2019 Rd 6 V Broncos: Teams and Previews *Teams p1*

[greeneyed]

He was a champion club player, no doubt.

Does seem strange... made a Hall of Famer, invited to be Viking Ambassador, speak to the team... and then go on the record saying he didn’t even watch the game.

[edwahu]

There was probably a 15-20 year period where the game was played the way he played it. It certainly wasn't the same game in the 60s and wasn't in the 90s.

[greeneyed]

For a start, there was unlimited tackle, then four tackle sets before six tackle sets. You used to get two points for a field goal and three points for a try. You used to be able to stand no yards back from the ruck... gradually that has become 10 metres (apart from markers).

Here's an interesting history of how the rules have changed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laws_of_r ... ague#1890s

[pickles]

I think what he’s talking about is the professionalisation of the game. The 80s was a time when most players still had a job and got paid top up money for playing footy.

I remember our school going nuts when chicka arrived one day but he was there to do some kind of electrical or security system work not on a PR visit and this was the height of the raiders success.

It was a very different time to the modern game where players are paid ridiculous overs and have never had a job other than footy.

Also hard to tell in print whether he is actually salty about how other players from that team are remembered or just having a laugh.

[greeneyed]

Suspect he's having a bit of a laugh with Steve Jackson... I sense a bit of a serious undertone to it though!

[BadnMean]

I think what he’s talking about is the professionalisation of the game. The 80s was a time when most players still had a job and got paid top up money for playing footy.

I remember our school going nuts when chicka arrived one day but he was there to do some kind of electrical or security system work not on a PR visit and this was the height of the raiders success.

It was a very different time to the modern game where players are paid ridiculous overs and have never had a job other than footy.

Also hard to tell in print whether he is actually salty about how other players from that team are remembered or just having a laugh.

haha- I distinctly remember spotting Chicka (he'd been perhaps 2-3 years retired by that point) at our high school sports day too. He was in his King Gees, checking alarms I think- once he saw how excited we were to see him and that he was about to have his cover blown he did a runner. 45 year old man in workboots still outpaced our relay team who'd just won in record time

[BadnMean]

There was probably a 15-20 year period where the game was played the way he played it. It certainly wasn't the same game in the 60s and wasn't in the 90s.

Quite true. By the time Phil Blake arrived at the Raiders he was something like the last of the old serve volleyers in tennis- his trademarks chip and chases and grubbers and 80s trickery were not quite in vogue anymore and would just be put of place within another 5 years.

Back to O'Sullivan, he was a bit overlooked. His kicking game in the GF or any of those old late 80s games you can find is sensational- but Ricky gets all the plaudits. Then Laurie is the next big thing.

O'Sullivan seems an honest bloke who just doesn't feel the need to mince words. For all we know he told the Raiders or Ricky how he feels about the game these days and they said come along anyway, you're still one of us and a different perspective isn't something to be afraid of. He never actually says anything negative about the club (in fact he says some of his happiest times)- he's just a bit of an old Reg Reagan who likes the old fashioned game.

He was still happy to talk to players and offer any advice he thought could help. It would be a small minded little club that could only handle yes men.

[afgtnk]

Just saw my football, promotion chasing team Leeds lose against a 10 man relegation battling team at home, after being 1-0 up. So now, nothing in sport is a given. We have to aim up big time otherwise we're gonna be in for a shock. Hope there is no complacency about.

Your fans must be a nervous wreck right now

Top job Biesla's done though to get it this far

[edwahu]

I was watching the pregame on 9 and the showed some archival footage of Seibold playing while they interviewed him. He was playing wing and looked awfully like Geoff Macnamara.