about. Of course, this ability should become innate (so to speak), but when you are hit hard, or you see a big guy coming fast, it may therefore cause a Union player to knock-on, as they have more to do when they are hit.
April 23rd 2009 @ 11:03am
Michael B said | April 23rd 2009 @ 11:03am | Report comment
Colin N
You’ll find in today’s game, league players are encouraged to off load the ball after impact or before they are completely held in the tackle. So I don’t necessarily agree with you in regards to league players only need to hold on to the ball.
Brett – You’ll find that most league fans know that this issue has been raised a number of times over recent years.