Social Have you played rugby league ?

[Beastmode]

Two seasons
Schools

Played a club game about 5 years ago - ring in. Got absolutely abused on the wing. Last time I ever put on boots …

 

[Beastmode]

I think the hardest part of league is the defensive structures and being in sync with other defenders. Knowing when to help out vs hanging back. That split second delay can be the difference between the attacker getting an extra 5m or breaking the line completely. Alternatively you rush in they get the offload and off they go… getting back 10m is no joke - a bitch. Everyone always tries to cut and not get back behind the mark. It plays at a different speed to union. There’s no rest because you’re having to run back and fourth 10m. A lot more cardio than I expected. And this playing on the wing?!!

I have mad respect for those who play. It’s no walk in the park.

 

[Tohu’s_Knees]

I’ve played like 3 games of league in my life, I played prop and 13. I had a blast.
I’ve played way over 100 games of Prem Union games though. Still have a run every now and then.
IMO the quality of League outside of Auckland is nowhere near the quality of Union.
I love both games

If only they could get it in schools outside of Auckland. Warriors would be away.

 

[Citygirl]

If only they could get it in schools outside of Auckland. Warriors would be away.

I was shocked to read St Thomas' here in Christchurch beat De La Salle in secondary schools final, not necessarily that they beat them but that they play league at the school

 

[Defence]

I was shocked to read St Thomas' here in Christchurch beat De La Salle in secondary schools final, not necessarily that they beat them but that they play league at the school

They won it last year too.

I played from 6 till 26- can’t say I was anything special- just good enough to get to play with and against some great players.
Some of my best friends are still guys I played with when we were 10 years old- that’s the greatest thing about the sport- and sports in general.

 

[John Nick]

6 to 32.
Rugby and league while at school.
Missed a few years while I was working in coastal shipping.
Club premiers in Auckland and then Wellington
Moved to Australia and helped with coaching on Gold Coast for a while

 

[The Warrior Waka]

Primary to Intermediate- Ellerslie Eagles & Glen Innes Falcons.

Late teens Otahuhu Leopards.

Then I found boxing & Muay Thai. Lived in Thailand for 8 years. No more footy after that.

Btw, I have knees of a 100 year old now.

 

[marv.]

i played from barefoot cross field at 5 years old until i was eighteen.

mostly at renown united in oatley, sydney.
played and went to school with some guys who made the NRL.
most notably mark gasnier.
matt gillard and peter skinner i think either played a bit of first grade or maybe just reggies.

played mostly hooker. i think a year at second row and a year in the centers when i was younger.
played a season of harold matthew’s cup at st. george in the 90s.

moved to NZ at 18 and never played again.

hilariously i couldn’t for the life of me get enough weight on me to not get ragdolled constantly.
certainly not a problem now, in my forties though.
ha!

 

[Teets]

Still barely hanging on in the Waikato rezzies comp at 39.

Don't do much these days except bark orders and flop in on tackles.

From time to time will still jump in for a game of rugby when there's no league on. It's nice on the lungs not having to retreat 10 metres and being able to walk on Sunday. Fuck me the whistle is out of control in union though.

Always wish the league season could start a bit later so we could get prem rugby players in the comp more frequently.

 

[PhilsySH35]

Still barely hanging on in the Waikato rezzies comp at 39.

Don't do much these days except bark orders and flop in on tackles.

From time to time will still jump in for a game of rugby when there's no league on. It's nice on the lungs not having to retreat 10 metres and being able to walk on Sunday. Fuck me the whistle is out of control in union though.

You guys rock Teets, played down Poneke ways for a few years, Porirua east senior 3rds, then played for Marist northern for 2-3 seasons at open side prop (no on special, just glad to have played this beautiful game). (what I loved about it was it took all sorts to play, everything stayed on the field. played with and against gangs mobsters and black power funny thing, found they were the cleanest to play against, but the police were the dirtiest go figure - didn't expect that, like I said takes all sorts) and then had to give it away as broke both of the bones in my right forearm trying to tackle a nifty little full back connected with his knee - stupid tackle after that played 3 more games, every time I tackled or ran the ball up I kept getting knocked out sort of waking up on the ground wondering what was going on, then finally did my groin (that was the writing on the wall to tell me give it away) absolutely enjoyed everything about rugby league, the camaraderie, the Tue and Thu training, then game day sat everything. now in my early 60's now got diabetes and heart disease, wish I could have a run again... that's why I love da Wahz my forever team.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Played union at school in the backs.

