There is a time wasting epidemic in the modern game. In every game we see teams practice extremely cynical time wasting tactics which are having a negative effect on the flow of the game and evenness of contests.
Over the weekend, there were two cases that stood out where players used blatant time wasting tactics to halt the momentum of their opponents.
One was Cameron Smith who, when setting the ball from a restart, looks like he is trying to crack a safe.
The other one, James Maloney who before taking a line drop out took a little stroll and then refreshed himself with a drink from his trainer.
Is it possible that one of the game’s best players (and a future immortal) really struggles to set the ball for a kick off in the last 20 minutes off the game?
Since when is a line drop out a drinks break? In this case the opposition team has earns a line drop out, surely they deserve a quick restart.
I don’t mean to single out these two as all teams have employed these tactics however these ploys are extremely obvious and take the excitement out of the game, particularly when the opposition is attempting to mount a comeback and has some momentum.
Lastly, these tactics set an extremely poor example for kids as they deny opponents a fair crack.
I agree with recent crackdowns on high shots however this issue also requires urgent attention.
Also when did quick taps become so slow? We shouldn’t criticise rugby until we resolve our own issues that we experience during all stoppages.
A recent report flagged that during an NRL game that there was only 49 minutes of play. This is a disgrace. We don’t buy memberships, tickets, and pay TV subscriptions to watch players dawdle at kickoffs,scrums, dropouts and during kicks.
Everyone in the game is earning more and the fans are paying more every year.
It’s just not good enough.
Luke M
Guest
yes the diving or "simulation" is getting very soccer like. I love footy but when i see this happen I actually feel ANGER. Don't the players care about not looking like softcocks?
Boz
Guest
Agree. Would be very simple to introduce, and would change the game immensely.
compo
Guest
+1
compo
Guest
and too bad if you do have an injured player....play on... otherwise you'll always have someone cramping at every drop out.. tough i say... and then you'll see the Fakers stop...it will cost them a try at worst
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
extending the game will turn people off in droves. 80 mins of quality football is what will bring the crowds in. BTW, the game is now 80mins (2 x 40min halves) not 90 mins.
marco
Guest
Most of the free tickets are for behind the posts,and the cheap seats. The prime seats should be more affordable.
marco
Guest
maybe they should stop kidding themselves and stop calling games that get less than 15000 ,blockbusters! makes it a bit of a joke really. A blockbuster should get 50000 plus.
Charlie Drayton
Roar Guru
Stop the clock for tries and conversions but apart from that I think the game is long enough and is already placing a considerable demand on the players.
turbodewd
Roar Guru
Agreed. If we throw in 3min qtr time breaks that will add 6min. Now we need to find another 10-15min to add somehow. Noone is suggesting 3 hrs. Atm we get officially 90min. We need 110min-2hrs to make it worthwhile for ppl to attend the game.
In Brief
Guest
censorship alert
In Brief
Guest
Actually RWC 2011 was 35 minutes average per match, and that would be a lot higher for super rugby.
Coasty
Guest
Can't believe it. A site that actually names and criticises a player from the team with four junior league teams in the whole of their geographical base area on the eastern seaboard of Sydney.Doubt you'd get away with such comments on a certain newspaper site. When are the Roosters going to promote the playing of junior rugby league in their local area as per the Leagues Clubs' Articles Of Association as would be stated usually in the paragraph of Article 1 or 2. Has anyone at that mercenary club(an old description from Beetsons' time) looked lately in the Safe or filing cabinet and pulled out one of those little Articles booklets. The 70s was about the last period that Eastern Suburbs had real juniors in their three grades. Oh well , there's always that free production line from Penrith and the Pacific Basin.
fishes
Guest
You would get more people to the game if it went for 3 hours. People want to get their money's worth.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
Don't bring in stopping the clock though, the game will go for 3 hours. Also, let's get the runners off the field, The game is basically played with 14 players now as ex players are out there telling everyone what to do. That sort of instruction should be given during training sessions and then it's up to the payers to execute the instructions during the game.
oikee
Guest
Well for a start you take blockbusters to your homeground, and at least on a decent day or night, not during origins and not on Monday nights. This code is doing everything that other codes have written into their handbooks "Not to be Ever done". If their is a way to stuff things up, our code will quickly find it, we would be great ratters, always find the rats we would. Rats and filth, Big Mal knows what the game is all about. hehe
Matt
Guest
Carney has problems, however being a bad sport from what I've seen isn't one of them.
arthur rightus
Guest
It's not a time out it's time OFF, big difference & it seems to work pretty well in the AFL which would be close to the fastest game on the planet. Your idea of a short 10 for one team & not the other could never work as it would rest entirely on interpretation & that is something we need less of not more.
V.O.R.
Guest
It's a strange sight to see the worst seats in the stadium behind the posts chock a block and a spattering of people in the $80+ seats in prime position. How have things got to this point? The NRL has to implement some change to bring back the crowds week in week out and return some vitality to the supporter base.
V.O.R.
Guest
ha, ha.... how do we get some QLD referees back into the system oikee? These born and bred in NSW officialdom are killing us. Even with the best team to ever play the game we are only just scraping by. I think it's a lost cause. I'm going off to watch some Barry Gomersal re-runs.
oikee
Guest
oikee, either tone it down and stop writing the same stuff every week, or find a new soap box. Roar Mods.