I can't claim to be a football expert like other PRE members, but I do love the game and rarely miss watching matches on TV whenever possible. I'm not aiming at our Tigers here, but football in general. It just doesn't seem the same spectacle as a few years back or for that matter, in its long history. I miss the duels between two high-leapers when the ball's there, the talented wingmen taking control of the leather and dashing, bouncing a couple of times, to instigate an attack, fellers like Kevin Barlett displaying sparkling dash and evasiveness near the goal square, but all the above happening at a pace that can be absorbed and enjoyed by the fans. Instead now it's a mish-mash of super-fast movement of the ball, in too many cases going to the wrong person (the opposition) causing an embarrassing turnover. I don't think players, with exceptions such as McLeod (sorry about the others I've left out) making expert use of the oval object whenever it's in their possession. Too fast, too many mistakes, not enough one-on-one battles for me. I still remember listening on the wireless to Captain Blood, near his final game (or maybe it was his last appearance) playing at full back, rucking and moving to a forward position during the afternoon and winning in each position. But maybe I'm just too old-fashioned.