Moved to Touch when I started work (couldn’t afford to get injured) and played that for 10+ more years peaking playing all year round (not just summer touch) and a season of Rippa (league version of touch). Gave all that up 1 week after my first kid was born (self employed and couldn’t afford to get injured!).

When my kids played hockey I coached and then reffed for about 5 years.

My love of league flowed from preferring the viewing spectacle over union in the early 2000’s.

 

[Ref]

Played senior league 1985 to 1992. Then 1994. Briefly 1995 then the odd cameo and made a full comeback 2005 to 2007. Then 2008 started refereeing.

 

[FormerlyJamesW]

Haven't played.

Talk like I've coached first grade to a dynasty. You know the drill.

Meh.

 

[dean]

A handful of lower grade games when I was 19. I was a useless player.
Woke up in an ambulance on the way to hospital after getting my head in front of some blokes knees and getting knocked senseless.
That was it for me. Decided I was better off working Saturday mornings and saving for a house.

Edit. I wasn't working when I was in front of some blokes knees.

 

[MrFrankWhite]

Played infrequently for 2 years. 3rd & 4th form. Probably 60kg soaking wet, didnt end well.

 

[Playdaball]

Played from 9 to 18 years old and then work and social life cut in .
Played RU at senior level in Akld, much to my father’s disgust.
Lived in England for a couple of years and made a promise to my partner that I wouldn’t play whilst there , meantime a lot of ex team mates, school friends were playing professionally in England and Europe, RL and RU.
RU was meant to have been non professional … I got ‘offered’ a pro contract, South of France , LOL.

 

[Matiunz]

Played a few fill in games as a 2nd rower after Union season for a couple of years had, mainly to be blunt because the local league was pretty disorganised is the reason I played Union more.
Still play Union now at the ripe old age of 40 but as I’m a prop league doesn’t really have a spot for me these days. Keep saying each year is my last but keep going another round

 

[Jonesy69]

I grew up in an AFL state in Australia where at the time, RL was inaccessible for the majority of kids growing up.

I remember our PE teacher put out an expression of interest email to enter into high school RL tournament hosted by the Storm and I was the only kid who put my name down for the team. I ended up convincing my group of mates who all played rep level AFL to give it a crack and we all had a blast. There was a few head scratching moments over the 2 day tournament, but was my first real crack at playing leauge. Also came up against a young Dean Ieremia who was carving everyone up the entire tournament. I believe he got scouted to the storm after that tourney.

 

[PhilsySH35]

Played union at school in the backs.

Moved to Touch when I started work (couldn’t afford to get injured) and played that for 10+ more years peaking playing all year round (not just summer touch) and a season of Rippa (league version of touch). Gave all that up 1 week after my first kid was born (self employed and couldn’t afford to get injured!).

When my kids played hockey I coached and then reffed for about 5 years.

My love of league flowed from preferring the viewing spectacle over union in the early 2000’s.

Loved rippa, we called it flag down Wgton, in my late 30's had to give up league due to injuries, and played touch but my knee's gave up and then found flag/rippa, totally loved it, loved playing it and watching it too - closest thing I could get to playing league. I found union to be a very brutal game, especially the forwards compared to league, league easier to play, union too complicated and technical for me.

 

[wizard of Tauranga]

Loved rippa, we called it flag down Wgton, in my late 30's had to give up league due to injuries, and played touch but my knee's gave up and then found flag/rippa, totally loved it, loved playing it and watching it too - closest thing I could get to playing league. I found union to be a very brutal game, especially the forwards compared to league, league easier to play, union too complicated and technical for me.

In rippa everyone spins or wiggles their hips and those flags just don’t want to get got!

It’s more like dancing than league