They may have the best ball carriers but league players' passing skills are getting worse. Not surprising, really, as modern league is becoming increasingly risk-free due to the pressure on coaches to succeed, the first thing they implement is "no mistakes", similar to American Football. There was a discussion last year how the number of passes per match in contemporary league is decreasing and what can be done to reverse this. Sorta conforms to my theory modern league is an endless sequence of biff/bash/barge/pass/run/kick. I don't think I've ever seen Sam Burgess pass the ball fer instance. Have a squiz at some of the Classic League matches on Foxtel to see what league was like when players were encouraged to pass the pill, it was quite palatable. AND players tackled around the legs and ankles, not the current version of group cuddles from the waist up. McMahon's tackle last night when he put a Brumby on his arse, Kellaway's covering tackle around the ankles in the corner last week, when was the last time we saw tackles like those in league?
The effect this holding the ball and removing any skill to offload in the tackle's washed over to rugby, a lot/most of our talented youngsters play some league in their junior days where not passing is drummed into them. Junior league matches can be played with just a handful of talented players, the not-so-talented ones don't see the ball match-in match-out, even for a whole season. That's why some junior comps award extra points for a try that resulted from more than two passes. There was one instance in the second half when a Rebels player broke through the Brumbies backline and progressed down the right hand side with a winger next to him and the fullback to beat. A skilful player would've passed to the winger IN SPACE, kept his line straight up the paddock and took the ball back with no one on front of him. But no, the lad carted the ball up and took the tackle. I see this taking the tackle every week in junior and senior rugby, doing league-style hitups when there're players in space who could advance their team's cause with a bit of imagination and a lot of skill. Some years ago when I was more involved at West Harbour they had a centre in first grade WHO NEVER PASSED THE BALL! On enquiry I found out he played league on Sundays. For years we succeeded against the rugby powerhouses due to our more skilful backs, that's not the case today. I blame the omnipresence of league.
The version of rugby league we've been served up in recent times is endlessly boring, I can't watch much of it.